My 18-year-old daughter fell in love with a 60-year-old man and was marrying him against my wishes. She was madly in love with this guy and I was shocked until I discovered a chilling truth about him.
The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the living room floor as I shuffled through the mail. Bills, flyers, the usual suspects.
The doorbell suddenly chimed, jolting me back.
A glance at the clock told me my daughter Serena must’ve gotten off her afternoon part-time shift early to keep up with her weekend visit, a ritual she followed without fail every week since moving out to live in the next town.
The door swung open to reveal a vision in turquoise. Serena, her smile brighter than the summer sky, bounced in, a whirlwind of energy and the familiar scent of vanilla and sunshine.
“Hey, Dad! You won’t believe what just happened… my roommate, Jessica…” her voice trailed off as her eyes landed on my face.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, yeah,” I said. “Everything’s great. Come on in, honey.”
Taking a deep breath, I ushered her towards the couch.
As she settled, I busied myself pouring two glasses of lemonade, the clinking of ice cubes a welcome distraction. “So,” I began, “how’s everything? All good?”
“Actually, Dad,” Serena said, her smile faltering slightly, “There’s someone I… well, there’s this guy I met.
His name’s Edison, and…” she took a deep breath, her cheeks flushing a hint of pink, “I’m in love with him and want to marry him. But the thing is…” her voice dropped to a whisper, “…he’s sixty.”
Marry? The word slammed into me.
My mind conjured an image of her bubbly smile, the one that could light up a room, replaced by a solemn question echoing in my head: Serena, my eighteen-year-old firecracker is marrying a SIXTY-YEAR-OLD MAN?
I devoured her words in a panicked frenzy. Edison. The name felt foreign, unwelcome on my tongue.
Sixty years old. Sixty! The number hammered against my skull, drowning out everything else Serena recounted about a magical proposal and a perfect love story.
Anger, hot and raw, bubbled in my gut.
Sixty years old! What could a man that age possibly offer a girl barely out of high school, chasing dreams of fashion design? My hand tightened on the armrest, the worn velvet fabric crinkling like a protest.
My daughter’s face bloomed with delight.
The playful light in them dimmed, replaced by a cautious wait. I took a deep breath, the words heavy on my tongue. “This Edison,” I began, forcing the name out, “you said he’s… sixty…”
The smile on Serena’s face cracked as I continued to choke out, “Eighteen and sixty, Serena?
Don’t you see how crazy that sounds?”
Her smile vanished completely, replaced by a defensive frown. “Crazy? Why?
Because of the age gap? Dad, does that even matter?”
“Of course it matters a lot, honey,” I countered, my voice rising a notch. “He’s old enough to be your father — heck, your grandfather!”
“He’s not my grandfather, Dad,” she shot back.
“Eddy’s kind, supportive, and he gets me in a way no one else ever has.”
Frustration gnawed at me. “That doesn’t make him a young boy, Serena. Snap out of it!
He’s got one foot in the grave! What kind of future is that for you?”
“The future where I’m happy,” she argued. “He inspires me, Dad.
He believes in my designs more than anyone else. He loves me.”
“Maybe,” I conceded, my anger morphing into a deep worry. “But what happens in ten years?
Twenty? He’ll be…”
“I don’t care!” she exclaimed, tears welling in her eyes. “Love isn’t about numbers on a piece of paper!
It’s about connection, about feeling seen. And with Eddy, Dad, I feel truly seen.”
Her words hit me like a gut punch. The raw vulnerability in her voice choked back the retort that had risen to my lips.
I saw the same stubborn determination in her eyes that I used to have at her age. The same fire that had made me believe anything was possible. But marrying an older man thrice her age?
I would never want that for my daughter.
“He’s promised to take care of you when he can’t take care of himself in another ten-twenty years?” I hissed.
“He doesn’t have to promise,” Serena countered, wiping a stray tear. “He already does. He makes me feel safe, cherished… loved.
He’s my best friend, Dad. The only man I’ve ever truly loved and would like to spend the rest of my life with.”
Silence descended between us, thick and heavy. My heart ached for the little girl who used to come to me with scraped knees and dreams bigger than the sky.
How could I argue with the love shining so brightly in her eyes, even if it terrified me?
“Alright, honey,” I finally said, the words tasting like defeat. “When can I meet him?”
A relieved smile bloomed on Serena’s face, as radiant as the afternoon sun outside the window. “Tomorrow night!
You’ll see, Dad. You’ll see why he’s everything to me.”
There was a tremor of hope in her voice, a desperate plea for my approval. I forced a smile, masking the storm of emotions churning within.
For Serena’s sake, I had to hope she was right.
***
The following evening found me in an unlikely setting — Edison’s Victorian villa in the neighboring town.
I navigated the awkward throng, a smile plastered on my face that felt increasingly brittle with each passing moment. Just as I excused myself to the balcony for some fresh air, a snatch of conversation snagged my attention.
“Edison, you absolute madman,” a woman’s voice, laced with exasperation, drifted from a nearby room. “This is beyond reckless.
What were you thinking?”
I froze, my heart hammering against my ribs. The speaker emerged from the shadows — a woman with a mane of silver hair and eyes that mirrored Edison’s piercing blue.
“Annie, come on now,” Edison’s voice, smooth and practiced, followed her. “I’m your brother.
You know me well. It’s just a bit of harmless fun. A chance to win a little something extra.”
“Harmless fun?” Annie scoffed.
“You’ve practically moved a teenager into your house for this ‘fun,’ risking your reputation and toying with that girl’s affections!”
A cold dread coiled in my gut. Edison’s facade, charming and attentive all evening, began to crumble. “What are you talking about?” he barked as I strained to hear, my breath catching in my throat.
“The bet, Edison,” Annie hissed.
“That outrageous wager you made months ago with those rich men at the club. You think marrying some young, naive girl is a cakewalk to pay off your debts?”
The blood drained from my face. Edison had made a bet?
A bet on marrying an 18-year-old girl? The pieces slammed together in my mind, forming a sickening picture. The lavish dinner, the sudden proposal, Serena’s starry-eyed adoration — it was all a performance, a carefully orchestrated scheme staged by this man.
Fury, hot and primal, surged through me.
This man, old enough to be her grandfather, had been playing with my daughter’s heart for a wad of cash? The image of Serena, her eyes shining with love and trust, sent a fresh wave of nausea crashing over me.
I couldn’t stay there a moment longer. I needed to get out, to get to Serena, before this monster could sink his claws any deeper.
I barged into the dining room, the roar of fury in my ears drowning out the polite chatter.
“Serena!” My voice cracked.
Heads spun in my direction, startled by the sudden intrusion. Serena, perched on a velvet chair amidst a gaggle of giggling women, turned towards me, her brow furrowed in confusion.
“Dad? What’s wrong?” she asked.
I couldn’t hold back any longer.
“This! All of this!” I gestured wildly at the room, the carefully curated scene of wealth and sophistication. “It’s a lie, Serena!
A cruel, twisted game!”
Her smile died, replaced by a flicker of apprehension. “What are you talking about?”
“Edison!” I spat. “He doesn’t love you, Serena!
He never did. He’s just using you.”
“Dad, stop it!” she barked, a desperate edge creeping in. “Are you out of your mind?
You don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“I know exactly what I’m talking about!” I stormed across the room, the distance between us shrinking with each frantic step. “I overheard him, Serena. Annie, his sister… they were talking about some bet.
A bet on marrying a young girl… for money!”
The color drained from Serena’s face, leaving her ashen. Her eyes darted to Edison, who stood frozen near the fireplace.
“No,” she whispered. “No, that can’t be true.”
“It is!” I grabbed her shoulders, my grip tight enough to shake her.
“He doesn’t care about you, honey. He’s playing you for a fool!”
A tear escaped the corner of her eye, tracing a glistening path down her cheek. But then, her expression hardened, replaced by a steely resolve.
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