My father stood on the podium, raising a glass of Dom Pérignon worth thousands, declaring proudly before 300 guests: “For my daughter Bella, we spared no expense. That is what parents do—we sacrifice!”
The room erupted in thunderous applause. My mother wiped a tear of joy in her custom designer gown. No one looked at me—the daughter sitting at the back near the kitchen, dressed in old clothes, the one who had funded this entire family with her sweat for a decade, yet was treated as the “eyesore” of the evening.
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