My father-in-law, Frank, has always been one of those people who never miss an opportunity to scam others for their own benefit.

I’ve witnessed him do that multiple times, but I never thought I’d see the day when his tricks would backfire so spectacularly, leaving him red-faced and scrambling for an exit.

I’ve known Frank for about nine years now. I first met him when Ethan and I started dating, and Ethan introduced us over dinner at a restaurant. That was the first time I saw Frank trying to scam a restaurant.

The waiters served our food, and we began eating. I ordered pasta, Ethan got a sandwich, and Frank ordered a bowl of rice with sesame chicken.

“The chicken is so delicious!” Frank said, enjoying his meal.

“Yeah, even this sandwich tastes great,” Ethan added.

I thought Frank was just appreciating the restaurant’s food and service. But no. Frank had something else in mind, and what he did next caught me completely off guard.

“Let me show you how to get more of the same meal for free!” he said before calling a waiter over to our table.

“How can I help you, sir?” the waiter asked politely.

“This chicken tastes awful!” Frank said angrily, shaking his head in disapproval. “I can’t believe you’re serving such tasteless meals. The flavor is bland, and it’s not even properly cooked.”

“I’m so sorry, sir,” the waiter apologized. “I’ll get a replacement right away.”

“Hurry up!” Frank snapped. “I don’t have time to waste here. You better return with something that’s properly cooked!”

The waiter looked panicked, apologizing as if he was at fault. He took away the half-eaten meal that Frank pretended to dislike, promising to return in five minutes.

Once the waiter left, Frank flashed us an evil smile like he had pulled off something impressive.

At that point, I wanted to ask Frank why he lied to get another meal for free. It wasn’t like he didn’t have money, or he was dying of hunger.

What he did was so cheap, but I believed I was not in a position to make him realize how wrong he was.

Later that night, I asked Ethan why his father did that.

“He’s always been like this,” Ethan sighed. “He thinks it’s funny and he never listens when we tell him it’s wrong. We’ve tried a million times, trust me.”

“But didn’t you see how hurt that waiter was? He really thought your dad didn’t like the food,” I protested. “This is so wrong, Ethan. So unfair.”

Ethan told me to let it go, and since we were just starting our relationship, I figured it wasn’t worth arguing over.

I could’ve pressed Ethan to understand how wrong Frank’s actions were, but I didn’t want something so minor to strain our relationship.

However, looking back, I wish I had told Ethan to put an end to his dad’s habit.

The following year, Ethan and I tied the knot, and since then, I’ve been a witness to how cheap Frank is. I’ve watched in horror as he pulled stunts to get free food, free services in hotels, and free ANYTHING, ANYWHERE!

During the first year of our marriage, I tried explaining to Ethan how wrong his father’s behavior was, but it led to a big argument. Ethan kept saying he had no control over Frank, while I insisted he at least talk to his dad about it.

That night, I decided to stop meddling in Frank’s business because it was useless. Little did I know, karma was about to step in and teach Frank a lesson he’d never forget.

It all started when Frank called Ethan last weekend.

“There’s a new restaurant near my workplace,” he said. “I was wondering if you and Bella could join me. I’ve heard the food’s quite expensive so I just wanna see if it’s worth the money.”

“Sure, Dad,” Ethan replied. “We’ll be there.”

Two days later, we found ourselves in the restaurant with Frank. It was one of those fancy places where the plates are tiny, the prices are outrageous, and you need a reservation just to get in.

“This place looks nice,” I said as I skimmed through the menu. “But wow, it’s pricey.”

“Yeah, it’s super expensive,” Ethan said. “I think I’ll stick with a simple pasta.”

“Me too,” I agreed. “White sauce pasta for me. What about you, Frank?”

Frank was busy scanning the menu, his finger trailing down to the most expensive item.

“I’ll have the lobster,” he grinned.

“A lobster? Really Dad?” Ethan asked. “You’ve never ordered one before.”

“I know you’d say this,” Frank replied. “But it’s nice to try new things, isn’t it?”

“You’re right, Dad,” Ethan said before calling the waiter.

We placed our orders, but I could tell Frank was gearing up for another one of his stunts.

Soon, our food arrived, and we began eating. However, halfway through the dinner, I noticed Frank staring at his lobster. I couldn’t understand what was happening until he plucked a hair from my head and placed it on his dish.

Yep, Frank had the nerve to do that. I was too stunned to say a word.

Then he called the waiter over, feigning disgust.

“There’s a hair in my food,” Frank exclaimed, pushing his seat away from the table as if the hair would fly over to him. “This is unacceptable! I shouldn’t have to pay for this filth!”

What the heck? I thought. How can he even think of doing that?

I was mortified, while Ethan looked like he was about to explode with anger.

“I’m so sorry, sir,” the waiter said. “I’ll let the manager know.”

That’s when karma made its move.

The manager approached our table a few seconds later.

“We’re so sorry for the inconvenience, sir,” he apologized.

I think he was about to offer a complimentary meal when another waiter came over to our table and whispered something in the manager’s ear.

That’s when the manager’s expression changed from apologetic to stone-cold serious. He took a deep breath and said, “Sir, I need to ask you to leave.”

“What? Why should I leave?” Frank protested. “I found hair in my food and you’re kicking me out? Is this how you treat your customers?”

“Sir, I’m asking you to leave because we believe you put the hair in the dish yourself,” the manager said calmly.

I can never forget the look on Frank’s face. Shocked, horrified, and caught off guard, he still tried to argue.

“How dare you accuse me of that!” he yelled at the manager. “I’ll have your job for this!”

By now, the whole restaurant was watching.

“Sir,” the manager began, “one of our staff members recognized you from another restaurant where you pulled the same stunt. We take food safety seriously here and won’t tolerate attempts to defame our business. Please leave, or we will involve the authorities.”

At that point, people around us started whispering among themselves, and some of them were even laughing. Meanwhile, Ethan and I looked at each other, wishing we hadn’t agreed to this dinner.

But it didn’t end there.

Frank was at a loss for words and knew he couldn’t do anything to prove the manager wrong. So, he stood up and picked up his coat, preparing to leave.

“And one more thing, sir,” the manager said. “We’re sharing your photo and details with several other high-end restaurants in the area. You’ll no longer be welcome at any of them.”

Frank’s face turned pale as he realized what the manager just said.

What bothered him more was that the entire restaurant heard him and many of them were laughing at him. At that point, he understood he could no longer pull his cheap stunts to claim free food.

Karma had defeated him.

Frank stormed out of the restaurant without saying another word, while Ethan and I sat there in silence. Once the shock wore off, I couldn’t help but laugh at what just happened.

“I never thought I’d see the day!” I said, still laughing. “Frank finally got a taste of his own medicine, and it wasn’t free.”

Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. “Maybe he’ll finally realize that cheating his way through life always has a cost.”

That night, I finally understood how karma works. I couldn’t help but think that sometimes, karma is just waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And that moment might be right when you’re about to dig into an overpriced lobster.

Do you agree?

If you enjoyed reading this story, here’s another one you might like: My wedding day took a bizarre turn when our videographer pulled me aside with shocking footage. What I saw next would test my new marriage, expose a family’s dark secrets, and leave me questioning everything I thought I knew about love and trust.

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.