When my mother passed away, I was devastated — but then came the shock: she left me her entire fortune. My husband Peter suddenly turned into the most supportive man alive, showering me with love and ideas for how “we” should spend the money. But when I refused to splurge on luxury cars, vacations, and a new house, his affection quickly vanished. Within weeks, he coldly announced he wanted a separation.

Instead of begging him to stay, I calmly pulled out a folder from my mother’s lawyer. Inside was an addendum to her will: if I was married at the time of her death, I wouldn’t receive a cent of the inheritance until I was legally divorced. The money would go straight to charity if my husband tried to claim it. My sharp, wise mother had seen through Peter long before I did and protected me from him.

Peter’s face went pale as he realized the truth — leaving me meant I would inherit every penny, while staying with him meant neither of us would see a dime. Within a month, our divorce was finalized. There were no tears, no reconciliation attempts, just paperwork and silence.

Afterward, I renovated Mom’s house, traveled to Italy and Greece, and finally lived the life I deserved. Peter was left with nothing but regret, and I finally understood — Mom had saved me in more ways than one.