Off The Record

My Mom Found A New Man At Age 45, But I Knew I Had To End Their Relationship When I Met Him

Published on March 29, 2025

I was happy for my mom when she found love again at age 45. But something didn’t feel right when I met her new fiancé. The uncomfortable feeling in my gut wouldn’t go away. I was sure I had to stop this before it was too late the more I looked into him.

Most kids have a hard time when their parents split up. I was glad when mine did. I still loved my mom and dad, but it was awful to see them married.

They were like two strangers who had to live together. That’s why when they finally broke up, it felt just great.

As I got bigger, I told my mom she should get married again. She often said she was lonely, especially in the evenings when the house was too quiet.

I knew she needed someone to hang out with, eat meals with, and talk to at the end of the day.

I couldn’t always be there because I had my own problems and problems in my life. I even made her a dating app and looked through the profiles to find someone who seemed like a good match. But she never seemed to be interested in anyone.

She called me one day, her voice full of joy, and told me she wanted me to meet her new boyfriend. I was so happy for her.

I thought of a calm, kind man who would make her laugh and be good to her. I was really excited, but it didn’t work out.

My mom asked me over for dinner to meet you. I carefully thought through how I would do things and even made a list of questions in my head.

I only knew his name was Aaron and that he worked as a pastry chef from what she told me.

When I was a youth, she used to grill my boyfriends, which made me smirk. It was my turn now.

I bought a bottle of wine on the way, which was a small treat since I wasn’t having much money.

I would have to eat instant noodles for a week because of that one bottle. At work, things were tough, and I was trying to save money for my dream business, a restaurant. But I wanted to make a good first impression.

When I got to her house, I stood at the door and paused. My legs were shaking a little. Why was I so tense?

I wasn’t the one being checked out. Aaron was the one who should have been worried. He was going to have to deal with an overprotective daughter after all.

I rang the bell. It was hard for my fingers to press the button. After a moment, the door flew open.

“Casey! You’re finally here!” My mom’s voice was pumped up with joy. “We’ve been waiting!” She put her hair behind her ear. “I was just about to call you, and then the doorbell rang!”

She reached for my arm, but I held her shoulders gently instead. “Mom, why are you so nervous?” I asked.

She took a quick breath. “I’m not sure.” I want you to like Aaron as much as I do.

I laughed. “I doubt you want me to like him that much.”

She laughed and said, “Okay, that’s fine.” After that, her face got serious. “But I really want you to accept him.”

I smiled and nodded. “I’m sure everything will be okay.” “You picked him, so how can I not back you up?”

She let her shoulders drop. “You’re right.” She smiled and put her arm around mine. “Come on.”

We both went into the dining room at the same time. As soon as I walked in, my stomach turned.

A man about my age stood next to the table. He stood tall and had dark hair and a neat beard.

I made a face. I said in a whisper, “You didn’t tell me Aaron had a son.”

My mom looked at me funny. “No, Casey.” “This is Aaron.”

I turned my head to look at her. My mom continued to smile as if this was a common occurrence.

After looking at me and him, she looked back at me to see what I would do. I couldn’t talk, though. I stood there still.

Aaron took a step forward and put out his hand. “Nice to meet you at last. It took me a long time to get Sandra to agree to this.”

His voice was steady and nice. But I wasn’t nice. I wasn’t stable. I felt like something inside me broke.

“Are you kidding me?!” My voice was heard loudly. “Is this some kind of joke?!”

Mom told Casey, “This isn’t a joke.” “Aaron and I are seeing each other,” she said.

I laughed out loud quickly. “A date?! He’s my age! You look a lot like his mother!”

“Almost your age,” she said to fix it. “Aaron is 25, two years older than you.”

“What is wrong with you?” My voice was rough. “How did it even cross your mind to date someone so young?”

Mom’s face got softer. “I understand how you feel. At first, I also wouldn’t let myself admit that I liked Aaron. She moved toward him a little. But Casey, I’ve never felt this close to anyone else like this. I’ve been this pleased before.”

I laughed. “Just what kind of link? Like a mom and son?”

Aaron blew his nose. “Please, let’s all calm down and talk.”

I swore at him. “And you!” My voice was rough. “Why are you with her?” “Is it for the money?”

Mom let out a gasp. “Casey!” That’s all I did.

Aaron took a deep breath. “I’m not with your mom for money.”

“Sure,” I said in a low voice.

Mom’s face turned red. “You said you’d support my choice!”

“I didn’t know your choice was 25 years old!” I made fists with my hands. “You two need to break up!”

Mom’s lips were close together. “We’re not breaking up!” Her voice got louder. “Aaron proposed to me, and we’re getting married in two months!”

I opened my eyes.

“What?” It felt dry in my throat.

She said again and again, “We’re getting married.”

I turned my head away. “You really want him to take everything you have?”

Aaron’s jaw got tight. “Casey, I promise I don’t care about the money your mom has.” “I love her.”

I laughed in a mean way. “Yeah, sure, like I’d believe that.”

Mom let out a sigh and looked tired. “Enough with the screaming!” “You can either calm down and come to dinner with us, or you can leave.”

“Great!” I yelled. “If a random boy is more important to you than your own daughter, then I’m leaving!”

I stomped my way to the door after turning around.

“Casey!” Mom yelled at me. “Aaron is not a boy!” “He’s an adult!”

I didn’t shift my weight. I just walked on.

It was hard for me to accept that my mom was engaged to someone my age for days after that night.

I tried really hard, but I just couldn’t make sense of it. Something inside me twisted every time I thought of them together. It didn’t feel right.

I lay awake at night, looking at the ceiling and thinking about what they said over and over again.

My mom had always been careful, responsible, and smart. How could she not see what I saw? Aaron couldn’t really love her. He had to have a goal.

I thought about all the ways I could stop the wedding.

It wouldn’t work to talk to Mom again. She knew what she wanted to do. Asking her to? No use. She wouldn’t give up. That only left one choice: I needed proof. I needed to be better.

I called Mom and pretended to want to improve things. It sounded like I was happy in my voice. “I was too angry,” I told her. “I need to make things right. I’ll back you up if Aaron makes you happy.”

She was so happy. She told him, “That means a lot to me, Casey!” “Please be a part of this.” “Let’s work on the wedding together.”

I agreed. I went to dress fittings, tried cakes, and helped put up decorations.

I kept my eyes open the whole time. I closely watched Aaron, waiting for him to make a mistake. He never did, though.

He was kind, patient, and friendly. He knew how to answer my questions.

He never got angry or defensive. He almost seemed to have practiced every answer.

It got scary a few days before the wedding. I didn’t have anything on him. I rubbed my temples while sitting on my bed.

I may have been wrong. If I looked all day long and didn’t find anything, Aaron might have loved my mom after all.

Even though they were completely unique ages, guys often marry younger women. What was different when the jobs were switched?

I took a deep breath and turned to face my mom that night. “I accept Aaron and fully support you,” I stated.

She gave me a strange look. “I thought you already accepted him.”

I smiled and shrugged. “Now it’s official.”

I felt calm for the first time in weeks. It didn’t last long, though.

On the day of the wedding, Mom let out a gasp as we hurried to the venue. “Oh no, I left my phone at home!”

I was eager to help and said, “I’ll go get it.”

I quickly drove back and looked through the house. No phone. I looked in the bedroom, the living room, and the kitchen. Then I saw a small drawer next to her desk. It was locked.

My stomach got tight. Why would she lock a cabinet? What did she hide? It wouldn’t move no matter how hard I pulled on it.

I became angrier. When I pulled harder, the drawer opened right away. There were papers all over the floor.

I knelt down and picked them up. Then I saw “Debt Notice” written on the top sheet.

I turned the stack over. They were all in Aaron’s name. My heart beat fast. What was it?

Thereafter, I saw one more paper. Property records. They had my mom’s name on them, but not her signature at the bottom. It belonged to Aaron.

I felt a wave of cold realization hit me. Don’t use your phone. I ran to my car with the papers in my hand.

As I held on to the driving wheel, my hands were shaking. The wedding had to end. They were already going when I got there.

“Stop!” “Stop the wedding!” My voice echoed through the hall as I yelled.

The music stopped. Everyone in the room looked at me. Wide eyes. Sounds were made by people in the crowd.

“Casey?!” My mom turned around, mad in her face. “What are you doing?!”

I took a deep breath and held on to the papers. “I knew Aaron was only with you for the money!” They were held up by me. “And now I have proof!”

The room was full of gasps. My mom moved forward. “How dare you ruin my wedding?!” Her voice was shaking.

“I’m trying to save you!” I yelled. I ran up to her and pushed the papers into her hands. “Take a look at these!” Aaron owes a lot of money! “He even bought a house in your name! He did it! I don’t know how he did it!”

The pages were shaking in my mom’s hands as she turned them. She had trouble breathing. So she put her hand over her face.

She said in a whisper, “Casey.” “These debts… they’re because of you.”

I went cold. “What?” It was hard for me to speak.

Also, “Aaron and I were planning a surprise,” she said. “For you.”

I felt a cold wave hit me. “A surprise?” I said again.

Aaron moved forward. “Your mom told me that you’ve always wanted to run a restaurant.” With the wedding money, we were going to buy you one.

His words were hard for my brain to understand as I stared at him. “What?” “I don’t get it…”

The papers got a nod from him. “We had to finish the deal earlier than planned.” I didn’t have enough money, so I paid the extra. That’s why people have debt.

I took a deep breath. It made my hands shake. “You… were buying me a restaurant?”

Mom raised her head. “Yes! It was Aaron’s idea!” Her eyes were red with anger. “He even offered to work for free as your pastry chef!”

I could feel heavy air in my lungs. My heart beat fast. “I… I didn’t know…”

My mom’s face got serious. “You were so determined to ruin everything that you didn’t even give Aaron a chance!”

My chest got tight. I said in a whisper, “I was trying to keep you safe.”

“But you messed everything up,” she replied.

I felt guilty all the time. My voice was almost broken. “Please forgive me.” Also you, Aaron. “I’m sorry. I was too mean to both of you.”

Mom looked at me for a very long time. Thereafter, she turned her head away. “Leave,” she told him sternly. “I would rather not see you at my wedding.”

I got a lump in my throat. “Mom—”

Aaron moved in front of us. “She’s your daughter, Sandra,” he said in a soft voice. “You’ll feel bad if you push her away now.”

He then looked at me. His voice was strong, but not mean. “Casey, take your seat so we can continue the ceremony.”

After a moment of thought, I slowly nodded. My legs felt weak as I made my way to the back. I felt like my mistake was crushing me.

I quickly stopped the wedding. Instead, I almost broke up my family.

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