My name is Linda, and I was finally ready to start a new chapter in my life. After five years of heartbreak following my ex-husband Tom’s betrayal—leaving me for a younger woman—I had found love again with Eric. I was packing my things, excited to move in with him, when a knock on the door changed everything.
There stood Tom, looking worn and desperate. His hair was messy, his face lined with stress, and his eyes filled with sorrow. He wasn’t there to reminisce or apologize—he had a request I never saw coming.
“Linda, I need your help,” he said, his voice trembling. “The woman I left you for… she’s gone. She passed away two weeks ago. And now I have a daughter, Ava. She’s just a little girl, and I can’t do this alone. I need you.”
I was stunned. After everything he had put me through, he was asking for my help. My first instinct was to shut the door and walk away, but the thought of an innocent child caught in the middle made me pause.
Tom and I met at a café, and I saw Ava for the first time. She was a sweet, shy little girl with wide, innocent eyes. As Tom explained his struggles as a single father, I couldn’t help but feel a connection to Ava. She reminded me of the family I had once dreamed of having with Tom.
But then I discovered the truth. While spending time at Tom’s house, I found documents in his desk drawer. They revealed that Ava’s inheritance was tied to her guardianship—and it could only be fully secured if Tom had a partner. This wasn’t about giving Ava a mother; it was about money.
Confronting Tom was painful. He tried to explain, but the guilt in his eyes told me everything I needed to know. I realized I couldn’t let myself be pulled back into his web of lies.
I called Eric, desperate to explain everything. “I need to talk to you… I’m so sorry,” I whispered into the phone. As I raced to his house in a taxi, I knew I had to fight for the love and happiness I had found with him.
When I arrived, Eric was standing in the rain, holding a bouquet of white roses—the kind I loved. He was waiting for me, just as he always had.
