I had just given birth when my husband looked me in the eye and said, “Take the bus home. I’m taking my family to hotpot.” Two hours later, his voice was shaking on the phone: “Claire… what did you do? Everything is gone.”

The nurse placed my newborn in my arms… and the first thing my husband did was glance at his phone.
Then Daniel looked straight at me and said, “Take the bus home tomorrow. I’m taking my family out for hotpot.”

For a moment, the room went completely still—except for my baby’s soft, uneven breathing against my chest.

I thought I had heard him wrong.

“What?” My voice came out weak.

His mother, Elaine, adjusted her bracelet and sighed, as if I were the problem. “Claire, don’t create a scene. You’ll be discharged in the morning. The bus stop is right outside.”

“I gave birth six hours ago,” I whispered.