That night, under Chicago’s brilliant lights, I came to terms with the awful reality. The people attempting to ruin me were members of my own biological family.
I want to stop and ask you a question before I go on. Please let me know in the comments where you are viewing this.
Let me also ask you this: have you ever had to defend your own value, even when the person causing you harm was a member of your own family?
I grew up in a household that the outside world loved to refer to as Chicago’s ideal model.
As the CEO of Lee Pharmaceuticals, a company that the media consistently hailed as the glory of America’s pharmaceutical sector, my father, Richard Lee, was regarded as one of the most prosperous pharmaceutical businesspeople in Illinois.
He was invited to give lectures on business strategy at esteemed universities, spoke at opulent conferences, and was featured on the cover of Forbes.
Beneath all that praise, however, was a cold, calculating guy who never put family before business.
Sophia and I were not his biological daughters in his eyes. As evidence that he had created the ideal family empire, we were chess pieces.
Victoria, my mother, was no exception. She was descended from a well-known family with several generations of medical professionals.
She learned early on that elegance, prestige, and reputation were more important than anything else.
She was the type of woman who insisted that every public appearance leave people in awe and whose magazine images were always flawlessly altered.
She saw Sophia as the ideal continuation of the Lee lineage: intelligent, elegant, a Harvard Business School graduate with exceptional grades, and quickly advancing into a managerial position within the organization.
My mother presented Sophia as the family’s legitimate successor at every gathering and photo session.
And me?
As the second daughter, Harper, I was never considered worthy by my parents.
I can still clearly recall how I became aware of the difference for the first time in elementary school.
I was surprised to win a silver medal in a cross-country competition. Excited, I hurried home in the hopes that my folks would be pleased.
However, as soon as I entered the living room, I noticed that they were celebrating Sophia’s selection to play the piano at a community event by popping champagne. After glancing at my medal, my father nodded and said:
“Well, but don’t deceive yourself into believing that running will ever advance your career.”
My mom didn’t even look up from the dress she was trying on.
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