By Natali Simmonds

My Daughter’s Revenge 

2024

My first mistake was raising my daughter to be just like me…

His death is reported on the morning news. The man my daughter’s been dating. Dead. Gone…

I blink slowly – once, twice, three times. The hair on the back of my neck rises as I grip my coffee harder. My breath comes in short bursts.

I didn’t even know he existed until recently. Leah doesn’t tell me anything anymore. But I found the letters she hid. I know she fell head over heels for him. That he broke her heart.

 And that he’s dead now.

 I wish more than anything that the news is only shocking because of who it is, and what’s happened to him.

 But I know my daughter too well for that.

My first mistake was raising my daughter to be just like me.

My second mistake might be what I do to protect her…