Four years after Jason vanished during a solo hike, I had finally accepted his loss. Then one afternoon, Scout—our family dog—reappeared, thin and scruffy, carrying Jason’s jacket.

Heart pounding, I followed Scout into the forest, through twisting trees until we reached a hidden cabin. Inside, Jason stood, wild and unrecognizable, with another woman by his side.

“Maggie…” he said, as if seeing a ghost. He spoke of feeling “trapped” in our life, of finding “freedom” in the wilderness with Sarah. His words felt hollow, detached.

“You left your children,” I said, voice breaking. But he had already chosen his new life.

I turned and walked away, leaving the man who had abandoned us. The next morning, I filed for divorce. I wasn’t clinging to the past anymore.

For me and my kids, it was time to build a future rooted in truth—and leave Jason in the woods where he belonged.