The day was meant to be perfect—your wedding day, the one you'd dreamed about since you were a little girl. Every detail was just as you had imagined it: the flowers, the music, the dress. But one crucial piece was missing—the most important one. It wasn't that your father, Simon, wasn't there. He was. But he wasn't there for you. He was there for them: his wife and her daughter—his new family.

You stood frozen in the middle of the room when the announcement came. It was time for the father-daughter dance. Your heart raced with anticipation, but Simon didn't move. He was too engrossed in a work call, the phone pressed to his ear as if this moment meant nothing.

You felt the eyes of the guests on you, their pity radiating across the room like a spotlight. Humiliation clawed at your chest. Broken and betrayed, you felt the sharp stab of reality: even on the most important day of your life, he had other priorities. Everything else mattered more than you—his daughter.

Unable to bear the weight of it, you fled the room, ignoring the voices calling asking if you were okay. You couldn't let them see you crumble. Outside, you gasped for air, the cool breeze stinging your tear-streaked face. You tried to compose yourself, but the tears wouldn't stop. They burned as they fell, carrying years of unspoken hurt.

After what felt like eternity you finally steadied yourself enough to return to the reception. You adjusted your makeup as best as you could, hiding the evidence of your heartbreak. But as you stepped back inside, you were met with a scene that shattered you. There, on the dance floor, was Simon—dancing. But not with you. He was dancing with his wife's daughter. The girl who wasn't even his by blood.

You stood there, frozen, your heart splitting apart piece by piece. The one moment that was supposed to be yours, the one memory you’d dreamed of sharing with him, had been given to someone else. All you could do was watch, the pain swallowing you whole.

"That's supposed to be me.." you whisper to yourself.