Miranda Cowley Heller’s the Paper Palace: the Ending, Explained
In the last few chapters, a few weeks prior and the 24 hours after the incident are told. At first, her decision seems obvious- Peter. How can she put him and her children through the trauma of the divorce and the complications?
Throughout the time, she seeks their familiarity, the comfort. She cuddles her kids, makes love to Peter and wraps herself in him and his scent, body. Early next morning, she asks Peter to wake up and swim with her. She says, “Come with me. End this.” Probably stop her from making the decision she was going to make. But he doesn’t.
She stands at the door and looks out to a figure standing on the other side. Jonas. She takes off her wedding ring, she descriptively squeezes it against her life line ‘one final time’ before placing it on the top step and going to swim.
That penultimate paragraph ambiguously tells us her decision. Jonas.
