Two weeks later, Laura walked into a quiet fertility clinic hidden between a flower shop and a laundromat. The building was modest, but to her, it held the promise of something extraordinary.
When the receptionist asked if she wanted to access Curtis’s file, Laura didn’t hesitate. “Yes,” she said clearly.
During the consultation, the nurse explained that Curtis’s sperm sample was still viable — and legally hers. He had signed the release years ago. Laura almost laughed at how strange life could be; it felt like something out of a movie.
That night, as she brushed her hair before the mirror, Laura opened the folder containing the procedure details. Beside it sat a dusty old wedding photo. She looked at the couple smiling back at her — the woman who used to be her and the man who had walked away.
“You never wanted this,” she whispered softly. “But I did.”
She placed the photo in a drawer, closed it firmly, and turned the key.
The next morning marked the beginning of her IVF journey. For the first time in her life, she didn’t need anyone’s approval or permission. The dream was hers alone — and she wouldn’t let it slip away.
While Laura rebuilt her world, Curtis was savoring his. Reclining against the velvet headboard of a hotel suite, he swirled a glass of whiskey in his hand while Carol appeared from the bathroom wrapped in a silk robe.
“You’re awfully quiet,” she teased, sipping her drink.
“Thinking about your ex?” she pressed with a playful smirk.
Curtis chuckled dryly. “Not my concern anymore.”
“She’s probably still crying over you,” Carol said, touching up her lipstick. “Maybe she’s adopted a cat already.”
Curtis grinned. “I left her childless. Honestly, I did her a favor.”
But as he said the words, something uneasy stirred in his chest.
“Do you think she still clings to hope?” Carol asked idly. “You were her whole world.”
“I… don’t know,” he muttered, pouring himself another drink to drown the discomfort her words caused.
At that same moment, across town, Laura was taking her first hormone injection — her hand trembling, her heart steady. She had no idea that while Curtis celebrated what he thought was freedom, her strength was quietly creating something far more powerful.
