My mom vanished when I was 12. The police couldn’t find her, and I never saw Dad shed a tear. Then he suddenly left the country, and his mom raised me.

Last week, I went to see Grandma one last time before she di:ed. She cried and said, “Forgive me… It’s time you knew the truth. Your mom didn’t vanish; she chose to leave. She told your dad never to contact her again.”I was stunned. My mother had me at 17 and was never truly ready for that life. When I was 12, she met someone else in Argentina and left to be with him. My dad was so heartbroken, he couldn’t bear to stay—so he left too, leaving me with his mom.As for the police search? That was just a story they made up, so I’d believe she had gone missing. My entire life was built on a lie. And now, I’m not sure how to move forward.