At 3:17 a.m., I Thanked My Husband’s Mistress on Company Slack—Then a 2:41 Login Led to My Inheritance

Tired, but not demanding.

Upset, but not enough to interfere with work.

Lonely, but not so lonely that I accused him of something he preferred to describe differently.

“I feel free,” I said.

It was not a claim that every day was pleasant or that no memory could still hurt.

It meant the answer did not need to be arranged around his return.

Douglas remained quiet for a moment.

“Good.”