I’m Robert, a 32-year-old husband and father. I love my family more than anything. My wife, Candice, and I have been married for eight amazing years, and we have a five-year-old son named Samuel, though we all call him “Sam.”
In the beginning, Candice and I both worked, but for the past five years, I’ve been the sole breadwinner while Candice takes care of our home and our son. She’s been fantastic at it. I work till seven o’clock, five days a week, and coming home to them is the highlight of my day.
Recently, though, something strange started happening. I noticed Sam was avoiding Candice. Whenever she tried to hug or kiss him, he would shy away. This wasn’t like him, and it troubled me deeply.
One day, while Candice was out running errands, I decided to talk to Sam.
“Hey, buddy, why have you been avoiding Mom lately?” I asked gently.
Sam looked down, clearly upset. “Mom isn’t the same. She has a secret she doesn’t want to tell me.”
“What do you mean? What secret?” I asked, feeling a knot form in my stomach.
“She cries in her room a lot when you’re at work. When I asked her why she was crying, she yelled at me to leave. She was holding a photo, but as soon as I walked in, she hid it in the green box under the mattress,” Sam explained, his little face full of worry.
I was shocked. What was in that green box, and why was Candice so upset?
“How often have you seen Mom cry?” I asked, needing to know more.
“Almost every day this week. She thinks I don’t hear, but I do. She locks her door now, and when I knock, she pretends everything is fine. I don’t like it, Daddy. You have to do something,” Sam pleaded.
“Don’t worry, son. I’ll talk to her,” I promised, though I was filled with dread.
After our conversation, Sam went to play with his toys, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I knew I shouldn’t invade Candice’s privacy, but I had to know what was making her so sad. I went to our bedroom and looked under the mattress. There it was—the green box.
Inside, I found a photo and some jewelry. The photo showed a happy family, and the man in it looked a lot like Candice. My mind raced with dark thoughts. Was Candice unfaithful? Who was this man, and why had she hidden this photo?
When Candice came home, I confronted her, holding the picture.
“Is there someone else, Candice?” I asked, my voice shaking.
“Why would you ask that, Rob? What are you talking about?” she responded defensively.
I showed her the photo. “Who is this?”
Candice’s face fell. “I never wanted this to come out,” she said, finally ready to reveal her secret.
“Just tell me the truth. Did you cheat on me?” I asked, my heart pounding.
“No, I didn’t cheat. Please, let me explain,” she pleaded.
Taking a deep breath, she began her story. “My grandmother gave me this picture before she died. She told me to decide what to do with it on my own. The truth is, my mom cheated on my dad. She had twins—my brother and me—with her lover. They made a secret arrangement: each would raise one child separately. My dad believes I’m his, but I’m not.”
Candice’s biological father gave her the picture of her twin brother and told her the truth before he passed away.
“My parents have been together for over 35 years. If my dad found out about the affair, it would destroy him. But I also want to know my brother. I’m torn between reaching out to him and protecting my parents,” she confessed, tears streaming down her face.
“So, that man in the photo, he’s your twin brother?” I asked, trying to process everything. Candice nodded, confirming it.
I hugged her tightly, feeling guilty for doubting her. “Why have you been crying so much, then?”
“I never got to know my biological father, and I can’t be in my brother’s life without hurting my parents. It’s tearing me apart,” she sobbed.
Candice was still unsure about what to do. She was caught between the desire to connect with her brother and the fear of breaking her parents’ hearts. We had a long road ahead to figure this out together.
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