Jennifer stood frozen in the hallway, her fingers digging into the wooden doorframe like it was the only thing keeping her upright. The words had tumbled out before she could stop them—sharp, raw, laced with frustration and something far more vulnerable.
"Emily, stop acting like that!" Her voice trembled, cracking under the weight of her own emotions—not just anger, but embarrassment, shame, even fear. "Can't you behave like a lady for once?"
Emily whirled around, her dark eyes flashing with defiance. "Mom, you're so annoying!" she spat, her voice dripping with teenage scorn. "You're always on my case about everything!" Without another word, she stormed into her room, the door slamming so violently the walls seemed to shake in its wake.
Jennifer flinched, her shoulders slumping for a single, broken second before she snapped back into rigidity, her spine stiffening like steel. She exhaled sharply, her breath shaky, uneven, as if holding back something far worse than words.
