When my dad announced he was marrying Dana—his icy, Botoxed girlfriend—I tried to be supportive, despite her clear dislike for me. She made sure I never felt welcome, but I still planned to attend their small wedding.

The night before, I stayed at their place at her insistence. The next morning, I woke up to find my phone, keys, and even the doors gone—she had locked me in with a sticky note: “Don’t take it personally. It’s just not your day.”Big mistake. She forgot one thing: my Apple Watch. I texted my friend Tasha, who rescued me within minutes.