A Difficult Family Moment That Changed Our Boundaries Forever

From the beginning, she viewed my brothers not as children who had lost everything, but as complications she believed stood in the way of her son’s future. Her words were often subtle, masked as concern or advice, but they carried a painful message—that love should be conditional.

Mark confronted her more than once, making it clear that our family was not negotiable. Still, we hoped time and boundaries might soften her stance. We were wrong.

The situation reached a breaking point when I had to travel briefly for work. When I returned home, I found my brothers shaken and in tears. Through sobs, they explained that Joyce had visited while Mark was distracted and told them they would soon be sent away to live with another family.

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