Writing a book is no small feat. It takes endless creativity, patience, and dedication—from building the plot and characters to spending months, even years, bringing the story to life.
So you can imagine the heartbreak of this Redditor, who decided to support her sister-in-law by buying her new book, only to realize it was a copy of her own story, one she’d been working on since childhood. Feeling shocked and betrayed, she decided to take legal action. But when her family found out, they didn’t take her side.
Read the full story below.
The woman decided to buy a copy of her sister-in-law’s book to show her support
Image credits: Vlada Karpovich / Pexels (not the actual photo)
But was stunned to find out it had been stolen from her own work
Image credits: Gabriela Pereira / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Kajetan Sumila / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
She later followed up with an edit
Image credits: stolen-ideas
Readers encouraged the author to take things seriously and offered their advice on how to handle the situation
In an update, she revealed what happened after she brought in a lawyer
Image credits: Kateryna Hliznitsova / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Pablo Merchán Montes / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: stolen-ideas
Image credits: Nini FromParis / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Why the people closest to us don’t always stand by us
When something shocking or heartbreaking happens, most of us instinctively turn to our family for comfort. They’re supposed to be the ones who have our back—the people we can count on no matter what.
Sadly, that’s not always how it goes. Family doesn’t always show up when we need them most. And sometimes, the very people who should stand by us end up siding with the ones who hurt us.
It’s a feeling that cuts deep, especially when you’re already dealing with betrayal. As the author of this story shared, her parents even said they’d be willing to disown her if she “stooped so low” in their eyes. All she wanted was justice after her sister-in-law stole and published her unfinished book, but instead of support, she got judgment and rejection.
That kind of response can make anyone question their worth. But as business and life coach Jenna Harrison explains, there’s actually a reason why it hurts so much when loved ones don’t take our side.
“We’re wired to want to please the people in our circle and not make waves, because when people get along they tend to stick together,” Harrison says. “Thousands of years ago, that could mean life or death! The more cooperative and conformist you were, the more likely you’d survive and pass on your genes.”
She adds, “That’s why even today, when our survival really doesn’t depend much on the opinion of others, we continue to experience discomfort when we perceive that we’re not seeing eye-to-eye. And some people experience that sensation more strongly than others.”
So if our brains are built to crave acceptance, why do families sometimes choose not to support us, even when we’re clearly in the right?
According to Harrison, it often comes down to risk perception. “Everything from our backgrounds to our brain chemistry shapes how we feel about risk,” she explains. “Some people believe life is better when you play it safe, and others can’t imagine how dull their life would be without taking chances.”
In this case, the woman’s parents may have seen suing her sister-in-law as a disruptive, “risky” move, something that would threaten family peace rather than restore it. To them, staying quiet probably felt safer than confrontation.
But as Harrison points out, most risk-averse people mean well, they just view the world differently. They probably believe you’re really about to self-destruct, but their opinion is no more valid than yours.
And sometimes, a lack of support has less to do with protecting you and more to do with how your choices make others feel about themselves. “This is why people sometimes fade from our lives when we start making big changes,” Harrison says. “The process of separation can hurt, but in the long run it’s less painful than conforming to someone else’s idea of how you should live your life.”
That’s exactly what the woman in this story learned—that standing up for yourself might cost you certain relationships, but it’s still worth it. You can’t dim your light just to keep others comfortable.
If your loved ones question your choices, Harrison suggests using that as a moment of reflection: clarify your “why,” check if your fears are real or just emotional noise, and surround yourself with people who support your growth.
Because while it’s painful when family doesn’t back you up, it’s far worse to silence yourself just to earn their approval. In the end, doing what’s right for you, no matter how risky it feels, is what truly brings peace.
The woman also shared more details in the comments
Readers were glad to see things work out in her favor
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