Poor Boy Meets Rich Mom for the First Time in 16 Years, Finds Out His Entire Life Is a 'Lie'

A young boy had grown up harboring feelings of sheer anger and hate for his mother, which only intensified with time. Little did he know that an unexpected meeting would change everything he had known and believed in, turning his world topsy-turvy.

Every child needs a parent who will always be there during good and bad times and shower them with tender love and care. However, due to unlikely circumstances, many kids might grow up devoid of parental love and attention, leaving behind a gaping hole in their hearts.

Some voids are too difficult to fill, and the emptiness they lead to might remain for a long time. Living a life trying to make sense of all the missing parts of your existence can be daunting, and the youngster in today's story battled similar feelings.

OPENING UP

In July 2022, a teenager took to Reddit's "TrueOffMyChest" forum to share the emotional baggage that had weighed him down for years. He started his story by saying that he had grown up without his mother's loving embrace because she was said to have left him when he turned two years old.

The teenager said he felt nauseous and didn't know what to say or think.

The Original Poster, 18, said he grew up hating and resenting his mother, primarily because he saw his father, 42, working incredibly hard to raise him and make ends meet. He was also said to have hated how his grandmother stepped up to raise him.

NAGGING QUESTIONS

Growing up, OP had moments when he couldn't help but wonder about his mother, with numerous questions nagging his mind. Then, he would go to his grandma to find the answers. He recalled:

"When I would ask her about my mother, my grandma painted a picture of a bitter, spiteful, hateful spoiled/ entitled woman. I felt very justified in my anger and hate for her."

OP said he grew up fostering hate and bitterness for the woman who gave birth to him and hearing her stories from his family intensified his feelings. Then, one day, he was at his boyfriend's house when he came across his mother's social media account, which drove him crazy.

LIVING THE BEST LIFE

Per OP, his mother, 40, was a cook in a Michelin star restaurant, traveled frequently, and had a large apartment. She was also married to a handsome man. Seeing his mom living her best life triggered his emotions, and OP said he messaged her, saying she would soon pay the price for her actions.

Surprisingly enough, his mother saw the message, and contrary to what he had thought, she asked him to meet her. OP said she told him he had a right to be angry with her, and he could vent once they met.

The teenager admitted he was astounded because he had always known his mother never to take responsibility for her actions. However, because he wanted his answers, he agreed to meet her and didn't mention anything to his family.

AN UNEXPECTED MEETING

OP recounted that his mom invited him to a fantastic restaurant and even paid for his Uber. Initially, things were incredibly awkward, with the youngster berating his mom while struggling with tears and anger. But OP noted how she didn't say anything and took it all in.

Startled by his mother's reaction, OP asked her why she had abandoned him. What happened next was something he never saw coming. He said that his mother inquired if he was prepared to hear the complete story because it was anything but good.

Should he decline to know the story, his mom said she was ready to be the bad person in his head and would stay out of his life. But OP was sure he wanted to know everything, and upon his insistence, she agreed to reveal the details.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY

His mother told him that she and his father met before finishing university. After a few months of dating, OP's father told her that his landlord was evicting him because he needed the apartment for immediate family use. She offered him a place to stay while he arranged for something else.

Months passed, but OP's mom said his father didn't do anything. After that, she received a job offer in another country and told OP's dad that he could either take over her apartment or join her.

Sadly, they fought, and she told him she wasn't ready for the commitment he wanted, and as much as she loved him, they weren't compatible. However, the couple started living together, and one day, she learned she was pregnant.

FALLING PREGNANT

OP recounted that his mom confessed she wasn't thinking of having him because she didn't feel ready to embrace motherhood at 22. Moreover, she said she was also battling depression and late-diagnosed ADHD then.

But despite everything, OP's father was said to have convinced her to follow through with her pregnancy. OP added:

"My father convinced her to have me. He said he would take me because he had a right to me. That he would go after her because that baby was also his. So she had me."

BATTLING DEPRESSION

Time went by, and eventually, OP's parents had him. But his mom noted that the time after his birth was challenging because his father refused to vacate the home and dragged out the legal procedures.

OP's mom admitted that there were moments when she felt love for him, but bouts of depression and anxiety overshadowed those instances. The youngster said his mom showed her some court papers from that time to support her claims.

Eventually, his mother said she agreed to stay with his dad after he assured her he would be the primary caretaker, although he never kept his word. She noted how things spiraled out of control when OP's dad admitted to having tampered with her birth control.

A LIFE FULL OF STRUGGLES

OP shared that his mother showed him the documents that backed her statements, including legal papers where she was deemed unfit to parent. The teenager said he felt nauseous and didn't know what to say or think. He also knew his mom was telling the truth, given the evidence she had brought along.

As he tried to absorb his mother's words, she asked him what he had meant in his message when he said he was struggling. OP told his mother that his family wasn't wealthy and he didn't know how to find the money to fund his university in another city. He recollected:

"She was bewildered and asked me what my father had been doing with the monthly payments she was making. I told her that we don't receive that money."

A SHOCKING REVELATION

OP's mother showed him another document which said she had been sending almost 3K monthly in child support. According to the court, the youngster stated that his mom was only supposed to pay him 1.5K, but she had willingly doubled the payments.

But after discovering that he wasn't receiving the money, OP said his mom was concerned and told him she would talk to her lawyers and transfer the funds to him directly. Afterward, the mother-son duo shared a few moments where she apologized for letting him grow up without her and for everything he had endured.

They cried for some time, and she told him to take time to process what he had learned. OP stated his mother told him she would contact him again regarding the child support money, and it was purely up to him if he wanted to meet her again.

LIVING A LIE

The pair shared a hug and waved goodbye with tears in their eyes. OP said his mother booked him another Uber, but his father wasn't there when he went home. He woke up early the following day and decided to stay with his boyfriend. A heartbroken and shocked OP thought to himself, "My whole life is a lie."

The Reddit post racked up more than 14,000 reactions, and many netizens shared their views in the comment section. One user wrote:

"My father did something incredibly similar. To make it worse she died before I found out the truth. I lost one parent and then cut the other out of my life when I found out the truth. I suggest you spend time getting to know your mom before you can’t."

Some people suggested OP find out what his dad had done with the child support money. A second person added:

"Try to find out what your dad's been doing with the monthly $3k as well. He may owe you. Certain states have laws that the money is supposed to be used for the child's expenses."

A third commenter said: "I am so sorry. Your dad and grandmother are truly despicable. My question would be, where did all of that money go? I'd be incredibly angry about this whole [expletive] storm."

Another person opined: "Ever been at a loss for words? Yeah, this is one of those times. This is absolutely horrible."

QUESTIONS TO PONDER:

1. Do you think OP did the right thing by texting his mother?

Growing up, OP only knew one side of the story and believed what his dad and grandma told him about his mother. Perhaps he couldn't help but take out some of his anger and hatred on his mom because, deep down, he wanted to know why she left him. What are your thoughts?

2. Was it wrong of his mother to leave him as a child and walk away?

OP's story clearly shows that his mother and father didn't have a healthy relationship, which affected her emotional and mental health. She showed him the papers that deemed her unfit to be a parent, but despite that, she said she had been sending him child support.

Could she have figured out another way or reached out to her child sooner? What do you think? Please share your comments on Facebook.