The world seemed to slow down as I stumbled back, my balance slipping away with the force of the unexpected shove. My head collided with the wall behind me, and a sharp pain exploded across my skull. Gasps rippled through the crowd, a wave of shock and disbelief. The delicate chatter of crystal shattered as a flute hit the floor.
For a moment, everything was a blur—the faces, the lights, the sound. But one thing was clear: the red light on the phone, unwavering in its focus, capturing each moment in a digital eternity. This was no longer just my story. It belonged to the world now.
As my vision cleared, I saw my father standing over me, his image distorted by the tears that had welled up in my eyes. The charming facade had long gone, replaced by something raw and unsettling. The whispers around us grew louder, an undercurrent of judgment and disbelief.
