I always believed my husband, Travis, was calm and reliable—the kind of man who would protect my son Caleb and me. But everything changed when I came home early from a business trip and found Caleb, my 17-year-old son from my first marriage, homeless and living near a dumpster. Travis had kicked him out over a month ago, accusing him of disrespect and threatening to lie to me about Caleb stealing if he reached out. The boy had been surviving on expired sandwiches and couch surfing, while Travis partied in our house like nothing happened.
Furious and heartbroken, I quickly got Caleb a safe place to stay and called in an old friend for help. I knew Travis needed to learn a lesson—so I teamed up with Marcus, a retired cop turned security consultant, to stage a sting operation.
Marcus pretended to be a police officer calling Travis, claiming Caleb had been arrested for shoplifting due to hunger and that a hefty fine of $15,000 was demanded to drop charges. Travis panicked and transferred the money immediately.
When I confronted Travis with the truth, he exploded with anger, but I stood firm. Kicking my son out and lying to me was unforgivable. I filed for divorce that very night and gave the entire $15,000 to Caleb to help him rebuild his life. Months later, Caleb and I moved into a cozy apartment, and though life wasn’t perfect, we found peace in each other’s company. I promised him then, and every day since, that I would always protect him—no matter what.