When Cassie returned from a getaway with her husband and son, she was met with a cryptic note from her mother, urging her to watch a video. Her life turned upside down as she watched, leaving her questioning which parent truly deserved forgiveness.

Cassie always thought of her father as her hero. Despite his frequent business travels, he always made time for her. He affectionately called her his ‘little girl’ and assured her she was special.

Her parents prioritized family, ensuring that they had dinner together almost every evening, a comfort not many of her friends enjoyed due to their parents’ divorces.

At fourteen, Cassie observed that many of her peers lived between two homes, a common topic of discussion in school. She conveyed this to her mother, who, in her opinion, dismissed the notion of divorce as trendy, calling it devastating instead.

Shortly after this conversation, Cassie’s father left on a business trip, only for her mother to later break the tragic news of his sudden passing.

To Cassie’s surprise, her mother didn’t plan a traditional funeral. She told Cassie that her father had wished to be cremated and have his ashes spread at the beach, a notion that gradually seemed more sentimental to Cassie.

As the months went by, Cassie deeply mourned her father’s absence. Eventually, she found solace in planning a peaceful family vacation in a cabin, ensuring it included modern amenities.

Upon her return, she noticed her mother had not been present to house-sit as planned. Instead, she found a note with a request for a video watching – a simple apology from her mother.

With curiosity piqued, Cassie sat down to watch the video. It was her father’s voice, aged yet unmistakable. The video unveiled a startling revelation – he was alive.

Her father explained in the video that he faked his death to dissociate from a murky past. He implored Cassie to seek the truth from her mother and expressed his wish to see her before his health further declined.

Confused and emotional, Cassie hurried to her mother’s to find answers. Her mother, although reluctant, began to unravel their past. Cassie learned the marriage between her parents was not legal. Her father had a second family, unbeknownst to Cassie.

Her mother confessed that when pressed for details, her father chose his other family. To shelter Cassie from heartbreak, her mother contrived his death, planning the faux ceremony.

The revelation shocked Cassie, helping her connect the dots as to why there was no actual funeral. Her mother kept the painful truth hidden, believing it was kinder for Cassie to think a tragedy had occurred.

Prompted by her father’s plea, Cassie traveled to find him. Despite the sadness of his declining health, they reconnected, and she learned of his life, his regrets, and the love he had for her.

Cassie brought her son to meet his grandfather before it was too late. A few days later, her father passed away, leaving her grappling with complex emotions of forgiveness and betrayal.

Now, Cassie finds herself contemplating her mother’s actions. Was the lie she lived with for so long an act of protection, or another betrayal?

What would you have done in Cassie’s shoes?