Living with my step-siblings was tough. Penny, 16, Peter, 11, and William, 10, didn’t understand boundaries. They always went through my things and even broke my Xbox!

When Dad married my stepmom two months ago, nothing’s been nice ever since. We have a three-bedroom house, but now, Penny is in my room, and I’m stuck sharing the small room with Peter and William. My cherished belongings were packed in the basement.

One day, I noticed my watch was missing — a gift from my mom before she died. I searched everywhere and finally found it in the basement, broken. Furious, I confronted Penny, but she dismissed my pain.

Frustrated, I talked to Dad and Charlotte. “They keep going through my stuff. They broke Mom’s watch.”

Dad sighed. “Nathan, we all need to make sacrifices in a family.”

Feeling unheard, I decided to share my story online, hoping for understanding. The response was overwhelming, urging my parents to wake up. I showed Dad and Charlotte the post. “Look at what people are saying. They see it, why couldn’t you?”

Dad looked at me, sorrowful. “Nathan, we’re so focused on adjusting, we didn’t see your pain. We’ll do better.”

Things started improving. They helped turn the basement into my private space. Penny apologized, admitting her hostility stemmed from feeling replaced. We hugged, promising to support each other.

Allowance distribution became fairer, too. “Penny, you’ll get $60, Nathan, $50, and Peter and William, $30 each,” Dad said.

Finally, home began to feel like home again.