He wrote about his attempts to quit, his short-lived successes followed by crushing relapses. Each entry catalogued the burdens he bore alone, the stress of maintaining the illusion of a perfect life while internally collapsing under the weight of his addiction. Rachel’s heart ached with a strange combination of anger, pity, and a profound sadness that she could not reach him in his darkest moments.

The documents revealed further truths. Despite his massive income, they were deep in debt. Their home, cars, and even the children’s education funds were all heavily leveraged. Daniel had been on the brink of declaring bankruptcy, a fact he had hidden with an expertise that now seemed tragically ironic.