His eyes found mine across the room. Something cold prickled down my spine.

At 8:30 p.m., the orchestra stopped playing. The lights dimmed. A spotlight lit the stage where my father stood, champagne flute raised high.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “thank you for joining us tonight to celebrate an extraordinary young woman.”

The applause started before he finished the sentence.

“Josephine graduated in the top five percent of her Harvard Law class,” he went on. “She completed a clerkship with a high-level judge. And last month, she made the partner track at a top firm in record time.”

Harold’s voice swelled with pride. “But tonight, I’m not just celebrating her achievements. I’m announcing her future.”