Trump was expected to lose. He outperformed polls, but not by enough. There was no fraud, only a pre-set order in which votes were counted in certain close states that made Trumpies lose their minds once the true total became known.
But you raise an interesting question:
At what point did the election “end,” exactly?
—In 2016, the race was over when Hillary conceded to Trump several hours after the race was called on Election Night.
—In 2000, the race was over when Al Gore conceded to Bush in the wake of the Bush v. Gore SCOTUS decision that didn’t exactly proclaim a winner, but make Gore’s path to victory more difficult. Gore could have fought on, but chose not to in the interests of uniting the nation. (Yes, believe it or not it is possible to put the nation’s interests before your own.)
This election cycle underscored that elections are never truly over till the defeated candidate concedes. Or, as a backstop, when the inauguration of the winner makes it a fait accompli. Since Trump still hasn’t properly conceded and never will.
Looking forward: Trump is still running amok, eligible to run again in 2024. By all accounts, he will be acquitted in the Senate trial by spineless Republicans, which is most of them, preserving his future eligibility to hold office. Trump is not going gentle into that good night and 90% of the GOP is still wrapped around his little finger.
So yeah, with his decision to end his Presidency on this note, bygones shall not be bygones that easily.