Paid for my sister’s wedding, and my mother sent me a message: «You don’t have to come to the celebration. Your stepfather thinks you’re ruining the family photo.» The next morning they received a notification that made everyone in the family FURIOUS…

Mary looked completely lost. I don’t know what to do.» Mom’s hysterical, Victor’s angry at everyone.

«It’s impossible to be at home.» «Then don’t be,» advised Alex. «You have a husband, and I assume your own apartment.

Live your life.» «But they’re my family.» «And mine too,» Alex replied quietly.

«But sometimes you need to set boundaries even with family. Especially with family. They talked for about another hour.

Mary tried to find a compromise: maybe Alex would give them more time. Or help with a down payment on a mortgage. Or at least with the first months of rent.

I won’t help them anymore,» Alex replied firmly. «For fifteen years, I carried them on my back. Now let them learn to live independently.»

When they said goodbye at the cafe exit, Mary suddenly hugged him, unexpectedly tight for her fragile figure. «I still love you, you bearded fool,» she whispered. «And I love you,» replied Alex, feeling his heart tighten.

«Be happy, kid.» Three days before the eviction deadline, Alex received a message from his mother, «We found an apartment. Moving out tomorrow.

Leaving the keys with the neighbor.» He didn’t reply but felt a strange mixture of relief and slight sadness. Something was changing irrevocably in his life.

The next day, Andrew reported that there were no legal obstacles to the sale; the documents were clean, no encumbrances on the apartment. «I’ll contact the realtor,» said Alex, «and schedule showings next week. Sure you want to sell?»

Andrew clarified. «It’s a good investment. You could rent it and get passive income.»

Alex shook his head. «I don’t want anything to do with this apartment. Too many memories.»

A week later, Alex entered his apartment for the first time in a long time. Strange feeling to be the formal owner of a place he hadn’t lived in for years. The family had indeed moved out, taking all the furniture and personal items.

The empty rooms seemed larger but still bore the imprint of others’ presence: scuffs on the floor from furniture, marks from pictures on the walls, the smell of someone else’s perfume. Alex slowly walked through the apartment, peeking into every corner. In his childhood room, which Mary had occupied in recent years, a small porcelain figurine—a ballerina—remained on the windowsill, which he had given his sister for her tenth birthday.

Did she forget it accidentally or leave it on purpose? He carefully took the figurine and put it in his pocket. Leaving, Alex looked back at the empty apartment one last time. Part of his life remained here: childhood, youth, first steps into adulthood.

But he felt no regret. Only certainty that he was doing the right thing. «Time to move on,» he said quietly, locking the door.

Autumn gave way to winter, and Alex, contrary to many expectations, felt no regret about his decisions or desire to restore broken ties. The downtown Chicago apartment, which had served as the family nest for many years, was sold for $425,000, even a bit more than the realtor had forecasted. The deal went quickly and without complications; a young family with two children was thrilled with the spacious rooms and convenient location.

On the day of signing the documents, Alex felt a strange lightness. As if he had cut the last thread tying him to the past that caused pain. The money hit his account, opening new opportunities.

After much thought, Alex decided not to rush into buying new real estate in the city. Instead, he started looking for a suburban house, spacious, with land, away from the city hustle but with good transportation access. A place where he could create personal space matching his ideas of comfort…