When James’s salary doubled, he shocked me by demanding we split all expenses 50/50. I was working part-time at his insistence, but I agreed under one condition: we formalize it in writing. Little does he know, my agreement isn’t surrender — it’s stage one of a plan.
I never thought I’d be the kind of woman who’d give up her career for a man. Yet there I was, sitting across from James at our kitchen table as he explained why it made perfect sense for me to scale back my hours at work.
A couple speaking at a kitchen table | Source: Midjourney
Our daughter Emily was only three months old, and he painted such a compelling picture of our future together.
“Think about it, Sarah,” he said, reaching across to squeeze my hand. “We’re parents now, and I know you want to spend as much time with Emily as possible. Working part-time will let you do that.”
“I know,” I replied, “but I love my job, James. I’m not sure I want to make such a drastic change at this point in my career.”
A woman speaking to her husband | Source: Midjourney
“But do you really want the stress of juggling a full-time job and being a mom?” James frowned. “You can still do what you love and have the flexibility to be there for Emily.”
His smile was warm and confident. I remember staring into my coffee cup, watching the cream create swirling patterns as I stirred.
Something in my gut told me this wasn’t right, but I pushed the feeling aside.
Close up of a woman with a troubled look on her face | Source: Midjourney
“What about my consulting projects? I’ve spent years building these relationships.”
“Those will always be there,” James assured me, his tone smooth as honey. “But these early years with Emily? We’ll never get those back.”
Looking back now, I should have recognized the manipulation hidden beneath his concern. But I trusted him. More than that, I believed in us as a team.
The next six years passed in a blur of school pickups, part-time consulting work, and maintaining our household.
A woman checking on her daughter | Source: Midjourney
And I was content, mostly. I still got to do a job I loved and watch my baby grow into a beautiful little girl with a kind heart and keen mind.
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