In the excerpt from the novel, Emily reflects on her relationship with her estranged father. After years of silence, she receives a letter from him that forces her to confront her feelings of anger and disappointment. As she reads the letter, memories of their past interactions flood her mind, revealing a complex web of love, betrayal, and longing. She struggles with the choice of whether to respond or to maintain her distance, weighing her desire for reconciliation against the pain of their past.
How does Emily's internal conflict illustrate the broader theme of familial relationships in the text?