“Yes,” I replied, “because this needs to stop, Jeffrey. It’s time for accountability.”

Around the table, the other family members sat frozen, unsure how to react. Some looked down at their plates, while others exchanged glances. It was an uncomfortable truth brought to light in the most unexpected of times—the kind of truth that was usually swept under the rug in favor of maintaining appearances.

The officer set the voice recorder on the table, pressing play. The room filled with the sound of conversations, some heated, some more subtle, but all telling the story of my struggles, of the manipulation and cruelty that had been disguised as family dynamics for far too long.