My name is Sarah, and my story began with tragedy. When I was two years old, my mother died in a car accident, and my father passed away. My grandparents took me in. They became my world. They loved me and supported me through thick and thin. Thanks to them, I recently graduated from high school and entered a top university.
Graduation day had to be perfect. I couldn’t wait for my grandparents to see me receive my diploma. I was so excited.
Graduation Party | Source: Pexels
“This is for you, Grandma and Grandpa,” I thought as I put on my cap and gown. I couldn’t wait to see my grandparents’ proud faces as I walked across the stage. They had given me everything.
Suddenly, I heard someone call my name. “Sarah?”
I turned around and saw a man I didn’t recognize. He had a kind face but looked a little worn. “Yes, that’s me,” I said cautiously.
A man with blue eyes looks at the camera | Source: Pexels
He smiled, his eyes were sad. “It’s me, your father.”
I gasped. “My father? No, my father left me when I was two.”
His face fell. “No, it’s not true. I’ve been looking for you all these years. Your grandparents didn’t let me see you.” The man opened his wallet and showed me a picture of me as a child with a young man I knew as my father. It was the only picture of him I’d ever seen.
Young man with his little girl | Source: Pexels
My mind started spinning. “What? They said you abandoned me.”
He took out his phone and showed me text messages. Angry, hurtful words from my grandmother. “They told me to stay away, Sarah. They never wanted me.”
My eyes filled with tears. Is this true? Had my grandparents lied to me?
“Why would they do that?” I whispered, with a mixture of anger and confusion.
Sarah, shocked, looks at her father | Source: Midjourney
“I don’t know, Sarah. But I’m here now. I’ve always wanted to be a part of your life,” he said softly.
I saw my grandparents sitting in the audience, smiling and waving at me. My emotions were boiling. I couldn’t believe they had lied to me for so long. I walked over to them, anger boiling inside me.
“Leave,” I said loudly, my voice shaking with rage.
Sarah yells at her grandparents | Source: Midjourney
Grandma’s smile faded. “Sarah, what’s wrong?” she asked, her eyes filling with tears.
“Go away right now!” I shouted, my voice echoing through the hall. People turned to look.
Grandpa stood up slowly, his face pale. “Sarah, please talk to us. What’s going on?”
“You lied to me! You kept my father away from me all these years. Go away!” I insisted.
Sarah angry but determined | Source: Midjourney
My father approached me, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Thank you, Sarah. I know this is difficult.”
“Why did they lie?” I asked, tears streaming down my face.
“I don’t know, but we can talk about it,” he said softly. “Let’s get through today first.”
Later, I sat across from my father in a quiet corner of the cafe, my coffee cooling in front of me. I studied him, trying to reconcile the man in front of me with the stories my grandparents had told me.
Cup of coffee in a cafe | Source: Pexels
“So,” I began, my voice trembling slightly, “tell me everything. Start at the beginning.”
He sighed and took a sip of his coffee. “It’s a long story, Sarah. But you deserve to know the truth.”
He paused, gathering his thoughts. “When your mother and I first got together, everything was fine. We were young and in love. But your grandparents never loved me. They thought I wasn’t good enough for her.”
Sarah’s father | Source: Midjourney
“What do you mean?” I asked, my eyes searching for the honesty on his face.
“They judged me all the time,” he continued, shaking his head. “Your grandfather thought I was a loser because I didn’t have a fancy job. They wanted your mother to marry someone else. When you were born, it got worse.”
My heart sank. “Why didn’t you come back? Why didn’t you try to find me sooner?”
Sarah, sad, talks to her father | Source: Midjourney
Silently, he took out his phone and showed me old text messages from Grandma. They were filled with anger and pleas to stay away.
My hands shook as I read them. “I can’t believe they did that.”
“They thought they were protecting you,” he said softly, squeezing my hand. “They didn’t trust me, and I can’t blame them for being angry, but they lied to you. Ever since, I’ve been trying to get back into your life.”
Press the hand | Source: Pexels
Tears welled up in my eyes. “Why did you come to my graduation?”
“I heard about it from an old friend,” he explained. “I wanted to see you, to congratulate you. I thought maybe enough time had passed that you were ready to meet me.”
I nodded slowly, absorbing his words.
Sarah nods slowly | Source: Midjourney
“We’ve fallen on hard times,” he explained. “My son, your half-brother, is very sick. I need a lot of money for his treatment, and I thought I could borrow at least $1,000 from you.”
I looked at him, torn between anger and pity. “Why didn’t you tell me all this before?”
“I didn’t want to ruin your big day,” he said with a sad smile. “I wanted to wait until we could talk properly.”
Sarah’s father tells her his side of the story | Source: Midjourney
I sighed, feeling a mixture of emotions. “This is a lot to take in.”
“I know,” he said softly. “Take your time. I’m not going anywhere.”
I stared out the window, watching the world go by. “I need to talk to my grandparents. There are so many things I need to sort out.”
Cafe windows | Source: Pexels
“Sure,” he said, reaching across the table to take my hand. “I’ll be here when you’re ready.”
I squeezed his hand, then stood up. “I have to go. But thank you for being honest with me.”
“Thank you for listening to me,” he said, his eyes full of hope.
As I left the cafe, I felt a heavy weight on my shoulders. I had a lot to think about and even more to discuss with my grandparents.
Sarah leaves the cafe | Source: Midjourney
I walked into our house, feeling a heavy weight on my shoulders. The graduation party decorations were still up, and the colorful balloons seemed to mock my confusion. My grandparents were sitting at the kitchen table, chatting quietly. Their faces lit up when they saw me, but the joy quickly faded when they noticed my expression.
“Sarah, what’s wrong?” Grandma asked, her voice full of concern.
Sarah realizes what she has done | Source: Midjourney
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my shaking hands. “I’m so sorry,” I began, tears welling in my eyes. “I shouldn’t have made you leave my graduation. I need to know the truth. Please, tell me everything.”
Grandma’s face softened and she reached out to take my hand. “Oh, Sarah, we understand. This must have been so confusing for you.”
Grandpa nodded, his eyes sad. “We did what we thought was best to protect you. But you deserve to know the whole story.”
Grandmother | Source: Midjourney
I sat down, my heart heavy with guilt and curiosity. “Dad said you took him away from me. He showed me messages, Grandma. They were from you.”
Grandma sighed deeply, her eyes filled with pain. “Yes, I was the one who sent those messages. Your father… he wasn’t a good man, Sarah. He started drinking and doing drugs after you were born. He was drunk when he caused the accident that killed your mother. We didn’t want him to hurt you too.”
Sarah’s grandmother tells her the story | Source: Midjourney
I swallowed hard, trying to process their words. “But he said he’s been sober for years. And he said he needed money for his son’s treatment. Is that true?”
Grandma and Grandpa exchanged a worried look. “He always knew how to manipulate people,” Grandpa said softly. “If he came back, it’s because he wants something.”
I took a deep breath. “I need to get to the bottom of this. Do you think we could learn more about his life now?”
Sarah learns the truth about her father | Source: Midjourney
Grandpa nodded. “We can try. Maybe we can find something online.”
We all went into the living room, and Grandpa opened his laptop. He logged into Facebook, and we started searching for my father. It didn’t take long to find his profile. His photo showed him with a woman and a young boy.
“Is this his new family?” I asked, my heart pounding.
Young family | Source: Pexels
“Looks like it,” Grandpa said, clicking on the woman’s profile. Her name is Lisa, and her profile is public.
We scrolled through his posts, looking for any mention of the boy’s illness. My heart sank at the thought of the possibility that my father had lied to me.
“Look at this,” Grandma said, pointing to a post from a few weeks ago. It was a photo of the boy playing soccer, smiling and healthy.
A boy playing soccer | Source: Pexels
“He doesn’t look sick,” Grandpa muttered as he scrolled down the page. There were more pictures of the boy, all showing him active and happy.
Grandma hugged me tightly. “We’re so sorry you had to go through this, Sarah. But we’re glad you know the truth now.”
I nodded, tears streaming down my face. “I’m so sorry I doubted you. I should have trusted you from the start.”
Grandpa put his arm around me. “We forgive you, Sarah. You were just looking for answers.”
Grandpa hugs Sarah | Source: Midjourney
The three of us sat together, finding comfort in each other. I knew I’d made mistakes, but I also knew I was loved and forgiven. My grandparents had always been there for me, and now, more than ever, I realized how lucky I was to have them.
The next day, my father came home, looking hopeful. “Did you get the money?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No, Dad, I can’t give you money.”
He frowned. “But it’s for your brother’s treatment.”
Sarah sends her father away | Source: Midjourney
“I know you lied about that,” I said firmly. “I saw the pictures. He’s not sick. You just wanted the money.”
His face turned red with anger. “You’re just like your grandparents,” he snapped. “I should have stayed away.”
“Maybe you should have,” I replied, my voice firm. “I’m sick of your lies.”
Read also: My grandparents opposed my marriage because of my fiancé’s skin color, but he turned out to be a good match
This work is inspired by real events and people, but has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the story. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or to actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims regarding the accuracy of events or character portrayals and are not responsible for any misinterpretations. This story is provided “as is,” and the opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
Để lại một phản hồi