Young Man Who Never Knew His Parents Pushes Father Away, Learns about His Will Months Later – Story of the Day
Jake grew up an orphan and had no idea who his parents were until his father found him one day. The young man could not accept his father's reasons for abandoning him, so he pushed him away only to find out that he died months later.
Jake grew up to become an adult without ever knowing his parents. All he knew was that he was abandoned at the hospital as a baby and was placed in an orphanage once he was released.
He grew up in the foster care system, having foster parents until he graduated from high school. Although his needs were taken care of, they treated him like somebody else's child and not their own.
When Jake was 21 and studying business in college, his biological father found him and asked to meet. It turns out they lived in the same city all along, and his father had hired a private investigator to find out where he was.
Jake pushed his father away only to find out he was part of his father's will. | Source: Imagebb
Jake was not sure he wanted to meet his dad. He had gotten so used to living alone and being independent that meeting him would not have made a difference. After all, he knew he was abandoned, and that was enough reason for him to pull away from ever wanting to meet his parents.
Jake confided in his girlfriend Mandy about his father wanting to meet up. "What do you think, babe? Should I meet him?" he asked her that night.
"I know what he did to you was not right and absolutely not what you deserved, but it wouldn't hurt to meet with him. I'm sure you've had questions in your mind about who your parents are, and this is your chance to meet one of them finally. You don't have to start a connection with him, just meet him and see who he is," she replied.
Jake nodded. "You're right. I am quite curious about who he is. If it ends up being too much for me, I can just leave," he said, typing a message on his phone to reply to his father.
Jake confided in Mandy about his dilemma. | Source: Pexels
The very next day was a Saturday, and they decided to meet at a local coffee shop near Jake's campus. His father had told him he would be waiting for him in a gray suit, and as Jake entered, he immediately spotted him.
His dad was a tall man who looked to be in his late 40s. He shared the same hazel brown eyes as him, and while Jake's hair was chocolate brown, his father's already had a mix of gray in it.
When Jake entered, it was as if his father already knew it was him. He smiled, awkwardly waving as he waited for Jake to approach his table.
"Hi," Jake said as he sat down.
"Hello, Jake. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me," his father said. "My name is Jacob."
Jake's father was waiting for him at the coffee shop when he arrived. | Source: Pexels
"I'm sorry it took me so long to reach out to you, Jake. And I truly am sorry for what happened 22 years ago before your birth," Jacob started.
"What happened?" Jake asked, trying his best to stop fidgeting in his seat.
"I was an irresponsible man. When I found out that your mother was pregnant, I broke up with her and cut off all contact. I could not at the time imagine raising a child at the age of 25. I myself was a child, and I just couldn't accept the responsibility," Jacob explained.
Jake could feel his ears heat up. His father was an irresponsible man, and his reasons for not wanting to become a father were selfish.
"Eventually, I found out from common friends of your mother and me that she gave birth to you then abandoned you at the hospital because she could not raise you alone either. Although I knew that she abandoned you, at that time I had no intentions of picking you up. I am sorry, Jake. I was truly selfish," Jacob said.
Jake was frustrated about what he was hearing and wanted to leave. | Source: Pexels
Jake was absolutely furious and did not want to hear anything more from his father. Not only were his ears hot and red, but he could feel himself shaking as well. His father saw this and realized Jake could stand up and leave any minute.
"I really am sorry, Jake. I am terminally ill, and I wanted you to know that I am sorry for what I did to you and your mother. I was a young, selfish boy who just wanted to have fun. In the end, karma caught up with me, and I never had a family, and I'm completely alone," Jacob said.
Suddenly, a thought came into Jake's head, which caused him to blow up. "Is that what this is about? You're terminally ill, and now you want someone taking care of you? You couldn't even take care of your own girlfriend and son. Who are you to ask for care now? So what if you're alone? You deserve it," Jake said. He stood up then stormed out of the cafe.
Jake couldn't help but cry as he walked back towards his dorm. He stopped to sit on a local bench to shout about what had just happened. Although he knew it was wrong of him to assume that his father simply wanted something out of their meeting, he couldn't help but think that. His brain was wired to think badly of the people who abandoned him.
Jake always longed for a father but decided not to contact Jacob ever again. | Source: Pexels
In the end, he decided it was best never to contact his father again. After all, their last meeting ended badly, and he wanted to leave it at that. Although his girlfriend Mandy agreed that he might have been a little too harsh on his birth father, she understood his decision to stay away and move on with his life.
So that's exactly what Jake and Mandy did. When they graduated from college, they moved in together and got jobs to support their everyday needs. Unfortunately for them, what they were earning was not enough to pay for their student loans.
Together, they've been searching for ways to add to their income stream in hopes of lessening the burden left on them by the student loans they had to pay off.
A couple of months passed, and Jake received a call from a lawyer who introduced himself as Attorney Abraham. "I'm calling to let you know that your father has passed away and that you are a part of his will. If you have time this week, please come by to my office so that it can be settled immediately," the lawyer said.
Jake received a call from a lawyer months after his meeting with Jacob. | Source: Pexels
While a part of him didn't want to be associated with his father, Jake would be lying to himself if he told the lawyer he was not interested in knowing about what his father had left him.
As he sat on his office chair that day, he was reminded of all the things he needed to pay for and all the plans he had for his and Mandy's future. In the end, he agreed to meet with the lawyer.
A letter was given to Jake at the office before the will was read. In the letter, his father wrote one last goodbye to him, saying:
"Dear Jake,
I know you are angry with me, and I'm sure you always will be. I did not think you would show up in that cafe months ago, but I was grateful that you did. Although I already knew you would think of me as a bad man, I simply just wanted to see you and the man you had become before I passed on.
I was so glad to see that you had grown up to be such an independent young man. Congratulations on your recent graduation. Although you did not see me, I was there. I saw you walk up that stage, and although I knew I had no right to feel proud, I was so proud to see you there.
I wish you all the best in your life, son. I truly regret what I did 22 years ago. I wish I had taken care of you, and I wish we could have had a good life together. Now, I have to live with my regret for all eternity. I am leaving you my fortune not because I have no one else to give it to but because I want to somehow atone for my guilt. Please, accept it. With love, Jacob."
Jacob regretted what he did to Jake and his mother and made sure to let Jake know through his letter. | Source: Pexels
Jake wept bitterly as he read the letter. He knew that there would always be a pain in his chest every time he thought about what his parents did to him, but a part of him also regretted how his and his father's first and last encounter ended.
He was so blinded by his father that he rejected the person he had been longing for his whole life. Now he was dead, and Jake could not turn back the time to change it.
It was revealed that Jacob left Jake with millions and the house he lived in. He was a successful businessman, and when he sold his shares, he ended up being an instant millionaire. Jake could not believe it, and he felt terrible that he was using the money of a person he had conflicted feelings about.
In the end, he and Mandy paid off their student loans and moved into Jacob's home. There, Jake learned more about his father and what he liked through the things in his house. He liked music, evident by the records displayed in his study. Based on the several golf bags lined up at the garage, he enjoyed golfing too.
Jake and Mandy started a family of their own. | Source: Pexels
Since that day at the lawyer's office, Jake visited his father's grave every month, speaking to him and spending time with him as if he were still alive.
Two years later, Jake and Mandy decided to get married and start a family. Their first child was a boy, and they decided to name him Jacob.
Although Jake never got to spend time with his father and feel his love, he made sure to shower his own children with all the love and care he could possibly give. They also got to know their grandfather thanks to Jake, who would tell them that their grandfather loved them a lot and made sure they had everything they needed to live comfortable lives.
What can we learn from this story?
- Your past does not need to define your future. Jake grew up parentless, so he made sure to shower his children with love and care, so they never felt how he did when he was younger.
- Time heals all wounds. Jake never thought he would end up having a soft spot for the man who abandoned him, especially after their first and last meeting. However, in the end, he made sure that his kids knew about their grandfather and how he helped their family during difficult times.
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