When I agreed to go on vacation with my fiancé, Matt, and his twin daughters, I thought it would mark the start of a new chapter for us. Instead, I came back from the pool to a mysterious note that left me more confused than ever. And when we returned home, an unexpected revelation awaited me.
I met Matt three years ago at a charity event. He was charismatic, confident, and had a deep love for his daughters that melted my heart from the start. Ella and Sophie, his five-year-old twins, were sweet and well-behaved, a reflection of Matt’s dedication as a father.
His girls had tragically lost their mother when they were only one year old, and Matt had been both mother and father to them ever since. I didn’t have much experience with children, but I bonded with them quickly. They would share stories from school, and before I knew it, I was completely taken by them.
One evening, after a long day, Matt appeared at my apartment with the girls. They were holding homemade cards decorated with glitter.
“We made this for you,” Ella said, smiling as she handed me the card. Inside, it read, “Thank you for being part of our family.”
I was stunned. Before Matt, I’d been with men who were terrified of commitment. I had endured countless awkward dates with men who couldn’t imagine settling down. But in that moment, looking into Matt’s eyes and the bright smiles of his daughters, I knew I had found the family I’d been longing for.
That’s why, when Matt proposed after a dinner the girls helped prepare a week later, my answer was immediate and without hesitation. Finally, everything seemed to be falling into place, and I couldn’t wait to start our life together. I moved in with Matt as soon as I could, and we began planning our wedding. I had strong ideas about the flowers, my dress, the girls’ outfits, and the venue. As a type-A personality, I was fully immersed in the details. However, after a couple of months, Matt started to feel overwhelmed.
“How about we take a little break before the wedding chaos begins?” Matt suggested one night as we lay in bed. “A family vacation, just the four of us. It’ll be a nice getaway before all the craziness starts.”
Though I had a million things to do, including work, I agreed. I needed a break. We booked a trip to a quiet resort on an island.
The first two days were perfect. Ella and Sophie couldn’t stop laughing as they splashed around in the pool, and I loved watching them build sandcastles with Matt on the beach.
“Dorothy, look!” Sophie called, pointing to a sandcastle she had decorated with seashells. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
“It’s gorgeous,” I said, snapping a photo with my phone.
Matt walked over, brushing the sand off his hands. “Ice cream, girls?”
“Yes!” they shouted in unison, running ahead.
Matt put his arm around me. “This was a great idea. We really needed this.”
I smiled and leaned against him. “Yeah, we really did.”
I was savoring the moment, grateful for the perfect family time, knowing that most people didn’t get to experience this. But everything changed on the third afternoon.
Matt had decided to stay in the hotel room that morning. He was feeling tired, but the girls wanted to swim more, so I took them to the pool. By noon, Matt still hadn’t come down, and he wasn’t answering my calls, so I gathered the girls and we headed back to our room.
The girls were excitedly chatting about the new friends they had made at the pool, but I was distracted. As I opened the door to our room, something felt off. At first, everything appeared normal. But as I stepped inside, my instincts told me something was wrong. That’s when I noticed Matt’s suitcase was gone.
The room was spotless, the beds neatly made, and housekeeping had clearly been through. I went into the bathroom and saw only my things and the girls’ items.
His clothes, his toiletries, even his phone charger were gone.
“Dorothy, where’s Dad?” Ella asked, tugging at my hand.
My heart began to race. I shook my head and then, in the corner of my eye, I spotted it—a note on the nightstand. It simply read: “I have to disappear. You’ll understand soon.”
I sank onto the bed, trembling, holding the note in my hands. Disappear? What did that mean? Was he in danger? Were we?
“Dorothy, are you okay?” Sophie whispered, her big eyes filled with concern.
I forced a smile, trying to stay calm. I couldn’t let the girls see my panic.
“I’m fine, sweetie,” I said. “Let’s get cleaned up and go downstairs for some ice cream. I’m sure Dad is downstairs too.”
The girls cheered up and went to the bathroom together, and I was relieved they hadn’t noticed my anxiety. I had to keep it together, at least for now, until I figured out what was going on.
I asked the bellboy about Matt. He had seen him with his suitcase, leaving in a cab. I tried calling him again—still no answer.
Later, I finally managed to get the girls to sleep. I told them that their dad had to leave early, but the lie felt like a weight in my chest. Alone on the balcony, I stared at my phone’s screen, the silence between us growing unbearable.
Still no word from Matt. I couldn’t help but wonder—had he backed out of our future? Was there something he hadn’t told me?
I called the front desk again to check if they’d heard anything. No news. I left more messages on his phone, but there was no response.
The next morning, with no answers, I had no choice but to pack our bags and return home.