“All My Life, My Mother Told Me My Father Was an Angel. Then, He Knocked on My Door.”

Ariana had always been told stories of her father, a man she never met, who her mother said was an angel watching over them from Heaven. Growing up, these stories painted her world with a sense of mystery and warmth. At 25, Ariana moved out of her mother’s quaint suburban home to embrace adulthood in the bustling city. She rented a small, cozy apartment and landed a job at a local bookstore, where the scent of old pages felt like home.

Life was ordinary yet fulfilling, with weekends spent exploring coffee shops and evenings filled with books and quiet music. However, one chilly October evening, as the leaves painted the sidewalks gold and amber, a knock echoed through her apartment, slicing through the tranquility like a sharp blade.

Standing at the door was a man in his late forties, his hair peppered with gray, and eyes that mirrored a familiar sadness Ariana had seen in her own reflection. He introduced himself as Joshua. His voice trembled as he asked if he could come in, claiming to be her father.

Confusion and curiosity swirled in Ariana’s mind as she invited him inside. Joshua told her a story far different from the tales her mother had woven. He spoke of young love, mistakes, and hard choices. He explained that he had left when Ariana was just a baby, not because he didn’t care, but because he believed it was best for her. His life had been marred by poor decisions and legal troubles, and he didn’t want that world to touch her.

As they talked, Ariana felt the walls of her childhood fairy tales crumbling down. The angel in her stories morphed into a man, all too human, sitting across from her with eyes pleading for forgiveness.

Over the next few weeks, Joshua tried to make amends, showing up at her apartment, sometimes with flowers, other times with books, attempting to bridge years of absence with small tokens. But the more Ariana learned about Joshua, the more she realized how different their worlds were. His past was filled with shadows, some of which still followed him. Unsettling visits from people Ariana didn’t recognize made her uneasy. Her once peaceful life began to feel like a thriller she might have read in her store.

One evening, as she returned from work, she found her apartment door ajar. Inside, her belongings were scattered, and Joshua was nowhere to be found. The police said it was a robbery, likely tied to people from Joshua’s past. Ariana was devastated. The father she had hoped might be a newfound blessing was instead a curse that had disrupted her serene existence.

She decided to move back to her mother’s house, seeking refuge in the familiarity and safety it offered. As she packed her things, she found a note from Joshua, apologizing and saying goodbye, claiming it was safer for her if he disappeared again.

Ariana’s heart ached with a mix of relief and sorrow. She realized some stories were better left as they were—simple and untouched by reality. As she looked around her cluttered apartment, she understood that not every story has a happy ending, and not every lost family member should be found.