How I Stopped My Stepdaughter from Taking Advantage of Her Dad

…my stepdaughter in bed with my best friend, Mark. My heart sank—Mark, who’d been like a brother to me, knew her struggles and still crossed that line. I confronted them, my voice shaking with rage. She admitted he was the father of her unborn child, and possibly the others too.

I kicked Mark out, then sat her down. “You’re 19 with three kids on the way,” I said. “Your dad’s done enabling you—it’s time to grow up.” I didn’t touch the savings, but I helped her enroll in a parenting program and find a job.

Months later, she thanked me, saying I’d saved her family. I told her, “Sometimes tough love is the only way.”