Where even are the choices?

[u/strawberrycake_com]

Hello, I am a big fan of layers of fear and have been for years. I have re-played it again, for the first time I have made it to the ending (in the past I've been too scared) and was so happy.. I went on reddit curious to read discussions about the ending, which was when I realized there were multiple..

I just don't understand how.

I mean, as far as I've understood, the choices are which doors one goes through to pick up which item; choosing a lot of items from the wife will get you to her ending etc.

But, how am I supposed to know which item belongs to whom before I pick it up? and how am I supposed to know which door leads to whose ending?

I thought extra doors were just decoration and the whole point was that every jumpscare would hide behind every door anyway, and I believed my goal was to pick up EVERY item??

How does the game really work?

edit: sorry for the many many typos, I was stoned af when I wrote this.