The Bribe That Tried to Break Us

The first meeting between a grandparent and a grandchild should be magical, right? At least, that’s what I thought it would be like when Lily, my newborn daughter, met Eloise.

Eloise is a high-class woman, the kind who looks like she stepped out of a glossy magazine. And me? I’m just a girl who fell in love with her son, Tom. A girl who grew up bouncing between foster homes, with no family name, no wealth, and no reputation to lean on. I knew Eloise had wanted more for Tom, but he had chosen me—truly, and without hesitation.

So when Eloise arrived at our doorstep, glamorous as ever, my heart fluttered with hope. Maybe this would be the start of something better. Maybe she would look at Lily and finally see me as part of the family.

She kissed Tom on the cheek, then scooped Lily into her arms with a polished smile. For a moment, I thought, Maybe this is it. Maybe this is the bridge we’ve been waiting for.

But then Lily started crying—her unmistakable dirty-nappy-cry—and Tom carried her off to change her. That was when Eloise turned to me, her smile still plastered on like a mask.

“Megan,” she said sweetly, motioning for me to follow her into the kitchen. I hesitated but went anyway. She put on the kettle, then turned, her expression shifting in a way that made my stomach drop.

She handed me an envelope. I opened it and froze. A thick stack of bills.

“Here. $25,000,” she said flatly. “Enough for you to disappear—with Lily.”

I stared at her, speechless.

“You see, Tom had a wonderful fiancée once. Deborah. From a good family. Educated, worldly, successful. She was perfect for him. And now, what do people think? That Tom married you because you got pregnant? I’ve done my best to spin it, but it doesn’t work. So, this—” she tapped the envelope—“is the best solution.”

My hands trembled, but I forced my voice to stay steady. “You want me to take your granddaughter away from her father?”

“Yes,” she said coldly. “For Tom’s sake, for all our sakes.”

I didn’t say another word. I just turned and walked straight to the nursery, where Tom was rocking Lily. He looked up, and I burst into tears as I told him everything.

“I can’t believe this,” he said, his jaw tight. “But don’t worry, Meg. I’ve hated the way she treats you since the beginning. If she wants to play games, we’ll teach her a lesson.”

That night, after putting Lily to bed, I called Eloise. My heart raced as the phone rang.

“I’ll do it,” I whispered when she answered.

There was a sharp intake of breath, then relief in her voice. “Good girl. I knew you’d see reason.”

“But I’ll need more,” I said quickly. “If I’m going to build a life for Lily, $25,000 isn’t enough. Double it.”

There was a pause. Then, “Fine. Meet me tomorrow at the café across from my hotel. We’ll finalize it.”

The next day, Tom and I bundled Lily into her car seat. “You okay?” he asked, squeezing my hand.

I nodded. We had a plan.

At the café, Eloise sat waiting, smug and expectant. But when Tom slid into the seat across from her instead of me, her face drained of color.

“Mom,” Tom said calmly, picking up the envelope. “Thanks for this. We’ll put it straight into Lily’s education fund.”

“You—you knew?” she stammered, her composure cracking.

Tom’s voice was sharp but steady. “I will never, ever let you insult my wife or try to buy her out of my life. Megan is my family. Lily is my family. And if you can’t accept that, then you’re the one who doesn’t belong.”

Eloise sat frozen, her lips trembling with fury, but she said nothing as Tom stood and walked back to where Lily and I were waiting.

When he slid into the booth beside me, his eyes softened. “No one and nothing comes between us. Ever.”

I nodded, tears in my eyes, because I finally believed it.

We didn’t need Eloise’s money, but we kept it—for Lily’s future, not Eloise’s approval. In that moment, I realized something powerful: family isn’t the one you’re born into. Family is the people who choose you, stand by you, and fight for you—no matter what.

And Tom chose me. Always.