I had been married to Mark for ten years. To the outside world, our life seemed picture-perfect. We had a mortgage, two kids, and what appeared to be a stable, well-constructed life. In truth, it felt more like we were bound by obligations rather than love. Mark had never been the most helpful partner. I often felt like I was carrying the weight of our family alone—handling the chaos of raising our children, managing the house, cooking, and cleaning. But somehow, I kept convincing myself that it was okay. “We’re a team, Lexie,” I would tell myself. Only, it was becoming clearer with each passing day that Mark had abandoned our team, choosing to play for a new one instead. It all started with something as mundane as a grocery run. After an exhausting trip, I pulled into the driveway, laden with heavy bags, bracing myself for…
