For once, I could remember Mark without feeling that he had won.
The divorce also reached its conclusion.
Because the lottery ticket had been purchased during the marriage, its ownership and proceeds required careful legal treatment.
Miriam had never promised that I could simply keep every dollar.
But the documented misconduct, disputed transactions, fraudulent obligations, and other evidence became important to the proceedings and negotiated resolution.
After taxes, legal expenses, the settlement, and related obligations, I retained substantial wealth.
Enough to live securely.
Enough never to work another fourteen-hour day.
Enough to decide what came next.
The house I’d once fought desperately to save was sold as part of unwinding our finances.
I didn’t mourn it.
Too many rooms held memories I could no longer trust.
Instead, I purchased a smaller home near the water.
It had wide windows, a kitchen filled with afternoon light, and a garden where roses grew along a white fence.
