At a table laden with meat and seafood, my mother-in-law was the only person who left me with an empty plate: “We’ve run out of food for you.”

to make me feel inferior.

“And the empty plate?” I asked softly. “Was that part of protecting the family image, too?”

Daniel lowered his head. “Mom was furious because you refused to pay for her trip to the resort last month.”

I leaned back in my chair.

I hadn’t known that.

Two weeks earlier, Theresa had asked me for $3,500 for a family beach vacation. I refused, explaining that I had just reinvested significant capital into new equipment for my firm.

So the dinner had not been random cruelty.