Among the papers was a life insurance policy, substantial enough to cover their debts and secure the children’s future. Rachel realized that Daniel had maintained this policy as a last protective measure for his family, even as he spiraled out of control. This realization added a new layer of complexity to her grief—a mixture of betrayal and gratitude, of love and resentment.

Rachel’s world, once built on assumptions and appearances, had crumbled to reveal an intricate web of pain and protection she never anticipated. Her anger, once directed at an imagined mistress or offshore accounts, now turned inward. She regretted the years lost to suspicion and silence, the moments when she might have reached out, asked deeper questions, and perhaps offered help.