My 5-Year-Old Was Always Whining Around My New Husband — When I Asked Why, He Whispered, ‘He Said I’m a Problem’

Alice’s son had always been a happy child, but lately, he would shrink away whenever her new husband, Sam, walked into the room. At first, she brushed it off as fussiness. But then, her son told her something about Sam that sent a shiver down her spine.

Being a single mother was never part of the plan.

When I married my first husband, Daniel, I had dreams of building a life together and raising our child in a home full of love.

But fate had other ideas.

A woman standing in her house | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing in her house | Source: Midjourney

Jeremy was barely a few weeks old when I woke up one morning to find Daniel gone.

At first, I thought he had gone for a walk or stepped out for coffee. But then I noticed his closet was empty and his suitcase was missing.

His toothbrush was also gone.

I panicked and immediately called his phone, but it went straight to voicemail.

Then, I called his best friend, Chris.

A woman using her phone | Source: Pexels

A woman using her phone | Source: Pexels

“Hey, Chris, have you heard from Daniel? He’s not home.”

Silence. Then a sigh.

“Alice, I… I think you should sit down before I tell you what’s going on.”

That’s when I learned the truth.

Daniel hadn’t just left me. He had run away to another country with another woman.

A woman he had been seeing behind my back for months.

I spent weeks in a daze after learning where my husband was. I was unable to eat, sleep, or function properly.

And the worst part was that I blamed myself for everything. Was I not enough? Did I do something wrong? Why did he leave us like this?

A woman looking outside her bedroom window | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking outside her bedroom window | Source: Midjourney

But when I finally gathered the courage to face the truth, I realized it had nothing to do with me. He was the one who was selfish. The one who betrayed our family.

And I refused to let his betrayal define me.

Soon, I threw myself into work, determined to give Jeremy the best life possible. My mother looked after Jeremy while I juggled my job.

Slowly, the pain faded, and I started finding happiness in small moments. I found myself laughing at Jeremy’s giggles and adoring the way he called me “Mommy.”

With time, I realized we were doing just fine.

Then I met Sam.

A man standing outdoors | Source: Midjourney

A man standing outdoors | Source: Midjourney

It was a hectic afternoon at my favorite coffee shop. Jeremy was at daycare, and I had just wrapped up a long morning at work.

I reached into my purse to pay, only to realize my card wasn’t working.

“Oh, come on,” I muttered, trying again.

Still nothing.

The cashier gave me a polite but tired look, and I felt the heat of embarrassment creep up my neck. Just as I was about to put my coffee back, a deep voice spoke up behind me.

“Let me get that for you.”

A woman holding a cup of coffee | Source: Pexels

A woman holding a cup of coffee | Source: Pexels

I turned to see a tall man with warm brown eyes. He pulled out his card and tapped it against the reader.

“Oh no, you don’t have to—”

“Really, it’s fine,” he said with a charming smile. “It’s just coffee.”

I hesitated before sighing. “Alright. But give me your number so I can pay you back.”

He chuckled. “Deal.”

That was how it started. A simple act of kindness. A number exchanged. A text here and there.

A man using his phone | Source: Pexels

A man using his phone | Source: Pexels

Over time, I learned Sam was an insurance broker. He was two years older than me and didn’t mind the fact that I came with a little boy.

I still remember the day I told him about Jeremy.

“Alice, that’s wonderful!” he cheered. “I love kids.”

For the first time in years, I felt hope bloom inside me. Maybe love wasn’t off the table after all.

We dated for a year before getting married, and Sam was everything I could have wished for. He was attentive and patient and never made me feel like I was “too much.”

A couple holding hands | Source: Pexels

A couple holding hands | Source: Pexels

The best part was that Jeremy bonded with him instantly, giggling at his silly jokes and reaching for his hand whenever we walked together.

That’s when I let my guard down for the first time in a LONG time. That’s when I believed we were finally a family.

But then… my life took an unexpected turn. Never in a million years had I thought I’d experience something like this.

A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney

It all started the day my mother pulled me aside. She had this look of concern on her face.

“Alice,” she began in a hushed tone. “Don’t you see that he’s always whining around Sam?”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Just watch him. Every time Sam’s around, Jeremy looks different.”

At first, I brushed it off as my mother being overly protective. She had always been wary of men after what Daniel did to me.

But later that evening, I started paying attention.

A boy sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney

A boy sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney

Jeremy was his usual cheerful self when it was just the two of us. He laughed, played, and chatted endlessly about his day at daycare. But the moment Sam walked into the room, something changed.

His shoulders stiffened, his voice quieted, and sometimes he would start crying for no apparent reason.

It made me realize I needed to talk to Sam about it.

“Hey, can I ask you something?” I said later that night.

He glanced up from his phone. “Of course.”

“Have you noticed how Jeremy acts around you?”

“What do you mean?”

A man sitting in his bedroom | Source: Midjourney

A man sitting in his bedroom | Source: Midjourney

I hesitated. “He… he gets quiet. Sometimes he even cries.”

“Alice, I love that kid,” he said. “I treat him like my own. Why would he—-“

“I know,” I interrupted, unsure if I had offended him. “It’s just… I don’t know.”

He reached for my hand and squeezed it. “Maybe he’s adjusting. It’s a big change for him, right? A new father figure. It’s a lot for a five-year-old.”

I nodded, wanting to believe him. He sounded so sincere. But deep down, something didn’t sit right.

A woman looking away while talking to her husband | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking away while talking to her husband | Source: Midjourney

A few days later, I picked up Jeremy from daycare, and on our way home, we stopped for ice cream. He sat on the bench beside me as he licked his cone.

“Hey, buddy,” I said gently. “Can I ask you something?”

He nodded while enjoying his ice cream.

“Why do you get upset around Sam?”

His smile faded, and he turned the other way.

A boy sitting on a bench | Source: Midjourney

A boy sitting on a bench | Source: Midjourney

“You can tell me anything, sweetheart,” I said, turning him back towards me. “I won’t be mad.”

“I heard Daddy talking on the phone…” He looked at me. “And he said I’m a problem.”

I couldn’t process that.

“Are you sure, sweetheart?”

Jeremy shook his head.

“Yes. He said, ‘Little Jeremy is a problem.’ I didn’t hear the rest because I ran to my room.” He hesitated before asking in a small voice, “Mommy, will he leave like my first daddy?”

Tears welled in his big, brown eyes. I couldn’t bear that.

A woman talking to her son | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking to her son | Source: Midjourney

I pulled him into my arms, brushing his hair back. “Oh, sweetheart, no. I will never let anyone leave you, okay?”

That night, I confronted Sam.

As soon as Jeremy was asleep, I stood in front of him. “Did you call Jeremy a problem?”

Sam looked up from the couch. “What?”

“Jeremy heard you on the phone. He said you called him a problem.”

For a split second, something flickered in his expression. Something dark.

A close-up shot of a man's face | Source: Midjourney

A close-up shot of a man’s face | Source: Midjourney

But then, his face quickly smoothed over.

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Alice, come on. He must’ve misunderstood. I was talking about a guy at work. His name is Jeremy. You know, we’ve been dealing with a mess of paperwork, and I probably said something in frustration.”

I studied his face, searching for any sign of a lie. “So, you weren’t talking about my son?”

“Of course not. I’d never say something like that about him. I love that kid.”

I let out a shaky breath, nodding. Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe Jeremy really had misheard.

A close-up shot of a woman's eyes | Source: Midjourney

A close-up shot of a woman’s eyes | Source: Midjourney

“I’ll talk to him in the morning,” Sam promised. “I’ll clear everything up.”

And he did.

The next morning, he sat Jeremy down and reassured him that it was all a misunderstanding. My little boy nodded as Sam explained everything. I was relieved to see Jeremy smile.

But when I told my mother about it, she frowned. “Have you ever been to his office? Do you know anyone he works with?”

“I know where he works,” I told her. “I have the address.”

“That’s not what I asked,” she said. “Do you know anyone he actually works with? Have you met any of his coworkers?”

People working in an office | Source: Pexels

People working in an office | Source: Pexels

I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came. The truth was, I hadn’t. I had never been to his office or met any of his colleagues.

“Alice, something isn’t right,” Mom said. “You need to check.”

I sighed, shaking my head. “Mom, you’re being paranoid.”

“Am I?” she shot back. “Or are you ignoring the signs?”

The next morning, as I packed Jeremy’s lunch, my phone rang. It was my mother. Her voice was urgent.

An older woman talking on the phone | Source: Pexels

An older woman talking on the phone | Source: Pexels

“Alice, I checked,” she said. “That address he gave you? There’s no record of him working there. No one’s ever heard of him.”

A cold shiver ran down my spine.

“How do you know that?” I asked in a trembling voice.

“Remember Mrs. Parker? She works there,” my mom replied. “She confirmed, Alice. Sam doesn’t work there.”

At that point, I was sure Sam was hiding something from me. And I had to find out what that was.

That evening, I told Sam I had to visit my mother because she wasn’t feeling well. I told him I’d stay there for a few days with Jeremy.

As expected, he didn’t mind. He told me we could stay there as long as my mom needed.

A man talking to his wife | Source: Midjourney

A man talking to his wife | Source: Midjourney

Once we were at my mother’s house, I locked the door behind me and sank onto the couch. I needed to know the truth.

Hiring a private investigator wasn’t something I had ever imagined doing, but desperation pushed me into action.

I needed facts. I needed real, undeniable proof of who Sam was.

Three days later, I got my answer.

“It’s worse than you think,” the investigator said as he handed me a folder.

My hands trembled as I opened it. Inside were phone records, financial statements, and a detailed report of Sam’s past.

His entire life was a lie.

A woman holding documents | Source: Pexels

A woman holding documents | Source: Pexels

The office address he had given me? It was fake. There was no insurance company and no coworker named Jeremy.

The investigator had tapped Sam’s phone and uncovered everything. It turned out Sam had been talking to his mother that night, not a colleague.

The investigator told me they were scammers and this was their game.

“He’s been planning to frame you at work,” the investigator continued. “Your job gives you access to financial accounts, right? He’s been setting things up so that if something goes wrong, you’ll take the fall. Once you’re arrested, he gets access to your assets including your savings and your home.”

A man talking to a woman | Source: Midjourney

A man talking to a woman | Source: Midjourney

I gripped the folder as I started to realize how Jeremy was a problem for Sam and his mother. If I went to jail, Sam would either have to take care of him or put him in state custody.

He hadn’t just been scamming me. He had been planning to erase me from the equation entirely.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. “What do I do now?”

“Go to the police, Alice,” the investigator said firmly. “As soon as possible.”

I didn’t hesitate.

A police car standing outside a building | Source: Pexels

A police car standing outside a building | Source: Pexels

With the investigator’s findings, I went straight to the authorities. The evidence was overwhelming.

I found out that Sam and his mother had a long history of conning women. They had been moving from state to state under different identities.

But this time, he had gone further by marrying me. And I guess that was because I had something valuable.

Once I told the cops everything I knew about Sam, they reassured me they wouldn’t let him get away with this. All they needed was a few days to ensure they had enough to arrest him.

I wasn’t there when they took him away, but I heard he didn’t go quietly. He screamed, denied everything, and claimed it was all a setup.

But the evidence spoke for itself.

A man in handcuffs | Source: Pexels

A man in handcuffs | Source: Pexels

I will never forget the look on his face as the cops led him away in the courtroom. It was like he was trying to tell me he’d return.

But instead of feeling scared, I straightened my back and smiled while looking into his eyes.

After the trial, I took Jeremy out for ice cream because he was the one who saved me from losing everything. Had he not told me about Sam’s conversation with his mother, I wouldn’t be here writing this story for you all.

I’ll always be grateful to fate for giving me such an intelligent boy like Jeremy.

A little boy | Source: Midjourney

A little boy | Source: Midjourney

Man Waits for Son He Has Not Seen in Years at the Airport, Does Not Find Boy among Passengers – Story of the Day

Arlene sent her seven-year-old, Justin, to visit his father, Pierce, in Orlando. Pierce waited for his son in anticipation of all the fun they would have, but his flight had allegedly arrived, and his son was nowhere to be found. That’s when both parents started worrying and realized their shocking mistake.

Arlene and her son, Justin, were at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia. The seven-year-old was about to board a flight to Orland, Florida, where his father, Pierce, awaited him. It was the first time he had traveled as an unaccompanied minor, but luckily, the airline attendant made her feel safe.

“It’s going to be alright. Many minors travel alone around the country, and we should reach your husband in time,” she stated. “He’ll have an escort, and this flight is best because there are no connections. Everything will be perfect.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Arlene nodded, her face filled with emotion. Justin might be growing, but he was still a child. It was hard to let him go, mainly because he hadn’t seen his father in years. After their bitter divorce, Pierce moved from Virginia to Orlando, Florida, and he was busy most of the time.

“How is that possible?” Arlene wailed, almost starting to cry from the worry and exasperation. But something occurred to her at that moment. “Give me a second.”

However, his company had just given him a two-week vacation, and he invited Justin to come to spend time with him. They were going to the theme parks, so that Arlene couldn’t say no. Her son was too excited because he loved everything relating to superheroes and dinosaurs. It was his dream.

But now, she was almost regretting it. “Ok, Justin. You’re going to with this lady and get on the plane. Listen to the adults around. Don’t run off from your escort, and you’ll reach your dad soon. When you land in Orlando, you call me immediately. And then, call me again when you meet your father. Understand?” she requested, kneeling in front of the kid and holding his arms tenderly.

“Yes, Mom!” he replied, smiling and doing a makeshift military salute. This kid had a great sense of humor. He was going to love that trip.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“Ok. Love you. Go on!” she continued and watched as Justin grabbed the attendant’s hand and entered the gate.

She thought about leaving but sat down at an airport café. She was going to wait for the plane to take off. But once she saw that the flight had taken off, she decided to stay and wait for Justin’s call if anything happened. After all, the flight was less than two hours long. The time would pass quickly.

***

Meanwhile, Pierce was waiting for Justin at Orlando International Airport, and he couldn’t wait. He was just as excited as the kid to see all the attractions at the park. It was crazy that he had lived in the city for years but had yet to attend. His work kept him way too busy. This trip was going to be amazing.

He arrived an hour before Justin’s flight and went to the arrival area to wait for him. Finally, the flight landed, and Pierce got closer to the gate so his son could see him immediately. “I should have made a sign,” he muttered to himself as he saw other people waiting for their loved ones. It was too late now. He stayed in the front at all times.

However, many passengers came out, and there was no Justin. According to the unaccompanied minor service, Arlene said that he would have top priority. So, someone should have brought him out already. He didn’t want to call her yet to avoid worrying her. Maybe, Justin had to go to the bathroom, which could explain the delay. He would wait for a while.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

But at one point, no other passengers were coming out of the arrival area. It had been an hour since the plane landed. It shouldn’t take that long. He approached someone from the airline and started asking questions. An attendant came to assist him.

“I’m sorry, sir. There was no one by the name of Justin on that flight. We have no record of an unaccompanied minor serviced hired for it either,” the attendant, shocking Pierce.

“That’s impossible. Please, check again,” he demanded, trying to stay calm, but the sweat on his forehead gave away his fears.

The assistant typed away on her computer, and Pierce’s phone rang. It was Arlene. Hopefully, she knew what was going on. “Hello?”

“Hey, Pierce. Why didn’t you guys call me when Justin arrived? I told him to call me when the plane landed and when you met with him,” Arlene wondered, and he could tell that she was agitated for some reason.

“Arlene, listen. I’m sorry to say this, but Justin has not arrived. An attendant here said that he was not on the flight. I don’t understand what’s going on,” he was forced to reveal, and Arlene yelled in his ear.

“No! That’s crazy! NO! Tell the attendant to check again!” she started yelling. “I’m going to talk to someone on my end too. I’m still at the airport.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“Ok. Listen, calm down. Everything will be alright. There must be a mix-up or something,” he said, trying to calm his ex-wife because he knew she was prone to hysterics.

“I’m not calming down! This is our child, Pierce! Talk to you later!” she screamed and hung up.

“Sir, like I said. There was no Justin on the flight. There’s nothing I can do. Are you sure this is the airline?” the attendant asked.

“Yes! It’s the only flight that arrived at this time from Virginia! My son was on that flight. My ex-wife just confirmed. Please, help me, miss. He’s only seven. Can you call anyone? Should I call the police?” Pierce started asking questions rapidly. The attendant sighed and grabbed her phone.

***

“Justin, where are you? Why didn’t you call me sooner? What’s happening?” Arlene asked desperately on her phone.

“Mom, we have been trying to find Dad for hours, and he’s nowhere. Did you talk to him?” the little boy said through the phone.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“Your father is right at the arrival area. He’s just as worried as I am. Please, give the phone to your escort,” Arlene requested and demanded an explanation from the woman, who only reiterated what Justin said earlier. There was no Pierce anywhere in the airport.

She told them to wait until she called again and dialed her ex’s number. “Pierce, Justin called me and said they’ve been looking for you for a long time. What’s going on?” she said, one hand running through her hair in frustration. She knew Justin was safe, but there was no reason why they couldn’t find each other.

“There’s no way, Arlene. That’s impossible. People here are saying he was not on the flight!” Pierce stated.

“How is that possible?” Arlene wailed, almost starting to cry from the worry and exasperation. But something occurred to her at that moment. “Give me a second.”

She went to her emails where she had sent Pierce the flight details. However, she had written them instead of sending a screenshot, and she suddenly realized her big mistake. “Pierce,” she started, again putting the phone in her ear. “Where are you?”

“What do you mean? I’m at Orlando International Airport. Why?” Pierce questioned, confused by her words. But something clicked in his brain at that moment.

“Justin arrived at Orlando Sanford International Airport!” Arlene yelled, and Pierce took off in a run.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“Jesus! Arlene, why didn’t you say that in your email! Most flights got to MCO!” he scolded her breathlessly as he ran to his car. “I’ll be there in 30 minutes!”

While Pierce was on his way, Arlene called Justin and explained to his escort what had happened. She was relieved too, and they waited for Pierce to arrive.

Less than an hour later, Justin called her. “I’m with Dad, Mom! Thank you for helping me! I’ll send you pics of Disney soon!”

Arlene hung up the phone with her son and breathed deeply as if she couldn’t get enough air in her lungs. Finally, she walked to her car.

What can we learn from this story?

  • You must send all the details of a flight and check several times. These poor parents worried so much because they had not communicated well enough. Luckily, nothing happened, and they resolved the issue.
  • It’s always best to fly with your kids. While an unaccompanied minor service is perfect for busy parents and other situations, Arlene should have traveled with her son if she was going to worry so much. She would have avoided worrying so much.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a woman who adopted a boy she found on the side of the road, and his father showed up years later.

This account is inspired by our reader’s story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.

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