My children’s calls now seemed distant, their voices echoes of a reality I wasn’t yet ready to face. My son and daughter were eager to manage my life, dictating decisions wrapped in words like “strategy” and “equity.” But this newfound knowledge of Helen’s hidden provisions changed everything. It was as if she was whispering a gentle reminder: “Stand your ground.”
With each page, my resolve strengthened. I realized now why she had kept this a secret—a buffer against the manipulations of well-meaning but self-serving family members. She had known that I might need both time and space to grieve properly, away from the rush of life and the pressure of unsolicited advice.
