When my son, Daniel, announced he was getting married to a woman named Lisa after just three weeks of dating, my heart sank. We were gathered for our regular Sunday dinner, Arnold flipping steaks on the grill while I finished making the salad. Daniel had been quieter than usual, distracted by his phone, his lips curling into a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Mom, Arnold, I have some news,” Daniel said, setting his glass down slowly.

Arnold, spatula in hand, walked inside. “Everything okay, buddy?” he asked, sensing something was up.

“Better than okay,” Daniel replied, his grin growing wider. “I’m getting married.”

I dropped the serving spoon, my mouth falling open in disbelief. “You’re what?”

His excitement was palpable as he explained. “Her name is Lisa. She’s amazing. Smart, funny, beautiful. We just connect, you know?”

Arnold sat down slowly, raising an eyebrow. “How long have you been seeing her?”

“Three weeks,” Daniel said proudly, as though it were a badge of honor.

I shook my head. “Three weeks? Daniel, that’s not enough time to decide what kind of cereal you like, let alone whether you want to marry someone.”

Daniel’s face hardened, that stubborn look I knew too well. “I know what I’m doing, Mom. When you know, you know.”

But I didn’t know. And neither did he. I tried reasoning with him, but it didn’t work. Arnold was quiet, but his concerned looks spoke volumes. I felt like we were all on the edge of something dangerous.

Two days later, we met Lisa, and I’ll admit, she was stunning. Tall, poised, with a smile that could light up the room. But something about her felt off, like she was too practiced, too perfect. She charmed Arnold with questions about his work and complimented my house in a way that made me wonder if she had a script in her head for exactly how to win people over.

“Where did you grow up, Lisa?” I asked casually over dinner, trying to dig a little deeper.

“Oh, all over,” she replied with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Dad’s job kept us moving. Taught me to adapt.”

Every answer was vague, too rehearsed, and it set off warning bells in my head. Still, I kept my mouth shut. Daniel was head over heels, and I wasn’t about to ruin his excitement—at least, not yet.

When Daniel told me that he’d introduced Lisa to his biological father, Morgan, I called him later that night. “Did you really give your blessing?” I demanded.

Morgan sighed. “What was I supposed to say? The kid’s got stars in his eyes. He’s an adult now.”

“But he’s making a huge mistake!”

“Maybe,” Morgan said quietly. “But sometimes people need to make their own mistakes.”

I didn’t want to admit it, but I knew he was right. There was nothing I could do now but wait.

When Daniel told me that the wedding was set for just six weeks later, I plastered on a smile. This wasn’t my decision, and all I could do was hope for the best. But something in my gut told me this wasn’t going to end well.

The night before the wedding, I sat on the edge of our bed, staring at the carpet. “Are we doing the right thing?” I asked Arnold, my voice filled with doubt.

Arnold paused, looking at me with a gentle smile. “What choice do we have, Christie? He’s an adult. We can’t stop him.”

“I just have a bad feeling about Lisa. Everything’s moving so fast.”

“Maybe you’re overthinking it,” Arnold said. “Daniel seems happy.”

But I wasn’t convinced. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

The wedding day arrived, and the hall was simple but lovely. Daniel looked handsome in his suit, his smile radiant as he waited for Lisa. When she walked down the aisle, she looked every bit the part of the perfect bride—until I noticed the tension in her posture, the way her eyes darted nervously around the room.

But it wasn’t until the officiant asked if anyone had any objections that things took a turn. Two men in plain clothes entered the hall, their expressions serious. At first, no one understood who they were, until one of the men flashed a badge and said, “Miss Lisa, we need to speak with you.”

Lisa’s face drained of color, her perfect smile replaced by sheer terror. She muttered something about needing to grab her ID from the coat check, but before anyone could react, she bolted out the back door—along with her parents.

The room erupted into confusion, and Daniel stood there, frozen. “What’s going on?” he whispered, his voice cracking.

I looked to Morgan, who was striding towards the two men with a look of grim satisfaction. That’s when I realized something was off.

“Morgan, what did you do?” I asked, my voice trembling.

Morgan turned to face me, then looked at Daniel. “Son, I’m sorry it had to happen this way.”

The two men weren’t acting like real officers, and one of them was even grinning now.

“Morgan, what the hell is going on?” I demanded, but the truth began to come out.

Morgan explained that he’d learned about Lisa from a bartender who recognized her from his phone picture. Apparently, Lisa had a history of latching onto wealthy young men, pretending to fall in love with them, and then draining them financially.

And that wasn’t all.

“She’s pregnant,” Morgan said quietly. “But it’s not Daniel’s baby.”

The pieces fell into place. I turned to Daniel, who was visibly shaking, and whispered, “I’m so sorry, honey.”

He pulled away from me, his eyes full of hurt and disbelief. “I should’ve listened to you, Mom.”

But despite the betrayal, Daniel held his head high. “Better now than later,” he muttered.

As the chaos of the wedding began to settle, the guests left, murmuring in disbelief. The cake sat untouched, and the gifts started to get packed up. But Daniel stood tall, a little broken, but stronger than I had ever seen him.

In the days that followed, he slowly healed. It wasn’t easy, and it took time, but he was no longer a young man blinded by infatuation. He had learned the hardest lesson, but in the end, he came out the other side stronger and more self-aware.

As for Lisa, I never heard from her again. And I had a feeling, based on the way the universe works, that her days of conning people were numbered.

At least, I hoped so.