I shook my head, trying to maintain my composure. “Family doesn’t mean you can take whatever you want. I’ve worked hard for this, and you had no right to assume you could just take over.”

My mother sighed, as if I were a stubborn child refusing to share a toy. “We didn’t think it would be a big deal, dear. You didn’t seem to use it much.”

“That’s not the point, and you know it,” I countered, my voice rising. “This is about respect and boundaries—something you all clearly lack.”

My father stepped forward, an apologetic look on his face. “We didn’t mean to upset you, Tessa. We just thought it was a solution to our living situation.”