While helping her mother, Sarah, move into a new house, Natalie stumbles upon an old photograph hidden in a box. It shows a young Sarah holding a newborn baby with a distinctive birthmark on its cheek. But Natalie never had a birthmark. Confused and unsettled, she realizes there’s a secret her mother has been hiding.
Natalie adjusted her grip on the heavy box, glancing at Sarah, who was busily sorting through their belongings. It felt strange, this new feeling—admiration. For years, she had begged her mother to leave Ross, warning her about his manipulative ways.
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“You deserve better,” she’d say, but Sarah never listened. Each time she walked away from Ross, she’d return, swayed by a shiny necklace or an expensive dinner. But now, things were different. Sarah had finally found the strength to break free.
Watching her mother carry on despite the fear in her eyes, Natalie couldn’t help but feel a new kind of respect.
“I can’t believe this is actually happening,” Sarah said, her voice trembling as she looked around the empty house. It was a new beginning, but fear lingered in her eyes.
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Natalie paused, watching her mother. “How do you feel about everything?”
“I’m scared, Natalie,” Sarah admitted, her shoulders slumping. “I don’t know if I can do this.”
“I get it, Mom. It’s okay to be scared. But remember, you did the right thing.”
Sarah wrung her hands, glancing at the floor. “What if I go back to him again? What if I can’t make it on my own? What if I fail?”
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“You won’t, Mom,” Natalie said firmly. “You’ll figure it out, and I’ll be here with you. You’re not alone in this. You have me, your one and only daughter, and I’m not going anywhere.”
Sarah looked up, and her eyes filled with unshed tears. Her brow furrowed, lips quivering.
“Mom, are you okay?” Natalie asked, concerned.
“Yes, yes. Sorry, I just got lost in thought.” Sarah forced a smile.
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They started unpacking, trying to focus on the small tasks. “You sure kept a lot of stuff, Mom,” Natalie remarked, lifting another heavy box.
Sarah called from the other room, “Oh, really? I seem to remember a certain college student with a mountain of boxes.”
Natalie chuckled, shaking her head. “Okay, okay, you got me there. But I’m different now. I’ve learned to let go.”
She pulled open a dusty box, revealing a stack of old photo albums. She brushed off the top one and flipped it open, smiling as she saw herself as a toddler, playing in the backyard, dressed in funny Halloween costumes, and grinning with a gap-toothed smile.
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Page after page, she saw Sarah’s smiling face next to hers, but she avoided the photos that showed Ross. She flipped past those quickly, a sour feeling building in her chest whenever his face appeared.
Once she finished the albums, she reached the bottom of the box and noticed an old envelope. It looked out of place, hidden away like a secret. Curiosity took over, and she carefully opened it.
Inside was a single photograph. It showed a much younger Sarah, looking tired but joyful, cradling a newborn in her arms at the hospital. Natalie squinted at the baby, her smile fading. A large birthmark covered the baby’s cheek.
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She flipped the photo over and read the date. It matched the day of her own birth. Her heart skipped a beat, confusion filling her mind. “But I never had a birthmark,” she whispered to herself, scanning the photo again. A chill ran down her spine as dread settled in. Something wasn’t right.
Natalie stormed into the bedroom, gripping the photograph tightly. “Mom? Don’t you have something to explain?” she demanded, holding the picture up for Sarah to see.
Sarah’s eyes widened, and she froze, clearly flustered. “Uhh… Natalie… where did you find that?” she asked, her voice shaky.
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“In the box with the photo albums,” Natalie replied coldly.
Sarah swallowed hard. “I can explain. It’s… it’s just the baby of a woman who was sharing the hospital room with me.”
Natalie narrowed her eyes. “Really? And you’ve kept it all these years? Why would you hide it in an envelope?”
“I—I don’t know,” Sarah stammered, rubbing the back of her head. “It’s nothing, Natalie.”
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“Don’t lie to me, Mom,” Natalie shot back. “You always do that when you lie. What’s going on? Who’s this baby?”
Sarah sighed, her hands trembling. “It’s complicated, Natalie. It was a long time ago…”
Natalie crossed her arms. “Then start explaining.”
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Sarah took a deep breath, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “Alright. But promise you won’t hate me.”
“I can’t promise that,” Natalie replied sharply. “Just tell me.”
Sarah closed her eyes for a moment, collecting her thoughts. “When your father and I first got married, we didn’t have much. We were poor, barely scraping by.”
Natalie huffed, her impatience growing. “I know all that, Mom.”
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Sarah nodded. “Then, when I got pregnant, we were excited but scared. We didn’t have the money, but we wanted to keep the baby. When we went for the second ultrasound, they told us we were having twins.”
Natalie blinked, the revelation hitting her like a wave. “Twins?”
Sarah nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. “Yes. But your father… he didn’t take it well. He said we couldn’t afford two children. He wanted me to have an abortion, but it was too late.”
Natalie’s breath caught in her throat, but she remained silent, waiting for her mother to continue.
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“When you were born,” Sarah whispered, “you had a sister. But then… your father brought two strangers into the hospital room. He said… one of you had to go. I begged him, Natalie, I did. But he had already made up his mind.”
Natalie’s hands tightened into fists. “You let him take her?”
“I didn’t have a choice,” Sarah sobbed. “I didn’t want to lose either of you.”
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Natalie stood, her chest heaving with anger. “So, I have a sister—a twin—and you never told me? You let her go, and you stayed with him after that?”
“I loved him,” Sarah whispered, tears falling freely.
Natalie glared at her, her voice trembling with rage. “You loved him more than your own child! I knew you weren’t the best mother, but this… this is worse than I ever imagined!” She turned toward the door, her mind racing.
“Natalie, please—”
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But Natalie didn’t stop. She ran out of the room, out of the apartment, leaving her mother’s cries behind her.
Back in her apartment, her hands shook as she typed out a message to Sarah:
Who did you and Dad give her to?
Minutes passed, each one feeling like an hour. When Sarah finally replied with the information, Natalie’s heart hardened. She blocked her mother’s number without hesitation, determined to find answers on her own.
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Through a few quick searches on social media, she found out her sister’s name—Amber. She lived in a neighboring state. Without a second thought, she booked a plane ticket and boarded the flight that same afternoon, her mind racing with questions.
When she landed, Natalie called a cab, and the driver took her to Amber’s address. The cab stopped in front of a charming, two-story house with a big, well-kept yard. Natalie sat in the backseat, nerves building as she stared at the house.
“Lady, I can’t sit here all day; some of us have jobs,” the cab driver snapped.
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Natalie shot him a quick, irritated look and got out of the car, her legs unsteady. She walked up to the fence, clutching it tightly for support. Her breath caught when she spotted a woman who looked just like her, except for a birthmark on her cheek—Amber.
Amber was playing with a little boy while a man, probably her husband, laughed beside them. An elderly couple sat nearby, holding hands, their smiles warm and gentle. When they leaned in for a kiss, it reminded Natalie of a love she had never seen between her parents.
“Mom, Dad, come on, show some restraint,” Amber said with a grin as she watched her parents kiss.
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Just then, two older women walked by and noticed Natalie by the fence. “Hi, Amber!” one of them greeted her warmly, mistaking her for her twin.
Natalie hesitated, caught off guard. “Oh, uh… hi,” she replied awkwardly, forcing a smile.
The women continued walking, not noticing the confusion, while Natalie tried to steady her nerves.
Natalie took one last look at Amber’s family. They seemed so content, like a picture-perfect scene from a commercial. Amber was laughing with her little boy, while her husband joined in, and her parents sat nearby, relaxed and happy.
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It was clear they were close, a real family, and Natalie felt a sharp pang in her chest. She realized then that she couldn’t disrupt that happiness. With a heavy sigh, she turned away, her heart aching but resolute.
She couldn’t be the one to ruin Amber’s peace. As much as it hurt, she knew it was the right thing to do.
The next morning, Natalie flew back home, still haunted by what she’d learned. Without fully understanding why, she found herself calling a cab to her mom’s house.
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As she arrived, she saw her dad’s car pulling away. Her heart sank, and she feared the worst. She stepped out and knocked, and Sarah opened the door almost immediately.
Natalie looked at her mom, her voice sharp. “Was Dad here?”
Sarah hesitated, then nodded. “Yes.”
Natalie felt her stomach drop. “So, you forgave him. Again.”
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Sarah glanced down, fidgeting with her hands. “He brought me a necklace,” she said softly. “It’s beautiful…” Her voice faded as she spoke.
Natalie sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I see,” she said, turning to leave, feeling the familiar sting of disappointment.
Before she could step away, Sarah spoke again, her voice stronger. “But I told him to go to hell.”
Natalie stopped, stunned. She turned back, searching her mom’s face. Seeing the truth there, she stepped forward and pulled her into a tight hug. They clung to each other, tears streaming, finally finding a sense of relief.
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If you enjoyed this story, read this one: When a new boss named Mr. Brecker arrived at the company, the staff hoped for the best. But he quickly turned out to be a nightmare—strict, rude, and dismissive, especially towards Kira, the hardworking manager. Instead of backing down, Kira decided to fight back, leading to a bold plan that would change everything.
Woman is Speaking to Her Boss on a Video Call When Her Angry Husband Bursts in – Story of the Day
When Amanda’s husband, Chris, interrupted a critical video call, she knew it was time to end things. But things only got worse when he showed up at an official meeting the next day and made a show in front of very important people.
Amanda stared at her laptop screen. She was finishing up with an important meeting with her supervisors at work. Her nerves grated along a knife’s edge, but not because of the video meeting. Her husband, Chris, was approaching the neat and cozy corner she used for working and taking on-camera calls.
“You’re amazing, Amanda,” Mr. Anders said.
For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube/DramatizeMe
Amanda would’ve hoisted up her biggest and brightest smile, but Chris’s heavy footsteps were closer now; he was almost upon her. She froze. Like a squirrel cornered by a bear, there was nowhere for her to run and no place where she could hide.
Chris slammed his beer down on the writing pad she’d used to take notes, stepping right into her space and her laptop camera’s range. Amanda shrank away from him.
“What are you doing?” Chris asked. “Where’s my food?”
“I’m so sorry,” Amanda said to her supervisors before tilting her head to answer Chris. “I’m just finishing up my meeting, honey.”
She looked on in dismay as her supervisors, Claire and Mr. Anders, looked at each other in confusion. Amanda could still save this. Chris might go away if she could find just the right words or precisely the right way to look at him (once she gathered the courage to look at him at all.) Once he left, she could play the whole thing off as a mistake.
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“Honey, I’m hungry,” Chris said. “You don’t want to upset your hubby, do you?”
His tone of voice was soft, silky, and laden with threats Amanda knew full well he wouldn’t hesitate to follow through on. She looked up at him now—she couldn’t avoid it any longer—and bravely spoke to him as though he were a normal person, not a monster disguised as a human being.
“I just need a few more minutes, honey. Please?” Amanda pleaded. “I’m on a call with my supervisors. We should be finished soon.”
She turned back to face her laptop squarely, but Chris clearly wasn’t done.
“Supervisors?” He chuckled and reached around to grab her chair. “Come on, off you go,” Chris said, giving her chair a little shake. “You know what happens when you work too hard.”
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Indeed, Amanda knew all too well what Chris would do to her for what he perceived as ‘working too hard.’ She smiled at her screen even as her mind filled with howling terror. Some part of herself that felt like it might be vital tore loose inside of her.
Amanda let Chris shoo her away from what might be the most vital meeting of her career because she ultimately had no choice. She never had a choice. A familiar darkness closed in around her as she walked to the kitchen.
“And get everything on the table in fifteen minutes,” Chris called after her.
“Of course, honey,” Amanda chirped as her auto-pilot persona took over.
“I will talk to your supervisors myself,” Chris said.
Mr. Anders, one of Amanda’s supervisors, spoke to him. “Chris, Amanda is indispensable for the meeting tomorrow. Her presence is crucial for our success, do you understand?” he stated firmly.
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Chris’s demeanor faltered slightly. “Oh, yeah, yeah, sure thing,” he dismissed.
As Amanda left to attend to Chris’s demands for food, Chris remained on the call, his disruptive behavior leaving an indelible mark of chaos that tainted the professionalism of the meeting.
***
Amanda found herself in the sanctuary of her kitchen a few hours later, the remnants of dinner scattered across the countertops. The clinking of dishes filled the air as she diligently washed and dried them, methodically moving through the routine chores.
How did it come to this? Amanda’s mind raced as she scrubbed a stubborn stain off a plate. My career hanging by a thread because of my husband.
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The clatter of plates faded into the background as Amanda’s thoughts tugged at her. I’ve worked so hard for this and sacrificed so much…
She dried a glass, the transparency reflecting the chaos she couldn’t quite see through. Where do I draw the line? Why am I still with him?
The dishes gleamed at last. Yet, Amanda’s inner conflict lingered, simmering beneath the surface, unresolved and weighing heavily on her conscience.
***
The following day, Mr. Anders attempted to maintain decorum, apologizing to the investors immediately. “Apologies for the delay. Amanda will be here shortly. Thank you for being so patient.”
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Mr. Whitney, a composed figure among the investors, nodded understandingly. “We’ll wait. We’re eager to hear from Amanda,” he reassured, his gaze flickering toward the entrance.
Finally, Amanda rushed in, her chest moving rapidly. Determination glinted in her eyes, though the darkness below her eyes showed her fatigue. “Thank you for waiting. I’m so sorry,” she managed, still breathless.
Chris barged into the room before she could collect her thoughts.”What’s the fuss about? Mind if I join?” he interjected, a smirk playing on his lips as he glanced around.
He strolled over to Mr. Whitney, fixating on the watch adorning his wrist. “Fancy watch. How much did you spend on that?” Chris prodded, ignoring or unaware of the shocked and confused faces around him.
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The investors exchanged bemused glances as Chris continued, his demeanor unapologetic. “Money talks, right? Let’s get to it,” he declared.
Amanda tried to rein him in. “Chris, not now, please,” she implored, sweat beading on her forehead.
Mr. Anders beckoned Claire urgently, guiding her to the corridor outside the meeting room where Chris lingered, an unsettling air of disruption trailing him. “We need to contain this,” he whispered urgently before calling out Amanda’s husband. “Chris, how about a tour of our facilities? We’ll show you around while Amanda continues the meeting.”
Chris’s expression shifted, a smug grin playing on his lips. “Sure thing, boss. Lead the way!” he mocked, his eyes darting mischievously.
Mr. Anders led Chris along the corridor. “Claire here will assist you,” he explained, turning to Claire with a forced smile.
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Claire nodded, albeit reluctantly. “Of course, Chris. Let’s start with the main office area,” she suggested, pretending this was perfectly normal. Mr. Anders returned to the meeting, and Chris’s expression shifted from sarcastic and smiley to something else.
Claire noticed the change quickly but had to pretend. The investor meeting was crucial. “Show me around, girl,” Chris demanded, his voice like a sharp knife. “Huh-huh, do what your boss said. You know what to do if you want things to run smoothly, sweetheart.”
***
Amanda battled to maintain her professional facade despite the sweat beading her entire body and the heavy weight of her eyes. She glanced at the investors, trying to forge ahead with the presentation. “Apologies for the interruption,” she began and tried to direct everyone’s attention to the projection on the wall.
But as Amanda lifted her hand to point at something, her body gave up. She staggered slightly, her vision blurring. The room spun around her, a nauseating dizziness enveloping her senses as she finally fell onto the meeting room carpet.
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“Give her some water,” Mr. Whitney commanded, concerned. The investors exchanged concerned glances, their murmurs of worry filling the air.
Mr. Anders’s composure snapped. “This is unacceptable!” he barked, his frustration palpable as he blamed Amanda, his voice resonating with visible anger. “Get up, Amanda! We need to proceed!”
“She needs help,” Mr. Whitney insisted, frowning at Mr. Anders. Mr. Morgan helped Amanda get up and seated on the table, but before they could move on, the familiar dial tone of a video call interrupted everyone.
It came from Mr. Anders’s private office computer. He hesitated but answered the call. “What’s happening there?” he asked, his anger momentarily diverted, replaced by shock.
The screen flickered to life, revealing Chris’s overbearing presence in Mr. Anders’ office, standing imposingly close to Claire, who was cowering on a couch, trying to dislodge the heavy man’s hands from her face.
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The investors’ faces twisted in outrage, and all stood, calling for security and Mr. Anders to do something. But it was Amanda who acted first despite her earlier collapse. “I need to stop this,” she declared, raising her chin.
This has gone too far, Amanda thought, her heart racing with concern for Claire’s safety. The investors followed behind her.
“Wait, what’s going on?” Mr. Anders asked, his voice far behind everyone else. “We need to get back to the meeting!”
“Chris, leave her alone!” Amanda’s sharp command cut through the tension as she entered Mr. Anders’s office. Mr. Whitney and Mr. Morgan hurried after her.
Chris stood there, hands at his side, now subdued in the face of his audience. “I didn’t do anything!”
“You’ve gone too far this time!” Amanda’s voice echoed through the office, her eyes blazed daggers at her husband.
Mr. Whitney and Mr. Morgan swiftly intervened, taking control of the situation, their focus restraining Chris until security arrived. Chris was escorted out, but his voice boomed through the corridor. “I didn’t do anything wrong! You all know they want me! Especially her!” He pointed a shaky finger at Amanda, a manic smirk contorting his features.
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“Enough, Chris!” Amanda’s voice cut through the air, firm and unwavering. “You’ve done enough. It’s over.”
Once her husband was finally out of earshot, Amanda noticed Mr. Anders’ angry face. Smoke was almost coming out of his ears. “This is an outrage! You two have ruined everything! You—” His tirade was abruptly interrupted as Mr. Whitney and Mr. Morgan intervened.
“Mr. Anders, enough!” Mr. Whitney’s barked, one hand raised to stop him. “Your lack of leadership exacerbated this situation.”
“Exactly,” Mr. Morgan chimed in, his eyes unwavering. “Amanda and Claire did everything to salvage the meeting despite the chaos caused by your neglect. This is on you, not them.”
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Mr. Anders, seething with indignation, glared at the investors. “How dare you interfere in my business!”
Mr. Whitney shook his head, unfazed. “This isn’t how you treat your employees. We value their dedication and professionalism, something you’ve failed to recognize.”
“Furthermore,” Mr. Morgan added sternly, “they’re too good to work for you. We’re offering Amanda and Claire positions at our investment fund. They deserve better.”
Mr. Anders, his face flushed with anger, stormed out of the office. In the wake of his departure, the investors turned their attention to Amanda and Claire, commending them for their resilience and offering them opportunities in a more supportive and appreciative work environment.
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