Appearing with verbs in their past form, or grouped with nouns after の is 末（すえ）, a word meaning ‘end tip’. に will follow 末（すえ） , marking the ‘tip’ as the point from which something will result.
While this grammar pattern is usually translated as ‘after (A), (B)’, or ‘as a result of (A), (B)’, the nuance is on various things having happened along the way, and then finally reaching the ‘point’ or ‘conclusion’ of (A).

• 色々（いろいろ）と考（かんが）えた末（すえ）に、お父（とう）さんの会社（かいしゃ）を継（つ）ぐことに決（き）めた。
  After much thought, I decided to take over my father’s company.
• 迷（まよ）いに迷（まよ）った末（すえ）に、彼女（かのじょ）と別（わか）れることにした。
  After much hesitation, I decided to break up with her.
• 5年（ねん）間（かん）にわたる争（あらそ）いの末（すえ）、アメリカ軍（ぐん）が撤退（てったい）を開始（かいし）した。
  After five years of conflict, the U.S. military began to withdraw.
• 社長（しゃちょう）と長（なが）い議論（ぎろん）の末（すえ）に、人事（じんじ）の伊藤（いとう）さんをクビにすることに決（き）めた。
  After a long discussion with the president, we decided to fire Ito-san from human resources.

末（すえ）に may highlight either positive or negative results, but will suggest that some long-lasting effort or struggle eventually resulted in (B).