Just seven days into married life, I stepped back into the office—still glowing from our honeymoon. My badge barely registered when HR called me in. I braced myself… but nothing prepared me for this: “Your marriage changed everything,” they said. A sudden “conflict of interest.” My husband’s byline now overlapped with an important client. Despite prior clearance, the client complained. In that moment, my wedding ring wasn’t a symbol of joy—it was grounds for dismissal.
I gathered my belongings, shock tightening every breath. But instead of accepting defeat, I turned this ending into a beginning. I launched my own boutique consultancy—one built on transparency, ethics, and owning your narrative. Ironically, losing my job gave me the freedom to define success on my own terms.
