“You planned this!” she screamed, her voice echoing down the marble hallway. “You knew about that trust the whole time!”

I did not say a word. I just watched her through the elevator doors as they slowly closed.

It took six months of legal battles, but the hammer fell hard. Richard’s cousin, Todd, had his notary license permanently revoked and faced a heavy fine for document fraud. Richard had to return every single penny of the $180,000. Because he had spent a portion of it on a down payment for a new truck, he had to sell the truck at a massive loss and borrow money from his mother to cover the court order.

Our divorce was finalized three months later. I kept the house, the three acres of land, and the full $180,000 in savings as part of the final settlement.

Yesterday, my coworkers at the dental clinic threw me a small party to celebrate my new chapter. We had sheet cake and drank cheap sparkling cider in the breakroom. It was loud and messy, and for the first time in years, I did not have to worry about saving every single penny.

When I got home, the house was completely quiet. I walked out to the backyard garden. The tomato plants were starting to sprout, and the grass was thick and green. I sat on the back porch with a cup of chamomile tea, looking out at the woods my father loved.

The blue plastic binder is back in my closet, resting on the top shelf where I can see it every day. I still miss my father terribly, but every time I look at that blue spine, I know he is still watching over me.