It was our restaurant' s 5th anniversary of its first Michelin star, a night my husband Andrew and I always celebrated. I was pregnant with our first child, a dream we had talked about since college. But Andrew wasn't here; he was in San Francisco for an "emergency board meeting." So, I decided to surprise him at his downtown office, box of his favorite cronuts in hand, with our Golden Retriever, Buddy. The smile I prepared died on my face the moment I pushed open his office door. Andrew wasn't alone. He was entangled with his junior partner, Molly Johns, on his expensive mahogany desk. "Since Gabby got pregnant, she's always tired. All this 'nesting' bullshit. It's a complete turn-off," Andrew laughed, his words a cold dagger. The box of cronuts slipped from my numb fingers, hitting the floor with a dull thud. My world shattered when Molly, sensing my panic on the fire escape, shoved me, and I tumbled down the slick metal stairs. The last thing I saw before blacking out was blood, so much blood, and Andrew choosing to steady Molly instead of reaching for me. I woke up in a sterile hospital bed, my stomach flat and empty. Our baby was gone. Andrew came in, disheveled, but not heartbroken, and later, I overheard him promise Molly he' d "make it up to her." My heart, already broken, turned to dust. How could he? How could the man I loved, the father of my lost child, not only betray me but then side with my attacker? How could anyone be so cold, so utterly without conscience? The injustice burned through me, but it also crystallized my resolve. With Buddy' s warm head in my lap, the only comfort left, I picked up my phone and called my lawyer. "I need you to draft divorce papers," I said, my voice shockingly steady, "Effective immediately."
It was our restaurant' s 5th anniversary of its first Michelin star, a night my husband Andrew and I always celebrated.
I was pregnant with our first child, a dream we had talked about since college.
But Andrew wasn't here; he was in San Francisco for an "emergency board meeting."
So, I decided to surprise him at his downtown office, box of his favorite cronuts in hand, with our Golden Retriever, Buddy.
The smile I prepared died on my face the moment I pushed open his office door.
Andrew wasn't alone.
He was entangled with his junior partner, Molly Johns, on his expensive mahogany desk.
"Since Gabby got pregnant, she's always tired. All this 'nesting' bullshit. It's a complete turn-off," Andrew laughed, his words a cold dagger.
The box of cronuts slipped from my numb fingers, hitting the floor with a dull thud.
My world shattered when Molly, sensing my panic on the fire escape, shoved me, and I tumbled down the slick metal stairs.
The last thing I saw before blacking out was blood, so much blood, and Andrew choosing to steady Molly instead of reaching for me.
I woke up in a sterile hospital bed, my stomach flat and empty.
Our baby was gone.
Andrew came in, disheveled, but not heartbroken, and later, I overheard him promise Molly he' d "make it up to her."
My heart, already broken, turned to dust.
How could he? How could the man I loved, the father of my lost child, not only betray me but then side with my attacker?
How could anyone be so cold, so utterly without conscience?
The injustice burned through me, but it also crystallized my resolve.
With Buddy' s warm head in my lap, the only comfort left, I picked up my phone and called my lawyer.
"I need you to draft divorce papers," I said, my voice shockingly steady, "Effective immediately."
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