AITA for abandoning my family’s expectations to follow my own dreams?

I (27F) have always been the good daughter. The one who never rebelled, who followed the rules, and did everything to make my parents proud. My parents, particularly my father, always had big dreams for me. They wanted me to take over the family business one day, to follow in my father’s footsteps and keep the legacy alive. My dad, a successful businessman, always believed that family should come first, and that meant running the business.

Growing up, I always felt like I was living in a world of expectations. I wasn’t allowed to choose my own career path. I had to attend business meetings with my father from the age of 16, learn about our company, and prepare to take over when the time came. My entire childhood was spent grooming for this future that was already set for me.

But I didn’t want that. I knew from a young age that my passion was in the arts. I loved painting, I loved design, and I had always dreamed of being a graphic designer. However, I never shared this with my parents because I knew they’d be disappointed. I kept my dreams hidden and tried to make the best of my life in the family business. But the more I got involved, the more I realized I was suffocating. I was living a life I hadn’t chosen, and I couldn’t do it anymore.

When I turned 25, I decided to make a change. I applied for a scholarship to study graphic design abroad, hoping to find my true self and pursue the career I always dreamed of. I didn’t tell my parents about it at first. But when I was accepted into one of the top design schools in Europe, I knew I had to tell them.

The conversation was nothing short of disastrous. My father was furious. He told me that I was abandoning the family legacy, that I was throwing away years of training for something as foolish as "art." My mother cried, pleading with me not to make such a rash decision. I tried to explain how I felt suffocated and how I had a different dream for my life, but they couldn’t understand.

I decided to go anyway. I moved to Europe, leaving my family and the business behind. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and I knew they wouldn’t forgive me. But I also knew that I needed to be true to myself.

Years passed, and I worked hard to establish my career in graphic design. I built a name for myself, worked on incredible projects, and started to feel like I was finally living the life I had always wanted. But all the while, my relationship with my family grew more strained. My father stopped speaking to me, and my mother only sent the occasional text, reminding me of how disappointed they were in me.

Last month, I received a call from my father. He told me that the family business was failing. He was getting older, and the pressure was too much for him to handle. He asked me to come back and take over the business. I could tell he was desperate, and for a moment, I considered it. But then I realized: I had built a life for myself that was fulfilling, and I didn’t want to go back to living in their shadow.

I told my father that I couldn’t come back. I told him that I had made a life for myself, and I couldn’t just give it all up. He was furious and told me that I was selfish. He said that if I didn’t come back, the business would collapse, and it would be my fault.

Now I’m torn. My friends say I made the right decision in choosing my own dreams over the family expectations, but my family still sees me as a failure. I’m happy with the life I’ve built, but I still feel guilty for abandoning my family when they needed me the most.

So, AITA for abandoning my family’s expectations to follow my own dreams?