How I Messed Up My Daughter’s Childhood

“It’s what Veronica told me to do. Honey, I could have all the gold in the world and I would still need you.”

Once she finally believed me, I ordered her an Uber to my mom’s house. I knew there was no way I would drive safely after hearing that.

The Secret Investigation

When I got home, Veronica was already awake and waiting for me at the door. She draped herself over me, kissing my neck, and I kissed her back.

I wanted Veronica in prison, but I knew I needed a confession first. I needed her to admit what she’d done to my daughter and needed evidence that would hold up in court.

So I played along even as my skin crawled at her touch. I was already planning how I would protect Arya from ever having to see this woman again.

I needed to play this smart, so I went along with everything, pretending nothing had happened. The next morning I told Veronica that Arya had gotten sick at a friend’s house and my mom picked her up.

She bought it without question and even offered to make chicken soup for when Arya came home. I called in sick to work and spent the day setting up recording apps on my phone.

I downloaded three different ones just to be safe. Then I called my mom and explained everything.

She was furious and wanted to come over and give Veronica a piece of her mind. But I convinced her to keep Arya for a few weeks while I figured things out.

That first week was torture. I had to kiss Veronica goodbye every morning, eat dinner with her every night, and share a bed with someone who had manipulated my daughter.

But I kept recording every conversation and every phone call. When she thought I wasn’t listening, she started slipping up pretty quick.

Tuesday night she asked when Arya was coming home and said she missed their girl talks. I told her Arya was still feeling under the weather, maybe had mono.

Veronica’s face did this weird twitch thing.

“That’s such a shame,”

she said, cutting her chicken with too much force.

“I was going to take her shopping this weekend and help her pick out some new outfits for school.”

I forced myself to smile.

“Yeah, she mentioned you’d been helping with her wardrobe.”

Veronica’s eyes lit up.

“She has such potential, you know. With the right clothes and the right attitude, she could have any man wrapped around her finger. It’s important for girls to learn their power early.”

I kept my voice casual.

“What kind of power?”

She leaned forward like she was sharing a secret.

“The power of being a woman. Men will do anything for a beautiful young woman who knows how to present herself. I’m just teaching her to use what God gave her.”

My stomach churned but I nodded along.

“And you think that’s good for her?”

“Of course. You don’t want her ending up like those feminist girls, do you? All angry and alone. No, Arya’s smart. She knows her looks won’t last forever. Better to find someone established now, someone who can take care of her.”

I was gripping my fork so hard I thought it might bend.

“Someone older, you mean?”

She shrugged.

“Age is just a number. Maturity is what matters. And successful men, they know how to treat a woman right. Not like these broke college boys who just want one thing.”

That night I listened to the recording five times, making sure I had every word. But I needed more; one conversation wouldn’t be enough.

The next few days I started paying closer attention and found things I’d missed before. I saw how Veronica’s laptop was always open to Arya’s social media and discovered she had a separate phone she thought I didn’t know about.

I saw her deleting texts from it one morning when she thought I was in the shower. Thursday night I pretended to fall asleep early.

Sure enough, around 10:00 p.m. I heard her on that second phone. She was in the bathroom with the fan on, but I could still make out most of it.

“No, she’s still at her grandmother’s. I know, baby. I miss you too. Just a few more weeks. Yes, I’m working on it. He has no idea. Of course I’ll visit soon.”

My blood went cold. Who was she talking to and calling them “baby”?

Friday I left work early and said I had a dentist appointment. Instead, I parked down the street and waited.

Around 2:00 p.m. Veronica left the house. I followed her to a storage unit across town.

She was in there for maybe 20 minutes and came out carrying a box. When she got home I was already there, pretending to work from the couch.

She seemed surprised but covered it well, saying she’d been grocery shopping. But there were no groceries, and when she went upstairs I heard her lock our bedroom door.

That weekend was rough. I kept trying to get information without being obvious by asking about her past relationships and her job history.

She was vague about everything and changed the subject whenever I pushed too hard. Sunday night she made a mistake.

We were watching TV and her second phone buzzed. She grabbed it too quick and I saw the caller ID before she could hide it: “My Sweet Arya.”

I almost lost it right there but forced myself to stare at the TV while she excused herself to the kitchen. I could hear her whispering.

“Something about patience and trust… and your dad doesn’t understand.”

They’d been talking this whole time. While I thought I was protecting Arya by keeping them apart, Veronica had been in her ear probably telling her I was the bad guy.

Monday I called my mom. Arya was doing okay but she kept asking when she could come home.

My mom said she’d been moody and spending a lot of time on her phone. I asked her to check Arya’s texts if she got a chance.

That afternoon my mom called back with panic in her voice.

“She’s been texting someone named ‘V’ hundreds of messages. This woman is telling her you’re trying to control her, that you’re jealous of her growing up. She’s filling her head with poison.”

I asked my mom to screenshot everything and email it to me. When I read through them I felt sick.

Veronica was systematically turning my daughter against me. She told her I was old-fashioned and possessive and that I wanted to keep her a little girl forever.

She kept mentioning how Arya deserved a man who would appreciate her, take care of her, and buy her nice things. But there was more.

Veronica was coaching her on what to say to these older men: how to act interested but not too eager and how to make them feel special and needed. She’d even sent Arya links to dating sites for sugar babies.