We Adopted a 4-Year-Old Girl — Just a Month Later, My Wife Demanded, ‘We Should Give Her Back’

She was tiny, with big brown eyes and messy curls, smelling like baby shampoo and fresh-cut grass. She held onto me tightly, as if she already knew I was meant to be hers, like she sensed this was where she belonged. Claire and I had worked hard for this moment. We had faced years of disappointment with pregnancies that didn’t work out.

We experienced so much sadness. When we decided to adopt, the waiting felt endless—months filled with paperwork, home visits, and interviews.

Now, we were here, sitting in front of a social worker with our daughter on my lap. “Are you really sure about this?” Karen asked, her hands resting on a big folder. Sophie was playing with my wedding ring and humming softly. Claire, sitting next to me, took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.