“Avoid attending your spouse’s burial. Inspect your sibling’s residence…”…

Only end said proud me. Not everyone could go such remain person. Morning drove Lena, school friend.

Same saw Paul Emily’s told me. Hadn’t talked almost year, nightmare started. Lena opened door hugged immediately.

Said followed all news. Worried, didn’t know approach. Feared wouldn’t want talk.

Walked park played childhood. Lena told work, husband, kids. Listened understood here’s normal life.

No deception, intrigues, survival struggle. Lena asked what do next. Honestly answered don’t know.

Just learning live anew. Didn’t return work. After story, suggested resign voluntarily.

Said understood situation, collective not ready return. Didn’t argue. Took severance left.

Had money. Insurance payouts sued Paul’s company. Moral damage compensation Emily.

Plus accumulated accounts during block. Could not work years. Could think what do next.

Sarah suggested open center help women fraud victims. Said experience, knowledge, understanding problem. Idea liked.

But not ready yet. Needed heal own wounds first. Support group created continued work.

Met weekly, shared news, helped new members. Joined more women. Not only Paul victims, other fraudsters.

Turned out many stories. More thought. Each told pain.

Each found strength move on. Natalie opened small business, craft store. Said creativity helps forget past.

Elena reconciled husband. Understood wife victim, not accomplice. Even planning second child.

Sarah got new job women’s clinic. Helped other women family problems. All turned pain strength.

Me just learned self. Real self, not one Paul Emily wanted make. Month ago producer federal channel called.

Offered write book story. Said help other women. Agreed.

Started writing. Slowly, few pages day. Told all, first letter, last court.

Writing painful. Had relive every day nightmare. But necessary.

Me others. Yesterday finished last chapter. Wrote standing river court decision hands.

What feel. Last lines hard. Long thought end book.

End wrote simply. Wasn’t grief.

Was rebirth. Morning printed manuscript. Thick stack sheets, life told honestly without embellishment.

Took sheets drove river. Wanted read book whole. Start end.

Make sure all correct. Read three hours. Cried, laughed, got angry anew.

Relived story again. But now precisely story. Finished, beginning end.

Not endless nightmare lived two years. Finished reading, felt strange relief. Like lifted heavy burden.

Folded sheets back folder stood. Sun setting, painting water golden. Tomorrow take manuscript publisher.

Few months book out. People read story, maybe someone avoid similar fate. Maybe someone find strength fight.

Like fought? Walked car slowly, no hurry. First time long felt peace. Home empty apartment awaited.

Removed Paul’s things half year ago. Did remodel, bought new furniture. Now my home.

Only mine. Brewed tea sat table. Took clean sheet paper wrote letter.

Myself. Wrote went through. Learned.

No longer afraid. End wrote same words book. Wasn’t grief.

Was rebirth. Folded letter envelope put jewelry box. Next two letters once changed life.

Now three letters. Two – unknown benefactor opened eyes truth. One – myself accepted truth.

Stood went window. Outside lanterns lit, people hurried home work. Ordinary evening life ordinary city.

Me different. No longer part rush, fuss. Found rhythm, path.

Tomorrow new day. Meet not circumstance victim, mistress fate. Approached front door checked locks.

Two locks installed after divorce. Reliable, strong. No one enter life without permission.

No one decide me live feel. Turned off hallway light slowly turned key lock. Lock click sounded symbol.

Symbol past locked no longer hurt. Standing dark, remembered day got first letter. Paul’s funeral day became day real awakening.

Then thought end world. Life over. Turned out just beginning.

Real life. Honest life. My life.