When I Was Pregnant with My Fourth Child, My Husband Left a Note Saying: ‘Sorry, I Have to Leave You’ – And Vanished

At 36, pregnant with our fourth child, my husband Todd left without warning, leaving a note saying he couldn’t do it anymore. I thought it was stress, but the truth was devastating. At our ultrasound, learning we’d have another girl, Todd’s distant demeanor hinted at trouble. He grew silent, withdrawing from me and our three daughters, locking himself in his office nightly. Despite my efforts to reconnect, he shut me out, saying he needed “space.”

One morning, I found his note: “I can’t do this anymore.” His clothes and shoes were gone. He’d abandoned us—me, our daughters, and our unborn child. When he finally called, he revealed his reason: he wanted a son, an “heir,” and was leaving to “try again” with someone else. His words shattered me.

Months later, I learned his new partner drained his finances and left him. He showed up, broken, begging to return. I saw our daughters’ hopeful faces but stood firm. “You made your choice,” I said, closing the door.

I focused on my girls, building new routines—pancake mornings, dance parties, craft days. When my fourth daughter was born, perfect and loved, I knew we were complete. Todd lost a family who adored him. I chose love, and it’s enough.