I can’t have children, so I’ve always treated my stepdaughter as my own. I met her when she was nine — a quiet, observant child — and over the years, we built a real bond. I was there for her milestones: her first school play, teenage heartbreaks, late-night talks. I did my best to show up for her the way a mother would.

But one day, I told her I wouldn’t attend her wedding. My husband’s relatives, who have never liked me, would be there, and I wanted her day to be perfect. They’ve never accepted me, often making passive-aggressive remarks or ignoring me entirely.

I didn’t want that kind of tension on a day that should be all about love. But as the wedding approached, I froze when my stepdaughter told me she had prioritized me over the relatives who might cause conflict — she hadn’t invited them, because she wanted me there. Now, I feel awful.

I never intended for her to have to make that choice. It’s only added more tension, and they now believe they were excluded because of me. I don’t know what the right thing to do is. All I ever wanted was for her to have peace and happiness on her special day.