I felt a wave of emotions crashing over me: anger, confusion, betrayal. Why would my dad do this? Did he not realize what he was giving me? Or was there something more sinister at play? And why had my mom stayed silent? Perhaps she didn’t know, or maybe she was too scared to intervene.

My boyfriend took my hands, squeezing them gently. “Let’s go talk to your parents. Maybe there’s a misunderstanding.” I nodded, feeling grateful for his support yet dreading the confrontation. We found my dad in his study, and the moment we stepped in, the air felt thick with tension.