I’m 28, and I have a twin brother. Growing up, we were inseparable — total opposites but best friends. He stayed in Arizona while I moved to Portland, but I always flew home for holidays and important family events. Last year, he got engaged and told me they’d have an engagement party soon. I asked him to tell me the date so I could book a flight. Weeks passed with no update, and every time I asked, he or my parents avoided the topic.

Eventually, my mom claimed it would just be a “small family dinner” and that it wasn’t worth flying in for. I believed her — until months later, when my aunt texted me, upset I didn’t attend the huge party they actually held. A fancy restaurant, 80+ guests, friends and extended family — and everyone was told I “couldn’t make it.” I was stunned and hurt. When I tried to talk about it, everyone dodged my questions and refused to explain.

This May, I came home for my sister’s birthday and finally asked one more time. My mom looked me straight in the eye and admitted why they never invited me. Her honesty crushed me more than all the dodging and silence. I left immediately — shocked, betrayed, and realizing that something in my family had shifted in a way I never saw coming.

After that, I refused to attend my brother’s wedding or pretend everything was fine. The truth still echoes in my head: they excluded me on purpose — and for a reason that shattered my trust forever.