My name is Emily, and I have been married to my wonderful husband, Alex, for over a decade. Alex, originally from China, captured my heart with his kindness and intelligence. He works in tech, a field he has always been passionate about, while I work as an accountant. Our busy lives often mean we miss out on some family time, but we always made an effort to attend important gatherings.

Lately, I noticed my family distancing themselves from me. Despite our busy schedules, we always managed short catch-up calls, especially with my cousins. I felt something was amiss when they stopped reaching out. One evening, I discussed it with Alex, wondering if it was because we missed Thanksgiving last year. Alex reassured me, but the worry lingered.

A few months passed with no calls or messages from my family. The silence was deafening. When I finally brought it up with my mom, she reassured me everything was fine. But the feeling of being singled out persisted. Little did I know that the truth would soon come to light.