A Father’s Regret: The Day His Daughter Became His Boss

William walked out on his wife and daughter to start a new life with a younger woman. Years later, life took an unexpected turn, and he found himself face-to-face with the daughter he abandoned

William hesitated as his wife, Linda, looked at him with worried eyes. For a brief moment, guilt crept in, and he reconsidered his decision. He knew Linda would be heartbroken if she found out about his affair.

They had been married for 20 years, had a 17-year-old daughter named Isabelle, and lived in the house Linda inherited from her parents. They had even started a beef jerky business together, but it failed, leaving them financially dependent on William’s job.

"What is it you wanted to talk about, William?" Linda asked, breaking the silence.

William took a deep breath. "I'm seeing someone else, Linda," he admitted. "I didn’t want things to end this way, but I couldn’t stop myself."

Linda’s face went pale. "You... have another woman? Is that what you’re saying?"

William hung his head. "I love her. She's young, she's different, and we just... clicked."

Linda’s anger erupted. "Do you even hear yourself? We’ve been married for 20 years! We have a daughter! And now—"

Her phone rang, interrupting her. Trying to keep her composure, she answered, but her expression quickly turned to panic. A court representative was calling to inform her that their house was being seized. They had taken out a loan for their business, using their home as collateral. William was supposed to handle the payments, but he hadn't.

"What’s your excuse for this, William?" she screamed. "Are you seriously leaving us homeless while you run off with your mistress? We need $80,000! Where do you expect us to get that money?"

William stuttered, trying to explain, but Linda had had enough. "OUT! Get out of my house!"

Years later, William found himself standing at a red light, lost in thought. The honking of cars snapped him back to reality. He had walked out on his family six years ago, thinking he was chasing happiness. Instead, he lost everything—his job, his mistress, and his dignity. Now, he was on his way to a job interview, hoping to turn his life around.

He had applied for a packaging job at a beef jerky factory, thinking his past experience might help. Surprisingly, he got the job. On his third day at work, his manager, Mr. Dunn, approached him.

"If you want to move up, you better impress the CEO today," Mr. Dunn joked.

William frowned. "CEO?"

"You didn’t know? She’s visiting for an inspection."

William didn't care. He just wanted to do his job. But as the murmurs in the factory grew, he looked up—and his world froze.

Walking through the entrance was Isabelle, his daughter.

"Isabelle?" he gasped.

She met his gaze, unfazed. "Dad. Long time no see."

Shocked, he stammered, "How... how did you become CEO?"

She scoffed. "So you're more interested in my success than in how I’ve been all these years? Don’t let this distract you. I’m here for an inspection. And by the way, meet me in my office after lunch."

That afternoon, William sat nervously in her office.

"Come in," she said firmly.

He hesitated before stepping inside. She gestured for him to sit.

"You wanted to know how I became CEO, right?" she began. "Well, after you left, we lost everything. The bank took our house, and we barely had any money left. Mom gave me her last savings so I could continue my education. But she had to move far away to live with Aunt Georgina because she couldn’t afford to stay in the city."

Isabelle paused, her expression hardening. "Then one day, Aunt Georgina called me. Mom had symptoms of a heart attack. The doctors said she had coronary heart disease. Surgery wasn’t needed yet, but if she had another attack, it would cost over $100,000 to save her life."

William felt a lump in his throat. "Is she... okay now?"

Isabelle ignored his question and continued. "I had a choice: pay for college or save up for Mom’s future surgery. I chose Mom. And then I remembered our old jerky business. If it had worked once, maybe I could make it work again."

She told him how she bought a second-hand pickup truck and found a tiny apartment to start her business. She broke into their old house through a broken attic window to retrieve their kitchen equipment and recipes.

"I started making jerky and selling it online. At first, it was tough, but little by little, the business grew. I reinvested everything I earned, expanded, and now, here I am. CEO of the company you work for."

William swallowed hard, his eyes stinging with regret. "Isabelle, I—"

She raised a hand, cutting him off. "Don’t expect me to forgive you overnight, Dad. You left us when we needed you the most. Now, you work for me. Do your job well, and we’ll see where things go."

William nodded silently. He had spent years running from his mistakes, but now, there was no running. He had to face the consequences and, perhaps, earn a second chance—one day at a time.