How I Met My Father
Summary
TLDREmma, once raised in wealth, experiences a drastic fall when her father divorces her mother and takes their fortune. Seeking revenge, she moves to the U.S. and works undercover at her estranged father’s restaurant. As she uncovers his corrupt activities, Emma grapples with her desire for retribution and the impact on his new family. Ultimately, she chooses to give the evidence of his wrongdoing to his wife, leading to his downfall, but with empathy for his children. The story explores themes of family, betrayal, and forgiveness.
Takeaways
- 💔 The protagonist Emma's parents divorced when she was 11, which led to a significant lifestyle change and the loss of financial support from her father.
- 🏆 Emma's father left a successful business empire behind and moved to the US, taking their wealth with him and leaving Emma and her mother in a difficult situation.
- 📚 Emma had to switch from a private to a public school, experiencing a harsh transition and realizing she had no real friends.
- 💼 Emma worked in her father's restaurant under a false identity to seek revenge, without a clear plan but with the intention to find dirt on him.
- 🤝 Emma formed a close bond with a coworker, Colin, who became a supportive figure in her life.
- 😱 Emma discovered her father had remarried and had a new family, which led to feelings of resentment and a sense of loss.
- 😤 Emma's plan for revenge involved stealing from her father's safe and gathering evidence of his illegal activities.
- 🤔 Emma faced a moral dilemma when considering the impact of her revenge on her father's new family, reflecting on her own childhood and the pain it would cause.
- 🔒 Emma was caught in the act of stealing but was defended by her stepmother, Katie, who had discovered Emma's true identity and chose to protect her.
- 📖 Emma decided to hand over the evidence of her father's wrongdoings to Katie, allowing her to decide the course of action, showing a change of heart and a desire to avoid causing harm to innocent family members.
- 🚨 The story concludes with Emma's father being imprisoned and losing his restaurant license due to his illegal activities, which were exposed by Katie.
Q & A
What was the initial reason Emma's father left her and her mother?
-Emma's father left her and her mother to move to the US, taking their wealth and lifestyle with him without paying child support.
How did Emma's life change after her father left?
-Emma's life changed drastically as she had to give up her expensive lifestyle, switch to a public school, and eventually realized she had no real friends.
What was Emma's plan when she decided to go to the US to find her father?
-Emma's plan was to get close to her father, find some dirt on him that she could use, without having a clear plan on what she would do with the information.
How did Emma get a job at her father's restaurant?
-Emma got a job at her father's restaurant by applying as Emily, a waitress, and underwent a makeover to avoid being recognized.
Who is Colin and what role does he play in Emma's life?
-Colin is a coworker at the restaurant who becomes Emma's closest friend and eventually her boyfriend, providing support and companionship.
What did Emma discover about her father's business practices?
-Emma discovered that her father was importing illegal seafood and planning to use it in his dishes without disclosing it to customers.
Why did Emma decide not to expose her father directly?
-Emma decided not to expose her father directly because she didn't want to cause the same pain to his new family that she and her mother had experienced.
What did Katie reveal to Emma about her own motivations?
-Katie revealed to Emma that she knew about Emma's true identity and had defended her because she didn't want her children to go through the same hardships Emma had.
How did Emma ultimately decide to handle the information about her father's illegal activities?
-Emma decided to give the proof of her father's illegal activities to Katie, allowing her to decide whether to use it, with the intention of protecting Katie's children from immediate turmoil.
What was the outcome for Emma's father after she gave the information to Katie?
-Emma's father ended up in prison, and his restaurant license was taken away due to importing illegal food.
Outlines
💔 Divorce and Transformation
The narrator, Emma, starts by humorously addressing the outdated statistic of divorce rates, then transitions into her personal story. Born in a poor country, she was raised in luxury due to her parents' entrepreneurial success. However, her father's unexpected decision to divorce and move to the US without providing child support drastically changed her life. The once-rich lifestyle vanished, forcing her to adapt to a much simpler existence. She experienced the harsh reality of losing material wealth and the superficiality of her so-called friends. Her father's departure also led to her attending a public school, which was a stark contrast to her previous privileged life. Despite the challenges, she developed street smarts and eventually saved enough to travel to the US with the intention of confronting her father.
👥 Discovery and Deception
Upon arriving in the US, Emma learns that her father owns a successful restaurant chain and decides to get close to him by securing a job at one of his establishments. She undergoes a makeover to avoid recognition. While working, she overhears a conversation that reveals her boss's wife, Katie, is unhappy due to her husband's behavior. Emma faints upon learning this, and is attended to by a coworker named Colin, who becomes a supportive figure. Their relationship develops, and Emma finds herself with a boyfriend who genuinely cares for her. However, she struggles with the timing of revealing her true identity and intentions, which are to find dirt on her father to exact revenge.
😢 Confrontation and Conscience
Emma gets an opportunity to work at her father's house during a party and is struck by the realization that her father's life continued unaffected by his departure from her life. She feels a sense of nostalgia and loss. During the party, she has an emotional breakdown upon learning about her father's new family and their achievements, which triggers memories of her own father's absence. She confesses her true identity and intentions to Colin, who reveals his own past and offers a different perspective on identity and choice. They discuss the nature of revenge and the impact it could have on her father's current family, leading Emma to reconsider her actions.
🔍 Evidence and Empathy
Emma discovers her father's illegal activities involving the import of illegal seafood and plans to expose him. However, she is conflicted by the potential harm it could cause to her father's current family, especially his children. She is further complicated by the kindness shown by Katie, her father's wife, who defends her against accusations of theft. Katie reveals that she knows Emma's true identity and has销毁了 incriminating tapes, showing her own empathy and consideration for Emma's past. Emma decides to hand over the evidence to Katie, allowing her to decide the future course of action, and later learns that her father has been imprisoned and his restaurant license revoked due to Katie's actions.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Divorce
💡Revenge
💡Wealth
💡Identity
💡Childhood
💡Friendship
💡Family
💡Betrayal
💡Illegal Activity
💡Forgiveness
Highlights
The narrator declares an outdated 50% divorce rate, correcting it to 80%.
The narrator's parents are entrepreneurial geniuses who built a business empire.
The father leaves the family without child support, causing a drastic lifestyle change for the narrator.
The narrator realizes the lack of real friends after her lifestyle change.
The narrator experiences a hard reality check when switching to a public school.
The narrator's journey to the US to confront her father.
The father is the owner of a huge restaurant chain, making him an easy target for revenge.
The narrator starts working at her father's restaurant under a false identity.
Colin becomes a supportive figure and potential love interest for the narrator.
The narrator discovers her father remarried and has a new family.
The narrator's internal conflict about revealing her true identity to her new friends.
The narrator feels nostalgia and a sense of loss upon seeing her father's new life.
The narrator's realization that her father did not lose anything after leaving her and her mother.
Colin reveals his own past and how he chose to redefine himself.
The narrator's decision to steal from her father's safe as an act of revenge.
The narrator's plan to expose her father's illegal activities is complicated by her growing affection for his new family.
The narrator's dilemma about whether to go public with her father's illegal activities.
Katie, the stepmother, defends the narrator against her father's accusations.
The narrator's decision to hand over the evidence of her father's wrongdoings to Katie.
The narrator's father ends up in prison, and his restaurant license is revoked.
Katie sends a text message of gratitude to the narrator.
Transcripts
I now declare you divorced
no I know what you're thinking Emma 50%
of marriages and in divorce don't be so
dramatic wrong this percentage is so
outdated it's 80% now also I'm not upset
because my parents are getting a divorce
but because wait wait I'm getting ahead
of myself let me start from the
beginning and make sure you like this
video And subscribe to MSA I was born in
a very poor country but luckily my
parents were entrepreneurial geniuses
they built a business Empire early on so
I Never Had A Taste of real poverty like
others here and was practically raised
with a Golden Spoon in my mouth mom doed
on me and was super attentive but Dad
wasn't around much so we'd never grown
close and when I was 11 he just
announced out of the blue that he wanted
a divorce and was moving to the US he
left just like that without even paying
child support the most traumatic part
was that he took our wealth and my
lifestyle with him and I had to
eventually give up all the expensive
stuff that had made me who I was what do
you mean let's go eat hot dogs in the
park we're not hobos should we be
sleeping on park benches next and using
newspapers for
blankets I'm just saying we can hang out
and not spend money all the time but
apparently we couldn't and that's the
first time I noticed I had no real
friends around me I switched to a public
school which was so stinky and
embarrassing can I have one lcal Lobster
please oh yes of course my lady 1 second
oops guess we ran out of those mashed
potatoes and greasy chicken on Mondays
remember it it was a hard reality check
but over time I learned a lot and got
really Street Smart do you have seafood
today meshed potatoes and greasy chicken
on Monday's Sweet Pea remember it by the
time I graduated from high school I was
a strong Savage girl who would not let
anyone cross her I had saved up for a
flight to the US and I was ready for
Revenge daddy here I come
dad was the owner of a huge restaurant
chain here so he was easy to locate
wasn't sure exactly what I was going to
do yet but I wanted to get close and
find some dirt on him that I could use
and even though I was
99.9% sure he wouldn't recognize me I'd
still gotten a serious makeover to avoid
the risk hi I'm Emily are you looking
for waitresses yes we are hiring we'd be
happy to try you out then so I began
working there with no clear plan in
sight I just knew a salary didn't
qualify for revenge or even child
support one day as I was polishing the
cutlery in the kitchen I heard Katie
crying while she was on the phone with
someone who was clearly yelling at her
poor Katie her husband is a nut job this
happens often why is he yelling at her
it's probably something to do with work
he is the boss after all the boss as in
yep that's his wife wife he remarried I
must have fainted cuz the next thing I
knew I was lying on the floor and Colin
was checking my pulse gee you scared me
what happened I said Katie was the
boss's wife and you went pale and
fainted so you tell me what happened oh
I think I just didn't drink enough water
today that's all um sure okay Colin and
I became the closest co-workers he sort
of became like a guardian angel to me
your lunch today has all the nutrition
you need can't have you faint in my
kitchen again although although what
well I haven't performed CPR in ages I
might need a refreshment course you know
that doesn't count as a kiss right it
only makes you a creep Emily you pervert
how dare you go there I was merely
suggesting you help me practice a life
saving
technique ha haa Colin you know if you
want you can ask me out like a normal
human being as I was walking back home
that evening grinning from ear to ear
that I finally had a boyfriend who
seemed to like me for me I remember that
he actually didn't know the real me he
didn't know my name was Emma or that our
boss was my dad over the next few weeks
I kept looking for an opportunity to
tell them but there never seemed to be a
right time one day Katie told us there
was an extra shift available for a
waitress at their house because they
were hosting a party and I jumped at the
opportunity Bingo as I entered their
mansion that evening I felt a sense of
nostalgia and the realization dawned on
me Dad's life hadn't stopped or changed
like mine after he'd moved on he didn't
actually lose anything for him mom and I
were just a pit stop magnificent isn't
it oh hey yeah it really is when we went
inside Katie welcomed us warmly she was
always kind but in her home she seemed
more warm and maternal it felt like we
were guests not employees kids come show
Emily around and put her bag in the
locker rooms hey Emily nice to meet you
hi as they showed me around I felt like
they were living the life that was
stolen from me what a lovely house oh
you've won so many math and art
competitions I see did your mom take you
to all of these both Mom and Dad they
never miss a competition oh Dad too
that's nice my dad never took me to
anything oh I'm sorry Emily I'm sure he
was just busy dad is busy sometimes but
he always makes it up to us so he did
know how to be a real dad what did these
kids have that I didn't why couldn't he
love me like he loved them I sat in the
locker room alone staring at the wall
and just overthinking every memory I had
of us when Colin came in and suddenly I
just burst into tears Emily what's wrong
Colin I have to tell you something and I
found myself spilling my whole story and
the reason I came to work for Dad I
spared no detail Colin's mouth had
dropped to the floor he was silent for a
few seconds after I finished then looked
up at me honestly good for you what
you're not upset that I lied to you no
one knows this but my real name is
Samson I hated it and hated my parents
too so I changed it and I left home at
18 I wouldn't say the real me is Samson
who was an angry teen at home Colin is
who I choose to be every day so that's
who I really am he was so right the
decisions I made daily were What defined
me you know what he deserves anything
bad that comes his way I want in
[Music]
silent Moon
let
heart peace whisper
flow
night a
blanket so
still stop
are
Bing to
will in the
shadows we
fall
Sparks the light of the
[Music]
PO in the
shadows we find
[Music]
whisper
secrets and
TW cross the
weakness lost in this
Str mystery calls through the night
hearts that take flight motion so tight
[Music]
o
[Music]
call through the night hearts that
take motion so tight
[Music]
[Music]
[Laughter]
during the party I managed to slip for a
couple of minutes into dad's office I
wanted to find something I could use
against him so I scanned the room well
to make myself familiar with it then
left since it was the holiday season I'd
have plenty of waitressing opportunities
at his house to sneak in again I noticed
that he had a safe in his office and
every time I snuck in I tried every
possible four-digit combination I could
think of his kid's birthdays his wife's
his own but nothing worked until one day
I randomly tried my birthday and the
lock clicked open wow now that's a
surprise did he still think about me
maybe he did love me for a minute I felt
guilty and didn't want to go on with my
plan but then I remembered if he
actually loved me he would have
recognized me by now now so no he
probably used my birthday because it was
the last thing anyone would ever know or
think of thanks again Daddy inside I saw
piles and piles of money I wanted to
snatch it all and run back home but I
knew that only works in movies instead I
started stealing small portions I did
not feel any guilt dad was plain awful
to everyone around him including his own
wife then one day he surprised us with a
visit at the restaurant what are you
doing here dear
well it's my restaurant isn't it I'm
here to check if everything is running
smoothly that's what I'm here for why
can't you let me run the restaurant
without constantly trying to control
everything listen here pretty face I
know you got bored as a housewife and
you want to play manager but I have real
work to do here so why don't you go for
a stroll as I check everything out no
this is UN I wasn't asking Katie stormed
out of the restaurant on the verge of
tears as he continued to check
everything up close everyone was
terrified of him especially me you over
there me this was the first time he had
spoken to me directly in years yes
what's your name I felt sweaty and
tongue tied but then I felt Colin moving
and standing behind me he put his hand
on my shoulder to let me know he had my
back em Emily sir Emily are you new here
been here a few months now sir I just
then two Shady looking men walked into
the restaurant and saved me from the
investigation dad left me alone and
followed them into a small room at the
back of the restaurant sometime later
the head cook was called in two and when
he walked out he looked flustered an
hour later dad and the Shady men came
out of the room shook hands and then all
of them left what's that all about I'll
try to find out later that night I just
couldn't fall asleep my dad had looked
me in the eye talked to me and he didn't
recognize me at all how do you recover
from that the next day Colin came
rushing to to me looking ready to burst
Emma we got it really what did you find
out yesterday he made a deal to import
illegal Seafood he wants to use that in
dishes without disclosing it to
customers the head chef and Sue Chef are
in on it I overheard them talking bingo
I knew he'd be up to something crooked
now we have to think of a plan to expose
him I wanted to teach him a lesson and
also see if he would flee and leave his
new family when things got rough for him
but later that day his kids came in for
lunch and they had prepared holiday
gifts for the staff my gift had a
special drawing of Me no one else had
one oh that's thank you it's lovely the
kids love you Emily they keep saying how
you treat them like normal kids not the
boss's kids when she said this I had a
flashback to my own childhood a lonely
spoiled kid with no real friends no one
treated me like a normal kid when he was
around just a few days later when I was
working at his house again Dad came
barging into the kitchen furiously he
had discovered that someone had been
stealing from his safe count your days
whoever you are did you think that a
house this big doesn't have security
cameras once I get the tapes it's over
for you omg security cameras my face
turned green and I felt nauseous what's
wrong with you don't you dare puke in my
kitchen I'm kind of sick sir how often
do you come to my house I've come a few
times maybe you stumbled into my study
found something you liked answer me
excuse me sir stop stop grilling this
poor girl she would never do it how can
you be so sure because I've asked her to
grab me things from my room a million
times and she never touched any jewelry
or clothes so if she wanted to steal she
would have stolen a hundred different
things by now everyone was staring at
the three of us confused but not as
confused as I was nothing that Katie
said was true why was she defending me
Katie these kinds of people don't
deserve your kindness well wait for the
tapes in the meantime these kind of
people it echoed over and over in my
head how I wanted to say your daughter
Flesh and Blood dad but I held my tongue
I suffered that humiliation but I never
showed up to the restaurant again I
texted Katie that I just couldn't work
there anymore I had stolen enough money
but I wasn't done with my revenge yet
Colin had managed to take photos of
receipts in The Cook's office and it was
all the proof I needed about Dad's
illegal Seafood purchases I go public
and destroy him and I would enjoy it but
at the same time whenever I imagined his
downfall I only saw his kids being upset
or hurt and every time they popped up in
my head an image of my broken younger
self also popped up Colin I want him to
suffer badly but I feel if I go through
with this I'll be putting his family
through what Mom and I went through and
I would feel guilty forever I don't know
what to do baby just by considering
their feelings in future you are already
a 100 times better than your dad it's
your decision do what feels most right
to you and after much consideration I
decided to put the matter into someone
else's hands I asked Katie to meet me at
a diner that night hello Emma uh-oh
that's a bad start I figured out your
identity shortly after hiring you and I
wondered why you had chose to work for
us now I know you stole that money from
us to get back at your dad but don't
worry I destroyed the tapes but then why
did you defend me Emma Once I figured
out who you were I dug into his history
and found out everything about you and
your mom your dad is a jerk he deserves
this why are you with him then for the
money you deserve so much better the
kids deserve so much better I don't care
about the money but I don't want my
children to go through what you guys
went through I want to wait until
they're older before getting a divorce
he is a mean husband and partner but I
can't deny that he is a great dad to the
kids I understand but in case you change
your mind take this do as you please
with this information Katie's eyes grew
wide as she realized I'd handed her
proof against dad I didn't know about
this thanks Emma a few months later I
saw on the news that dad was in prison
and his restaurant license had been
taken away because he was importing
illegal food and the same day I got a
text message from Katie thanks again
Emma I needed it
[Music]
Voir Plus de Vidéos Connexes
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Book Summary and Review) - Minute Book Report
I thought my cheating husband would provide me with reliable support
बारिश मैं चिड़िया का पत्तों का ढाबा | Rano Chidiya Hindi Kahani |Tuntuni Chidiya wala cartoon |
I Used My Youth To Get A Multi-Million Dollar Inheritance
My Stalker From School Came Back 8 Years Later!
Spanish Short Story (Intermediate): Mi Madre, Mi Espejo
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)