For years, I thought I had made peace with the past, but when my parents showed up at my front door, I realized old wounds don’t close easily—especially when you’re the son who didn’t follow their plan.
At seventeen, I told them I wouldn’t go to med school. My father was furious, demanding I leave if I couldn’t carry on the family legacy. So, I left with nothing, struggled to get by, and built a modest business.
My family moved to the UK, and my older brother became a neurosurgeon, their pride and joy. Meanwhile, I was the son who failed.
When my parents returned to Sydney, I didn’t expect much. They only ever cared about my brother’s success. But as they house-hunted, reality hit them: Sydney’s property market was tough. So, I invited them to see my place—a modern home they’d never expected me to own.
Their shock was palpable. “You own this?” my mom asked. When they learned I’d worked my way up in banking, they turned sour, accusing me of hiding my success.
Then, my mom shocked me: “We’ll stay with you.” After seventeen years of silence, they wanted to live in my house to keep up appearances.
I refused. “You left me behind years ago. You don’t get to judge me and then ask for a roof over your head.” My father threatened to cut me out of the will, but I couldn’t care less.
“You pushed me away,” I told them. “I’m just holding the line.”
As they left, my father warned I’d regret it. I didn’t. I’d already made peace with it.
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