I never imagined I’d be the guy whose wife disappeared, but a week ago, that’s exactly what happened. And I found out through our five-year-old daughter,It was a regular Tuesday when my phone rang. “Daddy?” It was Alice. “Mom left.”,I rushed home to find Alice alone and a note from Laurel: “I can’t live like this anymore. By the time you read this, I’ll be gone. Take care of Alice.”,I searched for days. Bank account empty. Social media erased. The police said there was nothing they could do. Then, on the seventh day, I saw Laurel on TV, singing on stage. She was chasing her dreams.

I couldn’t stop her. But I finally understood: she never wanted our life—she wanted the world,So, I let her go,I filed for sole custody, blocked her number, and we moved on. Because Alice deserves a mother who wants to be one, and I deserve someone who doesn’t see family as a burden,Alice asked if Mommy was coming back. “No, sweetheart,” I said. “She’s not. But you didn’t do anything wrong.”,As we made waffles, I realized: we were going to be okay.