Colleen believed she knew everything about her husband until she accidentally overheard his therapy session. Michael’s startling confession revealed his darkest secrets, destroying their 12-year marriage and leaving Colleen to pick up the shattered pieces of their family. Hey folks, Colleen here. How would you feel if you discovered something earth-shattering about your spouse? Something that made you question every moment of your marriage? That’s exactly what happened to me, and if it hadn’t been for one fateful phone call, I would’ve never known.
My life, up until recently, was like something out of a picture-perfect family album. I’ve been happily married to my husband, Michael, for 12 years. We have two wonderful kids, Shawn and Milly. Everything seemed just right. We celebrated the little things, like family game nights, and the big things, like Michael’s recent promotion at work. Oh, that night was unforgettable.
Michael took us out to a surprise dinner. We laughed, we toasted, and I still remember the way his eyes sparkled when he told us the news. But everything changed that one afternoon.
It was a typical day. I was doing the laundry while talking to Michael on the phone. He was about to start his therapy session. Michael had been showing signs of stress lately—constant business trips and work pressure were taking a toll on him. So, he started seeing a therapist, Dr. Hanks, to help manage the stress. I told him I was making his favorite turkey roast for dinner. We said our warm goodbyes when Michael told me the therapist had arrived. I kept my phone on the table and went back to folding clothes, thinking about the evening ahead.
But then, ten minutes later, I picked up my phone to call a friend about a recipe. That’s when I noticed Michael hadn’t hung up. I could hear everything he was telling his therapist. At first, I hesitated. It felt wrong to eavesdrop. But then, I heard something that made my blood run cold. Dr. Hanks’ voice came through clearly: “Okay, Mr. Fox, let’s go back to our last conversation. You mentioned that your family isn’t the only family you’ve got.” “Yes, Doctor Hanks,” Michael replied.
I FROZE. “Can you please elaborate, Michael?” Dr. Hanks asked, sounding as puzzled as I felt. “My wife, Colleen, and our kids, Shawn and Milly, aren’t the only family I have. I’ve got two other families. One in California and another in New York. I have two children with one woman and a daughter with the other.” My knees buckled. I dropped to the floor, phone still pressed to my ear. My heart pounded so loud I could barely hear Michael continue.
“I tell Colleen I’m going on business trips, but really, I’m visiting them. I’ve been doing this for years,” he added. I couldn’t breathe. The tears started flowing, hot and uncontrollable. Everything we had, every moment, every celebration—it was all a LIE? I stayed there, clutching the phone, wanting to wake up from this nightmare, but I couldn’t. Michael’s words were like daggers, each one cutting deeper than the last.