The Pie Nobody Tasted
At a local cooking contest, a contestant notices that the prize has been awarded before her plate reaches the judges.
159 short stories
Scandals
Page 5 of 6
Reputations at stake. Family secrets and stories that can no longer be covered up.
Stories on this page
The Woman Beneath the Wrong Title
At a photography exhibition opening, a portrait subject discovers that her face illustrates a life she has never lived.
The Winner Who Never Crossed the Bridge
At a friendly cycling race, the winner's wife realizes that his triumph depends on an unmentioned turn.
Laughter from the Third Row
An actress in an amateur production discovers that the audience's loudest laughter wasn't a response to her performance.
The Speaker Who Wasn't on the List
At his daughter's wedding, a man in the back row stands after a speech erases thirty years of his life.
One Dog in Three Different Homes
A photographer recognizes the same dog in three supposedly successful adoptions on a shelter calendar.
A Donation in a Borrowed Name
A salon owner discovers that she has been named the largest donor, although the money only briefly passed through her account.
The Fastest Swimmer in the Slower Group
A volunteer official at a recreational competition discovers that her partner entered under the wrong age.
The Wrong House on the Poster
A photograph of an old house provokes a neighborhood protest until its owner recognizes a curtain she gave away years ago.
Five Stars for an Empty Room
A receptionist finds perfect ratings from guests who never collected keys, and her own name appears among the signatures.
The Voice Behind the Curtain
On a recording of the winning choir, its conductor hears the voice of a woman who sat in the audience that evening.
The Auction Without Raised Hands
A volunteer notices that the most expensive pictures at a charity auction are being bought by a man nobody has seen in the room.
Gratitude Is Not Consent
Selida's family expects her to accept a suitor who helped their business. When a scandal erupts, they ask one more favor to protect the family's reputation.
A Man for the Front Page
A local hero gets the chance to become the public face of a respected organization. Only his partner knows how he acquired the money sustaining his carefully built reputation.
The Haircut She Did Not Choose
A quiet designer accepts a colleague's help to become more noticeable. When she attracts a man they both like, friendly advice suddenly begins to look like a trap.
A Portrait Without Softer Light
A photographer must portray an influential man whose daughter he loves. When accusations emerge against her father, choosing a photograph becomes a question of their own honesty.
She Did It All for Him
At every talk, Vildana says she works for her son who is still studying. Her new partner meets that son by chance and discovers that the story stopped matching life long ago.
The Headline She Refused to Inherit
Selma is preparing to marry the owner of a website that lives on other people's secrets. A conversation with his mother reveals the high cost of deciding to ask no questions.
Dinner for People Who Know Everything
At a prestigious literary club's dinner, Mirna invents a romantic theory. The guests pretend to know it, and her partner must decide what he is really laughing at.
A Scandal Ordered for Monday
No one finds Nera's novel scandalous enough. Her editor commissions a public denunciation, but the planned uproar soon threatens the marriage of someone who never agreed to participate.
The Invitations Never Sent
As her family chooses the wedding menu, a bride-to-be realizes her entire future has already been arranged, and the only choice still hers is to leave.
An Engagement on the Wrong Slide
Parents decide to announce an engagement their adult daughter has never agreed to, but a projector mistake exposes a very different family plan to their guests.
The Woman at the Head Table
Marriage to a respected businessman gives Anja security and strict rules, but a charity reception shifts the balance of power and reveals the price of her new position.
The Man Who Took the Shame
Traveling to a school reunion, a successful entrepreneur meets an old love accompanied by another man, but their exchanged roles last only until the next station.
A Circle of Important People
A photograph from a reception sparks rumors of a love triangle, while three people from different social circles are actually trying to borrow one another's status.
Two Women Behind the Same Counter
Two friends working in a luxury department store choose different routes to a better life, but a gala dinner reveals how badly both have read other people's promises.
A Promise Outside the Closed Cinema
Two former partners keep an appointment made fifteen years earlier, but a successful film and a name missing from its credits now stand between them.
The Traffic Jam Someone Paid For
After a perfect proposal during an unusual traffic jam, an architect discovers that her future father-in-law paid for the circumstances meant to look like fate.
The Divorce Her Lawyer Had Already Celebrated
A lawyer becomes increasingly enthusiastic about his client's divorce. His new coat and private plans reveal that he has not listened carefully to what she actually wants from him.
Fifty Minutes by an Open Window
A mistaken report of a road accident briefly changes a woman's view of her marriage. Her husband's return cannot undo what she recognized in the silence.