My Mother Ruined Christmas (and My Life)

All Natalie wanted was one peaceful Christmas Eve, but her mother turned the holiday into a public shaming over a single missed point. Even as her aunt tries to save her, every taste of freedom is snatched away—her birthday, her friends, her hope—all crushed by relentless perfectionism. When Mom storms into Olive Garden with homework in hand, Natalie realizes: some scars are harder to erase than any red mark on a test.