“It seems quite simple to me, Mr. Chen. You made a choice. You chose one grandchild over another. Is that accurate?”
My father’s face reddened. “We have limited time and resources—”
“Resources funded by your daughter, according to the bank records presented. $550 per week for three years, totaling over $85,000. Is that accurate?”
“That was a gift—”
“A gift solicited under the pretense of financial hardship, which you then used to fund trips and luxury expenses. That’s not a gift, Mr. Chen. That’s financial exploitation.”
My mother stood up, crying harder. “Your Honor, please, we love our daughter! We love our granddaughter! This is all a misunderstanding!”
“Mrs. Chen, explain the incident at their apartment last Friday. The one where police were called because your husband refused to leave after being asked to do so.”
“He just wanted to talk to Sarah! She wouldn’t answer the door!”
“After sending you a cease and desist letter explicitly stating you were not to contact her. Correct?”
Silence.
“Mrs. Chen, did you or did you not receive a cease and desist letter?”
“Yes, but—”
“And did you or did you not violate that letter by having your husband show up at their residence?”
More silence.
The judge looked at me. “Mrs. Thompson, do you fear for your safety or your daughter’s safety if I don’t grant this order?”
I stood, my legs shaking. “Yes, Your Honor. My father showed up at our home and wouldn’t leave. My mother tried to pick up my daughter from school without authorization. They’ve called my husband’s workplace despite being told not to. They’ve sent threatening messages saying they’ll move back to Portland specifically to ‘repair the relationship,’ which my sister-in-law has warned me is actually about continuing to pressure me for money. I’m afraid if we don’t have legal protection, they’ll continue to escalate.”
