After 144 hours away with another woman, he finally remembered his pregnant wife. His shaken assistant told him, “Sir, your wife had a serious medical emergency and lost the baby. She has already signed the divorce papers and left.”

the white magnolia I had planted in Daniel’s memory.

“No,” I said.

“You lost what you had because you believed I would keep paying for your choices.”

Then I ended the call.

Eight months later, I returned to Vale Meridian as chairwoman.

We strengthened audit controls.

We appointed a permanent CEO.

And we created paid emergency family leave for every employee.

I also funded a bereavement support program for parents experiencing pregnancy loss, because grief should never have to ask permission to exist.

On what would have been Daniel’s first