Who steals from their daughter? Well, my stepmom did. She swiped $5,000 from my college fund to pay for veneers—a perfect Hollywood smile she desperately craved. But karma? It showed up faster than a dental drill and left her with more regret than glamour.
People say money can’t buy happiness, but my stepmom sure thought it could buy her a million-dollar smile. The kicker? She used my college fund, the one my late mom had set up for me, to pay for her fancy teeth, and acted like it was no big deal. But oh, just wait. Sit back and let me tell you how karma bit back harder than any dentist could.
I’m Kristen, a 17-year-old with big dreams. When my mom passed away, she left me a small college fund. It wasn’t huge, but it was enough to start building my future. My dad, Bob, and I had been adding to it, thanks to my part-time tutoring and babysitting gigs.
Life was fine, at least until Tracy came into the picture. My stepmom is the human embodiment of a selfie stick, obsessed with appearances. If vanity were an Olympic sport, she’d have gold medals hanging around her neck, right next to her designer necklaces. She’s always in front of a mirror, perfecting her hair, nails, and outfits, but when it comes to being a decent person? Well, let’s just say she doesn’t even try.
One day, I came home to find Tracy grinning like she’d hit the jackpot. “Kristen, darling!” she chirped in her sugar-sweet voice. “Guess what your fabulous stepmom is going to do?”
I raised an eyebrow, already bracing for something ridiculous. “Finally learn how to use the dishwasher?”
Her smile flickered, but she quickly recovered. “No, silly! I’m getting veneers! Aren’t you excited for me?”
“Uh, sure,” I muttered, already sensing where this was going.
“And the best part?” she added, flashing her crooked smile, “I found a way to pay for it without breaking the bank.”
My stomach sank. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, relax,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “I just borrowed $5,000 from your college fund. It’s family money, right?”