My Billionaire Dad Got Arrested, So I Used a Magic Watch to Save Him… But I Saved My Dead Mom Instead
The Ripple Effect
The year flew by. I knew my time was running out. The watch was counting down the seconds until my return.
On the final day, I hugged my mother tighter than I ever had. “I love you,” I said. “No matter what happens, I love you.”
“I love you too, my sweet girl,” she said, kissing my forehead. “You’ve changed this year, Abby. You’re so… mature. So brave.”
“I had to be,” I said.
The world dissolved. The pull of the present yanked me back.
I landed on the floor of the foster home. The dust, the cats, the smell of herbs. It was all the same. My heart sank. Had it worked? Had anything changed?
“Abby?”
It was Ezra. He was holding a phone. “It’s for you.”
I stood up, my legs wobbly. I took the phone. “Hello?”
“Abby! Did you pack the sunscreen?”
The voice was clear. It was happy. It was her.
“Mom?” I whispered, the room spinning.
“Who else? Listen, the movers are here. Are you ready to go to the airport? Grandma and Grandpa are so excited to see us.”
I looked at Jadis. She was standing in the doorway, winking at me.
“Where… where are we going?” I asked into the phone.
“Thailand, silly! We’re moving today. Remember? We decided to leave your father. We signed the divorce papers months ago. We’re free, Abby.”
She was alive. In this timeline, my encouragement, my push for her to leave him, had changed her stress levels, her environment, her choices. Maybe it changed the timeline of her illness, or maybe getting away from his toxicity saved her life. I didn’t care about the science. I just cared that she was there.
“And Dad?” I asked.
“Still dealing with his lawyers,” she said dismissively. “But that’s not our problem anymore.”
I hung up the phone, tears streaming down my face. I turned to Jadis and Ezra.
“She’s alive,” I said. “She’s waiting for me.”
Ezra grinned. “Told you. Focus on what’s worth holding onto.”
Reflection
I packed my bags for the last time. Leaving the foster home was bittersweet. Jadis let me keep the watch, though the digital display was now blank. It was just a piece of metal now, a souvenir from a life I had rewritten.
I walked out to the car where my mom was waiting. She looked radiant. We were going to Thailand. We were going to live in a simple house near my grandparents. No private jets. No billions. Just us.
I realized that my father’s arrest was the catalyst, but it wasn’t the tragedy. The tragedy was living a life where we pretended to be happy. I had used magic to fix my past, but the real magic was realizing that money couldn’t save my dad, but love could save my mom.
Great job, me. Time travel, mission number three? Totally nailed it.
Looking back, I realize how naive I was to think I could simply ‘fix’ my father. His corruption was a part of his character, not just a singular mistake I could erase. The magic watch didn’t just give me time; it gave me perspective. It forced me to prioritize the relationships that actually nurtured me over the ones that drained me. I traded a life of hollow luxury for a life of modest substance, and in doing so, I got the one thing money could never buy: more time with the person who actually loved me.
✦ You cannot save people who do not wish to be saved, but you can change your own future by cherishing those who truly love you.
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Disclaimer
This story is a work of fiction inspired by real events. Names, characters, and details have been altered. Any resemblance is coincidental. The author and publisher disclaim accuracy, liability, and responsibility for interpretations or reliance. If you would like to share your story, please send it to [email protected].
