My name is Claire. For 13 years, I believed I had a strong marriage built on family, shared routines, and small moments of connection. My husband Marcus and I raised two children in what I thought was a loving home. But over time, he became distant—late nights at work, cold silences, and a growing emotional gap I couldn’t seem to bridge. When he suddenly suggested a family dinner with both sides of our family, I hoped it meant he wanted to reconnect.