The Wedding Day They Forgot

My wedding day was supposed to be perfect, but the front row of seats remained eerily empty. My parents, my brother Ethan, and my fiancé Mark were all missing. Mark' s call confirmed my worst fears: they were at the airport, celebrating the "surprise visit" of my sister, Ashley. They' d chosen her-the family's dazzling star-over my wedding, dropping everything for her. Humiliated, I faced the murmuring guests alone, my heart sinking with the weight of their betrayal. Ethan called me a "victim" for having a journal titled "The 99 Times My Heart Broke." Then Mom demanded I make lasagna as an "apology" for Ashley, despite my severe dairy allergy blistering my hands. That night, Ashley faked an allergic reaction, earning me a violent slap from my mother and Mark' s immediate loyalty to her. The ultimate insult: I overheard my parents planning for Mark to marry me just so he could remain close and "look out for" Ashley. Was my life truly just a calculated tool for their golden child's convenience? Every painful entry in my journal screamed for justice. My breaking point had turned into a launchpad. I coolly played a recording of Ashley's manipulating confession for my stunned family. Then, I packed my bag and walked out, leaving their toxic charade behind for a full scholarship to Stanford and a life of my own design.