Sarah always believed in Ethan. She trusted his promises and the picture he painted of their future. But once she uncovered the truth about his supposed paternity leave denial, everything she thought she knew crumbled. With her baby on the way, Sarah suddenly found herself standing at a crossroads. Should she confront Ethan and risk turning her entire life upside down, or take control and protect herself and her child? She wasn’t sure what her next step would be.
Ethan and I stood together in the nursery, surrounded by soft pastels and tiny toys. I could already see our baby curled up and asleep in the new crib.
“I can’t believe this is actually happening,” I said, feeling my excitement bubble up. “Just imagine those first few weeks with the baby. Both of us home. Both of us figuring things out together.”
Ethan tried to smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, it’ll be great,” he said, though his voice didn’t match mine.
My eyebrows pulled together. “What’s going on? Did you talk to your boss about taking paternity leave?”
He let out a long sigh and stared at his hands. “I did. It didn’t go well.”
“What does that mean?”
“He wants me to leave town for a major project. And he made it clear that if I don’t go, there’s a chance I could lose my job.”
I felt like I’d been punched. “Lose your job? Ethan, we depend on your paycheck. Especially now.”
“I know,” he said quietly. “We don’t really have the luxury of risking that.”
I tried to breathe steadily, even though my chest felt tight. “So what do we do now?”
He lifted his shoulders. “I don’t think I have much choice. I’ll have to go.”
Tears stung my eyes. We had dreamed about this moment. We had been so sure we’d be together for every part of those early weeks. Suddenly, it all felt like it was slipping away. But I didn’t want to pile on more stress for him, not when he already sounded defeated.
“Maybe,” I said, forcing a bit of optimism into my voice, “we can still make the most of whatever time we do have.”
Ethan squeezed my hand. “We’ll figure it out, Sarah. We always do.”
I made myself smile. “Yeah. We will.”
But inside, disappointment curled up like a cold knot in my stomach. This wasn’t the beginning I had pictured. I imagined us experiencing every first moment together with our newborn. Instead, it felt like fear and financial pressure were taking over.
Still, I told myself I had to keep going. I had to be steady for our baby and for him.
A few days after Ethan told me about the supposed denial of his leave, I was walking through the grocery store with a cart full of essentials. My mind wouldn’t settle. Every aisle I walked down dragged me back to our conversation.
“Sarah? Is that you?” someone called.
I turned and saw Amanda, the wife of Ethan’s boss, rolling her cart toward me. We’d known each other since university, and she always had this warm, upbeat energy.
“Hey, Amanda,” I said, giving her a small smile.
“How are you doing? And how’s the little one?” she asked.
“We’re doing okay,” I said, though frustration crept into my voice. “Honestly, I’m a little stressed. Ethan didn’t get approved for paternity leave.”
Amanda’s cheerful expression vanished. “What? That can’t be right.”
I blinked at her. “He told me your husband wants him in another city for a project. And if he doesn’t go, he could lose his job.”
Amanda shook her head, completely thrown. “That’s not true, Sarah. I know for sure his leave was approved with no problem at all.”
Her words hit me hard. “Are you sure?” I whispered.
“Completely. My husband even mentioned how glad he was Ethan would be home with you and the baby.”
My heart dropped into my stomach. Why would Ethan lie? What could he possibly gain by hiding something like this?
“Thanks, Amanda,” I said quickly. “I really need to get home.”
The rest of my shopping was a blur. My thoughts tumbled over each other as panic and confusion swirled.
When I got home, I put everything away mechanically and sat down, trying to make sense of everything I had just heard.
If Ethan really had leave approved, then why tell me the opposite?
I couldn’t shake the dread clawing at me. When I heard the shower running, I noticed Ethan’s phone sitting on the table. My conscience screamed at me not to touch it, but something deeper told me I had to know the truth.
I picked it up with trembling hands and opened the family group chat. My pulse pounded in my ears as I scrolled. I wasn’t sure what I expected to find, but what I saw shattered me.
Messages from his parents lit up the screen.
Ethan’s mom wrote: “Ethan, you don’t need to take paternity leave. Sarah’s mother can help her. We really need you here to help us get these renovations done.”
Then his dad added: “Exactly. You know how badly we need these repairs finished. It’s not like you’ll be that far away.”
And then I saw Ethan’s response. It felt like a knife.
“I understand. I’ll take the paid leave and come over. Sarah will be fine with her mom.”
A cold wave washed over me. He was planning to spend those precious first weeks doing house renovations for his parents instead of being with our newborn. He lied straight to my face. He let me worry about money. He let me believe he was being forced out of town.
The betrayal tore through me.
My mind drifted back to the beginning, to how we even met. We’d been introduced at a friend’s party five years earlier. I had just moved into town and hadn’t known many people. Ethan already had his life set up. I remembered how his warm smile drew me in. How easy it was to talk to him. How quickly I felt connected.
We built so much together. We loved hiking and spent weekends exploring the outdoors. I fell in love with his kindness and humor. When he proposed on a mountaintop surrounded by fall colors, I felt certain I’d found my partner for life.
Now here I was, staring at proof that he lied to me about something that mattered so deeply.
Hands shaking, I snapped photos of every message. I needed something solid, something undeniable. Tears blurred my eyes. I had never felt so alone.
I placed his phone back where I found it and climbed into bed. I couldn’t look at him. Not after seeing those messages.
I lay awake staring at the ceiling as everything unraveled in my mind.
Why did he lie? Why would he put his parents’ home above our baby? Above me?
And the ugliest thought of all crossed my mind. If he was willing to lie to avoid being a present father, maybe he didn’t deserve to be one.
He had made his decision. And he hadn’t chosen us.
The following evening, Ethan walked into a quiet house. I wasn’t there to meet him.
“I got fired,” he said to no one. I could picture him standing in the doorway, shocked by the silence. He must have walked through the empty rooms until his eyes landed on the envelope waiting for him on the kitchen table.
Inside was the letter I had written.
“Ethan,
I saw the messages between you and your parents. You lied about your paternity leave. If you can lie about something this important, how can I trust you with our future? I need honesty, especially now. I’m leaving because both our baby and I deserve better.
I sent the screenshots to your boss, which is why you were fired. I can’t stay with someone who would betray me at a time when we should be united. I will be filing for divorce.
Goodbye.
Sarah.”
That same morning, while he was gone, I packed my belongings. I set the letter out where he’d find it, then drove to my parents’ house.
“You did what you needed to do,” my mom told me gently when I arrived, trying to soothe the storm inside me. “Right now you have to think about what’s best for you and the baby.”
Tears filled my eyes. “I never imagined things would get to this point,” I whispered. “I really loved him.”
My dad placed his hand over mine. “We’re right here, sweetheart. You’re going to get through this. And you’ll be stronger on the other side.”
Sitting in my parents’ living room, my hands resting on my growing belly, reality settled over me. The future I planned with Ethan was gone. But I understood something important. I needed to build a new life based on honesty and stability, not deception.
What would you have done in my place?