I knew everything would change when I remarried, but I never expected my new wife to go after my late wife’s money. It was meant for our daughters’ future, not for her. She thought she could pressure me. What happened next taught her a lesson she will never forget.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I clutched a photograph of my late wife and our daughters at the beach. ‘I miss you, Ed,’ I whispered, stroking Edith’s face in the photo with my fingers. “The girls… they’re growing up so fast. It’s a shame you can’t see them now.” Her radiant smile looked at me from the photo, her eyes sparkling with the life that cancer had stolen too soon…
A quiet knock interrupted my memories. My mother peeked into the room, her eyes full of concern.
‘Charlie, dear, you can’t keep living in the past. It’s been three years. You need to move on. Those girls need a mother.’
I sighed, putting the photo frame away. ‘Mum, we’re fine. The girls…’
‘Are getting older!’ She interrupted me, sitting down next to me on the sofa. ‘I know you’re trying, but you’re not getting any younger. What about that nice woman from your office? Gabriela?’
I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on. ‘Gabi? Mum, she’s just a colleague.’
‘And a single mother, just like you’re a single father. Think about it, Charlie. For the girls’ sake.’
As she walked away, her words echoed in my head. Maybe she was right. Maybe it was time to move on.
A year later, I stood in the backyard watching Gabi interact with my daughters. Shed had come into our lives like a whirlwind, and before I knew it, we were married.
It wasn’t like it was with Edith, but it was… good.
‘Dad! Look!’ my youngest exclaimed, trying to do a cartwheel.
I clapped, forcing myself to smile. ‘Great job, sweetie!’
Gabi came over and intertwined her arm with mine. “They’re wonderful girls, Charlie. You’ve done an amazing job.”
I nodded, suppressing the guilt that always arose when she praised my parenting. ‘Thanks, Gabi. I try my best.’
‘You’re such a wonderful parent. Your children must be very lucky.’
As we walked into the house, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about the way Gabi had said it. But I pushed the feeling aside, deciding that this new family had to work.
At that moment, Gabi cornered me in the kitchen, her eyes sparkling with a look I had never seen before.
‘Charlie, we need to talk about the trust fund for the girls,’ she said, her voice syrupy sweet.
I froze, my coffee mug halfway to my lips. ‘What trust fund?’
Gabi rolled her eyes and stopped playing. ‘Don’t play dumb. I heard you talking on the phone with your financial advisor. Edith left the girls a tidy sum, didn’t she?’
My stomach churned. I had never told her about the fund. And I never thought I would need to.
‘It’s for their future, Gabi. College, starting their lives…’
‘Exactly!’ she interrupted. ‘What about my girls? Don’t they deserve the same opportunities?’
I put down my mug, trying to keep my voice steady. ‘Of course they do, but this money… Edith will pass it on to her children.’
Gabi’s eyes narrowed. ‘Her children? We were supposed to be one family, Charlie. Or was that just talk?’
‘That’s not fair,’ I protested. ‘From day one, I treated your daughters as my own.’
‘Treated them as your own? Please. If that were true, you wouldn’t be saving this money only for your biological children.’
I looked at Gabi, her words still ringing in my ears.
I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. ‘Gabi, we mustn’t touch this fund. It’s for my daughters’ future.’
‘Is that all? Are your dead wife’s wishes more important than your living family?’
“Don’t you dare talk about Edith like that. This conversation is over. This money is not up for discussion. Period.”
Gabby’s face flushed with anger. ‘You’re impossible! How can you be so stubborn?’
My jaw clenched and my muscles twitched as I tried to maintain my composure. I barely recognised the woman standing in front of me, so different from the one I thought I had married.
A plan formed in my head.
“Great! You’re right. We’ll deal with this tomorrow, okay?”
Gabi’s eyes lit up, clearly deciding that she had won. ‘Really? Are you serious?’
I nodded.
Gabi’s lips curled into a smug smile. ‘Good. It’s time to set you straight.’
She turned on her heel and left the room. The slam of the door echoed through the house, punctuating her tantrum.
I sank into a chair and ran my hands over my face. Gabi had shown herself in all her glory, and now it was time for a harsh lesson in respect and the dangers of pride.
The next morning, I pointedly called my financial advisor, making sure Gabi could hear.
‘Yes, I want to open a new account,’ I said loudly. ‘It’s for my stepdaughter. We’ll fund it from our joint income.’