The relationship wasn't broken until they broke it VS and it's not a matter of assigning the worst possible motives. It is what it is and the circumstances of our estrangement are well documented here on GN as you well know.
We are not alone in having our family torn apart by the coercive control of an AC's partner, it happens all the time unfortunately.
If someone genuinely believed they had to estrange in order to protect their children, they wouldn't put in writing just a couple of months before doing so that they would never stop you from seeing your GC, because they know how much you love them.
That's so true DiamondLily and you have to be estranged by the child you love and as a result lose your only GC to understand the emotional devastation that brings.
Yes, people adapt to loss and no, it isn't easy but regardless of how well you adapt, the loss never goes away.