I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. “The solution is not to steal from your children. I expect you to leave by the end of the day. I’ll be changing the locks.”

Lily opened her mouth, probably to argue more, but I cut her off. “No more discussion. If you don’t leave, I’ll have to involve the authorities.”

The silence that followed was deafening. My parents exchanged a glance, realizing I was serious. Lily huffed, clearly unhappy with the resolution, but I didn’t care. I stood my ground, watching as they began to pack their things back into the van.

As they drove away, I felt a mix of relief and sadness. Family ties were important, but not at the cost of my self-respect and peace. I could only hope this would be a turning point for all of us, a chance to redefine our relationships with fairness and respect at the core.