3 Breathtaking Stories Proving That Family Is No Place For Manipulation And Lies

Delve into these stories that show how resilient families can be when they decide to face challenging times together. Read on to see how manipulation, lies, and more, broke some of these families apart, while others became stronger.

Sometimes, families put each other through hardships and the only way through them is to tackle them head-on. In the following three tales, we read about a Cancer patient whose husband alienated her from their child, and more.

A mother and a little girl | Source: Midjourney

The Family Trip Was Going Well Until the Grandmother Said Her Step-Grandkids Werent Real Family

I pressed the phone tighter against my ear, my fingers absentmindedly tracing the edges of my planner. The annual family trip we were planning was supposed to be a tradition, but when my mother tried to shut out part of my family, things got sour.

A cup and a cell phone lying on a table | Source: Midjourney

Our family trip was supposed to be standard. Same week, same resort, same arguments over who got which room.

“Ill book the usual,” my mom said. Caroline, my mother, was always no-nonsense and in charge. “You and Rebecca will share a room, like always.”

I frowned and clicked my pen against the table. “What? No, Mom. We need our own. Its me, Jason, and the kids.”

There was a long pause, heavy and tense. Then came a scoff, sharp, dismissive.

A mean older woman | Source: Midjourney

“The kids?” Her voice dropped, suddenly cold. “Ellie, theyre not your real children. They have a mother. Im not paying for strangers to stay on a family trip.”

My grip tightened around the pen, and heat crawled up my neck, slow and simmering.

“They are my family, Mom,” I said, steady but firm.

She sighed the kind that always meant you were being difficult.

“Blood matters, Eleanor. Theyre Jasons past, not yours.”

My jaw clenched.

An upset woman | Source: Midjourney

I forced myself to breathe through the anger. Jasons past? Is that what she thought Megan and Luke were, just leftover baggage from another life?

I grabbed the edge of the table, grounding myself. “Then Ill pay for the room myself.”

“Ellie—”

“No.” I cut her off, sharper than I intended. My hands were trembling, but I didnt care.

“If you cant accept my kids, you might as well stop expecting me. Theyre the only grandkids youll get.”

An angry woman on a call | Source: Midjourney

She mumbled something under her breath, but I didnt need to hear it. I already knew.

Then the line went dead.

I stared at the blank screen of my phone before setting it down carefully. The kitchen was too quiet now.

I seemed to have won that round, but I knew this wasnt over.

An upset woman holding her phone | Source: Midjourney

The road to our vacation destination stretched as my husbands hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. I could tell he was weighing his words.

“So she really said that?” he asked finally, his voice low, edged with frustration.

I exhaled sharply and turned to glance at the kids in the back.

Megan, twelve, had her earpieces in, eyes lost in whatever music she was listening to. Luke, eight, hunched over his tablet, fingers dancing across the screen like the rest of the world didnt exist.

Two children in the backseat of a car | Source: Midjourney

They had no idea. No clue that their grandmother had dismissed them. Like they werent real.

“She didnt even try to hide it,” I muttered. “Just dismissed them like they dont count.”

My husband exhaled through his nose, shifting gears.

“Babe, we didnt have to come. Maybe skipping this year wouldve been easier.”

I whipped my head toward him, eyes flashing. “Easier for who? For her? So she doesnt have to deal with the fact that her daughter has a blended family?”

An unhappy woman | Source: Midjourney

His knuckles went white around the wheel, but he said nothing. I saw his jaw clench.

“I just dont want you to be hurt,” he said, softer this time.

“Ill be fine.” The words felt hollow even as I said them.

I looked back again. Megan and Luke were still in their little worlds. They didnt know they were the reason a line had been drawn in the sand.

“If she cant accept them,” I said quietly, “she loses all of us.”

Jason nodded, eyes on the road.

A resolute man driving | Source: Midjourney

We werent just heading to a family vacation. We were driving straight into a fight that had been brewing for years!

When we arrived, the hotel lobby smelled of citrus and fresh linen, but the tension crackled around us. I adjusted Lukes backpack on my shoulder. Jason stood beside me, eyes scanning the space. Megan and Luke stuck close, their energy dulled by the long drive.

Then I heard it.

“Eleanor.”

I stiffened. Of course, it was her!

A mean-looking older woman | Source: Midjourney

Mom stood near the reception desk, arms crossed, expression unreadable. Behind her, Dad, Rebecca, and my brother Thomas clustered awkwardly. Thomass wife clung to his arm, their son, Michael, and daughter, Sandra, fidgeting beside them.

“Mom,” I said flatly.

Her eyes flicked to Megan and Luke. Her lips thinned, that one gesture said it all!

My husband shifted beside me, placing a gentle hand on my back.

A mans hand touching a womans back | Source: Midjourney

“Would you like your luggage placed together on the cart?” the clerk who appeared from nowhere asked cheerfully, oblivious.

Before I could answer, Mom snapped, “Not theirs! Theyre not with us!”

The words hit like a slap!

“No need,” I said, gripping the suitcase handle tighter, voice flat but firm. “Well handle it ourselves.”

I bent down, grabbing bags with shaking hands. Jason took the rest, his silence louder than any words.

Megan and Luke followed. I didnt look back. I wasnt going to give her the satisfaction.

Children rushing after their parents | Source: Midjourney

Later, the dining room glowed under a chandeliers soft golden light. The scent of roasted meat, buttery rolls, and wine hung in the air. Thomas was mid-story, hands animated, talking about some big deal. Mom leaned in like he was delivering divine wisdom.

I barely touched my lunch. I pushed around a piece of chicken and glanced down at the table. Megan and Luke sat with Michael and Sandra. The quartet had clicked instantly.

It was the only bright spot.

Then she said it.

An older woman sitting for lunch | Source: Midjourney

“Why dont we separate them? Your sisters can stay.” Moms tone was casual, but it sliced through me. “Family should sit together.”

My grip on the fork tightened!

Jason went still! The room hadnt gone silent, but the energy shift was unmistakable!

“What? Why should my kids be separated?”

“You know why. Because THEYRE NOT YOURS!”

I stood, the chair scraping sharply! Conversations faltered. Heads turned.

“Come on, kids,” I said, keeping my voice steady.

They looked confused. Michael and his sister frowned, watching us.

“Dont be dramatic, Eleanor,” Mom snapped.

An angry older woman | Source: Midjourney

I laughed. Cold. Humorless. “Dramatic? You made your choice. Now Im making mine.”

I looked at Dad and Rebecca. “If you want to see us again, you know where to find us.”

Rebecca opened her mouth, but Mom cut in.

“Then go,” she barked, flinging her napkin down. “If you want to disgrace this family, walk out that door!”

I didnt flinch.

“Gladly.”

I took Jasons hand. We walked away.

The kids scrambled after us.

And I never looked back!

A woman walking away | Source: Midjourney

When we got back to our room, I yanked a pair of jeans from the dresser and shoved them into the half-packed suitcase. The room felt too small for the rage inside me!

My husband sat on the edge of the bed, silent. He knew better than to offer empty comfort.

A knock at the door.

I froze, then stomped over and swung it open.

A hotel rooms door | Source: Midjourney

Rebecca stood there, eyes red, sweater hem twisted in her hands.

“Ellie, please. She didnt mean it.”

I clenched my jaw. “She always means it!”

“Shes stubborn. But she regrets it. Please talk to her?”

I didnt answer right away. My arms crossed, heart pounding.

“She doesnt know how to say shes sorry,” Rebecca continued. “But she is. You walking out… it shook her. Ten minutes. Thats all Im asking.”

A woman pleading | Source: Midjourney

I hesitated. Then sighed. “Fine.”

Ten minutes later, I stood in my parents suite.

Mom sat on the edge of the bed, a small wooden box in her lap. She looked up, eyes tired and damp.

“I was wrong,” she said softly.

“Yeah, you were!”

“I was afraid. Of losing the tradition. Of losing you.” Her hands trembled as she opened the box, revealing a delicate silver necklace.

“This has been passed from mother to daughter for generations. I was scared youd give it away to someone… outside the family.”

An older woman crying | Source: Midjourney

My throat tightened. “So you pushed me away instead?!”

She wiped her cheek and nodded.

“I see now that blood doesnt make a family. Love does.” She held out the necklace. “I want you to have this.”

I stared at it. The pain, the anger—it was all still there. But so was the love, buried beneath it all.

Slowly, I reached out and took the necklace.

A necklace | Source: Midjourney

She pulled me into a shaky hug. “Youre my daughter. And those kids… theyre my grandchildren.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw my dad, who never got involved in conflicts, smile.

I closed my eyes.

And for the first time in days, I felt like I could finally breathe.

A happy woman | Source: Midjourney

AdvertisementMy Mother Hated Me for Looking Like My Biological Father, but Everything Changed When I Finally Found Him

They say children pay for the sins of their parents. My mother made sure that was true, though she never admitted it. All my life, I felt like a stranger in my own family, and eventually, I learned why.

A mother and her children | Source: Midjourney

I grew up with two older sisters, Kira and Alexa. I spent my childhood watching them bask in the warmth of our mothers love. She spoiled them with expensive clothes and new toys, took them out for ice cream, brushed their hair, kissed their foreheads, and reminded them daily how much she adored them.

Me? I got their worn-out clothes and their castoff toys. I didnt get hugs or bedtime stories. I got orders.

An upset child | Source: Midjourney

“Olivia, clean the kitchen!”

“Olivia, fold the laundry!”

“Olivia, stop standing around and do something useful!”

I was a servant in my own home, and no one seemed to care.

My father tried to protect me. I still remember the warmth of his hugs when my mothers words cut too deep. He used to whisper that I was special, that I mattered. But as I got older, his reassurance faded into silence.

Then the arguments started.

A happy father and daughter | Source: Midjourney

“Im telling you, shes your daughter!” my mother screamed.

“How can she be mine?! We are both brunettes, and shes a blonde with blue eyes!”

“That happens! Maybe someone in the family had lighter features!”

“Then lets do a paternity test!”

Their fights became routine. They always ended the same way—my mother crying, accusing him of hating her, and him backing down.

But I never forgot those words.

A couple arguing | Source: Midjourney

By the time I was fourteen, I couldnt stand being home! My mother insisted I could ONLY EAT THE FOOD I BOUGHT myself, so I got a job, not just for the money but for the escape. With my first paycheck, I bought a DNA test. When the results came back, everything fell apart!

One evening, after I came home when I went downstairs I found my father standing in the living room, holding an envelope.

“What is this and why is it in your name?” he asked, eyes narrowed.

I felt my stomach drop. “Give it back,” I said, stepping forward.

A distressed child | Source: Midjourney

He pulled it away. “Explain first.”

My hands trembled. “Its… a DNA test.”

Before I could even look, he ripped it open his face went pale, and his hands started shaking! Then, he LOST IT!

“SIMONA!”

My mother rushed in. “What is it, darling?”

“Olivia, go to your room,” my father barked.

“But—”

“NOW!”

I turned and ran. But I didnt need to hear their argument to know what the results said.

A couple arguing | Source: Midjourney

“Shes not mine?!”

“It doesnt matter!”

“It matters to me! You lied to me, Simona! For fourteen years!”

“You dont understand! I had no choice!”

I covered my ears, but it didnt help. My father wasnt my biological father. My mother had cheated.

A silhouette of a couple arguing | Source: Midjourney

Days later, he tested my sisters. Alexa was his. Kira wasnt.

I watched from the hallway as he packed his bags.

“Youre leaving?” I whispered.

He wouldnt look at me. “I have to.”

He filed for divorce, paid child support for Alexa, and cut ties with the rest of us.

After he left, my mothers resentment deepened. “This is your fault,” she hissed. “If you didnt look so much like him, none of this wouldve happened!”

A angry woman turning the blame | Source: Midjourney

She only spoke to me when she needed something. “Olivia, wash the dishes!” “Olivia, mop the floor!” Kira, on the other hand, never lifted a finger. “My beautiful girl,” my mother would say to her. “You look just like me.”

I was invisible.

Then one day, my mother walked in, arms crossed. “Youre going to start paying rent.”

“What?” I blinked. “I already buy my own groceries.”

“You earn money. Its only fair.”

A heartless woman | Source: Midjourney

“Then make Alexa and Kira pay too!” My voice trembled. “Why only me? Why do you treat me like this?!”

“Because you ruined my life!” she screamed. “YOU RUINED OUR LIVES!” she shouted repeatedly.

It felt like a slap. I turned and ran to my room, tears stinging my eyes. But nothing changed.

I paid the rent.

But Alexa made my life even harder. She destroyed my things, threw away my food, even stole my paycheck once! When I confronted her, she snapped, “Dad left because of you! If you had just looked like Mom!”

A shocked young woman | Source: Midjourney

As soon as I graduated high school, I knew I had to leave. My old manager saw my drive and connected me with his son, who offered me a sales rep position. It wasnt glamorous, but it paid well.

I moved into a small apartment, my first taste of peace.

But my mother and sisters never disappeared. They only contacted me when they needed something, usually money. At first, I gave in, hoping theyd leave me alone.

They never did.

A distressed young woman | Source: Midjourney

One day, I asked for something in return. “I want to know my biological fathers name.”

“He doesnt want you,” my mother said coldly. “He abandoned you. He hates you as much as I do!”

“Then no more money…”

She rolled her eyes and finally relented. “His name is Rick,” she said, writing down an address. “Go ahead. Waste your time.”

I spent my savings on a thirty-hour trip, only to discover she had lied! Again!

Money in a wallet | Source: Pexels

When the man opened, I tried to introduce myself. “Hi, Im…”

He quickly interrupted me, “Wait, I know who you are. What are you doing here?”

“I was hoping to find my family, my dad…”

“Oh, wait. Did your mother forget to tell you?”

Thats when he confessed he wasnt Rick or my father. Just some guy who once cheated with my mom briefly.

A man introducing himself | Source: Pexels

Furious, I stormed into her house. “You gave me the wrong address!”

“Because he doesnt want you!” she snapped. “You make everyones life harder!”

Her words cut deep, but I stood firm. “Give me the real address, or youll never see another cent!”

The real Rick didnt live thirty hours away. He was only five hours from me.

A determined young woman | Source: Midjourney

When I knocked on his door, my heart pounded. A middle-aged man opened it. He stared at me like hed seen a ghost.

“Are you Rick?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said.

“I—”

“Youre my daughter,” he said before I could finish.

“You— You recognize me?”

“Of course,” he said. “Come in!”

I stepped into his warm, welcoming home. Family photos lined the walls, a life Id never been part of.

A young woman stepping inside a home | Source: Midjourney

“Why didnt you contact me?” I asked.

“I tried,” he said. “I paid child support until you turned eighteen. But your mother said you hated me, that you wanted nothing to do with me.”

“I never knew,” I whispered. “She told me you didnt want me.”

“She lied,” Rick said. “I always wanted you!”

He pulled me into a hug. It felt real, safe. I let myself sink into it. From that day on, we stayed in touch. He introduced me to his wife and two sons.

They accepted me instantly!

A woman and her sons | Source: Midjourney

One day, he handed me a folder. “It a house,” he said. “Its yours.”

I gasped. “What?!”

“Its the least I can do, for the years we lost.”

I cried in his arms! No one had ever loved me like this!

I moved in right away!

For the first time, I had a real home!

A happy young woman holding the keys to her home | Source: Midjourney

Then, one day I ran into Kira at the store. I mentioned my new house, and she didnt even pretend to be happy for me. Her jaw tightened. Her eyes narrowed. Jealousy, plain as day!

A few days later, during a business trip, my neighbor called. “Two women moved into your house,” she said urgently.

I rushed back. My heart sank as I stepped through the door. My mother and Kira were lounging on my furniture.

A door ajar | Source: Midjourney

“What are you doing here?!”

“Oh, Olivia, youre back,” my mother said casually.

“Answer me!”

She sighed. “We got evicted. I decided wed stay here.”

“You didnt even ask, you just broke in?!”

“Dont be dramatic.”

Kira smirked. “There are only two bedrooms. Youll have to stay somewhere else.”

“This is my house! You are leaving now!”

An angry young woman | Source: Midjourney

My mother stood, fuming. “How dare you?! I raised you!”

“You treated me like a servant! I even paid you rent!”

“You had a job!”

“In the short time Ive known my real father, hes done more for me than you ever did!”

“If you dont let us stay, Ill sue you for this house!”

“You have no legal right to it! Leave or Im calling the police!”

A shocked young woman | Source: Midjourney

She changed instantly. “Olivia, sweetheart. Youre my daughter! Ive always loved you.!

For a moment, I hesitated. Then I remembered everything!

“No,” I said.

“Ungrateful!” she shrieked. “We are not leaving!”

But when I started speaking to an officer, panic hit them. They bolted out of the house before the call ended.

I changed the locks. I blocked their numbers.

That was the last time I saw them.

And I had never felt so free.

A happy young woman | Source: Midjourney

I Survived Cancer to Reunite with My Daughter, Only to Find Her Stepmother Had Erased Me from Her Life

Rain trickled down my windshield, turning the house before me into a blur of soft grays and fading memories. That house had once been my world. The place where I used to tuck Hazel in at night, where we danced barefoot on the porch, where she would run into my arms like I was the center of her universe. Now I was just a visitor. A stranger looking in.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

Three years ago, I had no choice but to leave. Cancer didnt just take my hair or my strength, it took my ability to be the mother Hazel deserved. Nathan, my ex-husband, promised it was only temporary, that Hazel would live with him until I recovered.

I believed him. But months of treatment drained me, and the visits became less frequent. I still remember the first time Hazel saw me after surgery. Her eyes widened, confused and unsure.

A confused child | Source: Midjourney

“What happened to you?” she whispered.

My heart shattered, but I forced a smile. “I got sick, baby. But Im better now.”

Nathan placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and murmured, “Its a lot for her. She needs time.”

At first, Hazel sent me drawings of suns, cats, and hearts in crayon. “I love you, Mommy,” shed scribbled once.

But then came fewer notes. The phone calls stopped.

A woman looking at a message written by her daughter | Source: Midjourney

One excuse followed another.

“Shes at practice.”

“Shes with friends.”

“Shes busy with school.”

And then, silence.

I was still healing when I received an envelope with no note, no warning, only legal documents.

Nathan had moved on. He had someone new.

My hands trembled as I unfolded the papers, my eyes blurring over the words: divorce. Custody. Full guardianship granted to him.

A ring and divorce papers | Source: Pexels

I hadnt even finished chemotherapy. Still too weak to stand on my own some days, let alone fight a court battle. He argued it was in Hazels best interest. That she needed stability, routine, a home free of medical uncertainty.

He got what he wanted.

I signed with a heart so heavy I thought it might pull me under. My lawyer said Id still get weekends. That Id remain part of Hazels life. But weekends werent enough. I wanted my daughter to know the truth, that I never chose to leave her.

So I fought. I survived. And I came back.

A woman in a hospital | Source: Midjourney

I climbed those porch steps, my pulse pounding. But before I could knock, the door opened.

There she stood Sara. Polished, calm, the woman who had replaced me.

“Im here to pick up Hazel,” I said, trying to sound steady.

She tilted her head, lips forming a small, practiced smile. “Evelyn… I thought Nathan called you.”

My stomach twisted. “Called me about what?”

“Shes not here. He took her to the fair.”

The fair? “But today is my day.”

Sara exhaled slowly, her voice dripping with condescension. “Evelyn… she doesnt want to go.”

A woman smiling | Source: Midjourney

“Thats not true.”

“She doesnt ask about you anymore. She calls me Mom now.”

The words punched the air from my lungs! No! My baby couldnt forget me!

I turned and fled to my car. I had to find her!

A desperate woman driving | Source: Midjourney

The fair pulsed with light and sound. Caramel and roasted nuts filled the air, but I didnt taste or smell any of it. My eyes darted across the crowd.

“Come on, Hazel! Where are you?”

Every flash of a small jacket, every brown curl sent my heart racing!

She had to be here! Sara lied. Nathan wouldn’t keep her from me, not today.

I stumbled, colliding with a vendors cart. A sticky red drink spilled across my hands.

“Watch it!” the vendor snapped.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, barely hearing him.

Then I saw her.

Hazel…

A distressed woman | Source: Midjourney

She stood a few feet away, clutching Nathans hand.

“Hazel!” I called.

She turned. Her eyes locked on mine. I stepped toward her, arms ready.

“Baby, its me!”

But she didnt run. She didnt smile. She just stared.

Then I felt it, a breeze against my scalp.

My wig. It was gone!

Hazel gripped Nathans sleeve. Her lips trembled.

A hesitant girl | Source: Midjourney

“Sweetheart, its okay…” I reached for her.

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She flinched. Then, her voice, small and trembling:

“Youre not my mom. Youre just a bald lady.”

The world spun. I couldnt breathe. My own daughter didnt know me!

A heartbroken woman | Source: Midjourney

After leaving feeling dejected, I sat on my apartment floor, clutching Hazels old teddy bear. Her words echoed in my mind.

Youre not my mom.

How had it come to this?

I used to know everything about her. Her favorite sandwich, her sleepy hums, the stories that calmed her nightmares.

Now, she looked at me like a stranger.

I opened a shoebox and pulled out her old letters. My fingers trembled as I read the crayon-scrawled love notes.

“I love you, Mommy.”

“I cant wait to see you.”

“Youre the best!”

When had that stopped?

A childs crayon drawings | Source: Midjourney

Desperate, I opened my laptop. I scrolled without purpose until something caught my eye—a post from her school. An art contest.

My heart skipped.

I clicked.

Hazels entry glowed on the screen, a sky full of stars. And I knew it instantly.

It was our story!

The one I used to tell her every night about a little girl who followed the stars to find her way home.

She hadnt forgotten!

A painting of a little girl looking at stars | Source: Midjourney

I grabbed my phone. “I need you,” I told my friend. “We have two days to prepare!”

My daughters school auditorium buzzed with quiet chatter. I stood in the shadows, heart hammering.

Hazel sat in the front row, her hand in Saras.

Will she remember?

The lights dimmed.

The screen lit up.

Hazels laugh filled the room. A video clip—flour on her cheeks, sitting on our old kitchen counter.

“Mommy, look! I made a smiley face!”

A little girl with flour on her face | Source: Midjourney

My laugh played next.

“Its the cutest cookie Ive ever seen!”

More clips: the beach, our laughter, autumn leaves crunching beneath our feet.

Then the letters.

My voice: “Hi, my love. Its Mommy… I miss you so much.”

Hazel froze. Sara paled.

More letters. My voice again.

“Maybe these never reach you, sweetheart. But Ill keep writing anyway. Ill never stop.”

A pile of letters | Source: Pexels

Hazel turned to Sara. “Where are these letters?”

Sara opened her mouth. Nothing came.

“Why didnt I get them?”

“I… I didnt want to upset you.”

“So you hid them?” Hazel’s voice cracked.

“I thought it was better this way.”

“You thought it was better to keep my mom away?”

Hazel pulled her hand back, scanning the room.

Then her eyes found mine.

She ran.

A happy little girl running | Source: Midjourney

I caught her just in time, arms open, heart wide.

“Mom,” she whispered.

Tears spilled down my face. “I never left you! I never stopped loving you!”

“She told me you might die! And the letters stopped!”

“Im here now,” I said. “Im healthy! I made it back to you!”

She nodded. “I painted the stars, Mom. Just like in our stories!”

I smiled, brushing tears from her cheeks.

A painting of a little girl looking at stars | Source: Midjourney

Then a voice from the stage:

“Tonights winning piece reflects the beauty of reunion and love.”

Hazel looked up, wide-eyed.

“The winner of this years contest is Hazel—for her painting, Following the Stars, inspired by bedtime stories shared with her mother.”

A man making an announcement | Source: Midjourney

Nathan approached, slowly.

He looked at Hazel in my arms, then met my gaze.

“I thought she needed stability. But I see now… she needed you.”

Our daughter turned to him. “Can I go home with Mommy?”

His jaw clenched, then he nodded. “Yes, sweetheart. You can.”

A remorseful man | Source: Midjourney

Sara sat frozen. But that didnt matter anymore.

I lifted Hazel into my arms, holding her close.

A mothers love is like the stars—constant, even when hidden.

And that night, my little girl found her way home.

A mother and daughter reunited | Source: Midjourney

Heres a bonus story about a woman whose husband and in-laws kept a shocking secret from her. She only discovered the truth when she overheard them talking behind her back in another language. The truth almost shattered her marriage.

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.