Successful businesswoman Imani was determined to prove her son’s wife was nothing but a gold digger. When she sees her newborn grandson for the first time, Imani knows she can finally prove her daughter-in-law’s cheating.
Imani stared at the message on her phone. Your son had just made a terrible mistake! She had a parental duty to fix him, but how?
“Owen, you won’t believe what Simon did!” Imani called to her husband as she entered the study. “He married this Candice girl in a private ceremony even though I told him to break up with her.”
Owen looked up from his paperwork and sighed. “Baby, I know you’re worried about Candice…”
“Concerns? The girl only wants one thing: money.”
“I don’t think so, baby. If you sit down and talk to her…”
“Oh, why should I talk to you?” Imani pointed to her husband. “You see the best in everyone, Owen, but this time you’re wrong. Candice is a gold digger and I’m going to prove it to you and Simon!”
Imani spent months trying to gather evidence of Candice’s cheating. She even hired a private investigator to investigate their family history, but there was nothing to suggest they were anything but average middle-class citizens.
She also questioned Simon daily about his relationship while he was working at her company, but he always turned her down.
“I know what you’re up to, mom,” Simon said one day.
“You’re trying to find dirt on Candice, but you’re not going to succeed. She’s a great woman from a good family and I wish you would overcome your mistrust of her.”
That was something Imani couldn’t do, especially after Simon announced Candice was pregnant.
“Now she really has a crush on him, doesn’t she?” Imani scolded Owen. They were about to enjoy a hot tub together, but now she was too angry.
“Can’t you just be happy that you’re going to have a grandchild?” said Owen. “Really, Imani. Candice has never shown that she is greedy or materialistic. Why are you so sure that she is after Simon’s money?”
“Maternal instinct,” Imani replied.
A few months later, Imani received a late call from Simon that changed everything.
“Mom, Candice has gone into labor!” There was panic in Simon’s voice. “We’re on our way to the hospital. I’m trying to keep calm for Candy, but I’m freaking out, Mom!”
“Just breathe, baby. Giving birth is the most natural thing in the world. Drive carefully and everything will be fine,” said Imani.
“I always knew you were up to no good. It’s time to come clean, girl: who is really the father of your child?”
Secretly, she listed the possibilities for the birth to go wrong, but then she refrained. She was a woman of the Church and would not deign to wish evil on anyone.
Owen and Imani walked around the kitchen waiting for news from Simon. It was almost three in the morning when they finally got a call.
“It’s a boy,” explained Simon, “a beautiful little boy!”
Imani practiced smiling in front of the mirror in the hall while waiting for her guests. Simon and Candice would be here soon to introduce their baby Caleb. They probably thought they were honoring her by naming the child after Imani’s father, but she felt offended by their choice.
The doorbell rang and Imani put a grin on her face. She greeted Simon with a hug and avoided Candice’s outstretched arms by peering into the stroller.
“Where is my precious little grandson?” asked Imani.
“Let’s go inside first, Mom.” Simon laughed.
The proud new parents pushed the stroller into the living room. Imani watched Simon and Candice whisper to each other over the stroller while Candice picked up the baby. It seemed to her that they were acting strangely.
She understood why when Candice held out the swaddled baby to her. Imani took a step back. She finally had proof that Candice was a liar!
“What does that mean?” Imani looked at Simon.
“This is my child, mom.” Simon frowned.
“This child is not yours!” Imani pointed to the sleeping baby’s chubby cheeks. “Are you blind? This baby is white through and through. How can you be his daddy when he has no trace of tan skin?”
Imani now turned to Candice. “I always knew you were up to no good. It’s time you told the truth, girl: who is really the father of this child?”
Simon snatched the sheet from Imani’s hand before she could throw it into the flames. She tried to get it back but it was too late.
“Stop!” Simon rushed to Candice’s side, who burst into tears. “Mom, Candice’s genes were stronger than mine, that’s all! And who cares as long as he’s healthy.”
“I’m so sorry, Candy.” Back home, Simon hugged his wife and kissed her on the head.
“I knew your mom would make a scene, but I never expected it!”
Candice sniffed and wiped the tears from her face. “Maybe when she gets the results of Caleb’s DNA test, she won’t hate me so much.”
“I hope so.” Simon frowned. “I can’t believe she kicked me out of my job. How are we supposed to survive?”
Candice didn’t answer that. She lifted Caleb into her arms and smiled into his cute little face. He was very pale… a little too pale. Even his downy hair and blue eyes looked washed out, almost colorless. He grimaced unhappily as the light from the window fell on him.
“Caleb has a physical appointment this week,” Candice said. “Then let’s ask the doctor for a DNA test.”
Simon agreed, but both parents quickly became distracted when Caleb started crying.
“More lies!” Imani threw away the DNA test results Simon had sent her. “I don’t know how she did it, but Candice clearly convinced the lab to falsify the test results.”
Owen stared at his wife over his interlaced fingers. “Honey, you can’t believe that.”
“Yes I do. And now there’s just one more thing to do. We’re both going to have our own DNA test done. That way Candice doesn’t have a chance to interfere.”
Owen shook his head. To be honest, he thought his wife was exaggerating now, but he would still support her. After so many years of marriage, he did not want to neglect his duties as a husband.
“All right, just tell me what to do,” Owen said. The sooner this whole mess was cleared up, the better! He and Imani could get back to their comfortable lives, and she would have no choice but to welcome Candice into the family.
Owen thought everyone would be happy once the results came in, but he was in for a nasty surprise.
Imani insisted the family get together to look at the results of the DNA test she had taken. He was very thorough because he also used her and Owen’s DNA. She couldn’t wait to see Candice’s face as her lies were exposed in front of everyone.
“Now we will finally learn the truth!”
Imani opened the envelope and took out the test results.
Imani’s hand trembled as she scanned the page. That couldn’t be! She looked from her son to Owen. Everyone watched her and waited for her to tell them the results.
Nobody was allowed to know what this test revealed!
“I guess you were telling the truth.” Imani got up and went to the fireplace. She had to get rid of this page!
“That’s it?” Simon got up. “After everything you’ve done to us, is that the only thing you have to say?”
Simon snatched the page from Imani before she could throw it into the flames. She tried to get it back but it was too late.
“What does that mean?” Simon stared at his mother. “Dad isn’t my father?”
“What?” Owen got up and took the results from his son. “Imani, how is that possible?”
Imani hung her head. For years she thought she could have kept her secret. It never occurred to her that Simon could be living proof of that!
“I had an affair,” Imani admitted. “It was just that one time, many years ago. I didn’t know Simon wasn’t your child, Owen. I always assumed he was.”
“I can not believe you!” Tears ran down Owen’s cheeks. “All this time you accused Candice of cheating, and now we know why! It was your own guilt that you were unfaithful to her!”
“It never meant anything!” Imani rushed to her husband and tried to grab his hands. “I love you, Owen. I’ve always loved you!”
“How can I ever believe a word you say?” Owen turned away from Imani and left the room.
The family was deeply shocked by this unexpected discovery. Owen moved into a hotel for a few days but eventually filed for divorce. He could not cope with his wife’s infidelity. It even strained his relationship with Simon, up until the day Simon called him in tears.
“Mom was right, sort of,” said Simon.
“There’s something unusual about Caleb, Father. We just got another DNA test result. Caleb has albinism.”
“I’m sorry Simon. Everyone hopes their child will be born healthy, but life sometimes throws you a curveball. If there’s anything I can do…”
“Just come over, please? Candice and I are feeling so lost and overwhelmed. I could really use my dad.”
“I’ll be right there, son.” Owen smiled sadly.
Simon and Candice hugged Owen when he arrived. They all sat down together in the living room, where the young parents were poring over brochures and websites with information about albinism.
As Owen joined them, he knew everything would be fine. Little Caleb had a loving family to support him and Owen would always be a part of that. No matter what the DNA test revealed, Simon would never stop being his son.
Over the following week, the family gained a more positive attitude. After the initial shock wore off, Simon and Candice realized that while Caleb could face some complications, their son could still lead a happy, fulfilling life.
“We just have to be extra careful about the health of his eyes and his increased sensitivity to light. Candace smiled down at her son while speaking to Owen. “I still can’t believe how easily this disease can hide in your genes . I mean, what are the chances of two carriers like Simon and I getting together and having a baby?”
“Big enough for this little man to be born.” Owen offered his hand to Caleb and grinned as the child wrapped his hand around his finger. “You’ve brought many blessings to this family, little Caleb. If it wasn’t for you, I might never have learned the truth about Imani.
“I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised if you guys talk about me behind my back.
Everyone turned and stared at Imani. She stood in the doorway of Simon and Candice’s house with tears running down her face.
“What do you want?” Simon stepped forward to deny Imani entry. “You are not welcome in my house.”
“Wait, son.” Owen put a hand on Simon’s shoulder. “I invited her to come over here. Imani would like to say something to you and Candice.”
Imani took a deep breath. “Owen is right. I came here to apologize. I treated you badly, Candice. It was wrong of me to judge you without knowing anything about you.”
“I treated you badly too.” She looked at Owen with tears streaming down her eyes. “I made a terrible mistake. I know I can’t save our marriage anymore, but I hope that one day you can forgive me.”
What can we learn from this story?
Never make accusations without evidence. Imani was determined to prove Candice married Simon for his money, although she had no proof. When she refused to give up her vendetta, she revealed her dirty secret.
True love connects people in difficult times. Simon and Candice were shocked to learn their son has a genetic condition, but Owen didn’t hesitate to help and support them even though he wasn’t Simon’s biological father.
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