Ouch, but I think you also just became a better man in the process.
When there's a contract and any a flare-up, the best thing you can do is to eliminate or clarify any uncertainty as to where you stand legally by calling a lawyer (or someone who has had a reasonable outcome after a similar situation if you're unable to contact a lawyer). The best way to proceed is to have your emotional outburst or venting in your own space (or here, for example) and then put a lid on your emotions in order to get through the steps of dealing with the issues with clarity and better judgement.
On a lighter note, anytime I hear of wire-snipping I think about the story my parents tell of my dad's attempts to completely rewire a car. He got it all wired, connected the battery cables and .... NADA. He tried a couple different things and .... NADA. He got so mad that he went around to every wire he could find and snipped it. I never heard whether the car got finished or sent to salvage in their wrecking yard.
