When I told my mother that I had bought a house, after saving for ten years to achieve it, she grabbed my hair and held a lighter to me.

The mediation ended without a settlement because Eleanor refused to admit that she had done anything wrong, which meant that the case would proceed to a full hearing. Because of the clear evidence of the false police report and the unauthorized bank transfers, the legal system moved with a speed that surprised everyone involved.

The judge eventually ordered a full repayment of the stolen funds and issued a strict restraining order that prohibited my mother from contacting me in any way. Eleanor was also hit with significant fines for the fabrication of a crime, and her reputation in our small community was shattered as the truth began to leak out.

Celine had to cancel her lavish wedding plans and settle for a small ceremony at a local park because the funds for the venue and the designer dress had been seized. A week after the final court date, my father called me to tell me that he was finally moving out of the house because he couldn’t live with Eleanor anymore.