I (24F) honestly don’t know how to feel about what happened and really need some outside perspective because I’m feeling a mix of guilt, shock, and anger.

A few days ago, we had a family gathering. One of my cousins is pregnant, and naturally, the conversation turned to baby names and the upcoming baby shower. It was a warm, happy vibe; people laughing, tossing around name ideas, talking about decorations. I was genuinely happy to be part of it and excited for her.

For context: I had a miscarriage a few months ago. It was devastating, and I’ve been trying to heal in private. Only a few close people knew; including my (now ex) best friend (let’s call her Alice) (25F), who was also at the gathering. We’ve grown apart lately, but she’s known my family for years, so she was still invited.

During the conversation, someone made a light-hearted comment like, “Aaliyah (me) will be next!” and everyone laughed. But then Alice, totally out of nowhere, said: “Let’s be honest, you weren’t meant to be a mother anyway. Look at how your baby forced itself out of you before it was born.”

The room went silent.

Before I could even react, she added, “You didn’t tell them? Oh sorry” And just like that, she exposed my miscarriage in front of everyone.

I felt every emotion hit me at once. Humiliation, heartbreak, grief, anger. I completely lost control. I punched her in the face.

I punched her so hard that she fell backwards, hit her head on the floor, and started convulsing. Her nose was bleeding, and someone immediately called an ambulance. It was terrifying. She ended up with a mild concussion but no permanent injuries, thankfully.

Now, my family is divided. Some are angry with me, saying I overreacted and shouldn’t have gotten physical. Others say Alice went way too far and pushed a painful button on purpose. I’ve never hit anyone before. I’m not proud of how I reacted; but in that moment, I wasn’t thinking. It felt like she wanted to destroy me emotionally, and I responded in the most human, raw way possible.

I feel terrible that she got hurt; but I also feel like she deliberately tried to humiliate me in the most personal way she could. AITA?