Man Shunned by His Family for Years. Now That He’s Successful, They Want to Him to Host Them for Free

A Reddit post highlights how unresolved betrayals can linger when family loyalty comes with conditions — and forgiveness is expected without accountability.

The 32-year-old man shared that he grew up in a “very close-knit immigrant family in Canada.” About ten years ago, his uncle — his mother’s younger brother — amassed significant wealth after founding a tech company in China.

After graduating from university, the man moved to China to work for his uncle, believing it would help him grow professionally while staying close to family. Instead, he said the experience quickly turned sour. According to the post, his uncle had become “toxic,” verbally abusive, arrogant, and profoundly changed by money.

Within months, the situation became unbearable. When he told his uncle he wanted to leave the company and pursue opportunities on his own, the reaction was severe. “He took it as a personal insult,” the man wrote.

The conflict didn’t stay confined to the workplace. He alleged that his uncle began spreading false stories about him throughout the extended family, portraying his decision as betrayal rather than self-preservation.

Because his uncle was wealthy and influential, most relatives sided against him. The man said he was labeled “ungrateful,” pressured to apologize, and gradually treated as an outcast.

For the next seven to eight years, he was almost completely cut off from extended family. Relatives traveled to China on vacations without making any effort to see him, and he became a cautionary tale for younger cousins. Only his parents remained consistently supportive.

During that time, he focused on building his own life. He worked hard, launched his own business, and eventually found success on his own terms.

Last year, he reached a milestone that meant a great deal to him. He said he saved enough money to buy an apartment in Hong Kong so his parents would have a place to stay whenever they visited.

Everything changed after his grandfather’s death, which brought him back to Canada for the funeral. It was the first time he had seen most of his extended family in years.

According to the post, their attitude shifted almost immediately. Once they realized he was successful too, the years of exclusion seemed to vanish. “Their shunning just stopped like the past decade didn’t happen,” he wrote.

Soon after, relatives who had ignored him for years began reaching out. Some asked to stay in his Hong Kong apartment for free. Others suggested dinners and reunions during future visits.

Rather than feeling appreciated, he felt deeply uncomfortable. He said he refused every request.

“My parents are now caught in the middle, and it’s caused some friction,” he explained, noting that his aunts accused him of being “cold” and “disrespectful to my elders.” But he stood firm. “I made my peace a long time ago that these people were not my family anymore, and I have no obligation to be nice to them.”

In the comments, many readers supported his decision. One commenter praised his restraint, saying he was “very polite not throwing their previous choices in their faces.” Another questioned why relatives felt entitled to reconnect only after his success.

“They’re fair-weather family,” another person wrote. “If you lost your money tomorrow, they’d be the first to disrespect you. Your only real family is your parents — not these strangers.”