The ballroom fell silent the moment Elissa stepped forward, holding that damn envelope like a holy relic.\n\nI stood frozen mid-sentence, champagne flute trembling in hand, my speech about charity scholarships dying on my lips. Mother’s face went pale. Father didn’t move, but his jaw clenched so hard I heard it from across the room.\n\n‘This report proves I am your biological daughter,’ she said, voice steady, eyes locked on mine. ‘And Dorothy… is not.’\n\nLaughter bubbled up—nervous, sharp—but died instantly under the weight of the stares. Cameras flashed. Someone gasped. My knees threatened to give.\n\nThen Father whispered, ‘It can’t be true,’ and looked at me like I was already gone.\n\nNow everyone waits. Do I scream? Do I demand proof? Or do I walk out before they strip me of everything I’ve ever been?