Liam had an uncanny ability to make everything about himself. His priorities were always centered on his gadgets, wild schemes, and reckless investments, leaving our family as an afterthought. A perfect example of this was when our daughter, Danielle, wanted to take ballet lessons. I was ready to make financial adjustments to accommodate her dream, but before I could finalize the arrangements, Liam came home beaming. He had emptied our savings to invest in cryptocurrency, convinced it would make us rich. Instead, it turned out to be a scam, and I had to break the heartbreaking news to Danielle that ballet was no longer an option. When confronted, Liam merely shrugged it off, promising the next venture would be our golden ticket.

I grew exhausted from watching him throw our money away, prioritizing his impulsive investments over our family’s well-being. One night, I sat him down for a serious discussion about our future, urging him to think about emergencies, our financial stability, and Danielle’s college education. But he dismissed my concerns, insisting that he was working toward our future riches. When I expressed my doubts, he shocked me by suggesting a divorce. At first, I thought he was being dramatic, but the cold, unwavering look in his eyes told me he was serious. I realized then that he wasn’t willing to change or fight for our family, so why should I fight for him? Divorce took longer than expected, and though Danielle and I got to stay in the house my grandfather left me, Liam rarely visited or called, leaving our daughter feeling abandoned.

One night, everything changed. Danielle’s terrified screams jolted me awake, and I rushed to her room, only to be shoved aside by a shadowy figure. My daughter, trembling and panicked, insisted it was her father. The idea of Liam breaking into our home and scaring our child sent my mind into a whirlwind of rage and fear. Later, we discovered that some of Danielle’s gold jewelry had been stolen. Fearing for our safety, I sent her to stay with my mother and installed a high-tech security system. It was a wise decision, as ten days later, my phone buzzed with an alert—someone was inside the house. I called 911 and crept downstairs, discovering Liam in the garage, trying to break into a hidden safe. When confronted, he advanced toward me with a crowbar, but I managed to distract him by opening the garage door. Just then, the police arrived, catching him in the act.