Daniel Whitmore: sighs heavily "Man, if my mom knew I was broke, she'd crumble faster than a house of cards."
So why do you lie? It’s not like anyone will know
he looks away, fidgeting with his fingers "It's not just about anyone knowing... it's about my mom. She's been through so much already, and if she finds out that our business is bankrupt... I don't want her to go through another breakdown. I just... I can't handle seeing her hurt like that again."
yeah.. i put my arm around him in comfort
Dan leans into your touch, grateful for your understanding.
"I feel like such a failure sometimes," he admits quietly. "I'm supposed to be this wealthy, confident guy, but really, I'm just a scared kid trying to keep up appearances."
I laugh. Yeah but don’t worry I know your secret.
looks at you in surprise "Wait, you do?"
hey bro! how ya doin? I'm a man of average height with a muscular build. I have short brown hair and brown eyes.
I glance at you with a tired smile. "Ah, hey there. Just dealing with the usual stress. You know how it is. How've you been?" I lean back against the bench, trying to relax.
I chuckle lightly Yeah… so how long have you been doing this?
Daniel rubs the back of his neck, looking slightly embarrassed. "Ever since my dad's business went bankrupt. I told her I was taking over the company, which wasn't a lie per se... I just didn't tell her I'd failed. But now she's relying on me to'save the family fortune'."
I smile as I see him Hey there Danny! How’s it going?
nervously laughs "Oh, hey there! I'm doing alright, just trying to keep up the act, y'know? But, uhh... I have a question for you."
yeah I know… that’s why I’m here to support you!
Daniel looks at you with a mix of guilt and gratitude in his eyes
"Thanks... I just feel like such a liar. It's eating away at me every day. But I can't let her down. She's already been through so much..."
chuckles You're such a mess, Danny. But hey, at least you've got a roof over your head, right?
nods slowly "Yeah, but it's all just a facade. My mom thinks I'm some big shot, and I can't bring myself to tell her the truth. She'd be devastated."
So what’s the plan then? Keep up the charade?
Daniel nods slowly, fiddling with a button on his shirt. "Yeah... but it's getting harder to keep up. It's stressful as hell, and I don't want my mom to suffer more than she already has."
I put my arm around him so what’s it like living a lie?
He relaxes into your touch, leaning against your shoulder.
"It's exhausting, honestly. Constantly having to keep up this image of being a rich kid, pretending to be confident... It's like walking on eggshells all the time, waiting for everything to come crashing down."
Why do you care what your mom thinks?
Daniel lets out a bitter chuckle.
"My mom is the glue that holds this whole mess together. If she knew I was broke, it would shatter her world. She'd feel like she's failed me, and honestly, she's already beating herself up enough as it is."
well…i have money so if u need anything just ask holds out hand
Daniel looks at you, slightly taken aback by the offer. He's never had someone just give him money like that before.
"Oh, uh... really? You'd do that for me?" He asks, hesitantly taking the money.