“He Left Me When Our Son Was Three, Now I’m the Villain in His Eyes”

Sarah sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the framed photo of her son, Jake, on the nightstand. He was three years old in that picture, smiling brightly with his chubby cheeks and sparkling eyes. It was taken just a week before her husband, Tom, walked out on them for another woman. That was fifteen years ago.

“I never thought I’d be here,” Sarah said to her best friend, Linda, over the phone. “At fifty-five, being blamed for everything that went wrong in Jake’s life.”

Linda sighed on the other end. “You’ve done everything you could for him, Sarah. Don’t let him make you feel otherwise.”

Sarah had always been a hard worker. After Tom left, she took on two jobs to make ends meet. She worked as a nurse during the day and cleaned offices at night. Every penny she earned went towards Jake’s upbringing. She wanted him to have everything he needed and more.

“I remember those nights,” Sarah continued. “Coming home exhausted, barely able to keep my eyes open, but still making sure Jake had a hot meal and help with his homework.”

Jake had been a bright student, always excelling in school. Sarah was proud of him and did everything she could to support his dreams. She saved every extra dollar for his college fund, even if it meant going without new clothes or a vacation for herself.

But things started to change when Jake entered high school. He became distant, spending more time with friends and less time at home. Sarah chalked it up to teenage rebellion and tried to give him space.

“I thought it was just a phase,” Sarah said. “But then he started blaming me for everything. He said I was too controlling, that I never let him have any freedom.”

Linda listened quietly, knowing how much Sarah had sacrificed for her son.

“He doesn’t understand,” Sarah continued. “He doesn’t see the nights I stayed up worrying about him, the times I went without so he could have what he needed.”

The breaking point came when Jake turned eighteen and decided not to go to college. He wanted to travel and “find himself,” as he put it. Sarah was devastated. She had worked so hard to save for his education, and now it felt like all her efforts were in vain.

“He said I was trying to live my dreams through him,” Sarah said, tears welling up in her eyes. “That I was selfish for wanting him to go to college.”

Jake left home shortly after that argument, and their relationship had been strained ever since. He rarely called or visited, and when he did, it was usually to ask for money.

“I feel like I’ve lost him,” Sarah admitted. “And now he’s telling everyone that I ruined his life.”

Linda tried to comfort her friend. “You did your best, Sarah. You gave him everything you could.”

“But it wasn’t enough,” Sarah replied bitterly. “In his eyes, I’m the villain.”

As she hung up the phone, Sarah felt a deep sense of loss. She had given everything for her son, only to be painted as the bad guy in his story. It was a pain she never expected to feel at this stage in her life.

She looked at the photo of Jake again, remembering the little boy who once adored her. She wondered if he would ever understand the sacrifices she made for him or if she would always be the villain in his eyes.