When my son introduced his fiancée to us, I was excited to meet the woman who had captured his heart. But as soon as I saw her face, my excitement disappeared. I recognized her instantly and, in a moment of panic, made a shocking decision—I locked her in the basement.
As a mother in my 50s, living a quiet suburban life with my husband Nathan, I’ve always been fiercely protective of my son, Xavier.
At 22, nearly finished with college, he’s the light of our lives. Despite the distance since he moved away, we’ve remained close. At least, I thought we had—until his surprising call a few weeks ago.
It was a typical Tuesday evening when the phone rang. “Mom, Dad, I’ve got news!” Xavier exclaimed. “I’m engaged! Her name’s Danielle, and we’ve been together for three months.”
Three months? Engaged already? I congratulated him and offered to host dinner that weekend, but questions lingered: Who was this woman? Where had she come from? And why hadn’t Xavier mentioned her before?
The night of their visit arrived, and Nathan and I prepared a big dinner to make a great impression. But the moment I opened the door, my heart dropped. Danielle was beautiful, with dark hair and blue eyes—but I knew her. Or at least, I thought I did.
Months earlier, my friend Margaret had shown me a photo of a woman who had scammed her son, stealing his money and vanishing after promising marriage. That same face now stood in my living room. The hair and eyes were different, but the resemblance was unmistakable.
I tried to mask my unease as we ate. My heart raced as I searched for Margaret’s photo on my phone, but I had deleted it. Desperate for confirmation, I made a quick decision.
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