I’ll never forget the day I discovered that my daughter-in-law, Susan, had been stealing the money I sent to my grandson, Timmy, every month. I had been sending $300 to Timmy through Susan, but when he told me that he never received the money, I knew something was amiss.
Determined to catch Susan in the act, I devised a clever plan. I asked my friend Helen, who owns an antique store, to help me out. I told Helen to pretend that she didn’t know me and to sell Susan a necklace for $500.
The next day, I sent Susan an envelope with $500 in fake money, along with a note that said, “For Timmy. Love, Grandma.” I knew that Susan would try to use the fake money to buy the necklace, and that’s exactly what happened.
When Susan arrived at the store, Helen greeted her warmly and showed her the necklace. Susan’s eyes lit up, and she eagerly handed over the fake money. Helen examined the bills closely and then accused Susan of trying to use counterfeit money.
Susan was caught off guard and burst into tears. She begged Helen not to call the police, but I stepped forward and revealed that I had been behind the whole plan. I told Susan that I knew she had been stealing the money I sent to Timmy and that this was her lesson.
Susan was devastated, but I stood firm. I told her that from now on, I would handle Timmy’s money directly and that she needed to earn back my trust. It was a difficult confrontation, but I knew it was necessary. Sometimes, tough love is the only way to right a wrong.