It hadn’t been easy, raising Kyle on your own. You were only eighteen when you found out you were pregnant, and his father had made it clear he wasn’t ready for a family. He left before Kyle was even born, disappearing from your life with barely an explanation. You tried to make it work, taking on part-time jobs while juggling online courses to build a future. The tiny flat you lived in wasn’t much, but it was yours, and it was safe for Kyle. Every choice you made revolved around him, ensuring he never felt the absence of the father who had walked away.

Kyle, now five, was your whole world. Bright, curious, and endlessly chatty, he had a way of finding joy in even the simplest things. But you couldn’t shake the constant worry—about money, about his safety, about whether you were doing enough.

You were thinking about what to make for dinner when you realized Kyle wasn’t by your side. You’d been sorting through a pile of apples at the store, distracted by trying to find the best ones. Panic surged through you as your eyes darted around the produce section. Then you saw him, standing a few feet away, talking to a man you didn’t know. The stranger was crouched down, his dark jacket brushing the floor as he smiled at something Kyle was saying. You moved quickly, heart racing, and reached Kyle in an instant, grabbing his hand and pulling him close