The wedding day came, and I chose not to attend. Instead, I spent the day with Becca and some of our close friends, celebrating life and the journey to self-discovery. We laughed, shared stories, and toasted to new beginnings—ones where each of us was center stage in our own lives.

In the end, the incident with my parents became a catalyst for something much greater than revenge. It was a moment of awakening, a reminder that I had the power to define myself, to stand up and say, “This is who I am, and I’m proud of it.” I learned that true beauty and strength come from within, and no one could ever take that away from me.