**When He Left: The Husband Who Abandoned His Wife on the Eve of Motherhood**
That Friday evening, Aurélie returned from work unaware that the day would alter everything. As she pushed open the door of their Paris flat, she called out, as she always did:
My love, Im home!
Only a heavy silence answered her.
Strange He should be back by now, she thought, heading toward the bedroom.
When she opened the door, she froze. Her husband, Théo, was hastily packing a suitcase.
Théo what are you doing? she whispered, heart tightening.
Im leaving, he replied coldly, without even looking at her.
Youre going? Why? Whats happening?
Its all because of your father, he spat, irritated.
My father? What does he have to do with this?
Aurélie was bewilderedby his words and by 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, exuded confidence, charisma, and experience. At the time, she believed she had found the man of her life. Family and friends kept urging her toward marriage, reminding her that the biological clock was ticking. Consequently, every suitor she encountered was seen as a potential husbandsomething that made many of them retreat.
With Théo, however, everything felt different. They had been introduced by a coworker in a Parisian café, and the chemistry was instant. He was attentive and charming. When he learned that Aurélie owned a flat in the 16th arrondissement, drove a new car, held a wellpaid publicsector job, and had an entrepreneurial father, he became even more tender and considerate.
A year later, they organized an extravagant wedding, fully financed by her father. Théo never objected; on the contrary, he gladly accepted a position in one of his fatherinlaws boutiques.
Their life together at first resembled a fairytale: foreign trips, candlelit dinners, gifts. Yet one detail ruined the pictureThéo never spent a cent. All expenses fell on Aurélie. Initially she ignored it, then she began asking, and eventually she pleaded.
Why do I have to shoulder everything? she complained to her best friend. I want to feel cherished, protected.
Théo would laugh:
Stop worrying, honey. Its fine. Dont make a fuss over trivial 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 oblivious.
Then she fell seriously ill. Hospitalized for a month, Théos visits were rare, while her parents came daily. Upon returning, she was shocked to find the apartment in a dreadful state.
You didnt even clean up? she exclaimed.
Why? Thats a womans job, isnt it? he shrugged.
But I was in the hospital, Théo! And its always me who has to clean everything!
Well, youre home now. Do it yourself.
Exhausted, she called a cleaning service. Doctors warned that recovery would take at least a year, and a pregnancy was out of the question for the time being.
A year later, when the physicians finally gave her the green light, she told Théo the news with trembling excitement.
Can you believe it? We could try we could finally have a baby!
Meh Not now, Im busy, he grunted, eyes glued to his gaming consolea PlayStation she had bought with her own money.
Weeks passed; he kept avoiding her. Then, one day, he finally spoke.
Listen, Aurélie Im leaving. I have no interest in a child with you.
What?!
I dont love you. I never have. You were just convenient the apartment, the money, the car. Im fed up. Youre useless now.
Théo, you you cant do this. Youve seen everything Ive gone through, everything Ive waited for
Your problems, not mine. Ill do what I want.
He slammed his suitcase shut, stuffed his console inside, and walked out.
Aurélie lay in a catatonic state for days, unable to eat or sleep. Three days later, her worried parents came to get her. Seeing her condition, her father nearly exploded with anger.
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, wiping out all his savings.
Théo was left penniless, jobless, homeless barely enough to rent a modest room, with no clue about the future.
Months later, Aurélie secured a new job and 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 arrived: two pink lines on a pregnancy test. Tears, laughter, a call to her parents, and an immense pride in having finally found the courage to say enough.
When He Left: The Husband Who Deserted His Wife Just Before She Became a Mother
