My mother-in-law Cynthia moved in, and soon after, my daughter Lisa began acting oddly. She was no longer her cheerful self, and it worried me deeply. One night, I saw her sleepwalking through the house, clutching her teddy bear. I quietly followed her, and what I discovered that night shocked me, leading to a bigger mystery I needed to solve.
We were a happy family, living together in peace. Our days were filled with laughter, playful moments with our daughter, Lisa, and cozy family dinners.
Tony worked as a financial analyst, always dreaming of starting his own business, while I balanced my career and took care of our home.
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One evening, Tony came home with exciting news.
“Amelie, I found partners, and I can finally start my own business, just like I’ve always dreamed!” he announced, grinning from ear to ear.
“That’s amazing, Tony!” I hugged him, feeling proud. “You’ve worked so hard for this.”
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“There’s something I need to talk to you about,” he said, looking a bit hesitant.
“With our new jobs, we’ll be even busier. Mom has been complaining about her health and suggested moving in with us. She wants to help with taking care of Lisa.”
I frowned.
“Tony, you know how Cynthia feels about our marriage. She never really accepted me.”
“I know, but she insisted,” Tony replied. “And we really could use the help right now.”
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I sighed, unsure.
“Alright, but only because we need the help. And of course, she wants to move in now that things are looking up for us.”
***
A few days later, Cynthia moved in. She entered the house with a big smile, her hands held in front of her, carrying a gift for Lisa.
“Hello, Lisa! Look what Grandma brought you,” she said, handing Lisa a fluffy teddy bear.
“Thank you, Grandma!” Lisa hugged the bear tightly, her eyes sparkling with joy.
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Tony looked at me, hoping I would make an effort. “Thanks, Cynthia. I’m sure Lisa will love it,” I said, forcing a smile.
“Amelie, I know we’ve had our differences,” Cynthia began. “But I want to make this work for Tony and Lisa.”
“I hope so,” I replied cautiously.
***
Days turned into weeks, and I noticed changes in Lisa. She became cranky and sleepy during the day. She wasn’t her usual cheerful self, and it worried me.
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“Lisa, honey, why are you so tired?” I asked one afternoon as she rubbed her eyes.
“I don’t know, Mommy. I just feel sleepy,” she replied, yawning.
That night, as I checked on her, I saw her walking around. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed to be in a daze.
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“Lisa, sweetie, what are you doing?” I whispered, gently taking her by the hand.
She didn’t respond, just continued clutching the teddy bear. I carefully guided her back to bed and tucked her in, feeling a knot of worry in my stomach.
The next morning, over breakfast, I decided to bring it up with Tony.
“Tony, I saw Lisa sleepwalking last night,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. “She was wandering around with that teddy bear your mom gave her.”
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Tony looked surprised. “Really? That’s strange.”
Before he could say more, Cynthia, walking nearby, chimed in.
“Oh, that’s perfectly normal. Tony used to sleepwalk as a child too. There’s nothing to worry about,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
“Are you sure?” I asked, looking at her thoughtfully.
“Absolutely. It’s just a phase,” Cynthia insisted, her tone final.
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I nodded, but the worry didn’t leave me. Later that morning, as Tony was getting ready for work, he suddenly frowned and checked his wallet.
“Amelie, have you seen some money I left in my wallet? It’s missing,” he said, looking puzzled.
“No, I haven’t touched your wallet,” I replied honestly.
Tony sighed. “Maybe I misplaced it. It’s probably just somewhere around.”
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I decided to get my purse to give my husband some money. But I was surprised to find a much larger sum than I had yesterday.
“Tony, look at this. Is this the amount you were missing?” I said, showing him the money.
Tony peered into the purse and nodded. “Yes, that’s exactly how I tied and stored the amount in my wallet yesterday. That’s strange. Maybe you took it by mistake?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m sure I didn’t. It’s really odd.”
How did it get there?
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Tony shrugged, trying to brush it off. “Let’s not worry about it.”
But I couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling. Something was definitely wrong, and I needed to figure out what was happening. That night, I couldn’t sleep, thinking about Lisa and the strange occurrences.
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***
The next few days, I kept a closer eye on Lisa. She was still cranky and tired during the day, and I noticed she clung to the teddy bear more than usual.
I decided to follow her if she sleepwalked again, to see if I could find any answers.
That night, it happened again. I saw Lisa get up from her bed, holding the teddy bear tightly in her arms. This time, her eyes were wide open, but she didn’t seem to notice me.
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She walked out of her room and down the hallway. I quietly followed her, making sure not to wake her. My heart pounded as I watched her small figure move through the dimly lit house.
This time, she went straight to Cynthia’s room. I paused outside the door, straining to hear. I heard Cynthia’s voice, low and insistent.
“Go to your parents’ room… Take the money from the safe, Lisa. Remember, it’s our little secret.”
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My blood ran cold. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I stood frozen for a moment, then hurried back to my room to wake Tony.
“Tony, wake up! You have to see this,” I whispered urgently, shaking him awake.
Tony groggily opened his eyes. “What’s going on, Amelie?”
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“It’s Lisa. She’s in your mom’s room. I heard Cynthia giving her instructions to take money from the safe,” I said, my voice trembling.
Tony sat up, looking frustrated. “Amelie, you’re overreacting. Mom wouldn’t do that.”
“Please, Tony, just come and see,” I begged.
Reluctantly, he got out of bed and followed me to Cynthia’s room. We quietly opened the door and saw both Cynthia and Lisa seemingly asleep. Tony sighed in exasperation.
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“See, they’re both asleep. You’re making a big deal out of nothing,” he said, rubbing his temples.
“No, Tony, I know what I heard,” I insisted.
Frustrated, Tony stomped over to the safe.
“I’ll prove to you that this is all a misunderstanding. The money should be right here. I was going to invest it in my project tomorrow.”
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Then Tony’s face went pale.
“What? No, this has to be a joke. The money was here this morning!” he shouted, his voice filled with anger.
“Tony, it’s not a joke. Your mother is responsible for this,” I said firmly.
The commotion woke everyone up. Cynthia came into the room, looking defensive.
“What’s all this noise about?”
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Tony turned to her, fury in his eyes. “Mom, did you ask Lisa to steal money from the safe?”
Cynthia’s eyes widened, and she started to deny it. “Of course not! How could you even think that?”
Just then, Lisa started to cry, scared and confused by the shouting. I knelt down and gently took her hand.
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“Lisa, sweetie, can you tell us what happened? It’s important.”
Lisa sniffled and nodded. She walked over to my purse and pointed.
Tony looked inside my purse and found the missing money. His face contorted with rage and disbelief.
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“Amelie, how could you? Were you trying to frame my mother?”
“No, Tony! I didn’t know the money was there! It was your mother’s doing!” I protested.
But Tony was too angry to listen.
“This is too much. I can’t deal with this right now. Amelie, I think it’s best if you stay somewhere else for a while. Mom will watch over Lisa.”
“Tony, please, you have to believe me. I’m not the one at fault here!” I pleaded, tears streaming down my face.
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Cynthia stood behind Tony, a look of satisfaction hidden in her eyes.
“It’s for the best, Amelie. We need some time to sort this out.”
My heart was breaking, but I knew I had to find a way to prove the truth and protect my family.
***
In the morning, Tony left for work while I started packing my things. My heart was heavy with sadness and frustration.
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As I gathered my belongings, I went into Lisa’s room and noticed her sitting on the bed, talking to the teddy bear.
“Lisa, sweetie, who are you talking to?” I asked gently, trying not to startle her.
She looked up at me with big, innocent eyes.
“The teddy bear, Mommy. But it doesn’t want to talk anymore.”
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I frowned, feeling a knot of worry. “What do you mean, it doesn’t want to talk anymore?”
Lisa hugged the bear tightly.
“It used to talk to me before bedtime. Grandma said it was our little secret.”
My heart sank. This was worse than I had imagined.
“Lisa, can I borrow the teddy bear for a bit? I need to wash it,” I said, trying to sound casual.
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She hesitated, then answered, “Okay, Mommy. Just be careful with him.”
I didn’t leave the house. I was waiting for the evening to put everything in its place. I had a hunch about what was happening and who was behind it all.
***
That evening, while preparing dinner, Cynthia entered the kitchen. She stood there with her arms crossed, looking smug.
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“Why haven’t you left yet, Amelie? Tony doesn’t want a thief in his house.”
I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “I have some unfinished business, Cynthia. Everything will be resolved when Tony returns.”
Cynthia’s eyes narrowed. “What are you planning?”
“You’ll see,” I replied, turning back to the stove.
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When Tony came home, I was ready.
“Tony, I need to show you something,” I said, holding the teddy bear.
He looked weary. “What is it now, Amelie?”
“Please, just trust me,” I urged.
I brought out the teddy bear and carefully opened it, revealing a small talking device inside.
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“Tony, Lisa wasn’t sleepwalking. She was being manipulated by this device. Cynthia has been using it to give her instructions.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Cynthia shouted, her face turning red. “You’re making this up!”
“Let’s check Cynthia’s room for the other half of the device,” I suggested, keeping my voice steady.
Cynthia backed away, her eyes wide with fear. “No, you can’t go in there!”
Tony, now suspicious, insisted, “Mom, we need to see.”
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I pressed the button on the bear’s device and spoke into it. At that moment, we heard my voice echoing from Cynthia’s room.
Tony rushed in and found the other device hidden under Cynthia’s pillow.
Lisa, hearing the commotion, peeked into the room. “Grandma, are we playing a new game since our secret is out?”
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Tony looked puzzled. “Mom, how did you use the bear to control her?”
Cynthia sighed, wiping her tears. “I put a walkie-talkie inside the teddy bear and another one under my pillow. When Lisa would start sleepwalking, I would whisper instructions to her through the bear. I would tell her to come to my room, and we would play a game. She would take money from your wallet and put it in her mom’s purse, and then back again.”
“Mom, why? Why would you do this?” Tony exclaimed.
In tears, Cynthia finally broke down.
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“At first, it was just to see if it would work. Then it became a way for me to feel in control, to have a role in the family. I didn’t realize how much it would hurt everyone.”
Tony, filled with anger and disappointment, shook his head.
“Mom, this is wrong. You can’t use Lisa like that. If you want to be part of this family, you have to stop these manipulations and respect our lives.”
Realizing her mistakes, Cynthia nodded, her face wet with tears.
“I’m sorry, Tony,” Cynthia said, her voice trembling with emotion.
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“I just wanted to feel needed. I promise I’ll do better. I’ll only visit on weekends and spend time with Lisa occasionally.”
Tony looked at me. “Amelie, what do you think?” he asked softly.
I took a deep breath, trying to hold back my tears.
“Cynthia, we all make mistakes. But if you truly want to be part of this family, you need to accept us and respect our boundaries. I think it would be good for Lisa to spend time with her grandmother.”
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Cynthia nodded, wiping her tears.
“I understand. I’ll respect your family’s peace and unity.”
I smiled faintly, looking at my sleepy daughter and feeling a glimmer of hope.
“Let’s take it one step at a time and work together to create a loving environment for Lisa.”
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Cynthia reached out and took my hand.
“Thank you, Amelie. I promise I’ll make it right.”
The truth was finally out, and now we could begin the process of rebuilding our trust and unity. It wouldn’t be easy, but with love and understanding, we could overcome this challenge together.
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If you enjoyed this story, read this one: Six-year-old Ethan had recently lost his mother, leaving a deep void in his heart. In his grief, he started writing letters to her, pouring out his feelings on paper. One day, while wandering the streets, he stumbled upon an old, rusty mailbox at an abandoned house. He decided to slip one of his letters inside, never expecting anyone to see it. To his astonishment, the very next day, he found a mysterious reply waiting for him.
Man Was Shocked by What He Found in the Trunk of an Old Car Abandoned in the Forest
Paul’s quiet weekend photography trip turned into an unexpected adventure when he discovered an old car abandoned in the forest. Inside the trunk, a mysterious parcel with a faded label led him on a quest that unraveled a decade-old mystery and altered his fate.
“Just a bit more to the left… perfect! Got it!” Paul muttered to himself, adjusting the lens of his camera. He crouched low, capturing the dew-kissed petals of a wildflower.
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The early morning light streamed through the forest canopy, casting a golden glow over everything. Paul, a 32-year-old clerk with a deep passion for photography, felt his heart swell with satisfaction.
Paul lived for moments like this. During the week, he worked a mundane job at an office, filing paperwork and answering phone calls. But on weekends, he transformed into an adventurer, exploring the hidden corners of the country with his camera.
A photographer standing on top of a mountain | Source: Pexels
His dream was to become a professional photographer, but so far, his unique approach to photography hadn’t been appreciated by the industry insiders he contacted.
“They’ll see it one day,” he often told himself. His weekends were devoted to building a portfolio that would one day land him a job in a prestigious photography company. His friends and family admired his dedication, even if they didn’t fully understand it.
One day, Paul was sitting in his office, tapping his pen against the desk, his mind wandering away from the dull stack of paperwork in front of him.
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He discreetly pulled out his phone and opened the map app, searching for his next photography adventure. Hunched over his table, he zoomed into a green spot on the map. It was a little far away from the city. There, he found a remote forest.
This place looks perfect for wildlife shots, he mused, imagining the untouched beauty he might capture. The thought of his camera and the wild unknown lifted his spirits, momentarily transporting him away from his mundane office routine.
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Upon further research, Paul learned that the forest was rarely visited. It was a haven for animals undisturbed by human presence. Paul knew the demand for wildlife photography was high, and he was eager to expand his portfolio by visiting the forest with his camera.
The following weekend, Paul set out early. The forest was 130 miles away from the city, a journey that took him deep into the wilderness.
“Here we go,” he said aloud as he parked his car at the beginning of the forest.
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After locking his car, he set off on foot, hiking further into the dense woods. The path was barely visible, overgrown with vines and underbrush. It was clear that no cars had driven here in ages.
As he ventured deeper, the forest grew eerily quiet. The sounds of the city were long gone, replaced by the occasional rustle of leaves and distant bird calls. Paul couldn’t shake a growing sense of unease.
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What if a wild animal attacks me? Or worse, what if I get lost or hurt? he thought, his mind racing with possibilities. The nearest hospital was over 150 miles away, and he hadn’t seen another person since he left his car.
But his determination pushed him forward. He had to find the perfect shot, the one that would finally get him noticed. After hiking for about five miles, he stumbled upon something unexpected.
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An old, rusty car lay abandoned in a small clearing, partially covered by foliage. It looked like it had been there for years.
“What is this doing here?” Paul muttered, his curiosity piqued. He approached the car cautiously, peering through the dirty windows. The interior was a mess, with torn seats and a cracked dashboard. But it was the trunk that caught his attention. It was slightly ajar, as if inviting him to open it.
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With a deep breath, Paul reached for the trunk. “Please don’t be something awful,” he whispered, more to himself than anything else.
He lifted the lid, and what he saw made him freeze. Inside the trunk was an old wooden box wrapped in a transparent bag. The package was sealed and had a shipping label pasted on it.
A delivery parcel in the middle of the forest? Paul thought. He was shocked. He wasn’t expecting to stumble across a mysterious wooden box on his weekend adventure.
A man holding a parcel | Source: Midjourney
Although the label was faded, Paul could still read the name and address printed on it. The recipient was a woman named Martha. However, the date written on it had faded, making it impossible to determine how old the parcel was.
I should open this, Paul thought, curiosity gnawing at him. But his morals stopped him. It didn’t feel right to invade someone’s privacy.
The address on the package seemed unfamiliar, but when Paul searched it on his phone, he found out it wasn’t too far away. He could easily drive there and deliver the wooden box.
A man holding his phone in a forest | Source: Midjourney
Should I really go there? What if I get into trouble? he thought.
Paul was unsure, but thinking about the adventure that lay ahead of him made him feel excited. I’ll go, he thought as he closed the trunk. Let’s see where this mysterious parcel takes me.
The forest, which had seemed so intimidating earlier, now felt like the starting point of a grand adventure. Paul’s hands trembled with excitement as he carefully tucked the parcel into his backpack.
He hiked back to his car and left the forest.
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The drive to the address led him to a neighboring city he hadn’t visited before. The streets were unfamiliar, lined with old houses and narrow lanes.
He finally arrived at the address, a quaint, weathered house with ivy climbing its walls. Paul took a deep breath and knocked on the door. After a moment, a young girl appeared behind the glass panel, her curious eyes studying him.
“Hi, I’m Paul. Do you know a woman named Martha?” he asked, holding up the parcel.
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The girl’s eyes widened in surprise as she opened the door. “Martha was my grandmother. She passed away a few years ago. I’m Veronica. What’s this about?”
Paul handed her the box. “I found this in an old car in the forest. The address led me here.”
Veronica took the box, her hands trembling slightly. She opened it carefully, revealing climbing equipment and personal belongings. Her eyes filled with recognition and emotion.
“These belong to my grandfather. He went on a mountain climbing expedition ten years ago and never came back. We searched for him for years,” Veronica said, her voice breaking.
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“Really?” Paul asked. “Where did he go? Did you guys manage to find him?”
“No. We never found him,” she said.
“So, do you think that car I found belongs to your grandfather?”
“My grandfather didn’t own a car,” Veronica revealed. “I know how this box got there. Soon after his disappearance, a man contacted my grandmother. He said he had found my grandfather’s belongings at the base camp along with her phone number. He promised to deliver them but he never did. I have no idea what happened to him.”
A sad woman | Source: Midjourney
Paul listened, feeling the weight of the story. “I’m sorry for your loss. I hope this brings you some closure.”
Veronica nodded, wiping away a tear. “Thank you, Paul. This means a lot to our family. What were you doing in the forest, anyway?”
“I was on a photography expedition,” Paul replied, smiling. “It’s my passion. I take photos in my free time, hoping to build a portfolio that will get me hired as a photographer.”
“That’s interesting!” Veronica exclaimed. “My uncle, Stewart, owns a company looking to hire photographers. I could connect you two.”
A woman talking to a man | Source: Midjourney
Paul’s heart raced. “That would be amazing. Thank you so much, Veronica.”
A few days later, Paul found himself in Stewart’s office, his portfolio laid out on the desk. Stewart flipped through the photos, nodding appreciatively.
“These are impressive, Paul,” Stewart said, finally looking up. “We could use someone with your eye for detail and creativity. How would you like to join our team?”
Paul’s eyes widened in disbelief. “I’d love to! Thank you so much.”
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Stewart smiled. “Welcome aboard. We’ll discuss the details, but I assure you, the salary will be more than what you’re currently earning.”
Paul left the office, feeling like he was walking on air. The trip to the forest had indeed been life-changing. Not only had he helped Veronica and her family find some closure, but he had also found the opportunity he’d been dreaming of.
As he drove back home, Paul couldn’t help but think about the strange twist of fate that had led him here. His passion for photography had taken him on an unexpected journey, one that had changed his life in ways he could never have imagined.
And it all started with a forgotten parcel in the trunk of an old car.
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