Our Daughter Was Ashamed of Us and Didnt Invite Us to the Wedding
Today, I need to share the pain Ive been carrying. Our daughter was ashamed of us for being from the countryside. She didnt even invite us to her wedding
My husband and I have always lived simply, but with dignity. Our home, the vegetable patch, the cows, the daily worriesour whole life revolved around one goal: raising our only daughter to be a good person. For her, wed do anything. The best always went to Emily. New shoes? Of course. A coat so she wouldnt feel out of place with the city girls? No question. We scraped together what little we had so shed never want for anything. She grew up beautiful, clever. Top marks, dreams of city life. And we were just thrilledour Emily would have a different future than ours.
With some help from friends, my husband got her into a top university in London. A public course. We were as proud as if wed done it ourselves. We supported her however we couldmoney, encouragement. Every visit home was a celebration. We hung on her stories like they were fairy tales: her office job, her well-off boyfriendDaniel, son of a businessman. She glowed when she talked about him. And we just thought: *Please let there be a wedding soon*
But years passed, and no proposal came. One day, my husband couldnt take it anymore: Invite Daniel here, at least let us meet him! She hesitated, made excuses about work. Again and again. Our suspicions grew. Something wasnt right. So we decidedwed go to London. Found an old address in her letters. Bought biscuits, dressed in our best, and set off.
The house was pure luxury. Stone, glass, a security gate. A polite man let us in. Wealth straight out of a film. We stood there, unsure where to look, until we were led to the sitting room. And then I saw it. On the table, a large framed wedding photo. In white, with a bouquetour Emily. My husband froze like hed turned to stone. And I felt the ground vanish beneath me.
Why didnt you come to the wedding, by the way? Daniel asked suddenly.
We exchanged glances. What could we say? That we hadnt even known? Then she walked in. Emily. Her face went pale, her lips trembled. I gestured for her to step outside with us. At first, she tried to dodge it, but finally, she cracked:
I didnt invite you because youre from the country. I was embarrassed. I didnt want everyone knowing my parents were simple village folk
That word *pierced* me. A knife to the heart. *How?* Us? *Embarrassing?* We gave her everything. Worked ourselves to the bone so she could have a future.
And Daniel? I asked, barely breathing. Did he know?
Yes. He wanted you there. He even sent an invite, but I told him youd refused
And that was it. We were the shame she hid. She didnt even give us the chance to be there on the most important day of her life. No warning, no explanationjust erased.
We left that same day. No tears, no shouting. Just a hollow ache. How do you move forward when your own flesh and blood turns away? How do you believe any of it was worth it? That we didnt raise a stranger?
Since then, Emily hasnt called. And weve stayed quiet too. Not out of angerjust sorrow. Because what do you say to someone who betrayed you so easily?
