My mother chose a man over me: how she betrayed me for a stranger
My name is Poppy, Im 17, and I come from Brighton. Ive carried this story inside me for ages, biting my tongue, but now Im ready to tell it. Maybe someone will see themselves in it. Maybe itll make someone think twice before acting the way my mother did. Or at least maybe one mum will pause before betraying her own daughter like mine did.
My parents split when I was ten. Not that we were ever a happy familyshouting, blame, this awful cold gap between them, even before I understood what was happening. But after the divorce, it got worse. Mum and Dad fought over me like I was a parcel theyd been left with, not out of love, just duty. I was tossed between cramped flats, like a forgotten suitcase. Dads place was small but quiet. Mums was bigger, but every year the air thickened like fog you could choke on.
Then everything collapsed when a new man walked into Mums life. His name was Oliver. He was in his thirties, nearly a decade younger than her, and from the first moment, he acted like our flat was his, and I was just rubbish cluttering it up. At first, he plastered on this fake smile, pretending to care about me. But the act dropped fast. He hated me living with Mum. Hated her spending money on me. Said out loud that my dad was useless, that I was baggage, and that I ought to stand on my own two feet by now.
He twisted Mum round his finger, siphoned off her cash, whispered that a teenage daughter was just chains weighing her downthat she deserved freedom, to think of herself. And Mum Mum listened. She stopped noticing my tears at night. How Id tiptoe to grab my books, desperate to avoid them. How Id lock myself in the bathroom just to sit in silence.
The last straw was the night I heard them screaming again, loud enough to rattle the windows. I ran out to stand between them, to shield MumI thought he might hit her. But it didnt go like that. He turned on me with a look that froze my blood. I shouted, Stop it! Leave her alone!and then his fist cracked against my face. Hard. I stumbled back, smacking my head on the wardrobe. Everything went blurry. All I remember is Mum shrieking and then silence.
I thought hed leave. That Mum would chuck him out, hold me, call a doctor, say she loved me. I hoped. I searched her eyes for it. But she just whispered, Youve ruined everything. An hour later, she told me to pack for Dads.
I stuffed my things in silence, my heart ripped right out. No tears. No shouts. Just gone, knowing I had no home left.
Now Im at Dads. He tries, but we dont have that closeness I spent my childhood aching for with Mum. I dont wait for her calls anymore, dont hope shell say sorry, turn up at the door. Still, part of mes that little girl waiting for her mum to open it and say, Forgive me, love. But it wont happen. She chose him. Chose the man who hit her child.
I dont wish her ill. But one day, hell leave. Find someone younger, prettier, easier. And when he does, maybe shell remember me. But I wont be the girl who forgives anything. A mothers betrayal is a wound that never heals.
To every parent: dont have kids if you wont put them first, if you cant rise above your own messy love life. We didnt ask to be born. But if you choose to bring us heredont betray us.
Mum, if you ever read this know I survived. Got back up. Im strong now. But Ill never crawl to you crying like I used to. Youre not my mum anymore. Just the woman who happened to have me.
