Growing up, Emma always felt like the odd one out in her family. Her father, James, had two children — Emma and her older brother, Daniel. But no matter how hard she tried, it seemed her father only had eyes for Daniel. He would take him fishing, cheer him on at soccer games, and spend hours talking with him in ways he never did with her. Emma tried to brush it off, but as she got older, the feelings of being unseen and unloved only grew stronger.
For years, she carried this quiet hurt, wondering what she had done wrong, why she had never been “Daddy’s favorite.” She tried everything to make him notice her — excelling in school, pouring herself into sports, and even adopting hobbies she knew he liked. But no matter what she did, she felt as though she was constantly fighting for his attention. She’d watch from the sidelines as her father showered Daniel with praise, always wondering what it was that made her so different.
