Catherine's eldest son, James, a 35-year-old successful businessman, had always felt suffocated by his mother's expectations. He longed to break free from her grasp and forge his own path, but Catherine's constant meddling had stifled his confidence. James's wife, Rachel, a sweet and gentle soul, tried to mediate between her husband and his mother, but Catherine's disapproval of her daughter-in-law's humble background had created tension in the marriage.