Harper was running late. She quickly did her hair and makeup, then slipped into her green dress—the perfect choice for her friend Emily’s birthday party. On her wrist was her mother’s silver watch, a delicate piece she had always considered her lucky charm. She grabbed her purse, put on her shoes, and ordered an Uber.

The driver’s name was Ethan, and he would arrive in five minutes. Harper rushed out of her apartment, her heart racing as she hurried down the stairs. Outside, a sleek black car waited. Ethan rolled down the window and asked, “Are you Harper?”
“Yes, that’s me,” she replied, breathless.
“Hop in,” he said with a friendly smile.

As they drove through the city, Ethan made small talk, his calm demeanor putting Harper at ease. By the time they reached Emily’s street, Harper was beginning to relax—until Ethan glanced at her wrist. His expression suddenly shifted.

“Oh gosh,” he murmured, almost trembling. “Is your mom’s name Janet Wilkerson?”

Harper froze. “Yes… how do you know her?”

“That watch,” Ethan said, pointing at it. “I gave it to Janet when we were in college. We dated for a while, but the truth is… she stole it from me the day we met.”

Shocked, Harper listened as Ethan explained how her mother used to steal to survive. Despite that, he had fallen for her. But one day, Janet took all his money and ran away—with Harper’s father.

“She wasn’t perfect,” Ethan said softly. “But she must have loved you very much to give you that watch.”

Harper stumbled out of the car, shaken. She couldn’t face the party now. Instead, she went home and called her mother.

“Hi, sweetheart! How’s the party?” her mom answered cheerfully.

“Mom,” Harper said, her voice trembling, “we need to talk. I met someone tonight—Ethan Ross. He told me you dated in college… and that you stole from him. That you ran away with Dad after taking his money. Is it true?”

There was a long silence before her mother sighed. “Harper… I never wanted you to know. I was young and desperate back then. I made mistakes—things I’m not proud of. I’ve spent my whole life trying to leave that past behind.”

Tears stung Harper’s eyes. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“I wanted to protect you,” her mother whispered. “I didn’t want you to see that side of me.”

But Harper couldn’t shake the betrayal. She removed the watch from her wrist and set it on the table. “I need time to process this,” she said firmly, before hanging up.

Curling up on the couch, Harper felt her world had changed forever. The watch, once her lucky charm, now seemed heavy with secrets. And she knew things would never be the same again.