Caroline had been saving for her daughter’s college fund since Angela was born. But after a classmate of Angela’s reveals that she’s not actually enrolled in college, Caroline must uncover what her daughter is doing and what she used the money for.

Children are always going to break your heart. This was something that I learnt the hard way after trusting my daughter, Angela, completely.

A close-up of a smiling girl | Source: Midjourney

Since Angela was born, I began saving for college. I needed to know that irrespective of what life threw my way, that I would be able to educate my child.

“I think you can wait until she’s a little older,” my husband, Holden, said. “We can do it together.”

“You can add to her college fund later,” I said, looking at my baby girl. “But I’m going to start from next month. I wasn’t able to study, Holden. And it was because we didn’t have the opportunity to do so. Angela is going to get that opportunity.”

A smiling baby girl | Source: Midjourney

“Okay, Caroline,” my husband said. “You start it now, and I’ll add to it in a year. The house will be paid off, and I’ll be able to put that money into the fund.”

He squeezed my hand in reassurance, and I knew that we would both do anything to give our daughter the entire world.

But maybe I should have paid more attention to Angela when she graduated from high school.

A smiling couple with a baby | Source: Midjourney

“Are you sure you don’t want me to help you with your college applications?” I asked my daughter when we went grocery shopping one day.

“Yes, Mom,” she said, adding a bottle of juice to the cart. “I can handle it by myself. But thank you for offering.”

So, I left her to handle the application process by herself. She was an ambitious and responsible kid, so I thought that she could handle it with her eyes closed.

A smiling girl in a grocery store | Source: Midjourney

“I may ask you to read my application essay, Mom,” she said one evening as I was cooking dinner. “But there’s still time to get it done.”

I didn’t think much of it and gave my daughter her space to navigate it.

And then one morning, she came into my bedroom and asked me to transfer all the money that we had been saving for her college fund.

A woman wearing an apron | Source: Midjourney

“Sure, darling,” I said. “I’ll go down to the bank later today and sort it out.”

“Thanks, Mom,” she beamed. “You’re the best!”

Looking back, that was my first mistake.

A woman at the bank | Source: Midjourney

Recently, I ran into her classmate, Trina, and her mother, who I knew went to the same college as Angela. They had also gone to the same high school.

“How’s my angel doing?” I asked Trina as she eyed a dress in the clothing store where we had bumped into each other.

“Excuse me?” the girl asked, looking completely confused.

A young woman in a clothing store | Source: Midjourney

“Angela?” I asked, trying to figure out if I said something wrong. “She said that she’s only going to come home at the end of the semester, so I haven’t seen her in ages!”

“Caroline, I have no idea,” she said. “Angela and I met a few times before I left for college, and I thought that we were going to be roommates. But when I got there, I found out that she didn’t enroll.”

A college dorm | Source: Midjourney

I was too stunned to think.

My daughter, the model child who never skipped class all through high school, had been lying to the whole family.

“How much of her college fund has been used?” my husband asked me when I told him about meeting Trina.

A middle aged man holding a cup | Source: Midjourney

“$24,000,” I said. “But if she didn’t use it for college, then what has she been doing with it?”

“That’s what I’d like to know,” he said. “Call her, Caroline. Get to the bottom of this.”

I called Angela as soon as I got home, hoping that it was some kind of mistake. But what she told me made me question if I ever knew who my daughter truly was.

A woman holding a phone | Source: Midjourney

“Angela, it’s Mom,” I said the second she answered.

“Mom?” she replied. “Is everything okay? Why do you have your anxious voice?”

“I ran into Trina and her mother today. And she said that you’ve never enrolled in college. What’s going on, darling? I need you to talk to me.”

A young woman holding a phone | Source: Midjourney

There was a long pause before she replied.

“Mom, can we talk in person? There’s something I need to show you,” she said. “It’s important, and everything will make sense.”

“Angela, darling, please just tell me now,” I insisted. “Where is the money? What did you use it for?”

A worried woman | Source: Midjourney

“Mom, please,” she repeated. “Just meet me at 5th and Main in an hour. I’ll explain everything.”

What other choice did I have? I took two of my anxiety pills and got into the car, ready to meet my daughter.

As I drove, my mind raced through the countless possibilities. Was Angela in trouble?

Two white pills | Source: Midjourney

When I arrived at the address she had given me, Angela was waiting for me outside a quaint little building. My daughter looked nervous, biting her nails as I parked and got out of the car.

“Mom,” she smiled. “It’s time I showed you something important.”

A woman driving a car | Source: Midjourney

We stepped into a cozy, beautifully decorated coffee shop. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, and the walls were lined with books and canvas art. There were customers scattered around, sipping their drinks, reading books, or even writing.

It was an introvert’s haven.

My daughter turned to me, her eyes wide with anticipation.

People reading in a coffee shop | Source: Midjourney

“This is my place, Mom,” she said. “I used the money to open my dream coffee shop. I live in the apartment upstairs.”

I was too stunned to remember any words.

“You used your tuition money for this?” I gasped.

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“Yes,” she said, her voice slow and steady. “I know it was wrong to lie, but I’ve always wanted to open my own business. I was scared to tell you because I knew how much college meant to you. And I know that I’m young and inexperienced. But I wanted to try and do it on my own.”

As she spoke, I wanted to be the supportive mother I thought that I was. But my trust was broken, and the main thing that ran through my veins was anger.

A mother and daughter duo sitting together | Source: Midjourney

“Angela, do you have any idea how much trust you’ve broken?” I asked. “I worked so hard to save that money for your education.”

“I know, Mom. And I’m so sorry,” she said. “But I felt like you never listened to what I really wanted. I thought that this was the only way to show you.”

A girl with a backpack walking to a building | Source: Midjourney

I looked around the coffee shop, taking in the little details that I missed the first time. It was clear that she had put her heart and soul into this place.

“Why didn’t you just talk to me?” I asked.

“Mom, I’ve tried,” she said. “But every time I brought up anything I wanted, you’d change the subject to college. What other choice did I have?”

A close-up of a young woman | Source: Midjourney

I sighed, the weight of her words sinking in.

“You should have trusted me enough to have that conversation, Angela. There’s no such thing as you tried to talk to me, and then went ahead and did your own thing.”

“I know, I’m sorry for lying and using the money without your permission. But look around, Mom. This is my passion. This is what I want to do with my life.”

A frowning woman | Source: Midjourney

As I looked into my daughter’s eyes, I saw the determination and passion that had driven her to take such a bold step. It was hard to stay angry when I could see how much this meant to her.

“I’m proud of what you’ve accomplished. But I’m hurt and disappointed that you didn’t trust me enough to share your dreams.”

“I understand,” she said quietly. “I promise to earn back your trust.”

“What next?” I asked her. “As well as this business may do, you need to have an education.”

Two women sitting together | Source: Midjourney

“I know,” she replied, serious. “And I’m going to use the money that I make from the coffee shop to enroll next year. I’m going to do distance learning, but I’ll be studying irrespective.”

I nodded at her.

We stood in silence for a moment, the air heavy with unspoken words. Then I pulled her into a hug, feeling the tension melt away.

A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney

Angela gave me a tour of the shop, introducing me to her business partner and showing me the ins and outs of their operation. By the end of it, I was impressed by what they had accomplished in such a short space of time.

I could only hope that my daughter knew what she was doing.

A cup on a table in a coffee shop | Source: Midjourney

What would you have done?