When I arrived, my mother was in the garden, planting flowers as if she had all the time in the world. My father and Lily were inside, rearranging furniture. I walked up the stone path, my footsteps crunching loudly against the gravel. My mother looked up, seemingly unfazed by my appearance. “Oh, Tessa, you’re here,” she said, wiping her hands on her apron.

I didn’t bother with pleasantries. “What are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice firm.

My father emerged from the house, a sheepish look crossing his face. “We thought we’d help tidy up a bit before moving in,” he said, as if this was a logical explanation.

“Tidy up? You’re moving in without my permission!” I shot back, incredulous.

Lily appeared in the doorway, rolling her eyes. “Tessa, this is ridiculous. It’s just a vacation home. We’re family. Why do you have to make everything so difficult?”

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.”

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.