Some cultures uphold the belief that children should always obey their parents. But in some cases, parents take it too far, demanding strict obedience from their children and forcing them into specific career paths. For one man, this was his reality.

At the age of 17, he made the brave decision to go against his parents’ wishes. Instead of becoming a doctor, as expected from a long line of doctors in his family, he expressed his desire to pursue a career in acting, social media, and small business endeavors. Unfortunately, this did not sit well with his parents, and they kicked him out of their family home.

For the next 17 years, the man lost contact with his family as they moved to the United Kingdom. During those years, the man carved his own path, finding success as an investment banker and becoming a partner in his bank.

Then, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, his family decided to return to Sydney, where the man was living. This decision was primarily driven by the opportunity for his older brother to pursue a well-paying job as a neurosurgeon specializing in spinal tumor diagnosis and removal.

During their reunion, his parents never asked about his career. They likely assumed he was living an average life in Sydney. Little did they know, he had achieved financial success in his alternative career.

When the man invited his parents to his home, they were taken aback. They assumed he was renting a room, but he proudly informed them that he owned the entire house. Their reaction was a mix of disbelief, fury, and accusation. They felt he had been lying to them and flaunting his wealth.

In a fit of anger, they declared that they would live with him instead of his older brother, stating that they couldn’t bear to live in a lesser house than their own son. However, the man firmly stood his ground. He reminded his parents that they had chosen to support his siblings, not him, during all those years. He made it clear that they were not welcome to live with him.

Their last resort was to threaten him, saying they would cut him out of their will. But the man remained unfazed. He pointed out that they couldn’t even afford to buy a house in his neighborhood, rendering their threats meaningless to him.

Now, the man questions whether he was too harsh in his response. He wonders if he should have proactively shared his financial situation with his parents, despite their lack of interest in his life for so many years.

If you were in the man’s shoes, what would you have done? Would you have reacted the same way, or would you have chosen a different path?