Inside the safety deposit box, Rachel found a meticulously organized stack of letters, each addressed to her, dating back years. Her hands trembled as she opened the first envelope, her heart pounding with a mix of dread and curiosity. The first letter was dated five years ago, around the same time the ten-dollar-a-day ritual began.
“My Dearest Rachel,” it read, in Daniel’s familiar handwriting. “If you’re reading this, I am no longer with you, and for that, I am truly sorry. There are things I should have told you, truths that I hope you’ll understand, even if you never forgive me.”
Tears blurred her vision as she continued to read. Daniel’s letters revealed a man far different from the one she thought she knew. He confessed that the ten-dollar allowance was his misguided attempt to protect her from the financial chaos that had threatened to engulf them. Unbeknownst to Rachel, a series of failed investments had drained their accounts, leaving them teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. Too ashamed to admit his failures, Daniel funneled his remaining income into a desperate attempt to rebuild their fortune while maintaining the illusion of wealth. The expensive cars were leased, the watches borrowed, and the lavish gifts for their children charged to credit.
