When I was 19 I stole from my dad and regret it. What should I do?
Growing up my Dad wasn’t there for me much. I lived in TN with my mom and grandparents. He lived in Virginia. We would see each other once or twice a year usually. Sometimes not at all. He was more focused on building wealth. He is and was very successful. He was and still is a multi millionaire. He also took me to places growing up that I should’ve never been to (brothels and strip clubs). At age 15 he took me to a brothel and I had sex for the first time. Later on I realized I contracted genital herpes from this woman. I never told anyone. I was horrified and scared. I thought my life was over. To this day I have never told my dad and only my current girlfriend knows. He took me to these places while he had a wife. He taught me to cheat. He hung out with women in front of me outside of these places too.
So one day we were upstairs drinking and he took $6000 out of his safe and laid it on the table. I can’t remember why he did it but it stayed on the table for a day or two. I was very entitled since I had access to his credit card and could use it anytime I wanted. I was also raised by him to think that money was the most important thing. That’s all he talked about. That and women of course. I remember thinking “I could take the money because it’s the same thing as using his credit card. “ I also started to think of reasons why I should do it. “He wasn’t in my life growing up”. “He’s the reason I have herpes” , “I am going to use it to invest in stocks so he wouldn’t care”, etc. I eventually took it and to this day he has never said anything about the money. I’m not sure if he actually gave it to me that night and I just don’t remember or not. After I did it, I felt bad but I resented him so much for all the things he did that I just never returned it. I felt as if he did wrong to me and I did wrong to him back so we are even.
However, it has been years later and now I want to make things right. I messed up and I have repented. I have asked God for forgiveness. Even though he did those things, I still shouldn’t have done what I did. I have thought about giving him the money and telling him why I did it but I know it would get out( he tells everyone everything when he is drinking and he drinks a lot) and many family members would probably think differently of him once they found out why I did what I did. I also don’t want to make him feel guilty about it and I’d rather people not know I have herpes. I feel like it would make everything worse if I did this considering I don’t even think he knows the money was gone. I know he would have brought it up at some point cause me and him were the only people up there that night. I thought about giving it anonymously but it feels weird giving that much and he’s always going to wonder who gave him that. A pastor told me to donate or to put it into stocks to hold for my future children in honor of him. A few others said the same. Would this be sufficient or no? I have also just thought about asking him if the money was meant to be given to me & go from there?
Posted Jun 13, 2026, 5:37 PM UTC