My mom, completely unfazed, snapped at me. "Call them right now and withdraw the police report! Tell them it was just a family misunderstanding."

"Mom, when will you stop enabling him?" I was past the point of caring—about dignity, about holding back. My voice was raw with frustration, "You never cared if I was happy, if I suffered—you only come to me when you need money. You won't even let me divorce because of money! Have you ever thought about me? If I was happy in that ...