I was thrilled to see her. “Aunt Linda! We’ve missed you. How have you been?” Her expression changed as we hugged. “I’m good, but it’s a shame you and Alex couldn’t make it to a recent family gathering.”
Confused, I replied, “We didn’t know about any gathering.” Aunt Linda looked troubled. “Emily, can I ask you something?” she said cautiously. “Of course, Aunt Linda. What’s wrong?”
With a sigh, she asked, “Is it true what I’ve heard about you?” My heart sank. “What do you mean?” I asked, fearing the worst. “Your mom mentioned that you’ve become a con artist and that Alex is involved because of his tech skills. I didn’t believe it, but…”
I was shocked. “Aunt Linda, that’s not true at all!” Tears welled up as I tried to process this. I knew I needed to address this issue directly. I called my parents immediately. When they answered, I confronted them. “Why are people saying we’re con artists? Aunt Linda just told me everything.”
Their reactions were unreadable. “Because you told us so,” my dad said flatly. “No, I never said that!” I retorted, feeling a surge of anger. “Why would you say such things about us?”
Mom left the room, and Dad’s tone grew harsh. “You must have forgotten,” he said abruptly, trying to change the subject. The conversation ended unresolved, leaving me hurt and confused. They insisted I must have said it, trying to minimize the situation by saying, “No one thinks less of you because of it.” I couldn’t believe they would think I would say such a thing.