Man Learns His Daughter’s Biological Dad Is His Best Friend – Story of the Day

Before anything else, John is a loving father to his 16-year-old daughter, but his love is put to the test when a heartbreaking truth finds its way to him. John discovers the girl he's raised his entire life isn't his flesh and blood and that his best friend has kept some disturbing secrets from him.

"Gosh! No! She'll kill me!" John panicked as he rummaged through the utility bills on the living room table, searching for his cell phone. As he found it, he dialed his daughter, Stacey.

John knew he was in BIG trouble! He'd promised Stacey he'd be there for her cheerleading competition but had completely forgotten about it.

The call went through, but Stacey didn't answer. John left her a voicemail.

"Hey, sweetheart. Just wanted to wish you luck. Sorry, I was caught up with something and couldn't make it. I know you'll do great! Let's celebrate when you get back home, OK? Love you!"

Unfortunately, John had no idea his troubles were far from over...

Stacey returned home in a bad mood with a cast on her right arm!

John looked at her worriedly. "What's wrong, honey? Gosh! How did you get that?" he asked, his gaze fixed on her injured arm.

Stacey rolled her eyes. "Really, Dad? Only now you care about me, uh? Well, this," she said, holding up her arm cast, "is a sign that the competition was great, but I was utterly disappointed in you! I was looking for you in the audience, but guess who didn't show up!"

John let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, honey," he apologized. "I was only—"

"Screw it, Dad!" Stacey cut him off. "I hate you for this!"

Stacey and John had no idea that their biggest life secret would unravel in the most heartbreaking way possible.

Stacey disappeared into her bedroom, slamming the door in John's face as he followed her. He stood outside her room, apologizing and promising to be a better father in the future. But it was all for naught.

Stacey was furious at John for missing her cheerleading competition, and John couldn't blame her. But it wasn't entirely his fault. He was preoccupied with work, and Stacey's competition had completely slipped his mind.

That evening, John met his best friend Alan at a bar and poured his heart out to him—about how Stacey hated him and how terrible he felt as a father. "I really suck as a dad! Can you believe I disappointed Stacey again? She was so excited about the competition, Alan, and what did I do? I was sitting at home doing math! Calculating bills! Jesus!"

"Hey, hey, relax," Alan calmly said. "Let me get you another drink."

John sighed and chugged the next drink. "I wonder if Elizabeth hates me too. Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a father and husband."

"Whoa! Whoa!" Alan scoffed. "Don't be too hard on yourself, mate. I mean, look, life happens to the best of us. Why would you beat yourself about it? How about you take Stacey on a trip... You know, some father-daughter bonding time to fix things? I bet she'll love it!"

"I don't have any money for that," John said. "I run hotdog stands for a living, Alan. And I think it embarrasses Stacey that her father, you know, is some small-time hotdog seller! I'm not as rich as you, and money matters in life."

"Well then, why would you go elsewhere for money when you have a rich friend with you?" Alan laughed. "Hey, my farmhouse is vacant, and I'd be happy to lend it to you and Stacey for as long as you want. What do you think?"

John thought it over. It wasn't a bad idea, and Stacey would love spending time on a farmhouse. But he didn't want to take Alan's favor, so he refused. However, Alan somehow talked John into accepting the farmhouse keys and taking Stacey on a father-daughter bonding trip.

It was supposed to be a two-day trip. Reaching the farmhouse took a day by car, and John decided to drive to the place so he had ample time to talk to Stacey and properly apologize for the mess he'd created by forgetting about her competition.

"All right, let's go!" Stacey exclaimed as she got in the passenger seat and slammed the car door shut.

"Hey, easy, girl!" John blurted out, turning the ignition on. "We don't have a thousand cars! Besides, I worked really hard for this one!"

Stacey rolled her eyes, putting on her AirPods. "And it's crappy as hell!" she hissed, looking out the window. "I swear you could've done better, Dad!"

John tried not to lose his cool and focused on the road ahead. He was feeling bored halfway through the journey, so he tried to strike up a conversation with Stacey. "Hey, honey, I wanted to apologize to you," he said.

"Apologize? For what?"

"It's about the cheerleading thing. Well, I was really hoping to come—"

"Stop it, Dad!" she said. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"But why? To be honest, I entirely forgot about it. Work, bills, everything... it's just been difficult, honey."

Stacey sighed. "OK, Dad! You're not the only one working and paying bills!" she grumbled. "You just don't care about me, alright? You're never there for me! I was so excited about the cheerleading thing, but it's OK. Just let it be."

"Honey, I, look, I really, really wanted to be there, you know. I swear!" he said. John was trying to convince Stacey that it wasn't his fault that he forgot about the cheerleading competition, but Stacey was having none of it.

"Stop the car, Dad!" she suddenly said. "I don't want to go on any trip with you!"

"What, but?"

"STOP THE FREAKING CAR, DAD!" Stacey yelled. "Either you turn around and drive me home, or I'll take an Uber!"

John had not expected the trip to become a disaster, at least not so soon. He didn't have a choice but to take Stacey home, as she wanted. So he turned the car around and drove back home.

As they arrived, Stacey dashed inside and froze upon noticing an unfamiliar pair of Chelsea boots near the shoe rack. "Guess we have an annoying guest over!" she muttered, removing her shoes.

As John joined her, Stacey noticed something strange. "Dad, look up!" she whispered, pointing to his bedroom upstairs. "I guess someone's there! I saw a—a man walking across the room!"

"What? You sure?" he asked.

"What do you mean 'you sure?'" she said. "Of course, I'm sure. I've got zero interest in cracking jokes! And where's Mom? Oh no, is Mom up there?"

"Stay right here, OK?" John advised Stacey before he slowly climbed the stairs to his bedroom, careful enough not to make a noise. He grabbed a vase resting on the table rack by the stairs and flung the bedroom door open, only to be shocked.

John couldn't believe his eyes as he saw his wife, Elizabeth, and Alan in bed! TOGETHER!

"Alan? Elizabeth? What… what the… I can't believe this!"

John's shoulders sagged, and he let go of the vase, which smashed into shards on the floor.

John was hurt and disgusted that his wife and best friend were having an affair behind his back.

Meanwhile, Stacey dashed upstairs after hearing the vase break, and as she saw her mother in bed with the man she'd called Uncle since she was a little girl, she gasped in shock. "What the hell, Mom!" she cried, her hands held to her mouth. "You and Uncle Alan? Oh my god!"

"To your room, Stacey!" John said in tears. "Go! Now!"

"Dad, I—"

"Honey, you don't deserve to see this. Leave!" John screamed.

Once Stacey left, John shut the door behind him, and it was now time for Alan and Elizabeth to come clean.

"How long has this been going on!?" he screamed. "Why did you both do this? The two people I trusted the most were having an affair behind my back!?"

Elizabeth drew the bedsheet tighter around her and ran her fingers through her hair. "I don't think we need to hide it any longer, Alan," she said brazenly. "Yes, Alan and I are dating each other, but it didn't start behind your back or anything, John. We've been in love since high school, and well, I would've left you—"

"Stop it, Elizabeth," Alan cut her off. "Hey, John. Listen, it's nothing, OK? We just—"

"Why aren't you telling him the truth?" Elizabeth hissed. "Tell him, Alan! There's no point in hiding it any longer! He needs to know Stacey isn't his blood!"

"WHAT?" John gasped. "WHAT THE HELL? Stacey what?"

Alan sighed. "I didn't want to hurt you, John, but it's true that Stacey isn't your daughter. She's…" he paused. "I can't do this! I can't! I'm sorry!" Alan grabbed his clothes and was about to leave when John grabbed his arm.

"Tell me the truth," he said. "How can Stacey not be my daughter!? I held her in these arms when she was born," he sobbed, raising his arms helplessly. "I—I sold the business I'd inherited from my grandfather for her chemo when she was diagnosed with cancer! I taught her to walk, to ride a bike, and you tell me my whole life has been a lie? That…that the love I gave to the little girl who is the most beautiful thing in my life was a part of some stupid lie?"

"Well, I only found out after she was born. She had the same birthmark as Alan on her back," Elizabeth said flatly. "And I even got the DNA tests done to be sure, so, technically, she's Alan and my daughter. That time, Alan didn't have the money for her treatment, and you had, John.

"You inherited those two big restaurants, so I believed marrying you was a smart idea. But you weren't so good in bed, you know. So I guess I'll be divorcing you, John, and Stacey will stay with me."

No truth in your life matters more than the people who love you.

John had always made an effort to be an excellent father to his 16-year-old daughter. He and Stacey had their disagreements, but he loved her more than anything and anybody else. He would most likely give up his life for his daughter if asked. That's how much John cared about Stacey.

But when John's best friend and wife disclosed that the girl he'd raised wasn't his, that the blood in her veins wasn't his, his love for his daughter was tested.

"Besides, she's not your blood, John," Elizabeth said arrogantly. "Stop acting as if you care!"

John closed his eyes, and for a moment, he recalled all the happy moments he'd spent with Stacey. There was nothing more beautiful in his life than his daughter.

She was his everything!

"No!" he said as he opened his eyes. "She's not going anywhere! I was her Dad, and I'll always be her Dad. No truth, no reality, nothing changes that! I love her more than my life!"

At that point, none of the elders knew that Stacey was standing outside the room, listening to their conversation. As John walked out of the room, his gaze met Stacey's. The young girl didn't have the courage to face him or the harsh reality of her life.

"Honey, I—" John started when Stacey cut him off.

"I hate Mom and Uncle Alan! And I hate my life!" she cried as she dashed downstairs and out the front door.

"Stacey, wait!" John shouted as he followed her. But Stacey wouldn't slow down. She dashed onto the road, oblivious to the car speeding toward her.

"STACEY!" John screamed as he pushed her out of the way to the pavement. The car's tires skidded to a halt, and Stacey couldn't stop crying as she turned around and saw John on the road, unconscious and in a pool of blood.

"Dad, no!" she cried as she crawled to him and hugged him. "Dad, open your eyes! Someone, please call the ambulance! Dad, you shouldn't have come after me! If something happens to you, I'll never forgive myself!"

***

When John opened his eyes, he couldn't recognize his surroundings. He could hear a faint beep from the heart monitor and see soft blue walls surrounding him. Then as his gaze was drawn to his bedside, he saw Stacey.

"Dad!" she cried, holding his hands. "You're awake! I'm so sorry, Dad. Sorry for not appreciating you all this while. I know you're not my bio dad, but I don't want anyone but you. You're my real Dad! You'll always be! I want to be there for you, Dad, like you were there for me when I was young. And I love you! I'm so sorry for hurting you!"

John's body was aching, and he was having trouble speaking, but he made a finger heart at Stacey and mouthed an 'I love you' back. "I..." he whispered. "I AM YOUR DAD. DON'T BE SORRY..." he managed to tell her, and Stacey hugged him on the bed and cried her heart out.

A few days later, John was on his crutches as he returned to his hotdog stand. He was surprised when he saw Satcey manning it and attending to a huge crowd!

"Hi, Dad!" she chirped, helping him sit on the pavement. "I decided I should take care of our family business while you were in the hospital. Listen, I've updated the menu a bit, changed the designs, and," she whispered, "we're doing pretty well. Do you see all those customers?

"I took a business course last summer and figured why not put it to use? You're not working today. Just stay here and watch me! I'm such a cool businesswoman!

"And yeah," she winked. "Guess we'll be spending more time together from now on!"

With tears in his eyes, John nodded and proudly watched his daughter manage his hotdog stands. A few months later, John and Stacey started more hotdog outlets across the city, expanding their business, and eventually found their father-daughter happily ever after.

What can we learn from this story?

• You become a parent through love and care, not necessarily biology. Stacey grew to appreciate John when she realized he cared for her so much that he didn't think twice before putting his life in danger for her. And John, well, he always loved his daughter, and nothing changed for him after the big reveal.
• No truth in your life matters more than the people who love you. Stacey and John had no idea that their biggest life secret would unravel in the most heartbreaking way possible, but they decided nothing mattered as long as they had one another. They forgave Alan and Elizabeth and moved on.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who inherits $2 million unexpectedly and finds his wife and kids missing soon after he gets the money home.

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