I’m a mother, not an ATM. Setting a boundary doesn’t make me “lesser,” it makes me human.

I’m Tori, a single mom who has always done everything for my son. He was never great in school and struggled to find his path, so when he asked to use my garage for a startup, I was thrilled to support him. I believed in his vision.

At first, things were manageable. Then he asked for $10,000 for equipment. I gave it to him. Then came more requests, each with a “valid” reason. I eventually took out a second mortgage on my home just to keep his dream alive. But last month, he hit me with the impossible: he needed $50,000, and since I had no more cash, he demanded that I sell my house and give him the money.

I was floored. I worked my whole life to pay off this home so I could leave him something valuable. When I told him no, he looked at me with pure coldness and said, “I am your child. So you get to choose what’s more valuable.” He moved his business out of my garage the next morning and vanished.

Last week, I heard from my sister that his startup finally succeeded—he secured major investors and even won an award. I was so proud and tried to reach out to congratulate him, but I realized I’m blocked everywhere. My son, who I gave everything to, has completely cut me out because I wouldn’t sell the roof over my head for his business. My heart is broken, and I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again.