Life, however, had other plans.

Emily married Brandon when she was twenty-seven. He wasn’t interested in cars, but he admired her independence and laughed at her stubborn streak. For a while, they lived happily enough, but after the birth of their daughter Sophia, things began to shift. Brandon grew distant, dismissing Emily’s passion for mechanics as “a hobby she should outgrow.” His career took center stage, and he often reminded Emily that raising Sophia should be her only priority.

At first, Emily tried to compromise, setting aside her garage hours and focusing on being a mother. But the loss of her passion gnawed at her, and Brandon’s indifference stung more each day. When she asked for support, he called her ungrateful. When she confided her loneliness, he accused her of dramatizing. Slowly, Emily realized she was living in a house where her dreams weren’t welcome.

Yet she endured, for Sophia’s sake.

Then came the breaking point. One evening, after a long day, Emily asked Brandon if he could help with Sophia’s bedtime routine. He rolled his eyes, muttered something cruel, and stormed off to meet friends. Left alone with their crying daughter, Emily sat on the nursery floor, her heart heavy with exhaustion and despair. In that moment, she remembered her father’s words: “Never let anyone convince you that your worth is smaller than it is.”