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Even though some people criticized Zendaya’s Cher-inspired outfit, others praised her for it. Cher was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame just months after she expressed disappointment about not being recognized sooner.
At the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio, on October 19, 2024, Zendaya paid tribute to the music legend Cher by wearing a sparkling dress. The 27-year-old actress and fashion icon spoke warmly about Cher, sharing her admiration for the artist.
Zendaya’s beaded gown featured a design that exposed her midriff, highlighting her fit figure.
Zendaya’s dress at the event featured criss-cross straps across her chest and had cutouts that made the gold and skin-colored gown look both bold and stylish. The design was daring yet chic.
Zendaya’s outfit paid homage to a famous look from the 1970s when Cher was known for her daring fashion choices and her own music and variety show.

Along with her stunning gown, Zendaya styled her long, sleek black hair with a perfect middle part. She wore golden stiletto heels that made her tall figure even more striking.
At one point, she added a luxurious white coat with gold embroidery to her outfit. She kept her accessories simple, adding just a bit of sparkle with her bracelets and ring.

In addition to taking solo photos, Zendaya posed with other stars like Dua Lipa and Cher, who wore an all-black outfit.
As the evening went on, Zendaya honored Cher with a heartfelt speech that resonated with everyone in the audience.

Standing confidently at the podium, Zendaya shared her admiration for Cher and the impact she has had on many generations.
“Thank you, Cher,” Zendaya began. “Thank you for being an advocate, for paving the way for many people to speak their truth and be open-hearted.”

Quoting Cher, Zendaya added, “‘You should never be inhibited by what people expect you to do.’ I hope we can all live by those words.”
While Zendaya’s tribute to Cher captivated the audience, her bold outfit sparked mixed reactions online. Many acknowledged her beauty, but some were not fond of her look.

One person commented, “She’s gorgeous, but this is too revealing.” Another asked, “Does she really need to be almost naked? She looks sad in it.”
Someone compared her outfit to a famous pop culture reference, saying, “Zendaya is beautiful, but the dress looks like a ‘Princess Leia’ costume. It leaves nothing to the imagination.”

Others were concerned about the message her outfit sent. “Beautiful, but why do talented women need to undress for attention?” questioned one comment.
Another person noted a trend among celebrities, saying, “Why do women feel like they have to be almost naked to be relevant? It feels wrong.”

Some people criticized the outfit for lacking creativity, with one commenter stating, “Women dressed like this acting ‘edgy’ is old and boring.”
Yet, amidst the criticism, some fans praised Zendaya. “Zendaya outdid herself! She looks absolutely stunning!” said one admirer.

Another fan embraced the Cher-inspired look, saying, “Total Cher vibes! Gorgeous!”
While Zendaya’s outfit sparked conversation, the main focus of the evening was Cher’s long-awaited induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Cher’s career spans seven decades, making her influence on music, film, and pop culture truly remarkable.

From her early days with Sonny Bono to becoming a solo superstar, Cher has continuously evolved and stayed relevant in the entertainment world.
During her acceptance speech, Cher spoke candidly about the challenges she has faced in her life and career, saying it was easier to get divorced twice than to receive this honor.
Despite the hurdles, Cher emphasized the importance of perseverance, stating, “The one thing that I have never done is give up.”

Her speech included personal stories, from her childhood dreams to her groundbreaking success with the song “Believe,” which changed the music industry.
Cher shared how the song came about almost by accident but became a defining moment for her.
With humility, she said, “I’m a good singer, not a great singer. You know what? I’ll take it.” At one point, she addressed the women in the audience.
Cher expressed admiration for women’s strength, saying, “We’ve been down and out, and we keep going. We are special.”
She concluded her speech by thanking her family and close friends.
Before this honor, Cher had expressed her frustration about not being inducted sooner. In December 2023, she appeared on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” and shared her feelings about the snub.
During the interview, Kelly praised Cher’s career, saying, “You have number ones spanning seven decades!” Cher replied, “Two of us have.”
When Kelly learned that Cher wasn’t in the Hall of Fame at that time, she was shocked. Cher responded sharply, “I wouldn’t be in it now if they gave me $1 million.”
However, when the time came for Cher to be inducted, she accepted the honor with gratitude and defiance.

In May 2024, ahead of the induction, Cher attended the premiere of “Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion,” where she expressed appreciation for those who supported her induction.
While talking to Entertainment Tonight, Cher thanked David Geffen and John Sykes for their efforts.
Yet, true to her style, she hinted that she would speak her mind at the ceremony. “I’m going to have some words to say. I’m going to accept it as me,” she added. Cher certainly did not hold back during her induction acceptance speech.
At My Grandma’s Funeral, I Saw My Mom Hiding a Package in the Coffin — I Quietly Took It & Was Stunned When I Looked Inside

At my grandmother’s funeral, I saw my mother discreetly slip a mysterious package into the coffin. When I took it later out of curiosity, I didn’t expect it would unravel heartbreaking secrets that would haunt me forever.
They say grief comes in waves, but for me, it strikes like missing stairs in the dark. My grandmother Catherine wasn’t just family; she was my best friend, my universe. She made me feel like the most precious thing in the world, enveloping me in hugs that felt like coming home. Standing beside her coffin last week, I felt untethered, like learning to breathe with only half a lung.

An older woman in a coffin | Source: Midjourney
The funeral home’s soft lighting cast gentle shadows across Grandma’s peaceful face. Her silver hair was arranged just the way she always wore it, and someone had put her favorite pearl necklace around her neck.
My fingers traced the smooth wood of the casket as memories flooded back. Just last month, we’d been sitting in her kitchen, sharing tea and laughter while she taught me her secret sugar cookie recipe.
“Emerald, honey, she’s watching over you now, you know,” Mrs. Anderson, our next-door neighbor, placed a wrinkled hand on my shoulder. Her eyes were red-rimmed behind her glasses. “Your grandmother never stopped talking about her precious grandchild.”

A grieving young woman | Source: Midjourney
I wiped away a stray tear. “Remember how she used to make those incredible apple pies? The whole neighborhood would know it was Sunday just from the smell.”
“Oh, those pies! She’d send you over with slices for us, proud as could be. ‘Emerald helped with this one,’ she’d always say. ‘She has the perfect touch with the cinnamon.’”
“I tried making one last week,” I admitted, my voice catching. “It wasn’t the same. I picked up the phone to ask her what I’d done wrong, and then… the heart attack… the ambulance arrived and—”
“Oh, honey.” Mrs. Anderson pulled me into a tight hug. “She knew how much you loved her. That’s what matters. And look at all these people here… she touched so many lives.”

An emotional, teary-eyed woman | Source: Midjourney
The funeral home was indeed crowded, filled with friends and neighbors sharing stories in hushed voices. I spotted my mother, Victoria, standing off to the side, checking her phone. She hadn’t shed a tear all day.
As Mrs. Anderson and I were talking, I saw my mother approach the casket. She glanced around furtively before leaning over it, her manicured hand slipping something inside. It looked like a small package.
When she straightened, her eyes darted around the room before she walked away, her heels clicking softly on the hardwood floor.

A mature woman at a funeral | Source: Midjourney
“Did you see that?” I whispered, my heart suddenly racing.
“See what, dear?”
“My mom just…” I hesitated, watching my mother disappear into the ladies’ room. “Nothing. Just the grief playing tricks, I guess.”
But the unease settled in my stomach like a cold stone. Mom and Grandma had barely spoken in years. And there was no way my grandma would have asked for something to be put in her casket without my knowledge.
Something felt off.

A grieving woman looking ahead | Source: Midjourney
Evening shadows lengthened across the funeral home’s windows as the last mourners filtered out. The scent of lilies and roses hung heavy in the air, mixing with the lingering perfume of departed guests.
My mother had left an hour ago, claiming a migraine, but her earlier behavior kept nagging at me like a splinter under my skin.
“Ms. Emerald?” The funeral director, Mr. Peters, appeared at my elbow. His kind face reminded me of my grandfather, who we’d lost five years ago. “Take all the time you need. I’ll be in my office whenever you’re ready.”
“Thank you. Mr. Peters.”

An older man looking at someone | Source: Midjourney
I waited until his footsteps faded before approaching Grandma’s casket again. The room felt different now. Heavier, filled with unspoken words and hidden truths.
In the quiet space, my heartbeat seemed impossibly loud. I leaned closer, examining every detail of Grandma’s peaceful face.
There, barely visible beneath the fold of her favorite blue dress — the one she’d worn to my college graduation — was the corner of something wrapped in blue cloth.
I wrestled with guilt, torn between loyalty to my mom and the need to honor Grandma’s wishes. But my duty to protect Grandma’s legacy outweighed it.
My hands trembled as I carefully reached in, extracted the package, and slipped it into my purse.

A woman holding a brown leather purse | Source: Midjourney
“I’m sorry, Grandma,” I whispered, touching her cold hand one last time. Her wedding ring caught the light, a final sparkle of the warmth she’d always carried.
“But something’s not right here. You taught me to trust my instincts, remember? You always said the truth matters more than comfort.”
Back home, I sat in Grandma’s old reading chair, the one she’d insisted I take when she moved to the smaller apartment last year. The package sat in my lap, wrapped in a familiar blue handkerchief.
I recognized the delicate “C” embroidered in the corner. I’d watched Grandma stitch it decades ago while she told me stories about her childhood.

A woman holding a small blue package | Source: Midjourney
“What secrets are you keeping, Mom?” I murmured, carefully untying the worn twine. My stomach churned at the sight that followed.
Inside were letters, dozens of them, each bearing my mother’s name in Grandma’s distinctive handwriting. The paper was yellowed at the edges, some creased from frequent handling.

A stunned woman holding a stack of old letters | Source: Midjourney
The first letter was dated three years ago. The paper was crisp, as if it had been read many times:
“Victoria,
I know what you did.
Did you think I wouldn’t notice the missing money? That I wouldn’t check my accounts? Month after month, I watched small amounts disappear. At first, I told myself there must be some mistake. That my own daughter wouldn’t steal from me. But we both know the truth, don’t we?
Your gambling has to stop. You’re destroying yourself and this family. I’ve tried to help you, to understand, but you keep lying to my face while taking more. Remember last Christmas when you swore you’d changed? When you cried and promised to get help? A week later, another $5,000 was gone.
I’m not writing this to shame you. I’m writing because it breaks my heart to watch you spiral like this.
Please, Victoria. Let me help you… really help you this time.
Mom”

A shocked woman holding a letter | Source: Midjourney
My hands shook as I read letter after letter. Each one revealed more of the story I’d never known, painting a picture of betrayal that made my stomach turn.
The dates spread across years, the tone shifting from concern to anger to resignation.
One letter mentioned a family dinner where Mom had sworn she was done gambling.
I remembered that night — she’d seemed so sincere, tears streaming down her face as she hugged Grandma. Now I wondered if those tears had been real or just another performance.

A startled woman covering her mouth | Source: Midjourney
The final letter from Grandma made me catch my breath:
“Victoria,
You’ve made your choices. I’ve made mine. Everything I own will go to Emerald — the only person who’s shown me real love, not just used me as a personal bank. You may think you’ve gotten away with it all, but I promise you haven’t. The truth always comes to light.
Remember when Emerald was little, and you accused me of playing favorites? You said I loved her more than I loved you. The truth is, I loved you both differently but equally. The difference was that she loved me back without conditions, without wanting anything in return.
I still love you. I’ll always love you. But I cannot trust you.
Mom”

A surprised woman holding a letter | Source: Midjourney
My hands were shaking as I unfolded the last letter. This one was from my mother to Grandma, dated just two days ago, after Grandma’s death. The handwriting was sharp, angry strokes across the page:
“Mom,
Fine. You win. I admit it. I took the money. I needed it. You never understood what it’s like to feel that rush, that need. But guess what? Your clever little plan won’t work. Emerald adores me. She’ll give me whatever I ask for. Including her inheritance. Because she loves me. So in the end, I still win.
Maybe now you can stop trying to control everyone from beyond the grave. Goodbye.
Victoria”

A teary-eyed woman reading a letter | Source: Midjourney
Sleep eluded me that night. I paced my apartment, memories shifting and realigning with this new reality.
The Christmas gifts that always seemed too expensive. The times Mom had asked to “borrow” my credit card for emergencies. All those casual conversations about Grandma’s finances, disguised as daughter’s concern.
“Have you talked to Mom about getting power of attorney?” she’d asked one day. “You know how forgetful she’s getting.”
“She seems fine to me,” I’d replied.
“Just thinking ahead, sweetie. We need to protect her assets.”
My mother, driven solely by greed, had betrayed my grandmother and now, me.

A teary-eyed woman standing near the window | Source: Midjourney
By morning, my eyes were burning but my mind was clear. I called her, keeping my voice steady:
“Mom? Can we meet for coffee? There’s something important I need to give you.”
“What is it, sweetie?” Her voice dripped with honey-sweet concern. “Are you okay? You sound tired.”
“I’m fine. It’s about Grandma. She left a package for you. Said I should give it to you ‘when the time was right.’”

A mature woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
“Oh!” The eagerness in her voice made me wince. “Of course, darling. Where should we meet?”
“The coffee shop on Mill Street? The quiet one?”
“Perfect. You’re such a thoughtful daughter, Emerald. So different from how I was with my mother.”
The irony of her words was a dagger to my heart. “See you at two, Mom.” I then hung up.

A woman holding a smartphone | Source: Midjourney
The bell above the door chimed as my mother entered the coffee shop that afternoon, her eyes immediately finding my purse on the table.
She was wearing her favorite red blazer — the one she always wore to important meetings.
She sat down, reaching for my hand across the worn wooden surface. “You look exhausted, sweetheart. This has all been so hard on you, hasn’t it? You and your grandmother were so close.”
I just nodded and placed a wrapped bundle on the table. Inside were blank pages with just two letters on top — Grandma’s “I know what you did” one, and one I’d written myself.

A mature woman holding a small gift-wrapped package | Source: Midjourney
“What’s this?” she asked, her perfectly manicured nails breaking the seal on the first envelope. I watched as the color completely drained from her face when she opened the second one, her fingers gripping the paper so tightly that it crumpled at the edges.
My letter was simple:
“Mom,
I have the rest of the letters. If you ever try to manipulate me or come after what Grandma left me, everyone will know the truth. All of it.
Emerald”

A mature woman gaping in shock while holding a letter | Source: Midjourney
“Emerald, honey, I—”
I rose before she could finish, watching years of deception dissolve in her tears. “I love you, Mom. But that doesn’t mean you can manipulate me. You lost my trust. Forever.”
With that, I turned around and stormed out, leaving her alone with the weight of her lies and the ghost of Grandma’s truth. I realized some lies can’t stay buried forever, no matter how hard you try.

A young woman in a coffee shop | Source: Midjourney
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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