When my husband and I decided to grow our family, it felt like a dream coming true. Our daughter Jessy was about to turn 7, and we thought it would be the perfect time to give her a sibling. After a delayed period and a visit to my doctor, I was thrilled to hear the words, “Congratulations, Chrissy! You’re pregnant!”
We celebrated the news, but soon after, my husband shared something that shook me: he admitted he couldn’t imagine having another daughter. He said that if I didn’t have a son, he would ask me and Jessy to leave.
I was heartbroken but kept hoping everything would work out. During a routine ultrasound, the doctor told me I was expecting a girl. I didn’t know how to break the news to my husband, so I simply said the gender wasn’t clear yet.
As the day of delivery arrived, my husband packed two suitcases — one for me and Jessy, in case the baby was a girl. His words weighed heavily on me. At the hospital, I overheard a couple in the next room joyfully talking about welcoming their baby, no matter the gender. I wished my husband could share that same unconditional love.
When the woman next to me delivered a healthy baby boy and I realized my husband might reject his own child, I made a desperate decision. I spoke privately to a nurse and, overwhelmed by fear, asked for help. At the time, it felt like the only way to keep my family together.
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