She decided to stay. It was not a decision she made lightly, or quickly, or with any certainty that it was the right one. For weeks after his confession, she oscillated between moments of fierce love and waves of rage so intense she could barely recognize herself. She met with a therapist. She talked to her closest friend, the one who would tell her the truth even when it hurt. She took long walks alone, replaying every memory, every conversation, every moment of the past year that now looked different in the harsh light of what she knew. And slowly, painfully, she came to a decision. She was not ready to give up on what they had built. She was not ready to let his betrayal be the final word on their story. She would try to rebuild. But she had no idea how.