I Have Cancer, But I Found Out That My Wife Was Cheating On Me, So I Transferred My Inheritance To..

I was diagnosed with cancer, but I found out that my wife cheated on me. So, I rewrote the inheritance for the children and didn't tell about my illness. On the 5th of November, I got the news I had feared the most - every single test confirmed the diagnosis: Advanced stage 4 pancreatic cancer. So, in essence, this will be my final holiday season. Strangely enough, I feel an odd sense of acceptance. I've led a fulfilling life, and my dear ones will be looked after. Being a naturally reserved person, I hadn't mentioned anything about the tests

to my wife, Emily. I didn't want to alarm her until I had definitive answers. So, I returned home early to have the necessary conversation. This was something I didn't want to handle over a phone call or a text message. As you might have guessed, since I'm sharing this now, my life took a turn in more ways than one that day. When I pulled up to the driveway, I saw the ostentatious pricey car of one of my business associates parked there adorned with his customized license plate. This was highly unusual. I accessed our home surveillance system

on my phone and saw it was set to privacy mode, not recording. I decided to leave it alone and drove off to our Countryside property to clear my thoughts. Our security system is mainly for protection, and I seldom check it unless there's a specific reason. However, I also enjoy watching the wildlife on the exterior cameras and find it soothing to watch storms approach. So, for my own entertainment, I had set up an additional video recorder to archive the footage to local storage which isn't accessible through my phone. When I arrived at the countryside house, I

opened my laptop and reviewed the other server to verify what my instincts were already telling me. And sure enough, there they were - Emily and my colleague James cozying up in the living room, sipping wine, dancing, and then heading upstairs to the bedroom. Apparently, they left the doors open because the microphone captured their activities. With the limited time I have remaining, I wanted to know the truth, but I didn't want the upheaval of a confrontation and divorce. Call me a coward if you like, but all the affection and dedication I had for her vanished that

day. I experienced all the emotions you'd expect, but I know it's not my fault. I've been a devoted, loving, and attentive spouse. Now, I'm focusing on myself and what truly matters to me. I contacted my attorney, and we reviewed my will and prenuptial agreement. I explained the situation to him, and we started working on determining how long and to what extent this affair had been happening. What we discovered was unsettling - either I never truly knew the woman I spent over 20 years with, or something in her had dramatically changed. For now, I'm not disclosing

anything to my children or Emily. We never had kids together, but I have children from a previous relationship. I'm going to put on a brave face and get through the holidays, giving my children and grandchildren one last holiday memory with me. I'll be the doting father and grandfather and try to play the role of a loving husband. Some background for those wondering: Emily's affair partner James is a widower and hasn't remarried. He's a business partner but not a personal friend. I don't mix business with friendship. I never married the mother of my twins, Jessica. It

was her choice, and I agreed with her that it was the right decision at the time. My children's mother, Jessica, married a wonderful man named Michael when the kids were seven. Jessica and Michael never had children together. I got my act together when the kids were three. I've been very involved with them since, and that's when I started becoming the father I wanted to be. Jessica, Michael, and I are all in our late 50s. Emily is almost 55, and James is in his early 50s. Emily and I are both in our first marriage. Update: My

ex Jessica and I were quite young when we had the twins. They were an unexpected surprise, but we managed to make the best of it. Now, as I face my final days, I'm thankful for the life I've led and the people I've cherished. They continue to keep my family close and treasure these last moments. The twins are now in their 30s, and all the grandkids are teenagers or older. Every year, Christmas is a 10-day celebration. We spend the period from Christmas Eve through the 2nd of January at the farm. We cut down a tree together

after everyone arrives, then decorate, cook, play games, and celebrate as a family. Laura and her husband John have been part of this tradition since I bought the farm. I remain committed to not telling anyone about my diagnosis until after the New Year. If I told Laura, she wouldn't be able to keep it in, and I don't want to put Jon in a position where he has to lie to his wife. I want the kids and grandkids to enjoy the week. I will have plenty of time to grieve and prepare in a few weeks. Emily's presence

this week will just be a minor detail in the long run. Frankly, I don't care about her nearly as much as the rest of the family. The financial situation is quite interesting. Emily and I met and got married after we were both well-established in our careers and finances. She had a good job with a great pension and two inheritances in a trust. Early on, we agreed, at her insistence, not to disclose our entire net worth to each other. We also... Have a prenuptial agreement where any property or trust that predated the marriage, and any income

from those resources, are not considered marital property. Again, at her in assistance, I provided both properties, housing, utilities, and covered travel, food, and fuel. Essentially, I supported her 100%. Her income and wealth were spent entirely on herself; she bought her car, clothes, personal travel, and cosmetic surgery. She's very attractive on the outside, but has shown herself to be quite unpleasant on the inside. A few days after I got my diagnosis, I announced my retirement from the nonprofit where I worked. Knowing what I know now, I noticed Emily seemed to be a bit uncomfortable. I can

guess why. I'd be around more often. Tomorrow is my last day of work, and then I'll be focusing on spending time with my family. I gave the camera server info to my lawyer and granted him access from his office, so I don't know if Emily and James have had any more activities, but I assume they have at this point. I don't care. I know who I am and what I'm worth, and James is a significant step down. As flashy as James is, I am Loki. I drive a 12-year-old pickup truck. I like jeans to shirts

and coveralls in the winter. I know for a fact that James doesn't have anywhere near the wealth Emily thinks he does. How do I know? Since the trust has invested in his business, I get quarterly financial reports. I don't tell anyone how much I have; that's between me and my accountants, but let's just say the trust has been growing for 28 years. I live a modest life, and there's enough for my great-great-grandchildren to enjoy the farm and have their education paid for once Emily realizes what she's lost. That will be her reckoning. I just won't

be around to see it. December got really busy; we did our usual social rounds these last weekends. James was at one of the parties. It was hard not to keep an eye on Emily and him. I don't think they noticed. With being so busy and wrapping up everything at work, I've had an easier time keeping it together. Emily hasn't expressed anything that would lead me to conclude that she knows. I know I'm not proud of this, but I still sleep in the same bed with her. I've been selfish with her lately. I feel like I'm

using her, but she's apparently been using me for at least the better part of this year. I'm not as honorable as many of you have made me out to be. I hate this small amount of deceit, so don't worry about Emily getting everything because she won't. The trust is in great hands thanks to your comments. I've made arrangements in case my health worsens sooner than anticipated or if I pass unexpectedly. I've also set up in-home care for when it's needed. Emily will not be my caregiver if I become incapacitated; the lawyer will inform Laura, John,

and the kids, and Emily will be blocked from seeing me. All important documents, valuables, and other essentials have been moved to a secure location. Finally, I've begun writing letters to each family member and Emily; these have been harder than I anticipated. Update: mission accomplished. We had a wonderful, drama-free holiday week, and I've made it to 2024. Apologies in advance, but I find humor about my condition helps me cope. I've noticed I'm being a bit selfish lately; everyone left yesterday afternoon, so I only have a few updates. I'm not going to talk about my week with

my family; that's something for me to cherish. Observations about Emily this week: I honestly think this is the first time she has stepped out on me. Being with all of us the whole week seemed to take a toll on her. It's funny how when you know something, a person's actions make more sense. She was secretive about her phone and stepped out of our family gatherings to get some air quite a few times. The best was when she needed to run into town, and one of the grandkids wanted to go with her; the mental gymnastics she

did to avoid taking the grandkid were almost comical. I have to admit I played along a bit by asking why not. So, the affair is continuing. With me now retired, she's been asking about my plans for the day or week. I go ahead and tell her, then ask about her plans. Later this week, I'll suggest we meet up for lunch since I'll be in the same area, just to mess with her. Unpredictability is a cheater's worst enemy. This morning, I met with my lawyer. I made some decisions and asked him to draw up papers. I

replaced my temporary will with a new permanent one, which has been signed and shouldn't need to change again. In preparation for all hell breaking loose, I had him draw up divorce papers based on the prenup and evidence of the affair. She gets nothing but 15% of our shared assets like housewares and furniture. I keep all my liquid assets, retirement funds, and items I purchased with my own. If I push it, she's required to pay alimony. I've signed them and have a packet with all our evidence of the affair, holding it in case I decide to

use it. I sold my loan to the trust, allowing the trustees to convert it to shares in James's company. Speaking of the trust, I've decided how I want it managed. I'll drop myself to a one trustee; the twins will get the majority of the trusteeship, and the four grandkids will make up the rest. Laura and John will act as proxies for the grandkids; as each grandkid turns 21, their trusteeship will transfer from Laura and. JN to them, if a fraction is left over, Laura gets the extra share. I've planned a meeting with the kids, Laura,

and Jon for next week. I plan on telling them everything. Then they have to sign documents and will want to know why I'm doing this. Once this is done, my personal value will consist of my liquid assets, personal property, and the money from James's Loan. In the worst-case scenario, Emily will get very little compared to the assets and value in the trust. Over the next couple of weeks, we'll disperse the few personal items I want to go to the kids and grandkids. Those are already at a safe location where my lawyer has access. Some of

you commented on my health. To be clear, I'm not fighting this. I'm letting nature take its course so I have no ill side effects from any treatments. I got tired more easily, and the family noticed, too. I played it off as just getting older. I still have the cough, the one that started it all. It was my lung tumors that led to the diagnosis. I just played it off as a lingering cough from a past illness. I expect to go downhill pretty fast once other issues arise, but by then, everyone will know. I plan to

spend as much time as possible with the family. A large trip with all their different obligations would be tough, which is why this week was so important to me. It was the last time I could be with all of them for an extended period. I'm thinking of a small trip for myself, we'll see. I plan to spend a day one-on-one with each child and grandchild, that's my next goal. Update: I had my lawyer, a notary, the twins, Laura, and JN over to my farm today. The tasks I needed to complete are done and this process

has gone about as well as it could have. Understandably, the family is hurt and angry. When everyone arrived and saw my lawyer and the notary, the tension in the room was palpable. I asked them to just sit and listen to me and after I finished to sign the papers. After signing the documents, I would answer all their questions. They all know about the trust. I explained to them that it was time for me to relinquish control of the trust to them. I detailed how important the trust had been in my life, why I started it,

and how it was separate from my marriage to Emily by mutual decision. I also left instructions on how I wanted them to manage and use the trust. We explained that the trust would be split between the twins and the grandchildren, with Laura and John acting as proxies for the grandkids until each of them reaches the age of 21. Their trust in me was evident because they signed the documents and got them notarized. After that was done, copies were collated and I dismissed my lawyer and the notary. I saw them out and thanked them for coming

out on a Sunday. They were both gracious as always. When I returned to the dining room, which was doubling as a conference room, they were all quiet. My daughter was the first to break the silence. It was more like a stream of consciousness than a question. As soon as she stopped, I started with my health. I explained my diagnosis. I listened to them making plans on how we were going to fight this. This is where I stopped them. I explained the odds. I told them I had already gotten a second opinion. Then I told them

what you all already know. I'm not going to seek treatment. I'm going to let nature take its course. We spent the next hour to an hour and a half arguing. My daughter left the room a few times, Laura had to go get her. While they were gone, John, my son, and I had a heart to heart. They understand where I'm coming from. They might not agree, but they understand. The consensus is that Laura and my daughter will come around after things calm down. I knew the next question was coming. When did I find out? I

told them. Then there was another round of anger and sadness. I explained that I wanted one more holiday week where I wasn't a dead man walking. I was selfish. I wanted this diagnosis to come out after the holidays. I didn't want it to taint their holidays for the rest of their lives. My daughter, sensing there was still more, went all detective on me. She wasn't going to leave the room until everything was out. She asked why on Earth Emily hadn't told her. That's when I dropped the last bomb. I told them exactly what I did

in my first post. That was the first time I truly saw the fire of anger in my daughter's eyes. I then told them that to this day, Emily doesn't know I know. I answered the same questions and addressed the plots and plans they had in mind, scenarios you all suggested. So I guess you all prepped me well. In the end, I told them I valued them way more than Emily. For me, I just want to spend the rest of my days in peace, not worrying about Emily. I had to explain my actions during the holiday

week. They also pieced together her stepping outside for air and the trip into town where she didn't want to bring the grandkid. They were worried I did this all alone. I told them I have some social media friends who help me through the roughest times. I refuse to tell them where and how they can learn later, but I still want this space for myself. The emotions were really raw, and we've been talking off. And on as a group for a few hours, but I told them I needed to go back and talk about the trust.

They understand that the trust will be very helpful in not allowing Emily to obtain my hard-earned wealth. It protects them, and that's why she wasn't part of this meeting. With that said, I needed to share the financials of the trust. I'm pretty sure they all saw the trust as a tax dodge or just a way to protect assets in a marriage where the kids are from another woman. They were not prepared for me to share the finances. As I started to go through the assets and the balance sheets, the room fell silent. Then came the

inevitable question: "Why did you work so hard all those years when you had this much?" I explained my philosophy of personal finance, something they've heard many times before and taken to heart, but I told them that I lived off the trust all these years. I put them through college with that trust. I made time in my life for them with that trust, and I was able to work for a nonprofit basically for free because of that trust. If there's any example I want to leave for them and their children, it's to use this trust to

do better for others. Not just to write a check for a charity here and there, but to work for something they believe in. In my years with this nonprofit, I've accomplished so much more by training others and building relationships than just writing a check ever could. I'm not happy that today everyone's lives at that table changed in so many ways, good and bad, because of me. It wasn't the way I wanted it to happen, but it's done. They know all of it. I begged and pleaded that they let me deal with Emily and not to

talk about the trust with anyone. We'll run a status quo for now. When I get sicker, things will change. They all agreed. We spent the next few hours making a meal, talking, crying, laughing, and breaking into smaller groups. They all left about an hour ago, but I expect the twins to come back. I know they'll let their spouses in on what's going on. That's just the way they are, and I love my two in-laws very much. I knew that last night was my last quiet night. I feel a weight lifted but replaced with another weight

of worry. Update: Just a quick update. I was surprised by a visit from one of Emily's girlfriends. She's about the same age as Emily. Her name is Carol, and she was with Emily last week on their girls' night out. In fact, the girls' night was at Carol's house. If you've read my comments, you'd know that last week Emily came home very intoxicated; she used a ride share. Carol is an old friend of Emily's. I guess after being married for over two decades, Emily has forgotten that I introduced her to Carol. Carol's parents were friends of

my parents. Well, I guess my unpredictability has contributed to Emily's instability, and last week's girls' night was a breaking point for her. She got so intoxicated she confided in Carol about her affair. Apparently, she just kept talking, even after Carol told her to stop. Carol got so angry at her as she kept revealing more and more details. Carol kept condemning Emily, but Emily just kept trying to defend her actions while continuing to lay out an endless stream of details. The next day, Carol reached out to Emily. Apparently, Emily didn't remember anything from the night before.

Carol summarized Emily's confession, but Emily completely denied having an affair, claiming she didn't say those things, and that Carol was mistaken. Carol told Emily she was full of it and gave her a week to come clean or she would tell me herself. Since Emily continued to deny that she said anything, I got a visit from Carol over coffee. I got the abbreviated account of Emily's confession. Carol expected me to be devastated, but I surprised her by telling her I already knew. I asked her who else was around when Emily made this confession. Carol was the

only other person in the house. I asked Carol if she had told anyone else; that offended her. She told me she wouldn't spread something like that before telling me. I apologized and explained that I had my own timeline for dealing with Emily and that adding others would complicate my plans. Carol was understanding. I asked her as a favor to me not to mention it to anyone and to allow Emily to think she believed her. Carol agreed with my first request but said the second part didn't feel right. I asked her to try and told her

I'd be okay. Carol said that if I needed anything else, all I had to do was ask. I know I'll have to make another apology when Carol finds out about my health, but I'll deal with that another day. So, I am going to confront Emily tomorrow. Tomorrow, we have a regular date night, and I plan on calmly telling her what I know about my condition and how I'm going to spend the rest of my life without her. I hope the public setting will keep the drama to a minimum. My plan is to confront her after

dessert. I'll give her what I know and ask her not to contact me or my family. We'll see how it goes. Update: Mike Tyson said everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. Yes, every plan doesn't go exactly as you envision, and mine is not exempt from this reality. Let me set the table of my plan for you. Emily and I have a weekly date night, and we generally use. The same restaurant. We've been going there for so long that we have a regular table. It's in the back, still public but away

from the high energy near the bar. I decided this would be the place to confront her. I planned to do it after dessert. I arranged for my lawyer and his wife to have reservations at the same time. I gave the server the payment for both of our meals before we began. She's been our server for years. I had Carol on call to help Emily after I left. My plan was to end the meal with a conversation about our relationship. I wanted to record it, then confront her. Tell her how I knew about the affair, inform

her of my diagnosis, and explain my plan for the future. I would give her a letter asking her not to contact me or my family or come to the farm. The letter would be witnessed. I would also leave her a briefcase full of evidence along with the divorce papers. Then I would get up and walk away. I expected her not to make a scene to protect her social status. I did record the conversation. She gushed about how great our relationship had been over the years and how well we worked as a team. I asked her

if I treated her right, if I had ever abused her, etc. She said, "of course not." Then I asked her why she cheated on me. She stated that she didn't know what Carol had told me, but that Carol was wrong. I told her I had already known before Carol told me. At that point, everything I think Emily had prepared to counter this conversation left her, and she was visibly shaken. So did the color from her face. All she could do was ask, "what?" I then told her to let me get through this without interruption, and

she nodded in agreement. She went from a confident and prideful woman to someone with a deer-in-the-headlights look. All she could do was nod. I explained how I came home after my meeting with the doctor, rushing to have the most difficult conversation with the one person I wanted to talk to. I explained that when I drove up, I saw his car. I then checked the cameras and saw they were in privacy mode. I decided to go to the farm. I told her that I still had footage, and she almost interrupted to ask how, but I just

put up my hand to remind her to let me finish. I told her about my diagnosis and my plans not to fight the disease. I saw the heartbreak in her eyes, and it made me angry. How can she feel sorrow for me? But I moved forward. I then signaled the waitress, and she went over to get my lawyer. They both came to our table. My lawyer handed me a briefcase and a folder with a letter. I told Emily that I didn't want her to contact me or my family or come to the farm after I

left tonight. I signed the letter and asked the server to witness it. The server and lawyer then watched me give the letter to Emily. I then dismissed them. I concluded by giving the briefcase to Emily. I told her I knew much more than she expected. I was totally destroyed. I told her there were divorce papers in there already signed by me, and she could sign them and start the divorce proceedings. I told her I didn't expect to survive a contested divorce. As long as I'm alive, she can stay at the home in town. I will

be at the farm. I will not see her after tonight. I didn't want to hear any excuses. I told her I'd called Carol to help her get home. In true fashion, Emily kept her composure in public. She just uttered a quick, "but," and I reminded her I was leaving, and I was done. I went to the server and gave her a generous tip. I found the owner and apologized for not giving him a heads up. As I was leaving, I saw my son at the door with Carol. Carol passed me with a quick smile, then

a look of concern in her eyes for Emily. My son grabbed my truck, and his wife drove me to the farm. My son and his wife stayed with me Friday night. I finally got them to go home at midnight. I went to sleep with a great sense of relief, but with a renewed feeling of loss. But I was able to accomplish the task I needed to do. The family came to the farm on Saturday to make sure I was okay. I felt a bit coddled, but it was a good day until Carol came by in

the afternoon. She said that Emily fell apart Friday night but contacted her affair partner on Saturday. After the conversation, Emily realized she was just being used by him and was in a really bad state. Carol made sure to tell me that Emily didn't ask her to reach out to me, but she feels that if I could talk with Emily for a bit, it might give her the strength to stay out of my life. Carol knows how to frame her requests. I reluctantly agreed to a 2-hour discussion at the farm with Emily. I would have someone

there for me, and Emily could choose someone to be there for her. We would have a civil conversation. I would not accept being blamed, minimized, or subjected to blame shifting. The purpose of the meeting was for her to get answers about how to move forward. That meeting happened this morning. Emily picked Carol. I don't know why, maybe damage control, and I chose my daughter. I wanted it to be. As comfortable for Emily as possible, so we wouldn't have to repeat this again. I entered the meeting with a steadfast direction and goal of having Emily out

of my life. The meeting went as expected - Emily cried, apologized, and tried to minimize the affair. I was not having any of it; I laid out that she would have a place to live until my passing and that she needed to accept the reality of the situation. Death and then the decision about the house would be up to the trustees. I explained that she would not receive anything from my estate or the trust, but she has her six-figure pension and her trust so she'll be just fine. I have to rant about something she said,

"Why won't you fight for me or us?" I almost lost my temper at her, but I just responded with, "I just don't care about you or us anymore." That kind of destroyed her; here I am going to express my anger. This is the mind of a selfish cheater - all they think about is themselves, even after destroying someone, they expect to have enough value in that person's eyes to fight for. She got the answers she asked for but, in hindsight, didn't want them. I don't want another meeting; I feel continuing the meetings just distracts me

from what I want to do. Carol and Emily left, but Carol came back a couple of hours later; she and I had a quick talk. Apparently, the affair partner received notice from the trustees that they are going to convert the loan into shares of his company, and since the trust will be the majority owner, they are asking for a full forensic audit. My daughter with the MBA is not wasting any time. Well, I guess when Emily went to him for comfort, she realized what I already suspected - he was using her to see if she

could buy the loan from me. There were off-handed comments in the recordings that made me suspect he was up to something with the paperwork filed. The affair partner, knowing I sold the loan to the trust and Emily no longer in my life, her usefulness to him is gone, and he let her know. Apparently, Emily also confided in Carol that her trust is exhausted; she will only have the income from her pension. She saw life with the affair partner as more glamorous than life with me; she truly thinks his net worth is more than mine. He

drives nice cars, eats in fancy restaurants, flies first class, while my husband played on his farm, drove an old truck, and we flew economy class. She was planning on divorcing me when he expressed his undying love and desire to marry her. It disgusts me that she is this greedy and shallow. I won't see it, but I expect my family will tell her how much I was worth after my death. I'm so glad that her true colors were shown now so I could deal with her and spare my family from her. Then Carol did something totally

unexpected and threw me off guard; she told me that since I'm no longer encumbered if I need companionship to give her a call. I challenged her and asked why with my diagnosis would she or any woman want to spend time with me; there is nothing longterm. She responded that just because Emily is ignorant and didn't know what she had doesn't mean any divorce or widow wouldn't line up to spend what time I have left with me; that I'm a hell of a man and any time with me would be cherished and I would have quite

a few lady callers lining up, and she might as well be first in line. I asked her, but most people won't know Emily and I are separated. She said Emily doesn't want the social groups to know, but that she and Laura will make sure her story gets out. I was polite and told her I would let her know; she smiled and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I thought about it after she left, but I'm pretty sure I do not want that complication in my life right now. I left quite a bit... (Message truncated)

They played the newlyweds, another as a couple celebrating a 20-year wedding anniversary, and the last pretending they met on vacation and stayed at the same hotel. I guess role-playing was a bit of their dynamic. She used our house because she was comfortable there, and also because the house is set back from the road so passersby couldn't see the cars in the drive. She also bought herself a second car and stored it in town in a parking garage. She apparently swapped cars when she went to the affair partner's house so no one would recognize her car.

She was very concerned about how this would be viewed by anyone in her social circle, perhaps so I wouldn't catch her. Her actions alone show how much effort she put into the affair. All of these efforts solidify in my mind how I feel and how I dealt with the affair. I have no regrets about what I have done. The drunken confession to Carol was only partly due to my unpredictability. Apparently, as soon as the notice of my sale of the affair partner's loan to the trust was received, he started to distance himself from Emily. I

guess from the pressure of almost getting caught and the affair partner starting to lose interest in her. She got drunk and let it all out to Carol. You know what happens after that. It is pretty clear to me that the affair partner had alternative motives for his participation in the affair. This does not excuse Emily in the slightest; it just makes her more pathetic. It appears that the affair partner wanted Emily's help with his loan and Emily wanted a flashier life with his money. It's interesting how ugly people attract each other. If all of us

decent people just allow the despicable to pair up together, we can find better partners. Sorry to those who, out of a sense of devotion, work on reconciliation. It was not for me. The affair partner is not happy about my daughter's intentions; it appears he will be trying to stop it in court. All he has to lose is more money. I have heard rumors that he has tried to raise money from other investors to pay off the loan, but unfortunately for him, the news of his actions has already started to circulate among my business acquaintances. Remember

when I said you invest in people, not companies? Well, there aren't many who want to invest in him. I don't know what my daughter has planned for his company, but it employs quite a few people, so she will work hard to ensure it continues just for them. I think she is worried the affair partner has something to hide in the company's books. For the employees' sake, I hope it's not anything that cannot be corrected. Family time has been great. I went to a high school basketball game with the family this week. I also scheduled a

poker night that was great. I had some old friends, my son, and my grandson at the game. The grandson got to see how old-school men sat around telling tales and just enjoyed a night together. I hope to get a few more of these in. We have eaten as a family three times this week. Carol did come over one night and brought dinner; we ate and talked, but I kept her at arm's length. I'm still not comfortable letting her in. Chores on the farm comfort me. I walk the fences, drive at times, check on the animals,

check on the employees, and help with equipment maintenance. Knowing that this farm will stay in the family and continue to run fills me with peace. A part of me will live beyond my time here. I have had quite a few friends and acquaintances stopping by; someone mentioned a living wake, and I think this is what they meant. I'm encouraging anyone to come out and see me. I like spending time with these folks, even if it might be the last time. Update: Unfortunately, I saw Emily again. I'm still here, but it has been a bit rough.

I'm now home, but I did spend a few days in the hospital. I was found unconscious but still breathing, so they took me to the ER. I have a do not resuscitate order, but I never died. I have always hated hospitals, and now with my diagnosis, I really hate the hospital. I don't want to die there. I've been home for a while now. I can no longer drive off the farm. Really, they don't want me to drive on the farm either, but I'm determined to keep doing my chores and seeing the sunrise and sunset as

long as I can. I also have full-time home healthcare workers, or as I call them, babysitters, but I'm not going to fight with the family on that one. So basically, I don't remember anything until I woke up in the hospital. Most of my family and Carol were in the room. I was stable by then, and the doctors just wanted to observe me for a day or two, and of course, run more tests to be sure. I had either my twins, Laura, or Carol with me almost the entire time. There was one night when no one

was with me, and I woke up with Emily in my room. I guess she pulled the wife card on a duty nurse who didn't know not to let her in. I was tired, but she was playing the sweet and devoted wife. I don't know why, when I realized she was holding my hand and stroking my head, I pulled away. She was hurt. She then started a new refrain of being so sorry, she didn't mean anything she said to him; she was trying to use him, etc. I just sat there. Not engaging, this upset her. She

demanded that I talk to her. She was just loud enough to catch the nurse's attention. The nurse noticed Emily's demeanor and my discomfort. The nurse was smooth, she told Emily to wait outside because she needed to perform some checks. Once Emily was out of the room and the door was closed, the nurse asked me if I was okay. I told her that Emily was my ex-wife and there should be notes indicating she is not allowed. She apologized and asked me what she could do to limit my stress. I asked her to call my emergency contacts.

She did, and in about 45 minutes, Laura, my daughter, and Carol walked into the room. By then, Emily was back and still spewing her nonsense but at a very quiet level. Once Emily saw them, she knew she needed to leave. I quietly asked her to just go. None of the other patients deserved her making a scene. To stop thinking about herself and just leave. I'm very thankful that she quietly left, but she first gave me a quick peck on the forehead. I recoiled a bit, but if I have to accept that for the peace of

the other patients, so be it. The women in my life profusely apologize to me. Honestly, I cannot be mad at them. They have their own lives. They all figured out a system to ensure I have someone with me at all times. Now they rotate shifts, and I'm never alone in the house. My daughter and Carol have been particularly vigilant. They even installed a security system in the house to monitor who comes and goes. Despite all the chaos, I find moments of peace watching the sunset over the fields, hearing the animals at dusk, and knowing that

I've done all I can to set things right before my time comes. I'm grateful for the love and support of my family and friends. Even though Emily's intrusion was upsetting, it reinforced my decision to distance myself from her completely. My focus now is on the time I have left, making memories with those who truly care about me. Scheduled to make sure that I was not left alone again. I'm sure my daughter thanked the nurse for calling them while at the same time expressing her anger to the staff for letting Emily in when they had specific

instructions to the contrary. This event just shows me that Emily is like a drowning person. She is just grabbing for anything. Anything. I'm not special in her eyes. She just sees me as something she can use to keep afloat. After every contact with Emily, I just see how much darker and black her soul is. The affair partner is still as much of a jackass as he was before. His accounting department has seen where the wind is blowing, and in meetings with my daughter, they pretty much gave her the entire picture. There is no criminal conduct

by the affair partner in his business. It is clear that he was using every perk and loophole to increase his income over his base pay at the expense of the bottom line. So when my daughter takes control, he will realize a 60% reduction in value to him from the company, and that really pisses him off. I have a feeling she might just outright fire him and move him to a silent minority owner role. So his flashy lifestyle is going to hit a brick wall. He has threatened lawsuits but has not brought any action yet. I

think his credit and reputation in the area are shot to hell. Carol has become a more permanent fixture in my life. I have to say I don't mind the company and companionship. Maybe she is wearing me down. She has been staying over several days a week. I hope to bounce back sooner rather than later, but since I cannot drive anymore, I am going to have to lean on others more. This is uncharted territory for me. Carol has been eagerly volunteering to support me in this area. And before you ask, no, there is nothing physical between

us other than sitting close together. Time to start dinner and relax this evening. Again, thank you all for all of your support. I will try to go back and respond to all of your messages. They mean so much to me. Update: I'm sorry to have to tell you all my dad passed away this past week. One of his requests was to give you your letter from him. Well, if you are reading this letter, you know that my time here has come to an end. As many of you suggested, I wrote letters to all of my

family members and created videos for them as well. That got me thinking that I needed to write one final letter. That letter is to all of you. I want to thank you all for your support and suggestions. This short time has been so important to me and will clearly be important to my family long after I am gone. You have helped me achieve my final gift to myself and to my family. That last Christmas week as a family. Without having somewhere to vent and gain support, I would have had to turn to my family, and

doing that would have meant abandoning my goal. My family might not see it as a gift right now, but they will in the future. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed making those little videos. My family will have another small piece of me, and that is thanks to you all. I would not have done any of those silly little videos without your suggestions and encouragement. Honestly, I would not have even thought of it. I do have one request for all of you. My family will be going through... Many emotions. I know that part of

putting my story out there is for you all to want a conclusion. Please allow my family to grieve and keep the requests for updates to an acceptable minimum. I've asked them to give you this letter and if they feel they can, to give a final update on Emily. That final update is up to them. I just ask you all to be patient. Finally, I wish you all the best, all of the love I can provide from the great beyond. Remember, none of us are promised tomorrow. Know that life is precious and cherish every moment. Be

good to yourself and those around you. I hope none of you have to walk the same path that my father did, but if you do, know that I will walk it with you in any way I can. Remember, you are all worth so much. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. I will send as many virtual hugs as I can from wherever I end up. Saying thank you often feels so inadequate, but it is all I have right now. Thank you for everything. I hope we meet again in the Beyond, just not too soon. To clarify,

I am the daughter of the person some of you thought might have been my brother posting the letter in the last update. It was actually me. I am glad that dad left you all this letter so he could say what he wanted to say regarding Dad's passing. He did not suffer as much as others with his diagnosis might have. He passed quietly in his sleep, which I find comforting. True to his nature, he had pre-arranged for an autopsy, ensuring that no part of his condition or death could be used by Emily to contest his wishes.

It was just like him to plan for everything. It turns out he died of a heart attack, and I take solace in the fact that there was some mercy at the end, per his wish. He was cremated, some of his ashes were placed with a headstone in an old cemetery on the farm, while the rest were spread during the Spring planting. He got his wish to be a part of the land he loved so much. We held the memorial on the farm, and Emily was nowhere to be found. The funeral home had arranged for security

to ensure she could not attend. One idea dad had been trying to sell us for years was moving to the farm. He had even plotted out home sites and hoped that we would all come live there when he retired. We had humored him, but did not take his idea seriously. Looking back, I regret allowing her so much influence. Starting this year, my husband and I, as well as my brother and his wife, will be moving to the farm. We have a beautiful site picked out. Mom and Tom, at our urging, will move into dad's house.

It just feels right for us all to be closer together. As for Emily, seeing her world crumble has shown me the true meaning of being a pariah. She looks like she has aged 20 years in a few months, and her personality has completely changed. She contested the will and the trust assignment, but those challenges were quickly resolved, and she did not succeed. She did get their shared assets, but Dad had already given away the items he wanted. The biggest issue was the house in town, which dad had owned before their marriage and was not hers

to claim. She begged us to let her keep it. In one of the most satisfying moments of my life, I told her that if she changed her last name back to her maiden name, I would give her the house. The house's value is far less than the satisfaction of her losing dad's last name, and she took the offer. I expect her to sell the house and leave. Our partner has hopefully learned a life lesson, though I really don't care. We've chosen a new CEO, and the company is on its way to rebuilding. Carol was given

a share in the trust. We will take care of her as dad would have wanted. She has been a constant figure in our family and will continue to be considered part of our family for what she did for our dad. Last update, we have rung in 2024. This will be the first year of my life without my father, and that weighs heavily on me. I wanted to stop in and give you all an update on my father's family. You already know that we celebrated our weeklong holiday tradition that my father cherished so much. While bittersweet,

the week was very good. Dad succeeded in bonding us all as a family, and that included Carol. Her romantic, for lack of a better word, time with my father when he needed it most means so much to us. He left us all letters for this year and one final present for each of us. They were thoughtful and brought us to tears, one last act that he entrusted Carol with. Though I expect that there are letters for the grandkids at all of their major events. The first one came last spring at a high school graduation. The

home building is progressing. This year I started to realize what Dad loved about this Farm, the cycles of the seasons, the cycle of life that is present here. I understand a bit more about his decisions last year. While I still don't agree with everything, I better understand. I also started watching the sunrise and sunsets at Dad's spots, not as religiously as he did at the end, but it's just another anchor between him and me. Lisa's life has not gone well. In the fall, she... Suffered a stroke. It was caught early enough, and she survived. She

is currently still in a care center, doing rehab. She has regained rudimentary speech, but it is still tough for her. She's still working on walking again. She has a very long road ahead of her. Her health issues have gained her a bit of sympathy from her social circles. Even Mom, Tom, and Dad's grandkids have put aside their hurt and pain to check on her. I am not that charitable as of now and may never be. I do not have much information on the affair partner; he has disappeared from my business circles. The only morsel I

have is that the company did receive an inquiry letter from a bankruptcy law firm. So far we have not seen any official filings. As for the company, without his leadership and financial anchor, the company is in the black. We managed the debt and gave every employee a nice bonus. Dad's final gifts and his thoughtful letters have brought us closer together. We continue to honor his legacy by living on the farm and cherishing the memories he left us with. His influence is felt in every sunrise and sunset we watch from his favorite spots. His spirit lives

on in the land he loved so much. Thank you all for your support during this journey.