It broke her heart when she learnt that her son Jerald was embezzling company funds. Jerald was married with 3 kids and at a point of his life, was declared bankrupt. He didn't have much education, and he didn't earn much. But that didn't stop him from wanting to live a life of luxury. He spent what little money he had sprucing his car with electronics, fitting air-cons in every room of the flat he was living with his family.

When he was declared bankrupt, his wife held 2 jobs to sustain the family. The family fought everyday because of their mounting monetary woes. The children needed money to pay for their books, transport, uniform, school shoes and money was needed to put food on the table. His wife resented him for failing to fulfil his role as a husband and a father, and his children despised him.

He found a job in Thailand and promised to send money back every payday. Then the calls for help started to come. First he had an accident over in Thailand and needed money to settle the case. And then on many other occasions, he needed money because he had to put back into the company's fund if not he'll end up in jail. She couldn't not help him. He was her son, and if she didn't help, who would?

Time and again, she would scold, and lecture him, telling him that she doesn't have so much money to give him. She always said she wasn't going to help him anymore. But she always did at the end of the day. He was her son after all. To date, he has taken more that $15,000 from her and still asking for money. She doesn't know if he's lying, and his family calls everyday to complain. What can she do?

It torments her to know that her grandchildren are suffering. It breaks her heart to know that her son is such a loser. It troubles her deeply and yet she can only cry silently in her bedroom. But blood is always thicker than water. She cannot leave him to die. But how long more can she help? How much more money can she give when she doesn't even work and he keeps asking for more? How much more heartaches can she take? The tears she cries at night, no one sees. The pain she feels in her heart, no one knows.

She wonders to herself, "when will he change and give me something to be happy about? who's gonna help him when I die? Aleady at the age of 50, when will he ever realise his mistake and learn from it? My silent anguish, who will ever know?"

Staring into the Abyss,