Arwen stiffened at the sound of her mother's voice, already laced with disappointment. She didn't have the strength to feel disheartened once again, so before her father could say anything, she quickly said, "Dad, I need to make a few calls. I will get back to you later."
As if sensing her unease, her father hummed on the other end of the call in understanding. "Alright, go ahead. I will let your mother know that you are doing fine," he said before ending the call.
Arwen stared at her reflection in the mirror as a heavy sigh escaped her. For most people, their mothers were their pillars of comfort, but for her, her mother was the relentless source of pressure —a constant reminder of the expectation she couldn't meet, draining her spirit.
