“That young woman in the photograph loved him. She worked beside him, raised his children, supported him through grief, and believed his promises. She deserved honesty.”
My voice trembled, but I continued.
“And the woman standing here tonight deserves it, too.”
I reached into my handbag and removed a small envelope.
Daniel stared at it.
“What is that?”
“Your anniversary gift.”
He gave a short, disbelieving laugh.
“You’re joking.”
“I assure you, I’m not.”
I placed the envelope on the table between us.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then Daniel opened it.
Inside was a letter.
It was not a divorce decree, as several guests later assumed. I had not rushed into a legal decision simply because my heart had been broken.
It was a letter explaining that I would no longer pretend our marriage was functioning as it had before, and that I intended to pursue a formal separation while obtaining independent legal advice about our shared home, savings, and other marital assets.
