When Scott, my son, brought a girl home for the first time, I recognized her immediately. What was supposed to be a joyful meeting turned into a nightmare when I realized who she really was. Now I must destroy their relationship to keep the secret I’ve been hiding all these years.

My son Scott never told me about his girlfriends. I began to wonder if he had any and if he even liked girls, given that we live in a modern world where anything is possible.

I often asked myself, “Is Scott hiding something? Is he too focused on his studies or work to think about dating?” But one day, Scott started talking about a girl he was communicating with.

My husband Michael and I were shocked because it was the first time we had heard anything like this from Scott.

Scott looked happier than ever, telling us how much he liked this girl and how they always had something to talk about. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he shared stories about their conversations.

I couldn’t help but smile at his newfound joy. But when he mentioned that he met this girl online, Michael and I grew concerned. The internet is full of unknown dangers, and we worried about his safety.

“Scott, do you really know this girl?” Michael asked, his brow furrowed with worry.

“Has she ever asked you for money or anything suspicious?” I added, fearing the worst. Scammers often pose as attractive girls to extort money from men.

Scott just got irritated and shouted, “She’s real! And she’s not a scammer. I will introduce you to her soon.” His frustration was clear, but our concerns remained.

We weren’t very convinced but hoped for the best. We wanted to trust our son’s judgment, but as parents, we couldn’t help but worry.

Finally, the day came. Scott happily announced that Kira, his girlfriend, would join us for dinner. Michael and I were very happy that our boy had found his soulmate.

I prepared a nice dinner, nothing fancy, but enough for four people, and we waited for Scott and Kira. I made sure everything was perfect, wanting to make a good impression on Kira.

I heard the doorbell and joyfully went to open the door. When I opened it, I saw a happy Scott and a very pretty girl who seemed a bit shy.

“Hello, my dears,” I said, smiling warmly. “You can call me Alison,” I said to Kira. “I’m so glad to finally meet you.”

“Thank you, Scott has told me a lot about his parents. I’m very happy to meet you too,” Kira replied with a shy smile.

“She’s so lovely,” I whispered to Scott, glancing at her.

“Yes, Mom. I know, I’m a lucky guy,” he said, beaming with pride as he put his arm around Kira.

I suddenly noticed they were still in their coats. “Oh, how rude of me! Please, take off your coats and hang them up,” I said, feeling a bit flustered.

“Scott, it’s like it’s your first time in this house. Help Kira with her coat,” I added in a slightly commanding tone, but I was still his mother, even though my son was already twenty-three years old.

Scott began to take off Kira’s coat, and I noticed a birthmark on her neck, partially hidden by her collar. It looked familiar, and I realized where I had seen it before.

My mind raced. No, it can’t be! Not this… My son was finally happy, and now I had to ruin this relationship. I couldn’t let them be together.

I couldn’t understand how this was even possible. So many years had passed. How could this girl be here now? My whole body was shaking, my heart pounding out of my chest.

I felt like I was going to faint. I knew I had to keep calm and not let anyone know the truth. I had to destroy this relationship before it was too late.

“Kira, would you mind helping me in the kitchen?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. “Scott, why don’t you go see your father? He’s in the living room.”

Kira smiled and nodded. “Of course, I’d be happy to help,” she said. Scott gave me a puzzled look but did as I asked. As Kira followed me into the kitchen, I felt a wave of guilt.

She seemed so sweet, and Scott was so happy. But I had no choice. I had to protect them from the truth, even if it meant breaking their hearts.

While Kira and I were in the kitchen, I tried to find anything I could criticize her for, but she was wonderful. She offered to help, and when I handed her the salad bowl, she smiled and said, “I love cooking. It’s relaxing after a day with my students.”

She talked about her job as a teacher, sharing funny stories about her students. “One of them asked if I lived at the school because they couldn’t imagine me having a life outside of it!” she laughed.

Her eyes sparkled with warmth and kindness as she spoke. She praised Scott, saying, “He’s so smart and caring. I’m really lucky to have him.”

I felt a pang of guilt for what I was planning to do. But my goal was more important, and I couldn’t act differently.

Just before we were all to sit down at the table, I said to Scott, “Come outside for a minute. I want to show you the new plants in the garden.” He looked puzzled but followed me out.

When we got to the garden, Scott quickly looked around and started hurrying back towards the house. “Very nice, Mom. Let’s go,” he said, looking impatient.

“Why are you in such a hurry?” I asked. “Let’s take a walk.” I approached Scott and led him among my flowers and trees. He sighed but followed me.

“So, about Kira…” I began, trying to sound casual.

“Yes? What do you think?” Scott asked immediately, looking nervous. His eyes darted around, avoiding mine.

“I think she’s not right for you,” I said with a heavy heart, struggling to keep my voice steady.

“What? Why?” Scott looked puzzled, his brow furrowing.

“You’re not a good match. Besides, she’s very selfish and unfriendly. I’m sure she’ll start bothering you after a few months of your relationship. And I saw her texting some man,” I said all these bad things about Kira just to make Scott break up with her.

Scott stared at me in disbelief. “Are you sure we’re talking about the same Kira?” he asked, displeased.

“I know she might act sweet and kind around you, but she’s not like that,” I insisted, feeling my stomach churn with guilt.

“I don’t know what’s gotten into you and why you don’t like Kira, but I’m not going to listen to this nonsense anymore,” Scott snapped, his face red with anger.

“I want only the best for you,” I said, my voice trembling.

“I already have the best. I have Kira. And just so you know, I brought her tonight because I’m planning to propose,” Scott said.

I gasped at his words. I couldn’t let this happen! But Scott was already heading back into the house. “You can’t do this!” I shouted after him, but he didn’t even turn around, just went inside.

I gave myself a few minutes to catch my breath. My life could be ruined forever tonight. And not just mine, but everyone in the house. I felt a weight pressing down on my chest.

How could this be happening? I wiped the tears that had streamed down my face and took a deep breath. I had to keep it together. I couldn’t let them see how much this was tearing me apart.

With a final glance at the garden, I went back inside, my mind racing with what I had to do next.

When I got back, everyone was already sitting at the table, waiting for me. Scott looked very nervous, and I knew why. He was preparing to propose. I sat down, and we started dinner. The silence was heavy.

Scott and I didn’t say a word to each other. Michael tried to make small talk, but his efforts fell flat. No one joined the conversation. Kira looked very awkward, glancing at Scott and then at me. It was clear she felt the tension.

I was just praying for something to happen that would stop this evening and prevent Scott from proposing. Otherwise, I would have to reveal the secret I planned to take to my grave. My mind raced with worry. What could I do to stop this without causing a scene?

But the dinner went smoothly, and Scott didn’t give any hint of proposing. Maybe my words earlier made him reconsider. I sighed with relief, but it was too early to relax.

I needed to make sure they broke up. My heart ached knowing what I had to do, but I saw no other way.

When dinner ended, Scott and Kira began getting ready to leave. Kira looked at me and said, “Thank you for dinner. Everything was… wonderful.” I knew she felt very awkward because we sat in silence the whole time.

“You’re welcome,” I simply replied, forcing a smile.

They said their goodbyes and left the house. I noticed Michael had disappeared. Curious, I went to the kitchen and saw him looking out the window.

“What are you doing?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

“Watching our son propose,” Michael replied calmly.

“What?!” I screamed and rushed to the window. My heart stopped when I saw Scott on one knee before Kira, holding a ring box.

“Remember how I proposed to you? We were so happy,” Michael said, reminiscing.

“No, no, no. I can’t let this happen!” I shouted and ran outside, my heart pounding. “Stop!” I yelled, desperation in my voice. “You… you can’t… get married.”

Scott and Kira looked at me in surprise, their faces filled with confusion.

“Mom, stop it. We’ve already talked about this today, and it’s my—” Scott began, but I interrupted him.

“You can’t get married! You’re brother and sister!” I blurted out, my hand flying to my mouth in shock.

“WHAT?!” they screamed in unison, their faces pale.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “Come inside, I’ll explain everything,” I said, my voice trembling.

Scott and Kira exchanged glances and followed me into the house. Michael looked at us in surprise, sensing the tension. I sat them all down on the living room couch and took a deep breath. I had to tell them the truth, no matter how painful it was.

“Twenty-five years ago, Michael was on a voyage,” I began, my voice shaking. “Their ship got caught in a storm, and he was presumed missing. I was devastated because he had just proposed to me before leaving. We were planning our life together.”

Scott and Kira listened intently, their faces full of confusion and concern.

“One night, I got drunk in a bar and spent the night with a stranger,” I continued, my eyes welling up with tears. “A few weeks later, I found out I was pregnant. I didn’t know what to do. I felt so lost and alone.”

“Three months later, Michael called me. He said he had been washed ashore in another country and had been in a coma, which is why no one could find him. He said he’d be back in six months.”

“I couldn’t bear to lose Michael because I loved him so much. So, when I gave birth, I gave the child up for adoption. It was the hardest decision I’ve ever made. And I never told anyone about this.”

“It was a girl, and she had the same birthmark on her neck as you, Kira,” I finished my story. Tears streamed down my face the entire time I told them. “I don’t expect you to forgive me for abandoning you,” I added, my voice breaking.

Kira looked at me with wide eyes. “I never felt abandoned. I had a good family, but right now, I feel my life is falling apart,” she said, her voice trembling.

Scott’s face was red with anger. “I can’t believe this. I can’t believe you hid this all this time. And you didn’t even want to tell us! You just wanted me to break up with Kira so no one would know what you did!” he shouted, his voice echoing in the room.

“I know, I’m sorry,” I said, my tears flowing freely now. I could see the pain in their eyes, and it crushed me.

Scott shook his head, his eyes filled with hurt. “I don’t think something like this can be forgiven,” he said, then turned and left the house. Kira followed him, tears in her eyes.

I looked at Michael, who had been silent the whole time. “Say something!” I yelled at him, desperate for some support.

Michael’s face was cold. “I’m filing for divorce,” he said quietly, and then he, too, left the house.

I collapsed on the couch and began to cry even harder. In one evening, I lost everyone I cared about. In one evening, my life fell apart. The weight of my actions crushed me, and I didn’t know how I would ever put the pieces back together.

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