Every Sunday, my stepson Josh returned from his mom’s place in a foul mood, retreating silently to his room. He had always been cheerful and talkative, but lately, he’d become withdrawn and irritable. I asked my husband, Patrick, to talk to him, but nothing seemed to help.

One afternoon, while waiting for Josh to come home, I overheard a conversation on the porch between him and his mom, Linda. What I heard shocked me. Linda was forcing Josh to steal from our home—my things, even Patrick’s emergency cash—just to cover her debts.

Josh tearfully begged his mom to stop, confessing that he hated lying to us. My heart broke for him. Without hesitation, I confronted Linda, who admitted everything. Desperate, she’d manipulated Josh into doing her bidding.

I offered her a deal: I’d give her the money she needed, but Josh would stay with us until she got back on her feet. She agreed, realizing the consequences of her actions.

As Linda left, Josh hugged me tightly, tears streaming down his face. “I’m so sorry,” he sobbed.

I held him close and reassured him, “It’s okay, sweet boy. We’ll fix this together.”