I Was Abandoned by My Parents, Then I Got the Letter That Shocked Me

After years of silence, our reader’s parents send a shocking letter to her. But the emotional manipulation doesn’t stop there—threats follow. Find out how one woman fought back and chose to prioritize herself.

Hi, Bright Side,

Back in college, I left pre-med to learn graphic design, which is something I’ve been passionate about since I was a kid. The moment I made that decision, my parents were furious and cut me off completely. No more financial support, no help with tuition, rent, nothing. It was hard.

I had to work multiple jobs just to survive and took out a ton of loans to make it through school. Tuition wasn’t cheap, and there were days I didn’t even know how I was gonna eat. But I pushed through. Now I’ve built a solid career and run my own online business. I’m stable. I did it all on my own.

So imagine my shock when, out of nowhere, I received a letter from them. It was cold, and not what I expected at all. It claimed they were “owed” their share of the money I’d earned. They said things like, “We brought you up, and we invested in you, so now it’s your turn to support us.” Honestly, reading it felt like a punch in the gut.

I couldn’t believe they’d pull something like this after everything. But it got worse. They actually threatened me. They said if I didn’t help them financially, I’d “regret turning my back on my family.” They went on to say, “If you don’t help us, don’t bother coming to us when things get tough for you. We’ll make sure you know what family loyalty really means.”

I was absolutely stunned. The audacity of it all. They had spent years telling me I wasn’t good enough, and now they were demanding money like I owed them something. I was so angry but also shaken up. I didn’t know how far they might take things.

A few days later, they called me, and I could tell they were trying to sound sweet, like they hadn’t just written that letter. They even said, “We know we’ve had our differences, but family needs to support each other, right?”

I told them, “You cut me off when I needed you. I made my way on my own. And now, you think I owe you because I’m doing well? It doesn’t work that way. You don’t get to come back into my life after abandoning me just because you think you can use me.” Then I hung up.

I haven’t heard from them since. I’m still a little shaken, but I’m more angry than anything. I worked so hard to get where I am, and I don’t think it’s fair to let them guilt-trip me into giving them something they don’t deserve. What do you think?

Warm hugs,
Ashley

Dear Ashley,

From what you’ve shared, it sounds like your parents want to take advantage of your success and the sacrifices you made. They weren’t there for you when you needed them most, and now they want to reenter your life under their own terms. Their behavior, especially their threats and guilt trips, is completely unfair and manipulative.

Remember that you don’t owe them anything. They made the choice to cut you off when you were struggling, and now they’re trying to turn things around, expecting you to provide for them as if nothing ever happened. You built your career on your own—through hard work—and you’re under no obligation to let them back into your life on their terms, especially when they’ve never supported you the way you needed them to.

It’s completely natural to feel conflicted, especially with the pressure of family dynamics and emotional manipulation. But you’re allowed to stand firm in your boundaries. It’s clear that you’ve already expressed your feelings, and they’ve chosen to ignore or dismiss them. They can’t just come back into your life when it’s convenient for them or when they want something from you.

You’ve already proven that you can achieve great things on your own, and you don’t need to allow them to dictate your path now. They might try to guilt you or manipulate your emotions, but remember that their past actions speak louder than their words. Their sudden interest in “family support” after years of abandonment is a reflection of their needs, not a genuine desire to repair your relationship.

Take care of yourself and continue moving forward with the confidence that you’re doing the right thing.

With empathy and understanding,
Bright Side team