For years, I was the woman who always put her family first.

Every morning, while the house was still asleep, I would wake up early to prepare breakfast. Tom liked his coffee strong, no sugar, and I always made it just the way he liked it. Ben and Elizabeth had their clothes neatly ironed and fresh lunches carefully packed.

Day in and day out, I lived my life ensuring that everything was for them, and that they had everything they needed. But amid this caring routine, I somehow lost myself.

After years of taking care of everyone else, I looked in the mirror for the first time and asked,

“What do I want?”

My dream of studying art, something I had buried deep within myself long ago, suddenly reappeared.

That evening, Tom sat in his favorite chair with a newspaper.

“Tom,” I began, “I’ve decided I want to study art in Europe.”

He didn’t even look up from his paper. “You what?”

“I want to study art in Europe,” I repeated, my heart pounding in my chest.

Tom finally looked up.

“You’ve spent your life with this family. And now you want to abandon us for some classes?”

“Not abandon,” I insisted, gripping the edge of my chair. “It’s about finding something I’ve always dreamed of.”

“Dreamed of?” Tom scoffed.

“You can’t be serious, Margaret. You can’t be a good mother and chase after nonsense at the same time.”

I glanced over at Ben and Elizabeth, who were lingering in the doorway.

“It’s not nonsense. It’s my passion.”

Ben stepped forward, siding with his father. “Mom, maybe Dad’s right. You should be thinking about us.”

My heart sank. “Ben, you don’t understand…”

“Maybe I do,” he cut in. “We need you here, not off in some foreign country.”

“Elizabeth?” I turned to my daughter, desperate for support.

She hesitated, looking between us. “Mom… I just… Maybe you should think it over. I don’t know.”

The betrayal hit hard. I’d always been there for them, and now…

“I’ve given everything to this family. Everything! And you’re telling me I don’t deserve this one thing?”

“Deserve?” Tom’s voice was low, almost a growl. “You’re talking about breaking up our family. How can you even think like that?”

“I’m not breaking anything. I just want… I need something for myself.”

I looked at them, searching their faces for some sign of understanding, but all I saw was disappointment.

Silence. The room felt suffocating.

“So that’s it? You’re all against me?”

Tom’s gaze didn’t waver. “Think about what you’re doing, Margaret. You can’t have it both ways.”

The room around me seemed to close in, the walls pressing down. I was alone.

***

Despite Tom’s harsh words, I enrolled in online art courses. At night, when the house was quiet and everyone else was asleep, I would sneak into the study and work on my assignments.

I painted, sketched, and poured my heart into my work. I even applied for an educational grant and started working on a project for a competition.

But it didn’t take long for things to change at home.

The kitchen, once a place of warmth and family gatherings, was now silent. The smell of freshly cooked meals no longer filled the air, and the dining table often sat empty.

“Mom, where’s dinner?” Ben asked one evening, poking his head into the study.

“Sorry, Ben,” I replied, barely looking up from my screen, “I’ve got a lot of work tonight. There’s some leftovers in the fridge.”

“Leftovers again?” he muttered under his breath as he walked away.

Tom noticed, of course. He always did. “Margaret, you’re neglecting your duties. This isn’t who you are.”

Elizabeth, usually quiet during these moments, finally spoke up. “Dad, I think she’s really serious about this. Maybe we should support mom?”

“Support? Elizabeth, your mother lost her mind.”

The house was falling apart around me. The kids were fending for themselves, and Tom’s patience was wearing thin.

Gradually, they pulled away. Ben stopped talking to me altogether. Elizabeth, who always had a soft spot for me, began to act distant, clearly torn between her loyalty to me and her father’s influence.

After another argument with Tom, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. The reflection staring back was a worn-out, sad woman I never wanted to become.

That evening, I packed my suitcase.

Could I leave everything behind?

***

I had moved to Rome nearly. The city was everything I had dreamed of—vibrant, alive, and rich with history. I rented a tiny room in an old building, sharing the apartment with a rather strange roommate.

She was a quiet, mysterious woman who kept mostly to herself. We didn’t talk much, but I didn’t mind. I was there for one purpose: to study art.

I had enough money to cover the first few months.

But I was counting on the grant. It was the lifeline that would allow me to continue my studies. So, when I received the news that I had won it, I couldn’t keep it to myself.

“I won it!” I announced it to my roommate.

She looked up from whatever she was doing. “That’s wonderful.”

I was too caught up in the thrill of my success and had no idea that sharing this news would be a fatal mistake.

***

The next morning, I woke up to find her room empty. Her things were gone, and so was the small amount of money I had left.

Panic gripped me as I tore through the apartment, hoping I had missed something, but it was no use. She had taken it all.

I was stranded in a foreign city with no money, no support, and no idea how I was going to survive! Desperate, I called Tom, the only person I could think of.

“Tom, it’s me,” I began, my voice trembling. “I need help. I’ve lost everything! My.. my money, my savings, it’s all gone. I don’t know what to do.”

For a moment, there was silence on the other end of the line.

“Margaret, you made your choice. Now live with the consequences.”

“Tom, please… The kids…”

“The kids are with me,” he interrupted. “They’ve made their choice, too. I’m filing for divorce, Margaret. It’s over.”

The call ended abruptly, my last hope of support had just been ripped away.

That night, I was wandering the streets of Rome, dragging my suitcase behind me. The city that had once seemed so full of promise now felt like a cold, unforgiving place.

I ended up in a subway station, sitting on a cold, hard bench with my few unfinished projects—the last remnants of my dream.

What will happen next?

***

I woke up to the sound of footsteps and a gentle voice calling out, “Miss, are you alright?”

Blinking against the morning light that streamed into the subway station, I found myself staring up at a young man. He was dressed neatly, with a briefcase in one hand and a concerned expression on his face.

“I… Uh, yes, I’m fine,” I mumbled, trying to gather my thoughts.

It all felt like a bad dream—the cold bench, the suitcase beside me, the uncertainty of what lay ahead.

“You don’t look fine,” he said softly, crouching down to meet my gaze.

“My name’s Jack. Are you sure you’re okay? It seems like you’ve had a rough night.”

The kindness in his voice caught me off guard. I hadn’t expected anyone to notice me, let alone care.

“I… I have nowhere to go,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jack frowned, glancing at my suitcase. “Nowhere at all? What happened?”

The words tumbled out before I could stop them.

“I was studying here, but things went wrong. I lost everything. My money, my place to stay… I have nothing left.”

He paused and then reached into his pocket and pulled out a key.

“Look, I don’t live far from here. I’ve got a small apartment, nothing fancy, but it’s clean and safe. Why don’t you stay there for a while? Just until you figure things out.”

I stared at him, shocked by the offer.

“But… You don’t even know me. Why would you do that?”

Jack smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling.

“Everyone needs a little help sometimes. You’re clearly in a tough spot, and I’d hate to leave you here with no place to go. Besides, I’m hardly ever home—I work all day. You’d have the place to yourself, and you can stay as long as you need to get back on your feet.”

His offer seemed too good to be true. I hesitated, searching his face for any sign of ulterior motives. But all I saw was genuine concern.

“I don’t know how to thank you,” I finally said, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes.

“No need for thanks,” Jack replied, standing up and offering me a hand. “Come on, let’s get you somewhere more comfortable.”

I took his hand, and together we made our way to his apartment. It was just as he had described—small, modest, but incredibly welcoming.

A friendly Labrador greeted us at the door, wagging its tail enthusiastically. The warmth of the place was almost overwhelming after the cold, lonely night I had spent in the subway.

“Make yourself at home,” Jack said, showing me around. “There’s food in the fridge, and fresh towels in the bathroom. I’ll be back after work, and we can talk more then.”

I nodded, still in disbelief at my luck.

“Thank you, Jack. Really, thank you.”

After he left, I collapsed on the couch, exhaustion finally catching up with me. The soft cushions felt like heaven, and I let out a long breath, feeling some of the tension leave my body.

***

When Jack returned that evening, we sat down together in the cozy living room. Over a simple meal, we talked. I learned that Jack was a kind, lonely man who had been living alone with his dog for a while.

He didn’t ask too many questions, and didn’t pry into my life, but he listened with genuine interest as I told him about my journey, my lost dreams, and my uncertain future.

“It might take time, but you’re strong. You wouldn’t have made it this far if you weren’t,” Jack said with quiet confidence.

Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Elizabeth, my daughter.

“Mom, I’m on your side. Dad tried to keep me from talking to you, but I don’t care. I’ve met someone who supports me, and now I want to support you. I have some savings. Take them, please.”

Hearing those words from Elizabeth was like a lifeline. I wasn’t alone.

I decided to continue my studies. The path ahead was uncertain, but for the first time in a long while, I felt hopeful.

With people like Jack and Elizabeth by my side, I knew I could find my way and become the strong, independent woman I was meant to be.