THE UNTOLD STORY

I share the hidden struggles behind a "perfect" life, shaped by the weight of family expectations and societal pressures.

I never dared to dream, never imagined that dreams could be mine. I was the child of heavy expectations, the one they always said, "We have high hopes for you." So, I never learned what it meant to follow my heart. My earliest memories are filled with, "This isn't enough; you can do better." I often wondered, how long until I break? How long until my heart can no longer bear the weight?

These burdens shaped me into the person they now call "the overall performer." From the outside, I seemed to have it all�"good grades, cultural achievements, friends, and a family that cheered me on. But beneath the surface, only I knew the relentless race I ran, trying to meet their expectations, while losing myself along the way.

Now, as I step into adulthood, I find myself weary. On the outside, I’m the perfect daughter, but inside, I feel like a decaying shell. They praised me for landing a job at just 20, for not wasting the break between school and work. Yet no one knew the truth�"I was running, desperate to escape a home that felt more like a cage. Even knowing the workplace was toxic, I stayed, because it was still better than being at home.

And then there’s the pain of love. The man I once hoped for, who was once my everything, is no longer mine. It feels as though I’ve lived through countless heartaches. Love, once a comfort, is now my deepest scar.

Over the years, I mastered the art of hiding my emotions, believing it was a strength. But in reality, I was simply too tired to express the pain, knowing that nothing would ever change.

Stories like mine are etched in the hearts of many�"teenagers and young adults who seem to have it all. Behind their pretty smiles, lies pain that words can’t describe. Everyone has a story, but some choose to hide it, knowing that happy endings aren’t written for them.