When Amelia’s father gave her a soap bar and told her to take cold showers with it, she never thought he had an evil, hidden agenda behind it. Her world turned upside down when her boyfriend told her the horrifying truth about that soap.
I’ve always been Daddy’s little girl, but now I feel like throwing up when I say those words. I’m not his little girl, and he’s not the man I always thought he was. Let me tell you why.
A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
So, I’ve always been close to my father, like REALLY close. I’m 23, and I lived with my parents up until a month ago because Dad never wanted me to move away.
He had given me the second floor of the house where I had my bedroom and a bathroom. Those two rooms of the house solely belonged to me. They were my safe space until the day Dad began to complain.
A man standing near a door | Source: Midjourney
My father is one of those people with a personality resembling a coconut. You know, hard on the outside and soft on the inside. He has these strict rules and principles that he abides by, but he also has this empathy inside that makes him the best Dad ever.
“Character is built in discomfort,” he’d always tell me. “You gotta face the worst now if you want a life full of luxuries ahead.”
But he’d also buy me chocolates and ice cream on days I didn’t feel good.
A woman holding an ice cream cone | Source: Pexels
Meanwhile, my mother has always been the typical loving mom. She’s always ready for hugs and kisses and never says no whenever I ask her to cook my favorite pasta. She has always been a sweetheart.
However, I recently felt that my parents were not the same anymore. Over the past few months, they had grown cold, and the love and care had suddenly vanished.
A woman sitting in her living room | Source: Midjourney
Honestly, I sometimes felt like I was living with two strangers in the house. It felt like we had lost the connection we always had.
Then began the unnecessary complaints and nitpicking from Dad’s side.
“You and your friends were too loud last night!”
“You’re staying out too late, Amy.”
“You’re spending too much on unnecessary things!”
Then came the complaint that really snatched my self-confidence.
A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
“You smell horrible, go take a cold shower and use the soap I gave you!”
I smell horrible? What? I thought. Where did that come from?
That was the day when Dad handed me this soap I had never seen before. It was a green, chunky soap bar that smelled a bit weird, but Dad had asked me to use it, assuring it would help get rid of the unpleasant body odor.
A woman holding a soap bar | Source: Pexels
His words made me feel so self-conscious that I had even stopped hanging out with my boyfriend, Henry.
I often found myself smelling my skin, clothes, hair, and even my breath, just to check what made my father feel so uncomfortable around me.
I followed his advice and used that soap whenever I took a shower. Or, if I may put it correctly, I took five showers a day just to use that soap and get rid of the smell that had apparently been haunting my father.
A woman taking a shower | Source: Pexels
I scrubbed my skin so hard that I stripped it of the moisture it needed. My skin had begun to look dry, scaly, and so rough.
Even then, my father said I still smelled like rotten onions.
“Did you use that soap, Amy? I don’t think you did,” he’d say. “You smell so bad.”
What shocked me even more was that my mother didn’t say a word when Dad humiliated me like that every day. She didn’t say anything in my defense or stop me from being so hard on myself.
A woman sitting on a chair, looking down | Source: Pexels
Mom and I had always been close. She was the only person I shared everything with since I was a kid. I’d always tell her about my latest crush, my new boyfriend, and even the new slang I’d learned at school.
I couldn’t believe it when she stood silently, avoiding my gaze, while Dad kept grilling me. I won’t ever forgive Mom for not being there for me when I needed her the most.
A woman looking down | Source: Pexels
I kept showering with the soap, and my clothes always clung to me because they were damp from the frequent showers.
Besides, I began avoiding my father. I’d always scurry up to my room and lock the door whenever he returned home from work. I didn’t want him to see me. Or, more specifically, smell me.
The turning point came when my boyfriend, Henry, came over. We had been dating for a few months, and he was the one bright spot in my increasingly bleak days.
A woman talking to her boyfriend | Source: Midjourney
Henry has always been the supportive boyfriend, the green flag we all look for. He’s always been kind to me, and he came over that day because he had noticed I had been avoiding him.
“Where have you been, Amy?” he asked as he held me by my arms.
“I was… I was just busy with some stuff, Henry,” I faked a smile. “I’m fine.”
“Really? You don’t look fine, babe,” he said.
“I’m okay, Henry,” I said as I held his hand. “Tell me one thing… Do I smell bad?”
A woman smiling | Source: Midjourney
He laughed, thinking I was kidding.
“No, babe. You smell fine. Why?”
“Nothing. I just…” I mumbled. “Forget it.”
“I’ll be right back,” he said before going to the bathroom.
A few minutes later, I watched him step out of the bathroom with the soap bar in his hand. I could see he wasn’t too happy about it.
“Who gave you this?! Are you taking cold showers with this?!?” he asked with eyes wide open.
A man looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
How did he know this? I thought.
“Yeah, my Dad. Why?” I asked, trying my best not to panic.
“They didn’t tell you, did they?! Baby, this isn’t soap! It’s used to strip industrial machinery of grease and grime.”
“Wait, what?” I was shocked.
“This stuff is toxic, Amy. It causes chemical burns.”
I can’t explain how betrayed and heartbroken I felt at that point. How could my father do this to me? To his daughter who he loved so much?
A woman looking straight ahead, shocked | Source: Midjourney
That’s when it all started to make sense to me. The dry, itchy skin and the weird texture of the soap bar. It also made me wonder if my mother knew about this.
“I think we need to go to the hospital to get you checked,” Henry said. “And then, we’re going to the police. This is abuse, Amy.”
I don’t know why, but I stopped him.
A man sitting in his girlfriend’s house | Source: Midjourney
I knew he was telling the truth, but I couldn’t put the words “abuse” and “Dad” together. I had never seen Dad in a negative light, and I didn’t like how those words fit in the same sentence and made so much sense.
In short, I couldn’t accept that my father had tried to hurt me.
“We can’t do that,” I told Henry. “We can’t go to the police.”
“But why?” he asked.
“I’ll explain that later,” I said. “Please just help me get out of here. I’ll confront my parents later.”
A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
He agreed, and we moved into a small apartment a few days later. It was cramped and barely furnished, but it felt like a safe haven compared to what I had endured.
Then, it was time for me to confront my parents. I drove back to their house the next day.
When I arrived, Dad was in his usual spot, watching TV in the living room, and Mom was in the kitchen. I walked in with the soap bar in my hand and stood in front of my dad.
A man holding a remote | Source: Pexels
“I never thought you’d do this to me, Dad,” I said as I held the soap bar high enough for him to see. “This is toxic. It’s poison. It ruined my skin. Why did you do this?”
“Oh, so you finally found what it is, huh?” he smirked. “You needed to learn a lesson.”
“A lesson?” I laughed. “You nearly killed me. For what? Because you thought I smelled bad?”
“Please stop this!” My mother finally intervened. “Amy, yo—”
“You knew, Mom, didn’t you?” I cut her off. “You were a part of this ridiculous plan, right?”
A woman in her parents’ living room | Source: Midjourney
I watched tears trickle down her cheeks, but she didn’t say a word.
“Why did you do this to me, Dad?” I confronted my father. “I need to know!”
I wasn’t ready for his response. I had no idea it would turn my world upside down.
“You want to know why?” he said, almost to himself. “Fine. When your mother and I went on that vacation last year, we had a little too much to drink. We ended up in a crowd, where a fortune teller told me that your mother had been unfaithful.”
A man looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
“What are you talking about?” I asked as my heart flipped.
“That’s true,” he continued. “When I confronted your mother the next morning, she told me the truth. She told me you weren’t mine. You’re the result of an affair she had while I was working hard for us in another country.”
I looked at my mom, who couldn’t meet my gaze. Then, I looked back at Dad as he continued to speak.
A sad woman looking down | Source: Pexels
“Your mother begged me not to leave her because she didn’t want to break our family apart,” he shook his head. “So, I agreed. But on one condition. I had to make her pay, and you too. Because YOU ARE NOT MY DAUGHTER!”
My heart shattered into a million pieces that day. I couldn’t believe my father had this evil side. The evil personality that was so hungry for unjust revenge.
A close-up shot of a woman, shocked | Source: Midjourney
“You mean you gave me that toxic soap because you were angry at Mom? Because you thought I was not your daughter?” I asked as the tears in my eyes blurred my vision.
“You’re not my daughter,” he said and turned around. “You’re not my blood.”
For the next few seconds, I stared at his back in silence, wondering why he punished me for something that wasn’t my fault.
“Alright, I’m done with you,” I said as I wiped away my tears. “You’ll be hearing from my lawyer.”
A woman about to leave her parents’ house | Source: Midjourney
And with that, I stepped out of the house that was once my haven. Over the next few days, I visited the hospital multiple times for my skin treatment and talked to my lawyer regarding how I could file a case against my parents.
Soon, my father received a notice of the restraining order and the impending lawsuit. With that, his smug confidence was shattered, and his reputation was in ruins. His entire circle was disgusted by his actions.
A man reading a legal notice | Source: Midjourney
Meanwhile, Mom tried to get in touch with me, but I didn’t reply to any of her calls or texts. If she couldn’t take a stand for me, why should I even bother talking to her? I was done.
Now, living with Henry, I feel a sense of peace that had been missing from my life for ages. I don’t remember the last time I had laughed this much in my own house. I can’t thank fate enough for blessing me with a man like Henry. I have no idea what I’d do without him.
A man sitting in his apartment | Source: Midjourney
If you enjoyed reading this story, here’s another one you might like: Bobby discovered a hidden stash of expensive gifts in his teenage daughter’s closet, along with a photo of an unknown older man and a note about a café meeting. He discreetly followed her to the café, unaware he’d uncover a secret that would tear his family apart.
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.
Son Kicks Out 80-Year-Old Mother to Nursing Home, Years Later Doesn’t Find Her There — Story of the Day
When 80-year-old Edith was unable to walk and confined to a wheelchair, her son, Henry, placed her in a nursing home. Years later, Henry realized his error when karma caught up with him. He decided to take Edith back in, but when he got to the nursing home, he didn’t find her there.
Henry Griffith was reared by his single mother Edith after his father died when he was just four years old. Henry came into Edith’s life late, and she loved him more than anything else, doing everything she could to make sure he didn’t miss out on anything.
Likewise, Henry was always there for Edith in any way he could, and he adored her as much as she adored him. But things began to fall apart between them when Henry met his “love,” Courtney Jackson, during his university days.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
In the first month of their dating, Courtney convinced Henry to move in with her, so they bought a little condo with their savings from part-time jobs. Then a few years down the line, when they got married, Courtney began to covertly encourage Henry to move in with Edith so they could save money to purchase a larger house later.
When she noticed Henry was a bit hesitant, Courtney persuaded him that it would also be in Edith’s best interest since they would be able to “care” for Edith better if they lived with her. Henry fell for that, and they moved in with Edith shortly after.
Three years later, when they welcomed a baby boy (who they named Liam), Courtney pushed all household chores onto Edith, claiming she was a new mother and didn’t have enough time for housework. She also used Edith as a babysitter when Henry wasn’t home and she went out with her friends.
Edith didn’t like how Courtney treated her, and she complained to Henry about it one day, but Courtney made everything about herself, and Edith had to apologize to her.
Years later, when Liam grew up, there was no need to babysit him, and therefore there was no need for Courtney to have Edith in the house.
As a result, she began inciting Henry against Edith, often exaggerating how Edith was handicapped and never helped her in household chores or how she smelled bad and couldn’t do anything on her own due to being confined in a wheelchair. She hinted that Edith was better off in a nursing home.
At first, Henry was opposed to the idea. He would never leave his mother in a facility such as a nursing home. Quarrels erupted between him and Courtney as a result, and while Edith was disappointed to learn she was the root of their dispute, she was relieved Henry adored her so much to let her go.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
But a year later, when Courtney became pregnant for the second time, she finally got her chance to kick Edith out of the house.
Courtney was heavily pregnant when it all happened, and she fell ill one day. It was her fault that she didn’t take care of herself, yet she blamed everything on Edith.
“Henry,” she said. “I know you love your mother, but the worst could have happened today. It’s good that the doctor gave me some medications. I’ll be well, but your mother…she is dangerous to our baby.”
“It was just an allergy, Courtney. You must have taken something by mistake.”
“No, Henry,” Courtney insisted. “I’m sure it was because your mom…well, she made lunch today, and after that, I fell sick.”
“What? Are you serious? But mom doesn’t cook these days! How did she…”
“That’s what I’m trying to say…she…Maybe she did it by mistake, but we need to send her to a nursing home before it’s too late, Henry. She’s becoming a threat. Today she made lunch, and I fell sick after eating it. The next time, her actions may harm our children. We need to think of this seriously!”
Henry couldn’t bring himself to send Edith to a nursing home, but when he considered the safety of his children, his parental instincts took over. He made the decision to send his mother to a nursing home.
“Mom,” he told Edith over dinner that night. “I was thinking that because you’re in a wheelchair and I’m not always there to care for you, a nursing home would be much better for you. There’d be people to look after you there, and yes, I guess that would be great.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“A nursing home?” Edith whispered, teary-eyed. “But Henry, I’m fine here. I don’t need extra care. I can manage on my own.”
“No, mom,” Henry interrupted. “You don’t get it. I have to send you. We have no other choice. That’s the best for me, Courtney, and everyone else. Pack your bags by tomorrow morning. I’ll drop you off before I go to work.”
Edith was frozen stiff, unable to believe Henry was sending her to a nursing facility. She turned at Courtney, who was smiling brightly.
Edith knew she was the cause of Courtney and Henry’s squabbles, but she never anticipated Courtney would mislead Henry in such a way that she’d be kicked out one day. But at this point, even she was tired of proving her innocence every time, so she gave up and agreed to go to the nursing home.
“Can I ask you a favor before I leave, Henry?” she asked, trembling, staring at her hands on her lap.
“Yeah?”
“Will you visit me when I’m there? Not very often, but at least on weekends?”
“Sure, mom,” he said. “No doubts about that!”
“Well, then, thank you,” she muttered as she walked away to her room.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Unfortunately, Henry never visited her. Months passed, and his second child arrived. He became preoccupied with parenting and forgot about his elderly mother until three years later when he decided to pay her a visit and discovered she was no longer living at the nursing home.
Henry’s life had taken a turn for the worst in these three years. He caught Courtney cheating on him with his best friend, and when he confronted her, she blatantly acknowledged it. And if that wasn’t enough, she’d transferred all of his assets to her name and evicted him from his house. But that wasn’t all.
Courtney incited Liam against Henry to the point where he hated him. Once, Liam told him he didn’t want him around him. At that point, Henry remembered Edith and how he’d kicked her out.
Having realized his dreadful mistake, Henry wanted to apologize to her and bring her back. However, when he arrived at the nursing home, he did not find her there. He inquired about her at the reception desk, and it was then that he discovered something shocking. “She left here two years ago,” the receptionist remarked after looking over Edith’s file.
“What? But where has she gone? I’m her only living relative,” Henry complained, desperate for answers.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
The receptionist sighed and placed a piece of paper on the table. “Go to this address,” she instructed. “She left after marrying our old janitor, David. Why wouldn’t she, after all? She frequently complained that her son didn’t care about her at all. David treated her as if she were a member of his family. They were madly in love. They deserved to be with each other.”
Henry couldn’t believe his ears. His mother was completely alone and depressed because of him! He wanted to make amends with her, so he went to the address on the note.
A few hours later, he came to a halt in front of a run-down cottage near a tiny farm. He sighed and knocked, and Edith answered. She was still in a wheelchair, but she looked way happier and healthier than before.
“Henry? Oh, my boy! How did you?….”
Henry felt so embarrassed that he couldn’t look her in the eyes. He bowed his head in shame.
“I’m sorry, mom,” he murmured, wiping away his tears. “I apologize for all I’ve done up to this point. I pushed you away to a nursing home, and now that I’ve lost my children to Courtney after she divorced me and kicked me out, I understand how you must have felt. I only get to see my children on occasion, mom, and I know how much it hurts. Please forgive me if possible.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Jesus!” gasped Edith. “Henry, when did all of this happen?”
“It’s been three years, mom. But I don’t blame anyone. I – I deserve this!”
“No, Henry, you don’t!” she said, and Henry looked at her, stunned. “Two wrongs don’t make a right, Henry. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is ridiculous! Wise people move on, as I did. I forgave you long ago. Come here…” She embraced him and patted him on the back. “What you did was bad, extremely wrong, but you realized it, and you want to correct your mistake. People who want to mend their ways should be forgiven. So stop blaming yourself.”
“You’re not angry at me?” he asked, sobbing. “Oh! Thank you, mom. I am so glad you’re happy with David. I found out at the nursing home. I am so happy for you!”
“Oh, I love you, Henry. I am so happy to have you back. David would love to meet you!”
Later that day, Henry met David, and he thanked him for looking after his mother all this time. He also bought a house close to David and Edith’s home so he wouldn’t be too far away from her ever again.
A month later, Henry surprised David and Edith with a destination wedding for them in Miami with his savings. The elderly couple got married in a beautiful ceremony. It was there that Henry met Clara, the woman who not only accepted him but also David and Edith, and they all moved in together like a happy family.
What can we learn from this story?
- A mother’s love has no bounds. Despite Henry’s harsh behavior, Edith forgave him.
- You can’t avoid karma. Henry kicked Edith out at one time and eventually lost his children, home, and everything.
- Never trust others’ opinions on someone. Henry would not have suffered so much if he had not trusted Courtney when she called Edith “dangerous” to his family.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who lies on the couch all day long and mocks his wife for the mess in their house until their mute son interferes.
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