“Hey, Dad! You won’t believe what happened with my roommate, Jessica…” Serena paused, sensing my unease. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said. “Everything’s great. Come on in, honey.”

“So,” I began, “you were saying…”

“He’s sixty.”

The word ‘sixty’ hit me hard. My daughter, eighteen, with a man sixty — almost thrice her age? Concern and disbelief clouded my judgment. “Sixty, Serena? That’s… can’t you see the issue here?”

“Age doesn’t define love, Dad. Edison understands me, believes in me.”

“But what about the future, Serena? He’s much older.”

“Love isn’t about numbers, Dad. It’s about feeling seen, loved, cared for, and Edison makes me feel that way,” Serena’s voice trembled with conviction. “Please, can you at least meet him once? Trust me, you’ll love him.”

The next night at Edison’s, I needed a breather and went to the balcony. That’s when a snatch of conversation caught my ear. “Annie, come on now,” Edison’s voice, smooth and practiced, appeared. “I’m your brother. You know me well. It’s just a bit of harmless fun. A chance to win a little something extra.”

“This is reckless, Edison,” a woman’s voice, probably Annie’s, chided Edison. “You’re toying with that girl’s affections for some ‘harmless fun.'”

A cold dread twisted inside me. “What are you talking about?” Edison barked.

My heart sank. Edison was using my daughter just for a bet. I was furious.

“Dad, what are you talking about?” Serena looked so confused and then shocked as I told her about the bet.

“He’s lying to you, Serena! He’s just using you,” I said, my voice cracking.

Her words stung, but I knew we had to deal with Edison’s deception first.

Then, I saw him entering the dining room. Edison. I just couldn’t contain myself any longer. I lost it and punched him in the face, yelling, “Stay away from her daughter, you creep!”

I eventually left, heartbroken but not beaten. I had to save my daughter. So, I called a buddy of mine who’s a private investigator. A few days later, he gave me a report about Edison’s dark past of failures and gambling addiction.

This was my shot to show Serena the truth about Edison and get her back.

The report mentioned Duke R., Edison’s old business partner, who got left in the dust because of Edison’s mess-ups.

The report said Duke hung out at a place called Le Beans Café, a little diner outside of town. I grabbed the phone number listed for Duke and called him up.

After meeting Duke that night, I went to Edison’s favorite casino, pretending to be “Parker,” a rich guy from Texas. I looked the part and had my story ready. Sitting down at Edison’s table, I smiled.

“Welcome, Parker. Big game tonight. Feeling lucky?”

I played my cards right, literally, and ended up winning with a royal flush, beating Edison’s hand. He tried to keep calm, but I could tell he was rattled.

“Looks like beginner’s luck,” Edison snarled.

He went white, finally getting what was happening. “Billy? What’s this about?”

“It’s about Serena. Leave her alone, and we’re square,” I said firmly, not giving him a choice. “Or,” I added, “you can settle the debt right now. In cash. And let’s just say, I have some… unconventional methods of collecting outstanding debts.”

“Fine, I’ll stay away from her,” he said reluctantly.

I left the casino feeling like I’d won but also worried. Edison gave in too easily, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t the end of it with Serena.

“Engagement party? With Edison?” I was shocked.

“Yes! Didn’t Serena tell you? You should come, Mr. Thompson. It’s at The Grand Springs, starts at eight,” Sarah replied, oblivious to my shock.

Arriving at The Grand Springs, I was met with the sight of Serena, radiant with happiness, and Edison, oozing charm among the guests. My heart raced as I approached Edison, my anger peaking.

“We need to talk, now,” I said, pulling him to the side.

“Now? During the party?” Edison smirked, but I wasn’t having it and dragged him into a quiet bathroom to have it out.

“She loves me. And your dirty little secrets? They could destroy you,” Edison shot back, hinting he knew things about me that could hurt me.

“But you’re not going to get her. Not on my watch!” I said, even though his threat to tell Serena about my past mistakes left me rattled.

No matter how much I hated that old creep, I had to admit he was right. Serena was already against me. I couldn’t afford to lose her forever.

While I was lost in my own sadness, a cough caught my attention. Looking up, I saw a woman standing there, tall and with gray hair, looking kind of gentle in the faint light. “You’re Mr. Thompson, right?” she asked quietly.

“Annie? Edison’s sister?” I was surprised to recognize her.

She gave a small smile. “Yes, we’ve seen each other before… At Edison’s, when you tried to save your daughter,” she reminded me.

I quickly told her all about the mess with Edison and how he was tricking Serena. “And you’re aware of it, too, right?”

“We could stop him,” I said, feeling she might want to help.

“What do you have in mind?” Annie asked.

I explained my plan to her and even offered her some money as a start. “Consider this a start,” I said.

“I’m listening,” she said, interested.

So, we went ahead with our plan at the wedding. Annie was there pretending to be just another guest. Right as Edison was putting the ring on Serena’s finger, a young woman stood up and yelled, “He’s a liar!”

Edison tried to deny it. “No, they’re lying! I don’t even know them,” he said, but he was falling apart as everyone saw his true colors.

Our plan worked. The wedding turned into a place where all of Edison’s lies were laid bare for everyone to see.

In a moment filled with tension, an older woman approached Serena.

“Don’t fall for his tricks, dear. He’s nothing but trouble. Get away from him while you can! I’ve been a victim, too,” the woman said firmly. Watching through a video call, I saw Serena’s world fall apart as she threw her wedding ring away, her dream of happiness shattered.

Then, things got even more serious when the police showed up to arrest Edison, making it clear he was finally going to face the consequences of his actions. Although it cost me a lot to get Annie’s help, seeing my daughter free from Edison was worth every penny.

When I met Serena at her place later, it was a very emotional moment. “Dad, I’m so sorry. I should’ve listened to you,” she cried.

I held her and showed her a plane ticket to Boston, to remind her of her dream of studying fashion design. “It’s time to start over, to chase your dream,” I told her.

This whole ordeal reminded me how important it is to be there for our kids and to do whatever it takes to keep them safe.

If only I’d been there for Serena, she’d never have fallen for someone like Edison. I had learned a huge lesson and decided to make my daughter my priority.

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