“Do you even hear yourself?” I asked, my voice rising again despite my best efforts to stay calm. “The greater good? That line doesn’t mean I should give up everything I’ve worked for. You want me to start over, to cramp myself into a space where I can barely breathe, just because they’re having a baby?”

Sarah looked down, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “It’s not just about the baby,” she interjected softly. “It’s about sharing resources more equitably.”

I shook my head, incredulous. “Sarah, I appreciate what you’re trying to say, but equitable doesn’t mean stripping me of my home.”

Dad leaned forward, his expression hardening. “You’re not making this easy, Camila. We thought you’d see the sense in our plan.”

“Easy? Why should it be easy?” I snapped. “Why should I have to compromise my life, my happiness, for a plan that benefits everyone but me?”

Jake’s voice cut through the tension. “We’re family, Camila. We help each other.”

“I have helped you,” I said, my voice softening as I looked at my brother. “I’ve always been there for you, but this…this is different. This is about my life. I can’t just hand it over.”

I felt the sting of tears threatening to spill over, but I blinked them back, refusing to show just how deeply their words had cut. As silence settled over the room once more, I realized the enormity of what they were asking and the hurtful things they’d said.

“Maybe,” I said slowly, my voice breaking slightly, “we need to redefine what family means to us. Because right now, it feels like you’re asking for more than I can give, without considering what it costs me.”

As I turned to leave, I could feel their eyes on me, a mix of disappointment and anger. But I couldn’t stay, not when the place I should have felt safest felt like a courtroom where I was the defendant.

In the solitude of my car, I sat for a moment, the weight of the evening settling in. I realized I wasn’t just fighting for a house; I was fighting for respect, for recognition, for the life I’d built. And as painful as it was, I knew that standing my ground was the right thing to do.