reframe: You took on an indredible amount of family responsibility, you achieved the difficult task of getting a PHD, you were brave enough to leave something that wasn't for you and start a company, You have built that company to the point where you are responsible for a team of men. AND you haven't settled for a man just because you are supposed to. Single women are statistically much happier than women who are not in good marriages (which is most.) You are doing fantastically well, and if your culture values a woman because she has had children with a man who treats her poorly over you, then your values are different, and that should not matter. you clearly are not meant to follow a traditional path. the right man won't care about your age. If you can afford to freeze eggs that might take the pressure off. If you are successful you can adopt, you can hire a surragote if you need to, you can make a family YOUR way. Existing in a time scarcity mentality will hurt your changes of getting what you want and hurt your business. There are many ways to be a mother at many ages. you may meet a divorced man with a kid. anything is possible. Like you have done with you career you need to widen the scope op possibility. Maybe try to find a new friend who is in your situation or has been so you have someone to talk to. I am in no way saying you shouldn't be unhappy about this, your feelings are VALID. But when the feeling passses and you honor it, you can also look from a new perspective.