Had Matilda confessed the loss to Mme Forestier, the truth would have come out much earlier. Mme Forestier would have told her that the necklace was fake and inexpensive. This would have saved the Loisels from taking a loan and suffering for ten years. Their lives wouldn’t have been ruined, and Matilda would not have lost her youth and beauty to poverty. Honesty in that crucial moment would have prevented years of hardship and completely changed the outcome of their story. It highlights how a moment of courage can prevent long-term suffering.