As Lila was ready to celebrate her 17th birthday, she received an unexpected and creepy gift from her stepmother: a pink funerary urn. Like the type you keep ashes in? Yes, that’s the one. But that’s not all! Lila learns that her college fund was given to Monica to open her salon. What will Lila do?
Let me tell you, I’ve been sitting on this one for a few days, just trying to make sense of what went down.
I always thought my stepmom, Monica, was the worst, though not Disney villain evil. She was the kind of person who talks over you, forgets your birthday, and calls you “kiddo” when you’re practically an adult.
A smiling teenage girl | Source: Midjourney
But, what she pulled on my 17th birthday? It shattered whatever shaky truce we had.
At least, that’s what I thought. Turns out, things weren’t exactly what they seemed.
Here’s how it all went down.
My mom, Sarah, died when I was ten, and after that, it was just Dad and me. We were a solid team. The type of team that has pizza for dinner half the week, late-night movies, and this unspoken agreement that we’d always have each other’s backs.
Two boxes of pizza on a coffee table | Source: Midjourney
Then came Monica, about three years ago.
At first, she wasn’t horrible; she was just… there. Like a stray cat that never leaves, so you have no choice but to adopt it. Monica moved into our house, took over the bathroom with her fifty bottles of face serums and creams, and slowly pushed her way into my dad’s world.
Monica had big dreams of opening a hair salon, which was fine. I wasn’t against people having dreams. I had my own dreams waiting for me, but she treated me like I was just this annoying piece of furniture that came with the house.
A woman’s vanity | Source: Midjourney
Honestly, I was counting down the days until I could escape to college.
Dad had promised me since middle school that there was a college fund waiting for me.
“Don’t worry, sweet girl,” he told me. “Your mom and I put together the fund when you were five. There’s more than enough, and every year on your birthday and Christmas, I add more.”
A smiling little girl | Source: Midjourney
“Thank you, Dad,” I said. “I just want to study and make something of myself, like Mom said.”
“You only have to worry about your grades, Lila,” he said. “I’ll handle the rest.”
Naturally, I worked my butt off in school, knowing that in a few years, I’d be out of here.
A smiling man | Source: Midjourney
College was my golden ticket, and no one — not even Monica — would stand in my way.
At least, that’s what I thought.
On the morning of my 17th birthday, I came downstairs expecting the usual lukewarm effort. By lukewarm, I mean a sad card, some pancakes, and Monica forgetting my favorite syrup. Dad was at work, so it was just Mon and I.
A plate of pancakes and a card on a table | Source: Midjourney
She handed me a gift bag, which was already weird because Monica wasn’t exactly the thoughtful or sentimental type.
“Happy Birthday, kiddo,” she said, flashing one of her tight-lipped smiles.
I wasn’t expecting much, but I sure as hell wasn’t expecting this.
I reached inside the bag and pulled out… an urn.
A shocked teenage girl | Source: Midjourney
A funerary urn.
You know, the kind that people store ashes in. Cold, heavy, and, well, pink. It was pink.
I just stared at it, my brain short-circuiting.
“What the hell is this?” I asked, holding the urn like it was cursed.
A pink funerary urn | Source: Midjourney
Monica leaned against the kitchen counter, smug as ever.
“It’s symbolic,” she said as if that explained anything.
“Symbolic of what?”
Monica’s grin widened.
A smiling woman in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney
“It’s time to bury your dreams of college, kiddo. Your dad and I talked about this, and we decided to put the college fund to better use.”
“Better use?” I asked, a cold shiver running through me.
“Yep. We’re investing it in my hair salon. College is a gamble, Lila. A business? That’s something real, sweetie.”
A hair salon being renovated | Source: Midjourney
She sipped her coffee like she’d just said the most reasonable thing in the world.
I was frozen in place, trying to make sense of what I’d just heard. Had they really taken my future, everything I’d worked for, and sunk it into Monica’s salon dream?
“How could you do this?” I whispered.
Monica just smiled, a little too pleased with herself.
A shocked teenage girl | Source: Midjourney
“Life’s full of disappointments, kiddo. Better get used to it now,” she said.
Wow.
That was it. I was done. I ran upstairs, slamming the door behind me so hard that the walls shook.
I cried so hard it hurt. What else could I do? Everything I had been holding onto was gone, and the only person I thought I could count on, Dad, had let this happen.
An upset teenage girl | Source: Midjourney
My mom wanted me to get out and make something of myself. And now? It was all over.
The next few days were a blur. I didn’t speak to Monica or my dad unless I absolutely had to. Every time I looked at that stupid urn sitting on my desk, my stomach twisted.
I couldn’t even bring myself to throw it out. It felt like some kind of morbid evidence. Like proof of the betrayal I didn’t see coming.
A pink funerary urn on a desk | Source: Midjourney
At school, my friends tried to cheer me up.
“Maybe she thought it was funny, Lila,” my friend Kira said. “Like, who really knows what Monica is thinking?”
“And anyway, there’s nothing stopping you from throwing it out! Just do it! Don’t overthink it,” Mel said.
Three teenage girls | Source: Midjourney
But still, I couldn’t focus on anything other than the fact that Monica was prancing around, acting like she was the queen of the house, while I sat there with no future.
Then, a few days later, something strange happened.
When I got home from school, there was a note on my desk. Not in an envelope, just folded, with my name written in Monica’s messy handwriting.
A woman sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney
Meet me at the salon at 6 P.M. tonight. No questions. Just trust me. -M.
I almost laughed out loud. Trust her? Yeah, right.
But something about the note gnawed at me. Maybe it was the fact that I wanted to confront her one last time, tell her exactly what I thought of her.
Against my better judgment, I decided to go.
A note on a table | Source: Midjourney
When I got to the salon, the lights were off, and the front door was unlocked.
I hesitated for a second, wondering if this was some elaborate prank. But curiosity got the best of me.
I stepped inside, and there they were. Monica and my dad, standing side by side, both grinning widely.
“Surprise!” Monica shouted, throwing her arms up like this was the happiest moment of her life.
The entrance to a salon | Source: Midjourney
I just stared at them, completely lost.
“What is this?”
Monica stepped aside, and that’s when I saw it — a shiny, brand-new sign mounted on the wall.
Dream Cuts: A Scholarship Fund in Honor of Sarah
I blinked, feeling like the room was tilting on its axis.
A hair salon | Source: Midjourney
“What… what is this?”
Monica smiled, but it wasn’t her usual smug grin. This one was softer, almost real.
“We didn’t use your college fund, kiddo. It’s all still there. The salon? It’s not just for me. It’s for you, too. For other kids like you, too.”
I couldn’t breathe.
A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney
“But then, why would you make me think otherwise?” I asked.
Monica winced, putting her hand on her head.
“Yeah, so, the urn thing… That was not my best idea. I thought it’d be motivational, like, bury the past and embrace the future. You know? But it turns out that it was just creepy.”
A woman with her hand on her head | Source: Midjourney
I stared at her, speechless.
My dad stepped forward, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
“We’ve been planning this for months, Lila,” he said. “Your mom always wanted to help kids get to college. This salon is going to fund scholarships. For you and for others in her name.”
“The salon has been my dream, Lila,” Monica said. “But it was never going to come at your expense. This way, a great portion of all our profits in the future will go to the fund.”
A smiling man | Source: Midjourney
I didn’t know what to say.
Or what to think.
Just that I felt a warm haze take over me.
Monica laughed softly.
“I’m not a monster, darling,” she said. “I just didn’t want you to think that I was trying to take over your mom’s role.”
A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney
For the first time in a long time, I smiled.
It wasn’t perfect, but things with Monica probably never would be. But, at that moment, standing in the middle of a salon named for my mom’s dream, I realized that she wasn’t trying to ruin my life.
She was trying to build something bigger than any of us.
A smiling teenage girl | Source: Midjourney
And somehow, against all odds, it felt like a new beginning.
And yeah, I kept the urn. But I planted white peace lilies in it, thinking it would be symbolic after all. And who knows, maybe I’ll take the urn to college.
What would you have done?
Peace lilies planted into a pink funerary urn | Source: Midjourney
If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |
I Transferred $24K to My Daughter for Her College Tuition, Only to Discover She Never Enrolled — What She Spent It On Made Me Pale
Caroline had been saving for her daughter’s college fund since Angela was born. But after a classmate of Angela’s reveals that Angela is not actually enrolled in college, Caroline must uncover what her daughter is doing and what she used the money for.
Children are always going to break your heart. This was something that I learned the hard way after trusting my daughter, Angela, completely.
A close-up of a smiling girl | Source: Midjourney
Since Angela was born, I have been saving for college. I needed to know that irrespective of what life threw my way, I would be able to educate my child.
“I think you can wait until she’s a little older,” my husband, Holden, said. “We can do it together.”
“You can add to her college fund later,” I said, looking at my baby girl. “But I’m going to start from next month. I wasn’t able to study, Holden. And it was because we didn’t have the opportunity to do so. Angela is going to get that opportunity.”
A smiling baby girl | Source: Midjourney
“Okay, Caroline,” my husband said. “You start it now, and I’ll add to it in a year. The house will be paid off, and I’ll be able to put that money into the fund.”
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
Boss Notices Scar on His Cleaning Lady and Emotionally Embraces Her
Caleb, a wealthy businessman, was absorbed in his company’s annual report one busy Monday morning when an unexpected encounter changed everything. A janitor entered his office, a woman in her late 50s, carrying cleaning supplies. The moment he looked up, he was struck by her astonishing resemblance to his late mother, who had been gone for 28 years.
Caleb’s heart raced. He invited her in, intrigued and bewildered by her familiarity. She introduced herself as Michelle, a recent hire, and mentioned that she had just moved to town two weeks ago. Despite her cheerful demeanor, Caleb felt a strange connection. The more he looked at her, the more memories of his mother resurfaced, especially a distinctive scar on her arm that mirrored one he had seen in an old photograph.
As Michelle tidied up the office, Caleb’s curiosity grew. He inquired about her scar, only to learn that Michelle suffered from amnesia and could not recall her past beyond twenty years. This revelation sent shivers down Caleb’s spine, igniting a mixture of hope and skepticism. Could she truly be the mother he thought he had lost?
Overwhelmed by his emotions, Caleb shared the unsettling coincidence that Michelle bore an uncanny likeness to his mother, who had died in a car accident when he was just a baby. Both had the same scar. Fueled by a need for answers, Caleb proposed a DNA test to confirm their relationship, an idea that surprised them both yet felt essential.
The drive to the hospital was laden with tension. Caleb wrestled with his thoughts, torn between disbelief and a flicker of hope. What if this woman was indeed his mother? The possibility left him both excited and terrified. He recalled the day he stumbled upon an old photograph of a woman with a child, a picture that had cast shadows on his understanding of his family history. His father had always maintained the story of his mother’s tragic death, but the resemblance of this stranger brought a flood of questions rushing back.
Years ago, during a home repair with his father, Caleb had unearthed the photograph tucked beneath the floorboards. Written on the back were words that sent his world spiraling: “Baby Caleb with Mommy. Happy Birthday, Sweetheart”. The woman in the photo didn’t resemble Olivia, his father’s wife, raising doubts about his past.
Upon arriving at the hospital, they hurried to the reception desk to request the DNA test, emphasizing the urgency of their situation. Hours stretched endlessly as they awaited the results. In the interim, Michelle recounted her fragmented memories, recalling waking up in the woods after an accident, a tale that left Caleb haunted by the uncertainty of her past.
When the nurse finally returned, the results were staggering. A maternity rate of 99.99% confirmed what Caleb had dared to hope, Michelle was indeed his mother. The revelation brought an overwhelming wave of emotion, and Caleb embraced her, tears streaming down his face. However, as joy surged, questions about his father’s deceit surfaced. Why had he lied about Michelle’s fate?
Determined to confront the truth, Caleb drove Michelle to his father’s mansion, apprehensive yet resolute. Michelle approached the door, heart racing, while Caleb stayed in the car, watching. The moment William, his father, opened the door, disbelief washed over him.
Under the guise of a stranger offering a gift set, Michelle engaged William in conversation. As she spoke, he noticed her scar, a chilling reminder of a long-lost love. It was a defining moment, and tension hung thick in the air. As the conversation unfolded, William’s demeanor shifted, recognition dawning on him. Panic began to bubble beneath his composed exterior.
The encounter spiraled as Michelle’s growing anxiety collided with William’s mounting fear. When she made an innocent comment about familiarity, it triggered a rush of suppressed memories in William, leaving him visibly shaken.
Seizing the moment, Michelle turned to leave, sensing the danger brewing. Caleb watched closely, heart pounding, as she rushed to her car and climbed inside. The night wore on, and as she settled into the driver’s seat, she relayed the harrowing experience to Caleb, who knew they were on the brink of unveiling dark family secrets.
As night deepened, Caleb found himself parked outside Michelle’s house, waiting in a borrowed car, anxiety gripping him. He watched as his father’s vehicle pulled up to the curb. Caleb’s heart raced when William crept toward the backyard, eyes darting in the dim light.
William entered the house stealthily, a knife glinting ominously in his hand. What followed was a heart-stopping moment that saw the light of truth expose the darkness of his past. In a shocking twist, William discovered a human effigy lying in bed, the panic of his mistake overwhelming him.
In the ensuing chaos, police officers burst in, catching him off guard. Michelle had anticipated the danger, and her preparedness led to William’s arrest. In a tense interrogation room, he finally broke down, confessing to the crime he had committed years ago, the murder of his first wife, Jennifer, in a fit of fear and desperation.
William’s revelation unraveled the twisted tale of betrayal and loss, exposing the depths of his deceit. He had let the years of lies consume him, and now the truth emerged, irrevocably changing Caleb’s understanding of his family history. With the weight of their shared past finally lifted, Caleb and Michelle faced a new chapter together, embracing the bond that had survived years of separation and lies.
Leave a Reply