Casey thought getting engaged would finally make her mother proud. Instead, her mom gave away the wedding fund left by her late father to Casey’s cousin Elise, because Elise was considered “prettier” and more likely to attract a worthy partner. Years of secret cruelty about Casey’s appearance turned into public humiliation.
Then Elise rejected the money and confronted their mother’s favoritism in front of the family. That moment broke Casey’s illusion; her mother’s harshness wasn’t love but control. With Elise’s support, Casey stopped feeling less than and stopped seeking approval on the wrong terms.
Encouraged, Casey applied to the film program she loved—something her mother had always mocked. She put the wedding on hold to focus on herself. When the acceptance letter came, it felt like her father’s voice saying she was always enough.
Later, Casey and Marco had a small, heartfelt wedding. Her mother came, quieter and apologetic. But it was Elise’s toast—“Casey stepped into her power”—that truly mattered. Casey finally believed in herself.
