In San Diego, the temperature climbed close to ninety-five, the sun pouring down on La Jolla’s private beach like it had something to prove.

The afternoon heat in San Diego pressed down heavily on the private beach of La Jolla, turning the celebration into something almost suffocating. The event was meant to honor my sister Jessica’s engagement, a carefully curated display of wealth, status, and social perfection.

Guests laughed beneath umbrellas, champagne glasses catching the sunlight, while I stood slightly apart from the gathering. Dressed in long sleeves despite the heat, I felt like an outsider in my own family.