Paula, a successful marketing executive, had spent years climbing the corporate ladder, believing every late night and business trip was an investment in her family’s future. Her husband, Benjamin, and their 10-year-old son, Liam, often reassured her that they understood—but in truth, they were left to navigate daily life largely without her. Returning home late one evening from yet another out-of-state conference, Paula noticed something had shifted. Liam barely looked up from his tablet. He no longer ran to hug her or asked questions about her trip. Concerned,
she tried to reengage him with gifts and special dinners, but his emotional distance only seemed to grow. Then one afternoon, while walking past his bedroom, Paula overheard him on the phone, softly calling someone else “Mom.” The word hit her like a blow to the chest. Confused and alarmed, she decided to follow him the next day after he said he was heading to school. Instead, he took a different path and ended up at a small house across town. From a distance, Paula watched as a young woman, no older than herself, opened the door and embraced him. Her name was Melissa,