Theresa, 37, recently found out something that shattered her happy and stable family life. After 15 years of marriage, she discovered that her husband, Tim, was hiding a secret life from her. It all started when she found an old photo album of his from university. Now, she wishes she had never opened it, but it’s too late. Theresa is now stuck with a painful truth and doesn’t know what to do.

Theresa wrote to us, sharing her story. She used to be happily married to Tim, with whom she has two kids. Everything seemed perfect—until she found the photo album. She wants advice from others who might have gone through a similar experience.

Theresa started by saying, “Tim and I have been married for 15 years. We met at a party and fell in love right away. He proposed to me after five months, and I immediately said yes. I never regretted it—until now.”

She continued, “I thought we had no secrets. I knew everything about Tim’s past, or so I thought. He always made me feel loved and safe. But one day, everything changed.”

After their children were born, Tim and Theresa started sleeping in separate bedrooms for more space and better sleep. Tim kept his room messy, and Theresa usually stayed out of it. But two weeks ago, while Tim was away on a business trip, she decided to change the bedding in his room. That’s when she found the album hidden under his mattress. She opened it out of curiosity.

Theresa said, “I was shocked to see many photos of Tim with a beautiful girl, his classmate from university. They looked very close—hugging and kissing. Tim had always told me he never had a serious relationship back then, just focused on his studies.

 

She was about to close the album and forget about it when she saw a recent photo of the same woman, now older and holding a child who looked just like Tim. The child even resembled their younger son. Theresa couldn’t believe it.

On the back of one of the photos, she found the woman’s name and phone number. Theresa called her, and they met at a nearby restaurant. The woman revealed that Tim had been living a double life. He had never stopped dating her, even after marrying Theresa. He chose Theresa because he thought she would be a better mother, while the other woman believed she couldn’t have children. But she did have a child, and it was Tim’s.

Theresa hasn’t confronted Tim yet. She asked the woman not to tell Tim anything until she’s ready to talk to him. Now, Theresa feels lost and doesn’t know how to face her husband or what to do next. She needs advice on how to handle this heartbreaking situation.