I shared how I had imagined our future—the tiny shoes, the quiet nights, the teamwork it would take. I told him how it felt to discover that our hard-earned savings had disappeared. He tried to explain, saying he felt overwhelmed and needed one last break before the next chapter. But his decision had erased a future we’d built together.
I told him I needed time and space—and I took it.
After that trip, I moved into a quiet apartment surrounded by calming plants and sunlight. I canceled our IVF paperwork and started exploring adoption on my own terms. While we’re not divorced yet, I’ve made peace with the fact that my journey to parenthood may look different than I’d once imagined.
Mark still sends the occasional photo or message, but I no longer feel the need to respond. I’ve chosen a new path—one built on healing, clarity, and a quiet kind of strength.