I raised my son completely on my own. From the moment he was born, he meant the world to me. My entire life revolved around him.

I never spent money on myself, never took time off, and I honestly can’t remember the last time I had a full night’s sleep — every sacrifice I made was for him.

I worked day and night: at the post office, washing dishes in a café, cleaning. When people asked why I pushed myself so hard, I always said:

“I want my son to have everything I never had.”

I thought that when I grew old, he would be there. That he wouldn’t leave me, wouldn’t betray me.

He always said:

“Mommy, when I grow up — I’ll buy you a house and a car!”

And I believed him. Because he was my boy.

However, everything changed when a girl appeared in his life. From the first glance, I knew she wouldn’t bring anything good.

She looked at me with a cold smirk. She never called me by name. Not “ma’am,” not “mom” — just “you.”

She immediately began convincing him that I was “holding him back.” She shamed him for helping me and said:

• “Why are you giving money to your mom? Let her work if she wants to eat.”

• “Stop dragging her around. You have your own family now.”

She schemed, talked him out of visiting me, and told others I was “manipulating him,” though I was only calling occasionally to check if he was okay.

One time, I brought him a pie — she threw it out, saying:

“Let her wash her hands in her own kitchen before bringing food here.”

He grew colder. Every day, I felt I was losing my son.

Then, one morning, he said:

“Mom, I want to take you somewhere. Just stay there for a while. Rest.”

There was no warmth or care in his voice. I knew where he was taking me. But I went. Because he was my child.

We drove for a long time. Farther and farther from the city. At some point, he stopped. A desolate road. No houses, no people. Only sand and wind.

“Get out,” he said.

I got out. He didn’t look me in the eye. Silently, he shut the door and drove off — leaving me in the middle of nowhere.

Back then, I couldn’t have imagined that just a month later, my son would come back begging for forgiveness 😢

I stood there in disbelief. My heart felt ripped out. I didn’t scream. I didn’t cry. There was only silence and pain.

I didn’t know where to go. I didn’t know how to go on.

A distant relative picked me up. He lived alone in a village and gave me shelter. I didn’t call my son. I didn’t want to hear his voice.

A month passed. And then — he came.

He stood on his knees before me, crying like a child.

It turned out his girlfriend had betrayed him. She cheated on him with his friend, stole almost all their money, and ran away — leaving him in debt and shame.

He said that when he kicked me out, he thought he was doing the right thing. That he was building a “new life.” But in truth, he had destroyed everything.

He begged for forgiveness. He kissed my hands. His tears rolled down his cheeks.

“Mom, forgive me… I forgot who truly loves me.”

And I just looked at him and thought:

Do I even need that forgiveness anymore?