I chuckled darkly, wincing at the pain. “You could say that.”

We sat at the kitchen table, coffee in hand as I laid out the situation. He listened intently, his expression unreadable as I recounted the events of the wedding. When I finished, he leaned back and sighed. “You were right to call me. This isn’t just a family dispute; Alan’s actions border on coercion and assault. We can make a strong case against him.”

“But I don’t want to drag Avery through the mud,” I said, my voice betraying the conflict I felt. “She’s caught in the middle.”