Life really knows how to catch you off guard, and I learned that the hard way. My name’s Amber.
Until recently, I was living what I thought was the dream life with my husband Louis and our son Allen in a lovely home. We seemed so happy. Then, suddenly, everything changed.
“I think we rushed into things, Amber. I’m sorry, but I can’t do this anymore!” Louis announced one evening as he packed up. My heart just sank.
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“Louis, please tell me you’re kidding. You can’t just leave us like that! What about Allen? He’s only two!” I pleaded, hoping he was joking.
“That’s exactly the problem, Amber!” he retorted. “I’m tired of all the responsibilities. I need time for myself. I’ve found someone who gets what I’m going through. Please, just let me go.”
That night, as he walked out, I just fell apart. How could the man I loved, who had never shown any signs of unhappiness, suddenly decide to abandon his family?
Once Louis was gone, reality hit me hard. I struggled to find a job while taking care of Allen alone.
Two weeks later, our landlady evicted us as I couldn’t pay the rent, and Social Services took Allen, thinking he’d be safer away from our unstable situation.
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That night, I was homeless and heartbroken. My baby, my child, was taken away from me.
I sold everything I had, including my phone, and that kept me going for a while. Then, the money ran out.
One evening, out in the cold, I remembered my dad’s warnings about Louis. “He’s not right for you,” Dad had said. I wish I’d listened. Desperate to reconnect with him, I decided to buy a phone to call him.
I knew that if I borrowed a phone to call him, maybe he wouldn’t pick up the first time or even the second. But I’d have to keep trying. Or maybe no one would lend their phone to a homeless woman like me. I needed a phone of my own.
So I starved myself for a week to save enough to buy a second-hand phone. My tears didn’t stop when I dialed Dad’s number, and he answered.
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“Hello? Who’s this?” he asked.
“It’s… Amber, Dad,” I sobbed into the phone.
“Amber, sweetheart! Is that you? Oh my goodness! How are things going?”
“I need your help, dad!”
“Is-Is everything okay, honey?”
“Just come as soon as possible, Dad!” I said.
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He arrived quickly, and in a hotel room, I poured out my heart about the betrayal and my days on the streets. Dad comforted me, promising everything would be alright now.
The next day, Dad and I went to the orphanage to start the paperwork to bring Allen home. Once everything was finalized, Dad took Allen and me to New York.
He also hired a private detective to find out where Louis was. It turned out Louis had been cheating on me with his boss’s daughter, pretending to be single.
When his boss found out the truth — that Louis was married and had abandoned his family — he fired him. Louis ended up living on the streets. While I took no joy in his downfall, it felt like justice was done.
Back home, with my dad and Allen, I felt stronger. Life had knocked me down but taught me resilience. And with Dad’s support, I knew we could face anything ahead.
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“Life can be tough, but so are you, Amber. Besides, I’ll always be here for you,” Dad reminded me as we watched Allen play one day.
I thanked him, overwhelmed with gratitude. “Thanks, Dad. For everything.”
As I tucked Allen into bed that night, I thought about our future. It wouldn’t be easy, but with love and support, we were ready for whatever came next. Life’s tough, but so are we. Now, it’s time to look forward to the new beginnings waiting for us.