In this chapter, I confront an unexpected audience—the silent witnesses of my struggles whom I never knew existed. Their presence, imagined or real, shaped how I carried my pain and how I performed resilience. What happens when we realise we are never truly alone in our battles, and that unseen eyes may echo the very voices we try to silence? Part 4 continues the journey into hidden guilt, haunting reflections, and the slow search for healing.

I can’t remember the exact day it began, only the silence that followed—heavy, cold, filled with shame and guilt I couldn’t name. Little by little, the child in me disappeared. Vulnerability felt like weakness, so I hid behind masks everyone praised. Inside, though, joy faded, and the verdict was always the same: guilty of being too soft, too much. Yet healing, I’ve learned, isn’t forgetting—it’s remembering, grieving, and daring to believe that child may still exist.

Asian parents often show love through actions. Adding emotional openness can create a more supportive and balanced connection.