My stepfather, Tim, has raised me since I was eight years old, as my father is frequently away for work. My father has always despised Tim. Mom attempted to keep things calm between them till she went away last year. For my wedding, I asked my father to walk me down the aisle. My father consented and even offered to cover all of the expenses, but he had one condition: Tim could not attend the wedding.

I was devastated since I love my stepfather. After losing my mother, I wanted my father to be present, so I had no choice but to tell Tim not to come. He agreed and then remained silent. Tim left the country and wrote me a letter while my father was escorting me down the aisle on my wedding day. When I discovered it a few days later, I burst into tears while reading.In it, he expressed his love for me and my mother, as well as his desire to see me on the day of my wedding.

He stated he never thought I’d deny him that privilege. He said, “There is one last thing you should know:the real parent is not the one who gives you money and shows up whenever they want; it’s the person who holds your hand and mends your sorrows as you grow up.” He concluded with the following thought: “I want you to know that I still love you very much, but since you didn’t fight for me to witness your big day,then maybe we shouldn’t be in each other’s lives at all.”

My world fell when I read these words. Tim raised me, and I don’t want him out of my life, but I believe what I did injured him so deeply that there is no coming back.
How can I solve it?