Robert, a 32-year-old husband and father, has successfully balanced business and family life with his wife, Candice, and his five-year-old son, Samuel, fondly known as “Sam.”
Robert and Candice have been happily married for eight years. Initially, both worked, but for the past five years, Robert has been the primary provider for their family, with Candice staying at home.
So, although Robert worked till 7 p.m. five days a week, Candice took great care of the house and their baby.
However, things took a puzzling turn when Robert noticed a change in Sam’s behavior towards Candice. Whenever she tried to kiss him or hug him, he would do his best to avoid her presence. Robert was aware there was something wrong going on. He couldn’t undestand why his son felt so distant when it came to his mother.
A few days passed by and Robert decided to talk to Sam.
“Sam, why have you been avoiding your mom recently?” Robert asked one day while Candice was out of the house, running errands.
“Mom has changed. She has a secret and doesn’t want to share it with me,” Sam answered, his face reflecting confusion and sadness.
“What do you mean? What secret?” Robert asked, afraid of his son’s answer.
“When you are at work, she often cries in her room. When I walked in there and asked her why she was crying, she screamed at me and told me to go. She was holding a photo, but as soon as I walked in, she put it into the green box and hid it under the mattress,” Sam tried to explain.
Robert was shocked. He couldn’t help but wonder what could make his wife so sad, and what was in that green box Sam talked about.
“How often have you heard your mom crying?” Robert was eager to learn.
“This week she’s been crying almost daily. She thinks I don’t pay attention, but I still hear her and see her swollen eyes. But now she locks the door to her room and when I come to the door and ask her what’s the matter, she acts as if nothing has happened. I don’t like it, Daddy. You need to do something about it,” concerned.
“Don’t worry, son. Your mom probably has a reason for it. I’ll talk to her,” Robert reassured Sam. But deep down he was worried because he had no idea what was going on with his wife.
Two talked for a short while when Sam went to his room to play with his toys.
Although he was aware his action wasn’t appropriate, Robert couldn’t help but check under the mattress and look for the green box that made his wife sad.
Inside, there was some jewelry and a photograph.
The snapshot depicted a loving family, but what piqued Robert’s interest was the likeness between the man in the photograph and Candice. At that point, Robert’s thoughts wandered to the darkest depths. Could Candice be cheating on him? Why did she have that photo of a family that Robert had never seen or heard of before?
With the photograph in hand, Robert resolved to approach Candice.
“Candice, do you have a secret lover?” He asked directly, his voice shaking.
“What? Rob, what are you talking about?” Candice answered defensively.
Looking for answers, Robert persisted, showing Candice the photo he held in his hand. “Who is this?”
Candice’s response was immediate and revealing. “Oh no… I never wanted this to come out,” she confessed, the burden of her secret finally emerging.
Robert’s thoughts raced as he sought to understand. “So, are you admitting to cheating on me?”
“No! No, I didn’t cheat. Okay, I will tell you the full story, but please do not tell anybody about it,” she begged.
After taking a deep breath, she began relaying her story.
“Before my grandma died, she gave me this picture,” Candice said, her emotions running high. “My grandmother said I should decide what to do with it on my own.”
“She disclosed that my mother cheated on my father with her lover. She gave birth to twins: myself and my brother. Her partner wanted to be a father, but she adored my father and wanted to stay with him.
“As a result of this, my mother and her lover secretly arranged to each take one child and raise them in separate families. My mother informed my father that I was his, and he had no reason to doubt her.”
Before he passed away Candice’s real father went to her grandma and told her the truth, giving her the photograph of her grandson.
“You see, my mom and dad have been together for over 35 years. It would devastate him if he found out about my mom’s betrayal.” The pain of keeping that secret was evident.
“But at the same time, I have a brother and I want to know him.” Her desire was palpable, yet so was her fear. “I don’t know what to do, because if I reach out to him, it would eventually hurt my mom and dad.”
Robert was shocked by this revelation.
“So, is it your twin brother in the picture?” Robert asked. “Yes,” Candice answered. And yes, the resemblance between her and the man on the photo was uncanny.
Hugging her, Robert said, “I’m so sorry for doubting your fidelity. But why did you often cry in your room?”
“I’m crying because I never had the chance to know my biological father. Also, I can’t be in my brother’s life without hurting my mom and my dad,” she confessed, her voice cracking with the weight of her words.
Candice remained uncertain of her next move. She’s still very doubtful of whether she should reach to her brother and welcome him into her life or remain silent for the sake of her parents’ happiness.
