It had always been me and my dad, just the two of us against the world. My father loved my mom and me so deeply, so fiercely, that we never once had a reason to doubt him. His love was steady, patient, and constant. He came from nothing, from a place where three meals a day were a luxury others only dreamed of. He had clawed his way out of poverty with hard work and unshakable integrity. He built everything with his bare hands and a heart that never knew deceit.
And just like that, everything he built shattered in front of us.
"Mom… what are we going to do now that Dad has been taken away from us?" I muttered, my voice trembling as I ran toward her. I'd been hiding behind the curtains, watching helplessly. Tears poured down my face—hot, thick tears that wouldn't stop flowing, tears that felt like they could fill a bucket.
My mom grabbed me the moment I reached her. Her hands trembled violently, her knees buckling beneath her, her face pressing weakly against my stomach as I lay across her lap. She tried to stay strong for me, but her body was breaking under the weight of everything happening.
"Lizzy… Lizzy, I'll be back before you notice. Just… just take care of Tina," my dad groaned, his voice strained as armed men dragged him harshly across the living room. They treated him like a criminal, a thief. A man without honor. My father, who wouldn't even take a dollar that didn't belong to him.
"I told you! I told you this day would come!" his so-called best friend barked, his eyes wide, cold, empty. No remorse. No pity. Only betrayal.
My father froze, staring at him as if he couldn't recognize the man standing there. His eyes reddened, pain slicing through him as he stammered, "I… I can't believe you did this to me." His voice cracked, disbelief choking him. This was the man he called a brother. The man he trusted the most.
"Move it, thief!!!" an officer hissed as he yanked my dad toward the door.
"Edward, why? Why??" my mom wailed, tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks. "He trusted you! He loved you like a brother!"
My mother's voice echoed through the house, trembling with rage and heartbreak.
She stood up slowly and told me to sit on the chair. She swallowed her tears, lifted her chin, and walked toward Edward as if every step was fueled by fire. When her eyes met his, her voice dropped to a dangerous whisper.
"You'll regret this."
Edward didn't flinch. He didn't apologize. He didn't even blink.
He smirked, a wicked, self-satisfied smirk—and walked out, letting the door slam behind him so hard it made my heart skip in fear.
My mom inhaled sharply, her breath shaky as she wrapped her arms around me. "Don't worry, baby… don't worry… We'll be fine," she muttered, rubbing her hand on my back. But her voice trembled. She didn't believe her own words.
I could feel the tension in the room, thick enough to choke on.
The same tension whispered that our lives had changed forever.
My father never allowed my mom to work. He always said he could take care of us without complaint. Now, she sat with her face buried in her hands, whispering to herself, "Where do I even start…? What am I going to do?" Her voice was barely audible.
I felt her pain. I felt her fear.
She had been battling breast cancer for years… and her surgery was scheduled for next month. The bills were already more than we could handle. Now, with Dad gone, everything was collapsing.
A sudden knock banged against the door, making my mom flinch.
"I'm coming," she groaned softly as she stood and wiped her tears.
I followed her with my eyes, fear twisting in my chest.
Who could it be this time?
She opened the door, and two men in heavy black suits and dark shades stepped inside. They carried large briefcases and an air of authority that suffocated the room.
"Come in…" my mom muttered with a forced smile.
"How can I help you?"
"We are the company lawyers where Mr. Eben worked," one of them stated coldly, their eyes scanning our home as if it were offensive to their sight.
"Okay…" my mom whispered, her voice hollow.
"You are to vacate the premises before the weekend," he said sharply. "The house is being seized until your husband is proven innocent."
Those words were enough to break her.
Her eyes rolled back. Her body collapsed.
She fainted right there on the spot.
"Mom!!!" I screamed as I fell to my knees.
"Please, please help me! I need to take her to the hospital!" I begged through sobs.
One of the lawyers grunted and finally agreed to help. Together, we lifted her and rushed to the car.
As we drove, I muttered, "Mom… Mom, please wake up… please…"
But she didn't.
I stared out the window, my chest tightening with every passing second.
Why was this happening to us?
Why were the people I loved most drowning in pain?
When the doctor walked into the room later, I stood up abruptly.
"Hi…" I muttered weakly.
"Yes, Tina. How are you holding up?" he asked gently.
I couldn't answer. My throat felt clogged.
He sighed heavily and placed his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Tina. I heard what happened, and I'm shocked. Your father… he has always been a man of integrity."
"Thank you, sir," I whispered.
"But my mom, she still hasn't woken up…" I asked desperately.
"She'll be fine," he muttered.
"Get some rest. You're too young to be carrying such heavy burdens."
He left the room, leaving me alone with silence, fear, and my unconscious mother.
I looked at her fragile body and whispered,
"Please… please let all this be a dream."
But I knew it wasn't.
This was only the beginning of my nightmare.