As parents, we’d always believed in our son. He was the perfect child—brilliant, and destined for greatness. So when we sent him off to college with thousands of dollars for tuition, we never questioned his progress. Until the day we found out he had been lying to us all along.
From the moment Jason was born, he was our pride and joy. Growing up, he wasn’t just “our son”; he was the son every family in the neighborhood admired. He excelled at everything he touched.
Boy receiving an award in school | Source: Midjourney
Straight A’s? Easy. Captain of the basketball team? Of course. And his charm? It was magnetic. Parents would nudge their kids, saying, “Be more like Jason.” He was handsome, polite, and ambitious. At least, that’s what we thought.
For as long as I can remember, Jason always had a soft spot for animals.
If a stray cat wandered into the yard, it was Jason who would sneak it milk. When our dog, Max, got sick, Jason stayed up all night by his side, even though he was only eight.
Young boy bonding with his dog | Source: Midjourney
“Mom, I want to help animals when I grow up,” he said once, eyes gleaming as he watched Max wag his tail weakly.
“I want to be like Uncle Tom,” he insisted.
I remember laughing softly, tousling his hair. “That’s sweet, honey, but you can help more people if you become a businessman like your dad.”
Young boy bonding with his dog while chatting with his mom. | Source: Midjourney
My husband, Daniel, and I had always envisioned Jason as the future head of our family business. He had all the qualities of a leader.
So, when the time came to choose a college, we insisted on management. Jason hesitated at first, but eventually, he agreed. I thought we had his future all mapped out.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Boy standing at a college building | Source: Midjourney
It started innocently enough. Jason was two years into college, supposedly studying business management at a prestigious university. We sent him money every month for tuition and living expenses.
Life was busy for Daniel and me; running a company doesn’t leave much room for doubt. So, we never questioned anything.
But then, everything unraveled.
Woman in her car, talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
A business trip took me to the city where Jason’s college was located. I was excited to surprise him. “I’ll swing by his dorm, maybe take him out to dinner,” I told Daniel over the phone.
When I arrived at the admissions office to get his dorm address, the woman behind the counter gave me a confused look. “Jason Reed? I’m sorry, but we don’t have anyone by that name enrolled here.”
I froze, sure there was some mistake. “Check again,” I insisted, my voice trembling.
She checked. And then she checked again. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but there’s no record of a Jason Reed. Are you sure this is the right university?”
Woman talking to a receptionist | Source: Midjourney
My stomach turned. I thanked her stiffly and left the office, my mind racing.
I called Jason immediately. “Hey, Mom!” he answered, cheerful as ever.
“Hi, sweetheart,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady. “I’m in town for a meeting and thought I’d surprise you. How about coffee?”
There was a pause. “Uh, yeah, sure! Let’s meet at the café near campus.”
Something was off, but I brushed it aside. When I saw him at the café, he looked as polished as ever—relaxed, confident, and full of that same charm that had everyone fooled.
Mother and son at a coffee shop | Source: Midjourney
“How’s school?” I asked casually.
“Great! Classes are tough, but I’m learning a lot,” he said without missing a beat. “Midterms are coming up, so I’ve been studying nonstop.”
He lied so smoothly, that I almost believed him. But the admissions clerk’s words echoed in my head. He’s not enrolled here.
When we hugged goodbye, I slipped my fitness bracelet into his jacket pocket. It had GPS. If Jason was lying to me, I needed to know where he was really going.
Mother and son hugging | Source: Midjourney
That evening, I followed the bracelet’s signal. It led me far from campus, away from the bustling city, to the outskirts of town. The smooth tarmac gave way to a dirt road lined with towering trees. The GPS beeped faster as I approached a small clearing.
And there it was—a rusty old trailer, half-hidden among the trees. The roof sagged under the weight of mismatched patches, and the whole place looked like it might collapse in a strong wind.
An old trailer in the woods | Source: Midjourney
I parked my car and waited, gripping the steering wheel so tightly. Ten minutes passed before Jason appeared, walking up the dirt path with a bag slung over his shoulder.
My heart stopped.
I watched as he knocked on the trailer door. When it creaked open, another figure stepped out. It was my brother, Tom.
“Tom?” I whispered to myself, shocked. I hadn’t seen him in over a year. Tom, had always been a wanderer. While Daniel and I built a stable life, Tom flitted between jobs but finally became a veterinarian.
Man standing at the door of an old trailer | Source: Midjourney
Without thinking, I got out of the car and marched toward the trailer.
“Jason!” I called, my voice sharp.
He spun around, eyes wide. “Mom?! What are you doing here?”
“I should be asking you that!” I yelled. “What is this place? Why aren’t you at school? And why is he here?”
Tom leaned against the doorframe, smirking. “Nice to see you too, sis.”
“Stay out of this, Tom,” I snapped, glaring at him.
Jason stepped forward, hands up. “Mom, I can explain.”
Son explaining himself to his mother | Source: Midjourney
“No,” I interrupted, my voice trembling. “I’ve been sending you money—our money—for tuition, thinking you were in college. Were you ever enrolled?”
Jason hesitated, then shook his head. “No.”
The word hit me like a slap. “Then where has all the money gone?”
Jason glanced at Tom, then back at me. “I’ve been using it to fund something…important. Uncle Tom’s been helping me.”
My gaze snapped to Tom, who looked unbothered. “Helping you do what?”
Man standing at the door of an old trailer | Source: Midjourney
Jason took a deep breath. “I’m building a veterinary clinic.”
“What?”
“I’ve been dreaming about this my whole life, Mom. Uncle Tom had the skills and connections to help me get started. I’m using the money to buy equipment and renovate a building nearby. Once it’s ready, he’s going to be the head vet.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “You lied to us! You’ve been funneling money to this—to him?” I pointed at Tom, whose smirk only deepened.
“Mom, this is my calling,” Jason said, his voice steady. “You and Dad wanted me to take over the business, but that’s not who I am. I want to help animals.”
Son talking to his mom | Source: Midjourney
“You betrayed us!” I shouted, my voice cracking. “You’ll never see another penny from me again.”
I turned and stormed back to my car, tears blurring my vision.
Three months passed, and I didn’t speak to Jason. The silence was unbearable, but I couldn’t bring myself to call him. Then, one day, an envelope arrived in the mail.
The letter read: “Dear Mrs. Reed, Thank you for believing in your son and financing his veterinary clinic. Recently, my dog was hit by a car, and your son saved her life. If it weren’t for him—and for you—she wouldn’t be here today.”
I stared at the letter, my hands shaking.
Woman reading a letter | Source: Midjourney
Over the next few weeks, more letters and emails poured in. Each one told a similar story: animals saved, families reunited, lives changed—all thanks to Jason.
I couldn’t take it anymore.
One night, unable to sleep, I found myself searching for Jason’s Veterinary Clinic online. The result popped up instantly, complete with photos of a small building with bright green awnings and a cheerful sign. My breath caught when I saw Jason in the photo, smiling beside a family and their golden retriever.
I grabbed my keys.
Woman’s hand grabbing car keys from the table | Source: Midjourney
The clinic looked just like the pictures. The parking lot was busy, the hum of life evident in the barking of dogs and the chatter of pet owners. My legs felt like jelly as I walked to the front door.
Inside, the first person I saw was Tom. He looked up from a clipboard and froze.
“Well, if it isn’t my sister,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “To what do we owe the honor?”
“I got your messages,” I said, holding back tears.
“My messages?” He smirked, crossing his arms. “Oh, you mean the flood of letters from people thanking you for something you tried to stop.”
Veterinary doctor having a conversation with his sister in his office | Source: Midjourney
I flinched, but he didn’t stop.
“You wrote him off, but look around.” He gestured to the clinic bustling with life. “This is Jason. This is what you didn’t see. You were so busy planning his life, you never stopped to ask what he wanted.”
“Where is he?” I asked, ignoring the sting of his words.
Tom nodded toward a back room. “Go see for yourself.”
Veterinary doctor talking to his sister in his office | Source: Midjourney
On the other side, Jason bent over an examination table, gently examining a scruffy dog while speaking softly to a tearful woman.
“Mom?” he said, noticing me. His voice held equal parts surprise and fear.
I didn’t speak at first, the lump in my throat too heavy. Finally, I managed, “You did this?”
Jason nodded slowly. “Yeah. I did.”
His confidence wavered as he spoke. “I know I hurt you. I know I lied, but—”
“Jason,” I interrupted, my voice breaking. “I was wrong.”
He blinked.
Mother and son having a conversation | Source: Midjourney
I took a shaky step forward. “This is your calling. It’s everything you said it was. And I couldn’t see it. I tried to control you, to make you into someone you weren’t, but…” My voice cracked. “You’ve built something beautiful. Something that saves lives. I’m so proud of you.”
Jason’s eyes glistened as he stepped toward me. “That means everything, Mom.”
Behind us, Tom’s voice rang out, amused but warm. “Look at that. Turns out we were right all along.”
I turned back to Jason, my heart finally at peace.
“Promise me one thing,” I said.
“Anything,” he replied.
“Don’t ever stop being this person.”
Young veterinary doctor talking to his mother | Source: Midjourney
If you enjoyed this story, you might love this one too: My stepmom took $5,000 from my college fund for her veneers — then karma struck back.
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.
My Parents Arranged a Marriage for Me, So I Decided to Test My Wealthy Fiancé
When Nadia returns home from college abroad, she has no choice but to agree to an arranged marriage to a wealthy man—a man chosen by her parents. But as the tentative date for their wedding draws closer, Nadia decides to test him, to truly understand who she’s marrying.
I never imagined that I’d find myself disguised as a homeless woman, sitting on a sidewalk outside of a restaurant. I sat there, hunched with a shawl wrapped around my shoulders.
A woman sitting on the floor | Source: Pexels
People passed me without paying any attention, as I watched for the sleek black car that often carried my fiancé, Danny.
Despite it being the 21st century, in my culture, arranged marriage still holds its own.
A black Mercedes-Benz | Source: Pexels
But I had been studying in America for the past four years, and my ideal of independence and personal freedom was something very different from what I had left home with.
Now, I found myself rebelling at every turn.
A woman in a red coat | Source: Pexels
When my parents first broke the news of my engagement to Danny, I was still ensconced in the States—my mind buzzing with new ideologies and lectures on autonomy.
“Now that you’ve been abroad and have studied,” my mother said, “it’s time for you to become a wife.”
I tried to protest, but it always fell on deaf ears.
A smiling woman in a white dress | Source: Pexels
“Nadia,” my mother said, “there is no choice here. Your father and I have done our research. Danny is a good one. He will take care of you.”
My mother moved around the kitchen, mixing a concoction of spices as she began to cook dinner.
Assorted cooking spices | Source: Pexels
“And that’s just it?” I asked, making some tea. “I have to marry this man?”
She nodded and smiled at me.
“Nadia, your father and I did it—we had an arranged marriage, and everything turned out well for us.”
A bride and groom holding hands | Source: Pexels
Now, I was faced with meeting a stranger whom I was going to marry—a stranger and his affluent family.
“You’re going to meet him soon, and his family. They own a line of restaurants, darling. They’re always going out of their way to help people.”
Restaurant interior | Source: Pexels
A few days later, we were all settled around the dining table. It was the first time that I was meeting Danny, and I had no idea what to expect.
When I stepped out of the house, he was there in the driveway, dressed in a suit—holding a gift bag and flowers.
A bouquet of roses | Source: Pexels
On first impression, he was good-looking, but I needed him to be more than just a nice face to look at.
This man was going to be my husband. I was stuck with him. And judging from the way my parents were behaving, I didn’t have a choice in the matter.
A man wearing a suit | Source: Pexels
As my father welcomed Danny and his parents into our home, my mother brought out a tray of tea and sweets.
“I didn’t know what you’d like,” she said, “so I got everything.”
Tea on a tray | Source: Unsplash
Danny smiled at her; he seemed to genuinely care about impressing my parents. We exchanged polite conversation during the tea, and when it was time for us to have dinner, we sat around the table.
“Danny,” my father said, pointing to the head of the table, “sit here.”
My mother began to fuss over Danny and his family, ensuring that she piled their plates high with food.
A table full of food | Source: Pexels
“I need you to leave here knowing that you’ve been fed,” she said.
I poured myself a glass of juice. It was going to be a long meal.
“Why did you decide to study in America?” Danny asked me, frowning over his glass of water. “Didn’t you want to stay around family?”
Juice in glass bottles | Source: Pexels
“I applied not thinking that I could get in,” I admitted. “But then I did, and I wanted it to be a new challenge for me.”
“But being away for so long?” he pressed. “I bet you spent time in the library.”
“It was just four years. I came home a few times anyway.”
A library | Source: Pexels
“Family is very important to me, Nadia,” he said firmly.
I looked at my mother, who refused to meet my eye. Without me replying to Danny, the silence took over for a few moments. Only the sound of scraping cutlery and chewing could be heard.
A woman eating | Source: Unsplash
“Tell Nadia about your charity,” my father said, beaming at me.
“Oh!” Danny’s mother exclaimed, quickly putting her fork down.
She went on at length about how Danny feeds homeless people all the time, and that he had scheduled a roster for different areas around us.
Bags of food | Source: Unsplash
“Nobody will go hungry if we can help it,” Danny’s mother said.
My goodness, I thought to myself as I dug into my chicken. Do I really need to bear this for the rest of my life?
The dinner ended, and my husband-to-be left the house.
A plate of food | Source: Unsplash
“Don’t you love him?” my mother asked as we washed up the dishes and cleaned the kitchen.
“I don’t know him, Mom,” I said.
“But you will,” she replied, drying the plates with a dish towel. “You will get to know him soon.”
A person washing a glass | Source: Pexels
I didn’t have the energy to deal with it further. I went to my bedroom and sat down, wondering how I could just give in to tradition after having been away and free for so long.
I yearned for my college dorm and the liberation that had come with it. But I also knew that I would have to let go of that.
A woman in her room | Source: Pexels
Instead, I had to wait for the day of my arranged marriage. As the months closed in, the wedding drew closer, and I began to get anxious—needing pills to sleep.
I didn’t know how I was going to marry Danny, knowing only the bare minimum about him.
One morning, while pouring myself some cereal, I decided that I would dress like a homeless person and wait outside the restaurant that Danny was based at. I needed to see how he would react to someone in need.
A bowl of cereal | Source: Pexels
As the car approached, I huddled into my disguise, my voice hoarse as Danny stepped out of the car.
“Excuse me, Sir,” I said. “Could you spare…”
Danny paused, his brows furrowing slightly.
“Ma’am, what do you need? I can’t just hand you money or food for the day. We need to help you long-term.”
A man frowning | Source: Pexels
My heart tightened.
“There’s a shelter not far from here,” he said. “I can take you there, my mother volunteers there, too. You’ll be safe there. You can get a meal, a shower, clean clothing, and we can talk about getting you on your feet.”
I stood up and pulled my shawl away, revealing myself to him.
“Nadia?” he exclaimed, his eyes wide. “What are you doing?”
A shocked man | Source: Pexels
“I was testing you, Danny,” I said. “I wanted to see if you really are the person they say you are. I just needed to know. How else can I marry you?”
Danny looked stunned, then a wry smile spread across his face.
“I guess I should be honest too, then. I’ve been horrible on purpose, hoping you’d call off the wedding.”
His candidness took me aback.
A smiling man | Source: Pexels
“Why would you do that?” I asked.
Danny sighed, running a hand through his hair as he silenced his ringing phone.
“Because I thought it was all a farce. I didn’t want to be part of an arrangement. Not really. I knew that it needed to be done, because of my age. But I’ve wanted love. I’ve wanted to marry for love.”
A man holding a phone | Source: Pexels
As we sat down on a nearby bench, Danny opened up about his past.
“The parents you met are my adopted parents. My mother died when I was very young, and they took me in. I’ve built my entire persona to help people who are where I once was. It’s not just philanthropy—it’s personal.”
His words echoed in the cold air—each syllable heavy with emotion.
“Yes, I am successful. But I never wanted to use that success as leverage for a marriage. I wanted someone to see me, not my money or my past.”
Flowers on a grave | Source: Pexels
We talked through the evening, unraveling the misunderstandings and the pressure from our families. It was the first time we truly connected, seeing each other beyond the expectations set upon us.
In the weeks that followed, we began dating—real dates, filled with genuine laughter and shared dreams. Our parents saw the change in us, the way we looked at each other with newfound respect and affection.
Soon, we’ll be married, but now, I’m content with the reality of it.
A couple holding hands | Source: Pexels
What would you have done?
If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one:
When Elle’s mother passes away, she moves through the funeral in a daze. But then, she stumbles upon a man who closely resembles her. When he approaches her, he reveals that he is her biological father—who had been hidden away all this time. Elle doesn’t know whether she should tell her father and risk losing the only other parent she has ever known.
Read the full story here.
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.
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