After five years of trying, Stephanie and I were finally about to become parents. The anticipation, the heartbreak, and the hope we’d clung to were all culminating in this one life-changing moment. In the delivery room, I stood by her side, holding her hand through each wave of pain, overwhelmed with pride and awe at her strength.
Our families waited outside, buzzing with joy and nerves, and I felt ready—truly ready—for everything ahead. When the first cry rang out, it was like the world exhaled with us. But just as Stephanie took our newborn into her trembling arms, everything changed. Her face went pale, her voice cracked, and she whispered something that sent ice down my spine: “That’s not my baby.”
