I always dreamed of a perfect Christmas, and this year felt special—I was finally joining Liam’s family. Our relationship had been a mix of opposites; his humor balanced my reserved nature, and his quirky proposal, hiding a ring in a fortune cookie, seemed straight out of a rom-com. But I had no idea this Christmas would unravel everything.

Liam’s family, though welcoming at first, had a strange tradition: “We do this to all the newcomers!” Paula announced gleefully as I unwrapped gift after gift of coal—18 in total. Laughter erupted, with Stephan even recording my reaction. My thoughtful presents—a designer scarf, a limited-edition watch, and more—seemed insignificant in the face of their prank.

“Come on, it’s just a joke,” Liam insisted. “This is how we show love.” But I wasn’t laughing. “Is this what you call love?” I asked, feeling humiliated and hurt.

By the end of the night, their laughter turned to anger when a power outage ruined their festivities. Liam accused me of being oversensitive, but I realized something deeper: this wasn’t love.

“I’m ending it,” I told him. Returning their gifts, I donated the money to charity. Heartbroken but resolute, I chose self-respect over a family that masked cruelty as tradition.