When Josh was eight, his father told him that his mother had died after a long illness. Heartbroken, Josh moved to a new town with his dad, who soon introduced a woman named Erika. Within months, Erika and his father married, and she treated Josh horribly, constantly yelling at him and comparing him to his late mother. Josh’s childhood was filled with pain and isolation, and he longed to escape.

One day, during a heated argument, Erika tried to throw away his mother’s portrait. Furious, Josh grabbed the photo and ran away. He hopped on a bus that took him back to his old hometown. While wandering the streets, Josh was shocked to see a homeless woman who looked exactly like his mother. When he asked her name, she recognized him — it was his mother, Emma, alive all along.

Emma revealed the truth: Josh’s father had lied about her death. While she was hospitalized, he took all their money, divorced her, and moved away with Josh to start a new life with Erika. Emma had desperately tried to find her son but ran out of resources and ended up homeless. Josh was devastated but relieved to finally know the truth.

Josh and his mother found a place to live using the savings he’d been hiding to escape his father’s house. Over time, Emma rebuilt her life and career, while Josh legally changed his last name to his mother’s maiden name, Fraser. He cut all ties with his father, knowing true family is built on love, not blood.