Husband Leaves Wife & Child for Younger Woman, Years Later Daughter Becomes His Boss
When I was 17, my dad ditched me and my mom for some young woman. Worse yet, he’d drained our finances and skipped out on house payments.
We were left with nothing, out on the street, and he DIDN’T BAT AN EYE! Gosh, it was really horrible. I swore I’d get even someday.
I worked hard, sacrificing everything I had to make him regret it, even if he’d never see me again. And boy, I was so successful!
Years passed. It was an ordinary day, and I went to work, as always.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, I saw HIM, LOOKING LIKE THAT! Turns out karma had already beaten him!
He stood there in the lobby, shoulders slouched, hair graying unevenly, and his face lined with exhaustion. He looked nothing like the confident man who had walked out on us years ago.
My heart clenched, but not with the sadness I once carried. This was something else—something colder.
I had spent years building myself up, turning pain into power. I had put myself through college, worked late nights, climbed the ranks, and now, at 32, I was the head of a department in a well-known firm. I was successful. Secure.
And my father? He was standing in front of the receptionist, clutching a crumpled résumé.
I stepped forward before I could think twice.
“Can I help you?” I asked, my voice steady.
He turned to me, blinking rapidly. His eyes widened in shock. “I—” His throat bobbed as he swallowed. “I’m here for the—uh—the job interview.”
I already knew that. I had seen his name on the applicant list earlier that week.
I had chuckled when I first saw it. The irony! But now, standing face-to-face with the man who abandoned me, I didn’t feel victorious. I felt… complicated.
I nodded toward the meeting room. “Right this way.”
I let my assistant conduct the interview while I observed.
My father’s experience was unimpressive, to say the least. After leaving us, he had worked in sales, hopping from one commission-based job to another. The woman he had left us for? She had apparently drained HIS finances and left him in debt. His old charm was gone, replaced by insecurity and regret.
He was desperate.
The final question came. “Why do you want to work for this company?”
His gaze flickered to me before he answered, “I need a fresh start.”
A fresh start.
How nice it must be to ask for one so easily, after ruining the lives of others.
The interview wrapped up, and my assistant left to compile the reports. My father lingered, hesitating before finally speaking. “You’re doing well for yourself.”
I crossed my arms. “Unlike you?”
His face darkened, but he sighed. “I guess I deserve that.”
I didn’t respond. I wanted to ask why. Why he left. Why he never looked back. Why he thought he could now waltz into my company and expect me to just ignore what he did.
But I already knew the answer. Some people are just selfish.
I had the final say on hiring decisions. My assistant asked if we should consider him.
“I want to think about it,” I said.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was some kind of test. A test of who I had become.
Had I truly moved on? Had I grown? Or was I still that 17-year-old kid, hungry for revenge?
For days, I wrestled with the decision.
Finally, I made my choice.
I called him in. He sat across from me, looking smaller than I remembered.
“I reviewed your application,” I said. “I’m not going to sugarcoat it—you’re underqualified for the position. There are younger, more experienced candidates.”
His lips pressed together. He knew what was coming. “I understand.”
“But,” I continued, “I’m offering you an entry-level position. The pay isn’t great, but it’s stable work. If you’re serious about a fresh start, you’ll take it.”
His eyes widened. “You’re… giving me a job?”
“Yes. But I want to be clear: I’m not doing this out of kindness. I’m doing this because I believe in fairness. You’re not entitled to my help, and this doesn’t erase the past. But I’ll give you what you never gave us—a chance.”
Tears welled in his eyes. He nodded slowly. “Thank you.”
As he walked out of my office, I felt something shift inside me. Not forgiveness, not yet. But something lighter.
Karma had already done its work. I didn’t need revenge. I needed peace.
And I had found it.
Life has a way of coming full circle. Some people spend their days chasing payback, but sometimes, the greatest victory is proving you never needed it to begin with.
What would you have done in my place? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to share!