Young love blinded Tina to the truth about her husband. At 18, she ran away with Richard, believing their passion would last forever. But when she announced her pregnancy, his true colors emerged. “How could you do this to me?” he spat, revealing their marriage had just been his escape route.
The next night, alcohol fueled Richard’s cruelty as he threw his pregnant wife onto the streets. When Tina contacted his parents, they twisted the knife deeper, accusing her of infidelity. With no one to turn to, Tina vowed to give her unborn child the love she’d been denied.
Greg grew up knowing his father’s betrayal. He watched his mother work tirelessly to provide, and at 15, he began working too. Through sheer determination, Greg built a successful business by 26, finally giving his mother the security she deserved.
But the anger festered. One afternoon, Greg sat outside Richard’s dilapidated house, gripping a baseball bat. The revenge fantasy that had sustained him for years suddenly felt hollow when he saw the broken man his father had become.
In a twist of fate, Greg became the owner of Richard’s home. The final confrontation in the real estate office was sweeter than any violence could have been. Watching Richard’s face crumple as he recognized his successful son was justice enough. As Tina watched her ex-husband slink away, she realized – they hadn’t just survived, they’d thrived.
