When she walked in the door that Friday evening, Aurélie had no idea that everything would change in an instant. She pushed open the door of their Paris flat and, out of habit, called:
My love, I’m home!
Only a heavy silence answered her. Something felt off.
Strange He should be here already, she thought, heading toward the bedroom.
She turned the knob and stopped dead. Her husband, Théo, was hurriedly stuffing clothes into a suitcase.
Théo what are you doing? she whispered, her heart tightening.
I’m leaving, he replied coldly, without even looking at her.
You’re going? Why? What’s happening?
All because of your father, he snapped, irritated.
My father? What does he have to do with this?
Aurélie was bewilderedby his words and the situation. In an instant, the marriage she had nurtured with love and patience began to crumble.
They had met when Aurélie was twentyeight. Théo, eight years older, was confident, charismatic, seasoned. At the time she thought she had found the man of her life. Her family, friends, everyone kept urging her to marry, reminding her that the biological clock was ticking. Consequently, she started to view every suitor as a potential husbandan attitude that drove many away.
With Théo, however, things were different. They crossed paths in a Parisian café thanks to a colleague, and the chemistry was immediate. He was attentive, charming. When he learned that Aurélie owned a flat in the 16th arrondissement, drove a new car, held a wellpaid civilservice job, and had an entrepreneurial father, he became even more tender and considerate.
A year later they were planning an extravagant wedding, fully paid for by her father. Théo never objected; on the contrary, he happily accepted a position in one of his fatherinlaws boutiques.
Their life together at first resembled a fairytale: trips abroad, candlelit dinners, gifts. Yet one flaw spoiled everythingThéo never spent a cent. All expenses fell on Aurélie. At first she ignored it, then she began to ask, eventually pleading.
Why am I the one who carries everything? she confided to her best friend. I want to feel cherished, protected.
Théo would laugh:
Stop worrying, sweetheart. Everythings fine. Dont make a fuss over little things.
At work he did the bare minimum, spent most of his time on his phone, and secretly tucked his earnings into a hidden account. Aurélie remained unaware.
Then she fell seriously ill. Hospitalized for a month, she rarely saw Théo, while her parents visited daily. When she returned, the flat was in disarray.
You didnt even clean? she exclaimed.
Why? Thats a womans job, isnt it? he shrugged.
But I was in the hospital, Théo! And it always falls on me to tidy up?
Well, youre back now. Do it yourself.
Exhausted, she hired a cleaning service. Doctors warned that recovery would take at least a year. A pregnancy? Out of the question for the time being.
A year later, when the physicians finally gave the green light, she told Théo, voice trembling with hope.
Can you believe it? We could try we could finally have a baby!
Meh Not now, Im busy, he grumbled, eyes glued to his gaming console, a PlayStation she had bought with her own money.
Weeks passed. He avoided her. Then, one day, he finally said:
Listen, Aurélie Im leaving. And Im not interested in having a child with you.
What?!
I dont love you. I never have. You were just convenient the flat, the money, the car. Im done. Youre useless now.
Théo, you you cant do this. Youve seen everything Ive been through, everything Ive waited for
Those are my problems, not yours. Ill do what I want.
He shut his suitcase, shoved his console inside, and walked out.
Aurélie collapsed for days, unable to eat or sleep. Three days later, her worried parents came to fetch her. Seeing her condition, her father nearly lost his temper.
They took her to their house in Provence. That same night Théo was fired, and thanks to connections, his fatherinlaw had his bank account frozen. All his savings vanished.
Théo was left penniless, unemployed, homelessbarely able to afford a tiny room, with no clue about the future.
Months later Aurélie secured a new job. There she met Lucas. He wasnt a youngster, but he was upright, calm, and treated her with immediate respect and kindness.
Six months after that, a small miracle occurred: two pink lines on a test. Tears, laughter, a call to her parents and a profound pride in having finally found the courage to say enough.
When He Left: The Husband Who Deserted His Wife on the Eve of Motherhood
