Sarah was humiliated. Without making a scene, she went upstairs and started packing her bags. Nate caught her in the bedroom, pleading with her to stay and promising they would find an apartment of their own immediately.
That was the first time Nate told her he loved her. The weight of those words convinced her to stay. Since they didn’t have much in savings, they settled for a cramped, drafty studio apartment on the edge of town.
Sarah hit the ground running, landing a job as an administrative assistant at a local firm. She was determined to climb the corporate ladder, working late nights and taking on extra projects to secure a better salary. She was all-in on their new life.
Nate was working hard too, and for a while, they were just two young people enjoying their independence. They talked about a “someday” that included a house with a yard and a couple of kids. But “someday” arrived much sooner than expected when Sarah realized she was pregnant.
With a shaking hand, she showed Nate the positive test. Nate tried to put on a brave face, forcing a smile and telling her it just meant their family was starting a little early. But the reality of their bank account told a different story.
Nate’s parents were ice-cold when they heard the news. They made it clear: they didn’t approve of Sarah, and they wouldn’t be providing a dime of support for a grandchild they hadn’t asked for. They told Nate he’d made his bed and now he had to lie in it.
Sarah’s only family was her elderly mother, who was already struggling with her own health issues and mounting medical bills. There was no safety net. Sarah considered her options, but she couldn’t bring herself to end the pregnancy. However, as the months went by, the stress began to take a toll.
When a promotion she’d been working toward for a year was given to a colleague—partly because her manager knew she’d soon be on maternity leave—Sarah’s resentment boiled over. She felt trapped. She blamed the pregnancy for ruining her career before it even started. Nate tried to comfort her, but he was privately panicking about how they would survive.
