Earlier this year, a woman shared her deeply personal story on a Reddit forum.

The 26-year-old woman, who is originally from outside the US, described how her challenging life journey shaped her family and personal choices.

Her story began with her father’s abandonment when she was just five years old, leaving her and her mother in a state of pretty extreme poverty. She also had a younger brother who, at 21, left the country with his girlfriend and cut all ties with his family.

Amidst all of these daunting circumstances, her mother, out of necessity, turned to unconventional means to provide for her children. At the time, she worked as a stripper and sometimes did some “immoral” things that she wasn’t so proud of to ensure that her children had access to education and had food on the table.

Despite the unusual path, the woman and her younger brother were determined to pursue their education, as they didn’t want their mother’s sacrifices to be in vain.

Recognizing her mother’s sacrifices, the woman, at the age of 14, began working part-time while excelling academically. Her dedication paid off, and she managed to get a scholarship at a reputable university. Eventually, her brother also found part-time work, alleviating some of the financial burdens on the family. Over time, her mother made the difficult decision to leave her work as a stripper and secure more stable employment as a waitress.

In college, the woman found love in her first serious relationship with a man named Javi. Although their love was genuine, the woman had promised her mother never to reveal their challenging past, and so she kept their history hidden.

In the midst of her relationship with Javi, the woman’s mother, struggling with her own past as a stripper, faced a difficult situation when they visited Javi’s family for the first time. Unbeknownst to her, Javi’s uncle and aunt were present, and upon seeing his uncle, her mother went as white as a ghost. Clearly, they had some prior connection. Sensing the tension, her mother said she wished to leave the gathering early.

However, the situation took another turn when, the next day, Javi visited the woman at her home and accused her of being dishonest. He claimed that his uncle had been one of her mother’s regular clients during her time as a stripper. This eventually had led to the end of his uncle’s first marriage when his wife discovered that they’d also had an affair, leading to a divorce.

The woman’s mother was genuinely unaware that the man had been married, and was devastated by the news of his divorce. In a heated exchange, the woman defended her mother, saying that the responsibility lay with the married man who had been hiring escorts.

And while her mother had tried to explain her side of the story, Javi’s response was unrelenting. He said both the woman and her mother were gold diggers and threatened to end his engagement to the woman, saying he wasn’t able to come to terms with her mother’s past.

Confronted with a difficult decision, the woman chose to end her relationship with Javi. She returned the engagement ring and decided not to tolerate his nastiness towards her mother. Despite concerns for her future and her mother’s wellbeing, the woman stood her ground, refusing to be ashamed of her family’s history. In the end, she questioned whether her decision was right and took to Reddit for advice.

The woman clarified that she had told Javi about most aspects of her life, including her father’s abandonment and their financial struggles. While she had hinted at her mother’s difficult circumstances, she had never explicitly explained the details of her mother’s work history, respecting her mother’s wishes to keep it all in the past.

Despite the end of their relationship, the woman said she still had a lot of love for Javi, and that it was hard to move on from their six-year relationship.

Surprisingly, the responses on Reddit were less negative than expected, as most people seemed to believe that the woman’s mother was not in the wrong – especially because she only engaged in “immoral” things to provide for her children out of love.

After ending the engagement, the woman wrote an update where she said she faced pressure from friends and Javi’s family, who all urged her to reconsider her decision. Javi himself, in a moment of vulnerability, told her he was sorry, he loved her, and would get back together with her. Though, he had one condition: her mother would not be involved in any wedding functions due to her past. This demand made the woman realize that her feelings and family were not genuinely considered, and the relationship depended on satisfying only his family’s expectations.

The woman refused, remaining steadfast in her decision to recognizing her mother’s sacrifices and refusing to be judged for her family’s background.

In a final message to Javi, the woman said she was sorry for not disclosing her mother’s past earlier. She said she would be repaying the money that Javi had given her for her brother’s education, because she didn’t want to be labeled a gold digger again.

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