Margaret read the letter twice before looking at me. Brenda wasn’t simply a friend. Further investigation revealed that Gary had rented an apartment with her several months earlier. Their lease carried both names, and the payments came from the private account funded by our joint savings. I suddenly remembered his mysterious Thursday evenings and the excuses about working late. Thirty-four years of memories began looking different. I cried, not because I wanted him back, but because I finally understood how carefully he had planned to deceive me.

Meanwhile, the lottery investigation produced another important development. The shopkeeper who had sold me the winning ticket confirmed that I had purchased it personally. He also remembered my weekly routine and my signature. His statement supported the records I had preserved for nineteen years. Gary’s attorney contacted Margaret, demanding that the entire jackpot be released to his client. Margaret refused. She told them the ownership dispute and financial transfers needed to be resolved properly. Then she received a message that changed everything: Gary wanted to meet me.