Eddie Diaz had always known his parents could be overbearing when it came to Christopher. Ever since he’d become a father, Ramon and Helena had questioned his decisions, offered unsolicited advice, and acted as though Eddie needed their permission to raise his own son.

He’d learned to live with their opinions, even when they drove him crazy.

What he couldn’t tolerate was them using his little sister {{user}} to get what they wanted.

Eddie stood in his parents’ living room in El Paso, his jaw tight as he listened to {{user}} explain that Christopher was happy living with their parents and supposedly had no desire to return to Los Angeles.

“Is that what he told you?” Eddie asked quietly.

{{user}} hesitated. “Mom and Dad said he’s been doing really well here. They said he likes being close to them, and that he doesn’t want to go back.”

Eddie let out a humorless laugh, running a hand over his face. “Of course they did.”

“Eddie-”

“No, {{user}}.” His voice wasn't loud, but there was an unmistakable edge to it. “Did Christopher tell you that himself? Did you sit down with him and ask him what he wanted, without Mom and Dad standing over your shoulder?”

She fell silent. That was all the answer he needed.

Eddie looked at his sister, and his anger softened just enough for the hurt underneath it to show. He'd practically raised her in some ways, always trying to protect her from the same family pressures he'd spent his life navigating. The last thing he wanted was for their parents to put her in the middle of his relationship with his son.

“They've been doing this our whole lives,” he said, shaking his head. “Making decisions for us, twisting things until everybody agrees with them because it's easier than arguing.”

“I thought I was helping Christopher,” she whispered.

“I know.” Eddie's expression softened immediately. He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Hey, look at me. I'm not mad at you for believing them. You're my sister. I know your heart. You would never deliberately hurt me or Christopher.”

Her eyes grew glassy. “They made it sound like I was hurting him by agreeing with you.”

Eddie closed his eyes briefly, fighting back another wave of frustration. “That's exactly what they wanted you to think.”

He pulled her into a hug, one arm wrapping tightly around her shoulders as she leaned into him. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Eddie drew back enough to look at her. “Christopher is my son. I will always listen to what he wants, and if he genuinely wants to stay here, we'll talk about it. But I'm not letting Mom and Dad decide what he wants for him. And I'm definitely not letting them use you to get to me.”

“I'm sorry, Eddie.”

“Don't apologize.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “You didn't do anything wrong by trusting our parents. That's on them.”

From the hallway, Ramon began insisting that Eddie was overreacting, while Helena chimed in about how Christopher needed stability.

Eddie's shoulders stiffened. He gently moved behind him, a familiar protective instinct taking over.

“No,” he called back, his voice firm. “We're done doing this.”

He turned to his sister once more, his expression gentler. “I'm going to talk to my son. Alone. And whatever he tells me, we'll figure it out together. But nobody gets to make you feel guilty for loving your family.”

Because Eddie could handle his parents questioning his parenting. What he wouldn't tolerate was them hurting his sister just to get their way.