hard-luck story
noun [ C ] informal disapproving uk/ˌhɑːdˈlʌk ˌstɔː.ri/ us/ˌhɑːrdˈlʌk ˌstɔːr.i/
（为博得他人同情而诉说的）不幸的遭遇，辛酸的经历
a story or piece of information that someone tells you or writes about himself or herself, intended to make you feel sympathy for that person
She came out with some hard-luck story about never having been loved by her mother. 她诉说了自己从未得到过母爱的不幸遭遇。