Ethan and I stood in the nursery, surrounded by pastel colors and baby toys. I could already picture our baby sleeping peacefully in the crib.

“I can’t believe we’re finally doing this,” I said, unable to contain my excitement. “Just imagine those first few weeks with our baby, both of us here, supporting each other.”

Ethan smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yeah, it’ll be amazing,” he said half-heartedly.

I frowned. “Is everything okay? Did you talk to your boss about paternity leave?” I asked.

He sighed and looked down at his hands. “I did. He wasn’t very supportive.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“He wants me to go to another city for an important project. He hinted that if I refuse, I might lose my job.”

I felt like the air had been knocked out of me. “Lose your job? But we need your income, especially now.”

Ethan nodded. “I know. We can’t afford for me to get fired.”

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. “So, what are we going to do?”

He shrugged. “I don’t see any other option. I’ll have to go.”

I wanted to cry. We had been so excited about this plan, and now it felt like everything was falling apart. But I couldn’t let Ethan see how much this hurt me. He had enough to worry about.

“Maybe,” I said, trying to sound hopeful, “we can figure out a way to make the most of the time we do have together.”

Ethan reached over and squeezed my hand. “We’ll make it work, Sarah. We always do.”

I forced a smile. “Yeah, we will.”

But deep down, I felt a pang of disappointment. This wasn’t how I imagined starting our new life as a family. I had pictured Ethan and me sharing every moment, every first with our baby.

Now, it felt like those precious moments would be overshadowed by worry and stress.

Still, I knew we had to push through. I had to be strong for Ethan and for our baby.

A few days after Ethan broke the news about his paternity leave, I found myself at the grocery store, trying to focus on picking up essentials. I couldn’t shake off the worry, though. My mind kept wandering back to our conversation.

“Sarah! Is that you?” A familiar voice called out.

I turned to see Amanda, Ethan’s boss’s wife, pushing a cart down the aisle. We had known each other since university, and she always had a bright, cheerful demeanor.

“Hi, Amanda,” I greeted her, managing a smile.

“How are you? And how’s the baby?” she asked.

“I’m alright,” I replied, feeling a twinge of frustration. “The baby’s doing well. Actually, I’m a bit stressed. Ethan’s paternity leave got denied.”

Amanda’s smile faltered. “What? Denied? That doesn’t make sense.”

I looked at her, confused. “Ethan said his boss wanted him to go to another city for a project. He hinted at firing him if he refused.”

Amanda shook her head, looking genuinely perplexed. “That’s strange, Sarah. I know for a fact Ethan’s paternity leave was approved without any issues.”

Her words hit me like a ton of bricks. “Are you sure?” I gasped.

“Absolutely,” she said firmly. “I remember my husband mentioning it. He thought it was a great idea for Ethan to take time off and be with you and the baby.”

My mind started racing. Why would Ethan lie about this? I could feel suspicion and fear growing inside me. “Thanks, Amanda,” I said quickly. “I need to get going.”

I rushed through the rest of my shopping, my thoughts a whirlwind of confusion.

As soon as I got home, I put the groceries away and sat down, trying to make sense of what I had just learned.

If Ethan’s leave was approved, why would he say otherwise?

Back home, my mind was still racing from what Amanda had said. I needed answers. I found Ethan in the shower, his phone left on the table.

Guilt gnawed at me, but my intuition told me something was wrong.

Taking a deep breath, I picked up his phone and opened his family chat. My heart pounded as I scrolled through the messages. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but the truth hit me harder than I anticipated.

The messages from Ethan’s parents made my heart sink.

Ethan’s Mom: “Ethan, you don’t need to take paternity leave. Sarah’s mom can help her with the baby. We really need you here to help with the house renovations.”

His Dad:“Yes, Ethan. You know how much we need to get these renovations done. It’s not like you’ll be far away.”

Ethan’s reply came next, and it was like a punch to the gut. “I understand. I’ll take the paid leave and come over to help. Sarah will manage with her mom.”

I felt a wave of betrayal wash over me. How could he do this to me, to us? We had planned for this time together, and he was willing to throw it away to help his parents with renovations? I felt like my world was crashing down.

Thinking back, it was hard to believe how we met and fell in love. We had met at a mutual friend’s party five years ago. I had just moved to the city, and Ethan was already established in his job.

I remember being instantly drawn to his warm smile and the way he made everyone around him feel comfortable. We spent the entire evening talking and laughing, and by the end of the night, I knew there was something special about him.

We shared a love for hiking, and weekends were often spent exploring trails and discovering new places together. Ethan’s kindness and sense of humor were infectious, and I found myself falling deeper in love with him every day.

When he proposed to me on a beautiful mountaintop, surrounded by the vibrant colors of autumn, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

Quickly, I took pictures of the messages, needing proof of what I had seen. My hands were shaking, and tears threatened to spill.

I felt so alone in that moment, heartbroken by the man I thought I could trust completely.

I couldn’t face Ethan right then. I needed time to process everything.

Quietly, I put his phone back and went to bed. Lying there, I stared at the ceiling, trying to make sense of it all.

How could he lie to me like this? How could he prioritize his parents’ house over our family?

As the night wore on, I tried to calm my racing thoughts. Ethan didn’t need to lie to me. If he was lying just to avoid the responsibilities of being a father, then he didn’t deserve to become one.

Ethan had made his choice, and it wasn’t us.

That next evening, Ethan came home from work looking devastated.

“I got fired,” he announced to the empty house, his voice shaking. I could imagine the shock and confusion on his face as he realized the house was eerily silent.

He probably noticed my absence immediately. Then, his eyes would’ve fallen on the envelope I left on the kitchen table, addressed to him in my handwriting.

With trembling hands, he would have opened the letter and read:

“Ethan,

I found the messages from your parents. You lied to me about the paternity leave. If you can lie about something so important, how can I trust you with our future? I need honesty, especially now. I’m leaving because I deserve better, and so does our baby.

I’ve sent the pictures of your messages to your boss, and that’s why you were fired. I cannot stay with someone who would betray me like this, especially at a time when we should be united. I’m going to file for divorce.

Goodbye.

Sarah.”

That morning, while Ethan was away, I packed my things. Then, I sat down at the kitchen table and wrote a letter to Ethan. Then, I left for my parents’ house.

“You did the right thing, Sarah,” Mom said gently, distracting me from my thoughts. “You need to think about what’s best for you and the baby now.”

I nodded, tears welling up in my eyes. “I just never thought it would come to this,” I said. “After all, I did love him.”

My dad reached over and squeezed my hand. “We’re here for you, sweetheart. You’ll get through this, and you’ll come out stronger.”

As I sat in my parents’ living room, holding my growing belly, I realized that the future I had imagined with Ethan was gone. But I also knew that I had to be strong for my baby and for myself. It was time to start a new chapter, one built on truth and integrity.

What would you have done?

If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one: Hudson reunites with his parents after 13 years, hoping for a fresh start. But just five minutes after capturing their happy family photo, an unexpected revelation shatters everything. What went wrong?

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.