Adam didn’t visit his mother for years, neglecting her after he started having a life of his own. One day, he had to pick up some documents from her home, only to find the home destroyed and abandoned.
Diana Evans raised her son Adam alone. Although she struggled, she worked very hard to feed him and pay for his education. After graduating from high school, he decided to attend a university halfway across the country.
Although Diana was sad, she happily sent Adam off to study and live in New York while she remained in California. They would keep in touch during his first few years there, and he would call his mother whenever he had time.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Diana never got to visit Adam in New York throughout his years in college. Their primary mode of communication was through phone calls, and although these started to lessen as time passed, Diana still appreciated them very much.
When Adam was set to graduate from university, he called his mom to invite her over. “Hey, mom!” he said on the phone.
“Hi Adam, it’s so great to hear from you! How have you been?” she said excitedly.
“I’m good, mom! I’m calling because I’m finally graduating in two weeks. Will you be able to come over?” he asked.
Hearing that, Diana was so proud and could feel her tears coming. She’d do anything to see her precious son march to get his diploma. “Of course, Adam. I’ll be there. I wouldn’t miss it! I’m so proud of you!” She smiled.
After ending the call, Diana proceeded to look for flights to New York. She was surprised to see how expensive the flights were, and she immediately realized she didn’t have enough money to purchase a round-trip ticket and a special graduation gift for Adam.
She decided to take in some extra work as a babysitter to earn money. She babysat for long hours to earn her money faster. When she had enough savings, she excitedly purchased her ticket and went to the department store to buy Adam a gift.
Diana circled the store for a couple of minutes before settling with a watch. She realized that any professional needed a nice and decent watch, so she wanted to give one to her son.
“Please wrap it nicely with a ribbon,” she told the saleslady. “It’s a graduation gift for my son. He’s graduating from a top university in New York!” she gushed.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“That’s awesome! You must be so proud. Congratulations!” the saleslady said, packing the watch.
A couple of days later, Diana excitedly made her way to New York. Adam picked her up from the airport, and together they drove to his campus, where the graduation ceremony would start shortly.
Diana excitedly pulled out her cellphone and started to snap pictures. When it was Adam’s turn to receive his diploma, she couldn’t help but stand and cheer her heart out. “That’s my son!” she exclaimed.
After the ceremony, Adam met Diana and enveloped her in a hug. “Oh, son, congratulations!” she said as they embraced.
“Thanks, mom. This is all because of you,” he smiled. “Let’s have a good dinner now,” he said, walking with his mom towards the university exit.
Adam and Diana ate at a fancy New York steak restaurant and had a nice dinner together. At first, Diana was worried about the bill, until Adam told her not to. “I took a part-time job while studying, mom. This is my treat to you. Thank you for taking care of me all these years,” he said, squeezing her hand.
Diana was in tears. She was so grateful that Adam grew up to be such a kind gentleman. “I’m proud of you, son,” she said. “I got you something, too. It’s nothing great, but I hope you like it.”
She took out the gift box and handed it to Adam. “You really didn’t have to get me anything, mom,” he said as he opened it.
When he saw that it was a watch, he was surprised. “This is beautiful, mom. Thank you,” he said with a big smile on his face. “I’m going to wear this to work every day. That way, I’ll always have you with me.”
That night, the mother and son spent the night talking to one another, taking photos, and simply enjoying New York’s sights.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
After a couple more days in New York, Diana had to fly back to California. “Will you be visiting home soon, Adam?” she asked, suddenly remembering that she was back to living alone.
“I’ll try, mom. I do have some job interviews lined up, so I’m not sure when I’ll get to. I promise to call, though,” he assured her. With that, Diana nodded contently.
Unfortunately, that promise was short-lived. Adam used to call his mom every other day, but that slowly diminished until the calls just stopped coming.
During one of their final calls, Diana showed signs of depression caused by her loneliness. “I’ve lost a lot of weight, and I don’t really have an appetite,” she would share.
“You should eat, mom. Go out and talk to your neighbors and take walks in the park,” Adam said, shrugging off the signs she’d share.
For years, Adam would check on his mother once in a while but he was busy working in Wall Street and maintaining his relationship with his model girlfriend that these calls became too few.
One day, he decided to put up his own firm in New York. For that, he needed documents from California which he couldn’t ask his mom to simply mail. So at the last minute, he took a flight back home and traveled to their house without telling his mom. But when he got there, he was not expecting what he saw.
Their house was torn down and filled with cobwebs. The fences were on the floor, and the grass lawn looked as if it hadn’t been trimmed in years. He looked inside and saw the house empty save for some ruined furniture.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Adam proceeded to call his mother, but she was not answering, so he walked to the next-door neighbor’s house to ask him what happened.
“Hi, Mr. Green,” he said as soon as their long-time neighbor answered the door.
“Adam? Is that you?” he asked. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s me, Mr. Green. Where’s mom? What happened to our house?” he said, feeling both guilty and scared.
“Oh, well, remember that storm that hit California a couple of months ago? Our homes were severely damaged. Your mom didn’t have enough money to repair it, and she said she didn’t want to burden you, so she moved to a nursing home,” Mr. Green explained.
“What? Why don’t I know any of this?” Adam said, shocked. “Where is her nursing home?” he asked.
After getting the address, he quickly made his way there. When he arrived, he saw Diana, frail and in a wheelchair. “Mom,” he said, in tears, as soon as he saw her.
“Adam? What are you doing here?” Diana asked.
“Mom, I’m so sorry for not paying more attention to you. I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me the most,” he said, on his knees in front of his mom’s wheelchair. He was sobbing, feeling guilty for having neglected his mother for years.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“Adam, don’t be ridiculous. Get up from there,” she said, trying to raise her son. He shook his head and clung to her knees, and Diana couldn’t help but cry. She thought she would never see Adam again, and seeing him there, in the flesh, asking for forgiveness, made her feel both touched and relieved.
“I’m so sorry, mom. You don’t have to be alone ever again,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m going to live with you, and I’m going to take care of you,” he promised.
This time, Adam really kept his promise. He completely repaired their old home and took his mother out of the nursing home once it was completed. He also decided to start his business in California instead of New York and asked his girlfriend to move in with them.
Since then, the three of them lived together happily. The couple took care of Diana and made sure she was happy again. Meanwhile, Diana helped out at home while both Adam and his girlfriend worked, by cooking them meals and helping out with house chores.
What can we learn from this story?
- We should always make time for our loved ones. No matter how busy life gets, we should always take time to check on our loved ones no matter how far away they may be.
- A mother’s love is forever. Although she felt sad and abandoned, Diana never lost her love for Adam. Instead, she remained hopeful that one day they would reunite and see each other again.
Share this story with your loved ones. It might inspire them and make their day.
If you liked this story, you might like this one about a woman who had to flee her home after it burned down, only to see a brand new structure built on her lot a couple of months after.
My Husband Pretended to Rent Our House While He Actually Owned It, Karma Didn’t Let It Slide
Emma had always been the frugal one, making sure that after her rent was taken care of, she still had enough money to make ends meet. But one day, when her husband is away for work, Emma takes care of the rent payment, only to discover that the rent she’s been paying is actually for her mother-in-law’s monthly allowances. Emma and Karma team up, ready to serve justice.
I had always been frugal, meticulously budgeting every penny of my salary. New clothes, makeup, and vacations were all luxuries that I saw my friends indulge in, but they were dreams I had to put on hold.
A woman counting money | Source: Pexels
“I just want to go on a vacation in a sunny place,” I told my best friend, Jessica. “To just lounge around on the beach and sip cocktails.”
“Soon,” Jessica would say. “I know that you’re close to sorting the house out and finally being free of rent and whatnot.”
People holding drinks at the beach | Source: Pexels
The house. That was where our problems had begun.
Every month, a significant portion of my paycheck went toward the rent of our little home. Paul, my husband, and I both contributed to the rent, but he always handled the payments to our elusive landlord.
I trusted him implicitly, and of course, I never questioned his actions.
A Surburban house | Source: Midjourney
“Don’t worry, darling,” Paul would say. “I’ll take the money from our joint account each month and do the rest.”
Years passed, and my sacrifices continued. Paul took care of the power and the water bills, and we both contributed to the groceries. As difficult as it sometimes was, we both knew that it was just something that needed to be done.
A couple standing outside a store | Source: Midjourney
One day, Paul had to leave early for a short business trip. It wasn’t anything new, and we had both gotten used to him going away on these trips.
“Do you want me to take care of rent?” I asked as I helped him pack his clothes away. “I know that you’re going to be traveling on the first of the month.”
“No, but thank you,” he said. “I’ll try and log on from my laptop and do it, or I’ll just handle it when I’m back.”
An open suitcase | Source: Pexels
“Honey, you’re already doing so much for us. Let me lighten the burden and help,” I said.
Paul sighed deeply and took two ties out of his closet.
“It’s fine, Emma,” he said curtly. “I’ve got it under control.”
A man holding ties | Source: Midjourney
My husband left early the next morning and that was it. He didn’t speak about the rent topic again.
As the days went by and the rent was due the following day, I left my office during lunch to go to the bank.
“Where are you headed off to?” Jessica asked me as I gathered my handbag and cellphone before leaving the office.
A woman in an office | Source: Pexels
“Just to the bank,” I replied. “I’ll be back soon and then we can get something for lunch.”
I walked into the bank ready to make a payment and lighten my husband’s load. But what I discovered was a different reality altogether.
I approached a teller and explained my situation, giving her all my relevant details.
A large building | Source: Unsplash
“I just need to transfer rent money to my landlord,” I said. “My husband usually does this stuff, but he’s away on business.”
The teller smiled at me and looked at my identity document before continuing.
“Certainly, ma’am,” the teller said, pulling up the account details. “Could you confirm the account number?”
A bank teller at her desk | Source: Midjourney
I read the number off the notepad I had taken from Paul’s desk that morning. He had a habit of writing all his important information on that one notepad.
“Thank you,” the teller said, typing the number in.
“A Mrs. Helen Parker?” she asked. “That’s your landlord’s account?”
A woman holding a notebook | Source: Midjourney
I blinked in confusion.
“Helen Parker? Are you sure that’s what it says?” I exclaimed, my hands feeling clammy.
The teller, sensing that something was amiss, double-checked the records, frowning slightly as she concentrated.
A woman using a laptop | Source: Pexels
“This is the account that has been receiving money from your account. It’s actually been receiving money for years.”
Paul’s mother. Helen Parker was Paul’s mother.
“There must be some mistake, surely,” I said.
A woman at her desk | Source: Midjourney
“I’m afraid not, ma’am,” she said. “This account has consistently received the monthly payments. Look, I can print it all out for you if you’d like to go through it yourself.”
I nodded, too numb with shock.
I left the bank and drove home in a daze, forgetting that I needed to get back to work entirely.
A woman driving | Source: Pexels
Once home, I went straight to Paul’s study and began rifling through his drawers. I needed answers.
“How on earth have I been paying for his mother’s lifestyle all these years?” I said aloud.
It didn’t take long to find everything I needed. There it was, the ownership document for our house, signed and dated years ago, with Paul listed as the sole owner.
Open desk drawers | Source: Midjourney
I didn’t know what to think, so I sat in silence for a few moments until my phone rang.
“Emma?” Jessica’s voice ran through the room. “Are you okay? Why didn’t you come back to the office?”
Quickly, I caught my best friend up on the drama.
A woman talking on the phone | Source: Pexels
“So, the rent that you’ve been paying is actually Helen’s allowance?” Jessica gasped. “That’s so ridiculous!”
“Yes,” I replied, holding my head in my hands. “I don’t know what to do. Paul is away for the next few days.”
“Did he take his laptop?” Jessica asked.
“No, actually, he didn’t,” I replied.
“Then go through it! Look for more information!”
A woman using a laptop | Source: Pexels
My hands trembling, I turned on his laptop and found a series of messages exchanged between Paul and Helen. The messages detailed their plan, discussing how they would keep me in the dark and ensure I continued to pay rent, funneling my money straight to her.
“What the heck?” I muttered under my breath.
A close-up of a shocked woman | Source: Midjourney
As the full weight of the betrayal settled on me, karma arrived with no delay. That evening, a violent storm swept through our town, leaving floods behind.
Of course, my house was one of them.
By the next morning, water started seeping through the ceiling, and within minutes, the whole house was flooded.
Water falling through a ceiling | Source: Midjourney
I took my belongings and went to a hotel. I wasn’t about to suffer through this alone.
“You can come to me,” Jessica said when I called to tell her that I was staying at a hotel.
“No,” I said. “I don’t plan on staying in the house long, so I’ll be here for a while. When Paul returns home, I’ll go to the house and get the last of my things.”
A hotel room | Source: Midjourney
On the day that Paul was scheduled to come home, I went over to the house and worked my way through the things that were not damaged by the flooding.
“Emma, are you okay?” he asked as he stepped into the house. “What happened here?”
I turned to him, my eyes cold.
An upset woman | Source: Midjourney
“I’m fine. But the house isn’t. The ceiling doesn’t look too good in some places. But it’s a good thing that’s not our house, right? The landlord’s insurance can cover it.”
To his credit, my husband isn’t stupid and he was able to pick up on my sarcasm easily.
Paul paled, realizing that he was trapped.
“Emma, I can explain,” he said.
“Don’t bother,” I interrupted. “I found the bank records, the ownership documents, and your messages to Helen. I know everything.”
A man looking down | Source: Midjourney
Paul’s shoulders slumped in defeat.
“How could you do that to me?” I asked quietly. “Especially after knowing that I wanted to do things for myself. I wanted us to go on trips together and make memories. But all this time, I was just using my hard-earned money to take care of your mother?”
“What do you want me to tell you? That she’s old and needs it?” Paul asked.
A smiling older woman | Source: Pexels
“We both know that’s not the case,” I retorted. “Your father left everything to her. She’s doing fine. And in any case, it’s not that I wouldn’t have wanted to help Helen if I knew. It’s the fact that you’ve been lying for years.”
“Just wait,” Paul said. “I’m sure that we can work through this.”
“No, we cannot,” I replied. “You’ve been using me for years and I’m finally done with all of this.”
A man looking at his phone | Source: Midjourney
I walked out of the house and went back to the hotel where Jessica promised to come over and spend the evening with me.
The next day, I consulted a lawyer and fought to reclaim the money that I had unknowingly handed over to Helen.
A lawyer sitting in his office | Source: Midjourney
In the end, justice prevailed and the court ruled in my favor, ordering Paul and his mother to repay every cent I had given them over the years.
With my newfound financial freedom, I got myself a little apartment, someplace that I could easily lock up and leave when it was time for a getaway.
And as for Paul? After the money was settled, I filed for a divorce, and left him in the past with his mother.
A living room in an apartment | Source: Midjourney
What would you have done?
If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |
My Kids Listed My House on Airbnb While I Was in the Hospital — I Found a Way to Teach Them a Lesson
A phone opened to an Airbnb app | Source: Pexels
Mariah had been feeling less than healthy lately, causing her to admit herself to the hospital so that she could have a check-up. But in her absence, her children decided to rent out her house as an Airbnb, ready to pocket the money for themselves. When Mariah found out, she decided to teach her children a lesson.
If I was being honest, I didn’t know how I felt about my children’s betrayal. But it hurt me to imagine that while I had been away at the hospital, my children were perfectly fine with having strangers take over my home.
“What were they thinking?” I asked myself.
They hadn’t given a second thought to people using the mugs I had hand-painted, or people sitting in their father’s worn armchair. Paul has been deceased for a few years now, but it still felt like his chair.
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.
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