Later that week, I received a letter from my mother. It was a mix of apologies and justifications, with an undertone of desperation. She wrote about how she never meant to hurt Sarah and how things had gotten out of hand. But the letter didn’t change the reality I had accepted: my family needed to learn the value of respect, and sometimes lessons are best learned the hard way.

Jessica, on the other hand, was more direct. She called, her voice laced with bitterness. “So, you’re cutting us off just like that?” she demanded. “All because we don’t worship your wife?”

“No, Jessica,” I replied calmly. “It’s not about worship; it’s about respect. And if you can’t offer that, then you’re right—I have no obligation to continue supporting you.”