I Created a Tinder Profile for My Lonely Mother, but Regretted It When I Saw Who Was Messaging Her

My mom gave up everything to raise me. After my dad bailed, she was always there for me, the only one. All I wanted was to do something nice for her. So, I figured it wasn’t too late for her to find love on a dating app. But Lord, what I definitely DIDN’T EXPECT was finding out who she was going on a date with!

My name is Lucy, and I’m 23 years old. Like I usually do on weekends, I went to visit my mother, Phoebe, one weekend.

I am her only daughter, and she has no one else. My father left the family when I was very young, and since then, my mother has always been alone.

I was her main priority, and with all the care she gave me, she never had time for her personal life. My mother is 56, and finding a partner at her age is not easy, but I stayed optimistic about helping her.

We were at her house, and I was standing there with my phone, taking pictures of her and showing her how to pose.

The afternoon sun streamed through the window, casting a warm glow in the living room. The room was cozy, filled with family photos and mementos of my childhood.

“Mom, stand by the window,” I instructed, trying to capture the best light. “No, not like that, more gracefully, like a cat.”

“A cat? Lucy, at my age?” Mom replied shyly, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

“It’s never too late to feel like a woman. Listen to what I say. And don’t look at the camera. Pretend you’re gazing mysteriously out the window…”

Phoebe hesitated but complied, standing by the window with a slight tilt to her head, looking out with a soft, pensive expression.

“Oh… Hold still… Got it!” I exclaimed, snapping the picture. I showed it to her with a big smile. “See? You look amazing, Mom!”

She looked at the photo, and a small smile crept onto her face. “You think so?”

“Absolutely! This is perfect for your Tinder profile,” I said, editing the photo a bit before uploading it.

“Sweetheart, are you sure this is a good idea? I’m not young anymore; who would want me there…” she trailed off, doubt evident in her voice.

“Mom! Don’t say that about yourself. Life doesn’t end at fifty! Love knows no age!” I said firmly, looking into her eyes to emphasize my words. “You deserve to find happiness too.”

Together, we worked on adding a description for her profile. We laughed as we brainstormed the right words to describe her warm heart, love for gardening, and passion for cooking.

“How about this: ‘Loving mother and avid gardener looking for someone to share laughs and good meals with. Believes love is timeless and life is full of surprises.’ What do you think?” I asked.

Phoebe chuckled softly. “It sounds lovely, Lucy. Thank you for doing this for me.”

“Of course, Mom. You deserve to find someone special,” I said, giving her a hug. “Now, let me show you how to use the app.”

After a quick tutorial on swiping left and right, I felt confident that she was ready to dive into the world of online dating.

We shared one last laugh over the absurdity of it all before I said goodbye and headed back home, feeling hopeful about what the future might hold for her.

The next day, I arrived at the office, and as usual, my workday began with coffee and gossip with my office friend, Natalie.

The office kitchen buzzed with early morning chatter as we grabbed our coffees and settled at a table in the corner. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, creating a comforting start to the day.

Natalie immediately leaned in, her eyes twinkling with excitement. “You won’t believe this, Lucy. Michael, our boss, has been looking at his phone all day and smiling like a kid.”

I raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Michael? Smiling? What’s going on with him?”

Natalie grinned, her excitement palpable. “A woman. I’m sure he has someone. I mean, it’s the only explanation. Michael is always so focused on work and never distracted. But today, he’s been glued to his phone, smiling like a teenager in love.”

The thought of Michael, our workaholic boss, being smitten was amusing. We had never seen him with a woman, let alone acting like this.

“We have to find out who it is!” I declared, my curiosity piqued.

At that moment, we devised a plan. Natalie approached Michael, carrying a stack of documents. “Michael, could you take a look? I can’t seem to find last week’s report,” she said, feigning confusion.

Michael sighed, setting his phone aside reluctantly. “Natalie, you’ve worked here for years. Let me see,” he replied, taking the documents from her.

While Michael was distracted by Natalie, I quietly took his phone from the desk. My heart raced as I opened it, not knowing what to expect. But I wasn’t prepared for what I saw.

It was my mother! He was messaging my mom! Their conversation had been going on since last night. My mind raced as I scrolled through the messages.

They had already arranged a date for that evening; Mom had invited him to dinner at her place. Panic set in. “No, no, this can’t be! Not this,” I thought frantically. How could this be real?

Why him, Mom? I couldn’t imagine how awkward it would be to work with my boss as my future stepfather. No! I couldn’t let it happen. I had to stop it.

When Natalie and I reconvened, she immediately began asking, “So, who is it? Do you know her?”

I forced a smile and lied, “Oh, just some girl. Nothing special.” Inside, I was panicking. I needed to come up with a plan to prevent Michael from going on that date. If he went, it would ruin everything. My mind raced with possible solutions.

The workday was coming to an end, and I saw Michael hurrying to finish his work. It was so unusual because Michael was always the last to leave.

But I knew where he was rushing to, and it was crucial to ensure he didn’t make it. Seeing Michael packing up, I approached him with my laptop.

“Michael, do you have a minute?” I asked, trying to sound casual despite my racing heart.

“I’m in a bit of a hurry… But sure, what do you need?” he replied, glancing at the clock.

“I can’t get this report right. Could you please check if everything is correct?” I handed him my laptop, hoping he wouldn’t notice the deliberate errors I had planted.

Michael sighed and took the laptop from me. “Alright, let’s see what you’ve got,” he said, opening the file and starting to review the report.

As he went through the report, pointing out mistakes and explaining corrections, I couldn’t help but notice his project on his computer screen.

It was a project he had been diligently working on all day to complete before his date. My heart pounded as I realized he would finish in no time.

“Lucy, I didn’t expect these kinds of mistakes from you; you usually do great work. What’s going on?” he asked, looking up at me with concern.

“Sorry, I’m not feeling well,” I mumbled, trying to hide my anxiety.

Michael finished reviewing the report much faster than I had anticipated. “It’s done. Now, please don’t distract me; I need to finish a few things,” he said, quickly pushing my laptop aside and reopening his project file.

Panic surged through me. Fearful he would finish in time, I did something horrible. Next to Michael’s laptop was a cup of coffee. I knocked it over, pretending it was an accident, and it spilled all over his laptop.

“No! Lucy, what have you done!?” Michael shouted, grabbing the laptop and trying to save it. But it was too late. The laptop wouldn’t start.

“Oh, I’m so sorry…” I stammered, guilt washing over me.

Michael looked at the laptop in disappointment, then checked the time on his phone and sighed sadly. He typed something on his phone and slowly took off his coat, sitting back at his desk. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s okay… I’ll have to redo the project on another computer. Don’t worry about it,” he said, clearly frustrated.

I felt terrible. Until I saw the result of my actions, I hadn’t realized what I had done. But it was done, and nothing could change it. Mom probably wouldn’t be too upset; she would find a better match. That’s what I told myself to feel better.

Returning to my desk, I felt even worse. I was a terrible daughter, colleague, and person. I called my mom and heard her quiet, sad voice.

“Maybe this isn’t for me, sweetheart. I think I’ll stop using the app; it’s too hard for me,” she said softly.

“Mom, don’t worry, I’ll come over tonight,” I replied, my heart breaking.

I knew I had to fix things. So I went to Michael’s office once more. “Michael, do you have a minute?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

“There is one more thing I want to ask you…” I needed to make things right.

That evening, I knocked on my mom’s door. My heart raced as I waited, knowing I had to come clean. The door opened, and there stood my mother, looking shocked as she saw me standing with Michael.

“Lucy? What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice filled with surprise.

Michael looked equally bewildered. “Why did you bring me here, Lucy?” he asked. He had been kind enough to give me a ride after work, not knowing I had a bigger plan in mind.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “Mom, Michael, I need to confess something. I tried to sabotage your date,” I blurted out, feeling a mix of guilt and relief.

Phoebe’s eyes widened in confusion. “What are you talking about, sweetheart?”

Michael frowned, looking between me and my mom. “Lucy, what do you mean?”

I felt the weight of my actions pressing down on me. “Phoebe is my mom. When I found out you were going on a date, I panicked and only thought about myself. I worried about how it would affect me and focused only on my feelings. In my selfishness, I forgot how this would impact you,” I admitted, my voice trembling.

Phoebe’s expression softened as she stepped closer. “Lucy, why would you do that? You know I haven’t dated in so long.”

“I know, Mom. And that’s why I feel so terrible,” I said, my eyes filling with tears. “I was scared and selfish. I didn’t think about how happy this could make you. I was only thinking about myself and how awkward it would be to have my boss as my stepfather.”

Michael looked thoughtful, his initial shock giving way to understanding. “Lucy, I had no idea Phoebe was your mother. But I appreciate your honesty. It takes courage to admit you were wrong.”

I nodded, wiping away a tear. “I’m really sorry. Now, I realize that you two might be perfect for each other. Maybe fate brought you together because you’ve both had such a hard time finding someone.”

Phoebe smiled gently. “Sweetheart, I understand why you felt that way. But you need to know that my happiness means the world to me, and if Michael can bring that happiness, then we should give it a chance.”

Michael nodded in agreement. “Lucy, your mom is a wonderful woman. I would be honored to get to know her better.”

I felt a sense of relief wash over me. “Now that you know the truth, I just want to say one thing. No matter what happens, if you’re happy, then I’m happier. I hope I can fix my mistake.”

Phoebe gave me a warm hug. “You already have, sweetheart. Thank you for being honest.”

She then turned to Michael and invited him inside. “Come on in, Michael. Let’s have that dinner.”

Michael smiled and stepped inside. “Thank you, Phoebe.”

My mom looked at me and extended the invitation. “Would you like to join us, Lucy?”

I shook my head with a smile. “No, Mom. This evening should be yours. Enjoy it.”

As the door closed behind them, I felt a surge of joy. I got into my car and drove home, feeling lighter and happier. After all, I was right—love knows no age.

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My Best Friend Set Me Up at Work to Get Me Fired So She Could Take My Promotion

Kera and Sam were more than best friends; they were family. They built their careers together, side by side, until a promotion turned everything into a competition. When Kera is accused of theft, she thinks her life is over… until an unexpected secret is exposed. In the end, she learns that betrayal runs deep, but karma cuts deeper.

I always thought betrayal would come with warning signs, like whispers behind my back, a shift in tone, something to tip me off before the knife slid in.

But no.

An upset woman | Source: Midjourney

Instead, betrayal came with a smile. With a hug. With the promise of friendship.

My name is Kera. I’m twenty-eight years old, and everything I have now, I built from nothing.

I was left at an orphanage as a baby. There was no note, no explanation. Nothing. Just an abandoned girl who grew up bouncing between foster homes, learning that while people wanted to be nice, the only person she could truly rely on was herself.

A little girl playing with toys | Source: Midjourney

That was until Sam.

We met when we were eight, two kids with no families, clinging to each other like lifelines. We learned to cook together, sneaking into the orphanage kitchen at night to steal peanut butter or test recipes that we saw on TV.

We dreamed of becoming chefs, of running our own restaurant someday.

“One day, Kera,” Sam said. “One day, we’ll have big kitchens and lots of money! And we can buy all the food we want.”

“I know,” I said, smiling.

A smiling teenage girl | Source: Midjourney

It felt good to dream. It felt good to look forward to something. To see a future that was bigger than we ever thought we could have.

And we worked for it, too.

We got into culinary school on scholarships and hopes. And, surprisingly, we graduated at the top of our class. We thrived on creativity and passion. On the days we felt like giving up, we pushed through. We pushed each other, and if we fell, we fell together.

“I’ll always be here, Sammy,” I told her one day after we ended up in the ER.

A woman standing in an ER | Source: Midjourney

Sam had been too enthusiastic when chopping up herbs and had an incident with a knife.

“I know, K,” she said, smiling through her painkillers. “It’s together or nothing, right, sis?”

Eventually, we landed jobs at one of the best restaurants in the city. We didn’t know how Lady Luck kept shining on us, but we were grateful that she did.

Side by side, Sam and I climbed the ranks, proving ourselves in the brutal, high-pressure world of professional kitchens.

A woman working in a professional kitchen | Source: Midjourney

So when the head chef position opened up, we were both the top candidates.

That day, after the announcement, Sam pulled me aside.

“No matter what happens, let’s not let this ruin our friendship, okay?” she said, squeezing my hand.

I smiled.

A woman working in a professional kitchen | Source: Midjourney

“Of course,” I said. “Nothing changes. But I am starving. Let’s get some food on our break. A greasy cheeseburger from that place down the road sounds like it would hit the spot.”

She smiled back, but there was something… off. A little too much relief in her voice, like she already knew how this would play out.

“Sure,” she said. “Let’s meet there. I have something to do first. A pharmacy run, you know.”

The interior of a pharmacy | Source: Midjourney

I ignored the feeling. Sam was my best friend, after all.

But I shouldn’t have ignored any of my feelings. The first worrying sign was when Sam didn’t meet me for lunch during our break. She just didn’t show up.

That evening, after the dinner service, I was cleaning up my station when our boss, Chef Reynard, stormed into the kitchen. His face was like stone, his sharp blue eyes locking onto mine.

Food on a pass in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney

“I didn’t expect this from you, Kera!” he thundered. “I thought you were better…”

Silence fell. The entire staff froze, utensils clattering, conversations dying mid-sentence.

“Chef?” I swallowed hard.

He turned to the room.

“Everyone, to the break room. Now!”

An upset chef | Source: Midjourney

The weight of his words sank into my stomach like lead. Something was very, very wrong. What was Chef on about?

We filed in, confused, exchanging nervous glances. Chef Reynard stood at the front, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

“This evening, during an inventory check, something was found,” he said. “Stolen black caviar. In Kera’s bag.”

I stopped breathing. I broke out into a sweat. I felt dizzy.

A woman’s bag | Source: Midjourney

My bag?

My stomach twisted into a hundred knots.

“That’s impossible!” I gasped.

Chef Reynard didn’t react.

“I announced earlier today that I’d be doing an inspection. Someone’s been stealing from my kitchen.”

His eyes were sharp, scanning the room.

A pantry | Source: Midjourney

“And tonight… I found this.”

He held up a small glass jar of caviar, the kind we only used for high-end VIP guests who ordered top-shelf alcohol like it was absolutely nothing.

I stared at Chef’s hand, looking at the glass jar like it was a snake, waiting to strike.

“I didn’t take that,” I said, my voice hoarse. “I swear on my life, Chef. I would never… I would never jeopardize my position here!”

“Then, Kera, how did it end up in your bag?” His voice was calm but firm.

A jar of caviar | Source: Midjourney

I opened my mouth, then shut it. I didn’t have an answer. I felt dizzy.

Sam sat beside me, her hands clasped in her lap. She wouldn’t meet my eyes. She didn’t offer an encouraging smile. Or a hand squeeze.

A sick feeling curdled in my gut.

Chef Reynard exhaled.

“Tell me why I shouldn’t fire you right now.”

An angry chef | Source: Midjourney

I froze.

“Come, Kera. Tell me.”

Tears burned behind my eyes.

I looked around the room, at my coworkers, at the people I had worked beside for years. Some of them looked skeptical. Some looked outright disappointed.

But Sam?

She just sat there. Silent.

A woman sitting | Source: Midjourney

That’s when I knew.

She knew about the inspection. She was the one who did it. Her eyebrows were furrowed like they always were when she was up to something.

Chef Reynard had been on the phone earlier that morning, talking about the missing inventory, saying that he planned to check bags after our shift. But I hadn’t thought anything of it. There was no reason for me to.

But Sam had overheard. When we were changing into our uniform in the locker room she smacked my arm to make me stop talking so that she could hear what Chef was saying.

A woman looking down | Source: Midjourney

But… Sam? Would she really do that to me? Or was my imagination just running wild because the thought of me losing my job was so… close?

I felt the knife twist before I even knew it was there.

I stood up, my throat closing.

“I…” I couldn’t even get the words out.

“I should go…”

An upset woman | Source: Midjourney

Chef Reynard didn’t say anything. He just looked at me for a moment, his eyes softening.

I wanted to cry. I wanted to curl into a ball and just cry for a few hours. My career, everything that I had worked so hard for, was over.

I turned toward the door, my heart shattering.

“Stop, Kera,” he said.

I turned back, blinking through tears.

A door in a restaurant kitchen | Source: Midjourney

Chef Reynard reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ultraviolet flashlight.

The room went still again.

“There’s a security measure in place,” he said, his voice even. “I have marked all the caviar jars with an invisible, transparent ink, one that leaves residue on anyone who touches it. This is the new batch, and no one has worked with these yet, so only the person who stole the jar would have the stuff on their hands.”

A ripple of murmurs swept through the staff.

A flashlight | Source: Midjourney

He held the jar under the light, and sure enough, a faint, glowing mark was smeared along the lid.

“We started doing this a few years ago when we had another case of sticky fingers. One of our waiters was walking away with our caviar and bottles of champagne, ready to sell on the internet.”

Then he turned the light to his hands. They were clean except for his fingers, where he had held the jar moments before.

His eyes met mine, and he almost smiled.

Bottles of champagne | Source: Midjourney

“Everyone, hands out. Now.”

One by one, we stretched our arms out as he held the light to them.

Nothing.

Dirty nails.

Nothing.

Then…

A faint glow appeared on someone’s fingertips.

Ink on a woman’s hand | Source: Midjourney

That’s when the entire world tilted.

Sam.

The soft blue stain lit up on her skin, it was unmistakable. A choked sound left my throat. My best friend, my sister, sat there, caught red-handed.

Chef Reynard stared at her in disbelief.

“I need you to explain yourself,” Chef said.

“I… Chef…” Sam tried to say, her face drained of color.

A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney

“I never thought someone would do this to their best friend,” he said quietly.

Then, his voice hardened and his face darkened, anger taking over.

“You set her up? You set Kera up? You were willing to destroy her career for a promotion?”

Her mouth opened, desperate.

“Maybe someone else touched it before me… and I touched something they touched.”

An angry chef | Source: Midjourney

Chef Reynard didn’t even blink.

“Just go, Sam.”

I watched her grasp for anything to save herself. But there was nothing.

She knew it.

I knew it.

She stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the tiles. Her eyes flicked to me, just for a second.

An upset woman | Source: Midjourney

And in that second, I saw something that made my blood boil.

Sam didn’t think she’d get caught.

She wasn’t sorry. She was angry.

She stormed out, and just like that, she was gone.

The room was silent.

I was still shaking. I felt betrayed and hurt, heartache worse than I’d ever felt before.

A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney

“Kera,” Chef Reynard said.

“I meant what I said,” he continued. “I don’t tolerate thieves in my kitchen. And I couldn’t believe that it was you. I just… couldn’t. Let’s go to my office.”

We went to his office. I followed him quietly, my hands still shaking.

“Kera,” he said, sitting down. “I didn’t want to believe it because I had just drawn up something for you. But I need you to know that I don’t tolerate people who betray their own.”

An office | Source: Midjourney

He placed a single piece of paper in front of me.

A contract.

“You worked your butt off for this place, my girl,” he said. “I’ve noticed it from the beginning. And you’ve earned your spot as head chef.”

I took a deep breath.

“I had nothing to do with Sam’s actions,” I said. “Absolutely nothing.”

A contract on an office desk | Source: Midjourney

He smiled and held a pen out for me.

And I signed my name.

After my shift, I stopped at a food truck on my way home, trying to wrap my mind around everything. How was I going to go to our apartment and face Sam?

I wanted to slap her for almost costing me my job, but I was also worried about what she was going to do next.

I had been saving over the years. Sam had not, wanting to spend everything on clothing and alcohol. I highly doubted she had any savings, or at least enough to get by until she got a new job.

People outside a food truck | Source: Midjourney

But I shouldn’t have worried.

When I walked into our apartment, Jenna, our roommate, was sitting on the couch playing video games. Sam was nowhere to be seen.

“She’s gone,” Jenna said, pausing the game.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“She’s gone. She packed up, and some guy named Dylan came to help her take her things. She said to tell you that she wanted more for herself and that she needs to find her happiness out of your shadow.”