Hey folks, I’m Colleen. 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 the darks secrets related to my husband.
Up until recently, I’ve been happily married to my husband, Michael, for 12 years.
We have two wonderful children, Shawn and Milly. Everything seemed just right.
Our family celebrated the little things, like family game nights, and the big things, like Michael’s recent promotion at work. Well, that night was unforgettable.
Michael took us out to a surprise dinner. I still remember the way his eyes sparkled when he told us the news.
But one afternoon everything changed.
I was doing the laundry while talking to Michael on the phone. He was about to start his therapy session with a therapist, Dr. Hanks.
Michael had been showing signs of stress lately—constant business trips and work pressure were taking a toll on him.
We talked about the usual stuff—how his day was, how the kids were doing.
I said to 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 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.
Initially, 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.”
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 could hardly 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. Michael’s words were like daggers, each one cutting deeper than the last.
Dr. Hanks told him, “Michael, that’s a lot to carry on your shoulders. How do you manage it?”
Michael sighed. “I don’t know, Doctor. I love all of them, but it’s exhausting. I feel like I’m living three different lives. Sometimes I think about coming clean, but I can’t bear to lose any of them.”
How could he love us and lie like this? My mind raced with questions, but I couldn’t move, couldn’t think straight. I felt like I was going to be sick.
All I could do was listen, every word tearing my heart apart.
Michael continued, “I know it’s wrong. I know I’m deceiving them all. But I don’t know how to stop. I don’t know how to choose.”
Dr. Hanks’ tone was gentle. “Michael, it’s important to address this, not just for your sake but for everyone’s well-being. Secrets like this can be very damaging.”
“I know, Doctor. I know. But there’s nothing I can do. It’s… it’s too late.”
My world shattered into a million pieces. How could this be happening? How could the man I loved, the father of my children, be living a double life—no, a TRIPLE life?
The tears kept coming, my body wracked with sobs. I didn’t know what to do or where to go from here. All I knew was that my life would NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN.
I sat there clutching my chest, tears streaming down my face, as the weight of Michael’s betrayal crashed over me. Every memory, every moment felt tainted. My heart ached, and I wondered how I would ever face him again.
Dr. Hanks acknowledged Michael’s confession and asked, “What made you cheat on your wife Colleen and have two secret families?”
“Colleen, she… she’s my third wife,” Michael revealed, his words landing like a sledgehammer on my heart.
“I’m really guilty for doing this, Doctor. But it’s too late to come clean. I truly love Colleen and our children. I never meant to cheat on her. Situations forced me to make choices in the past.”
“What do you plan to do now?” Dr. Hanks asked gently.
Michael sighed heavily, “I’m afraid to tell Colleen about my other families. The children from those families are already in high school. I don’t know how to face her. I’m… I’m afraid of losing her.”
“Do you feel guilty, Michael?” Dr. Hanks asked after a pause.
Michael suddenly burst into tears. “Even if I want to set things right, it’s too late. I have to divide my time between my three families for the rest of my life.”
“Do your other two families know about each other?” Dr. Hanks asked.
“No,” Michael said bluntly.
I couldn’t listen anymore. I dropped the phone, ending the call. The room spun around me as I collapsed on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.
How could he? How could he betray us like this?
Just then, I heard the kids coming home from school. “Mom, we’re back!” Shawn called out.
I quickly wiped my tears and splashed cold water on my face, trying to reduce the puffiness. I had to pull myself together for them. I walked into the kitchen and started preparing the turkey roast, my mind racing.
I made a decision to act calm. I needed to give Michael one last chance to come clean.
That evening, he was sitting with the kids, watching TV, when I called him aside.
“Michael, we need to talk,” I bluntly said.
“What’s up, honey?” he asked, looking puzzled. “Yeah, hold on a moment. Coming!”
I took a deep breath, my heart pounding as Michael sat across from me at the dining table.
“I’ve been wanting to tell you something for years, but I was afraid of losing our family. The guilt has been pressing down on me, and I’ve decided to come clean,” I began.
Michael’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
“I ch:eated on you five years ago,” I said, forcing the words out. “I met this guy in Spain. He was divorced… handsome… and single. It was a mistake, I know. But it’s been tormenting me all these years.”
Michael sprang to his feet, kicking the chair back.
“WHAT??? How could you do this to me, Colleen? I trusted you! And you… you slept with another guy?? YOU DISGUST ME… You’re a PATHETIC woman!”
His face twisted with anger. “You’re disloyal! I’m ASHAMED of you.”
I kept my composure. Rising from the chair, my arms crossed and eyes staring daggers, I declared: “Oh, darling, it’s surprising you’d start suspecting me over a story I cooked up.”
Michael froze, confusion and shock written all over his face. “C-cooked up?? What do you mean?”
“It was a fabricated tale to see if you would come clean about the two secret families you’ve been hiding from me all these years,” I spilled the tea.
Michael’s blood drained from his face. He started to stammer, “Col-Colleen, I… I can explain—”
I cut him off with a dismissive wave of my hand. “Save it, Michael. I heard everything. I trusted you, but you STABBED ME RIGHT IN MY HEART.”
His shoulders slumped as he ran after me, his eyes pleading. “Colleen, please—”
“I’m done, Michael. You’ve destroyed our family.” I turned on my heel, calling out to the kids. “Shawn, Milly, pack your bags. We’re leaving.”
Michael stood there as I gathered our things. The kids, sensing the tension, didn’t ask any questions. We left the house, leaving Michael stranded in the ruins of the family he’d so easily shattered.
A week later, I sent him the divorce papers.
The proceedings are underway now, and I have no regret leaving Michael at all. But the extent of his deception haunts me every day. And I’m not quite sure if I’d move on from the scars he’s inflicted on my heart.
As I tuck Shawn and Milly into bed each night, I wonder how I’ll ever rebuild our lives. But one thing is certain—I’ll never let anyone betray us like that again.