My husband pu.shed me to adop.t 4-year-old twin boys for months so we could be a real family — when I ac.cidentally overheard his real reason, I packed our bags.

the kids climb and shout. “Remember when we thought that’d be us?”

“Yeah,” I answered.

He didn’t look away. “Does it still bother you?”

I studied his face. There was something raw there—something I hadn’t seen in years.

A few days later, he slid his phone and an adoption brochure across the breakfast table.

“Our house feels empty, Hanna,” he said. “I can’t continue reading …