I sat on the couch, scrolling through Jim’s old phone. It had been six months since Jim passed away, but I still found comfort in our old conversations. Each message was a memory of our life together, moments frozen in time.

Jim was a psychiatrist. We met at a community event, a fundraiser for the local animal shelter. I had volunteered to help with the event, and Jim was there as a guest speaker. He was charming and kind, with a warm smile that put everyone at ease. We struck up a conversation over coffee, and the rest, as they say, is history.

As I scrolled through the messages, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. I missed his voice, his presence, and the way he always knew the right thing to say.

But then, something unusual caught my eye.

Amidst all the familiar names and numbers, there was one number that stood out. It had been calling Jim’s phone for years, always briefly, never leaving a message.

My curiosity got the better of me. I tapped on the number and saw the long list of missed calls.

“Who are you?” I whispered to myself, staring at the number.

Maybe it was nothing, just a wrong number or an old patient trying to reach Jim. But something in my gut told me it was more than that.

I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen from the coffee table and carefully noted the number, just in case it got deleted or something. You can’t trust tech, can you?

As I finished writing, I sat back and looked around the living room. It felt empty without Jim.

I missed the sound of his laughter, the way he would sit next to me and share stories from his day. I missed the simple things, like holding his hand or watching TV together.

But now, I had this number, a small mystery that connected me to him again. I didn’t know where it would lead, but I was determined to find out.

The next morning, I sat at the kitchen table, staring at the piece of paper with the unfamiliar number. My heart raced as I picked up the phone and dialed. The line rang, and my palms felt clammy. Finally, a man answered.

“Who is this?” he asked.

“I’m Jim’s wife, Victoria,” I replied, my voice trembling slightly.

There was a brief silence on the other end.

“How did you track me down?” he asked, his tone now tinged with concern.

“Jim is no longer with us,” I said softly, my heart heavy with the words. “I found this number, and—”

“Then I guess you have the right to know,” the man’s voice softened. “Shortly before his death, Jim called me and asked me to fulfill his last request — not to tell you anything. But, unfortunately, I cannot fulfill this request.”

My heart pounded as he continued.

“My name is Todd,” he said. “My mother had an affair with Jim, which ruined my parents’ marriage. My father left after he found out the truth, and my mother got into an accident soon after. Jim felt guilty and began financially supporting my mother. I received gifts from Jim, but I never forgot he destroyed my family. Jim also has a 10-year-old daughter with my mother.”

I was shocked.

I gripped the edge of the table, trying to steady myself. How could Jim have kept something like this from me?

“You… you have a sister,” I said slowly, trying to process the information. “Jim has a daughter?”

“Yes,” Todd replied. “A 10-year-old girl. My mother has struggled a lot, and Jim tried to help in his way. But it doesn’t change what happened to my family.”

I felt tears welling up in my eyes. Jim had always been my rock, my partner, and now I was discovering a whole side of his life that I never knew existed. It felt like a betrayal, but at the same time, I could hear the pain in Todd’s voice. He had been hurt, too.

“Why didn’t he tell me?” I whispered, more to myself than to Todd.

“I don’t know,” Todd said. “Maybe he thought he was protecting you. Maybe he was ashamed. But now you know, and I think you deserve to.”

I nodded, even though Todd couldn’t see me. “Thank you for telling me,” I said quietly.

“You’re welcome,” he replied. “I know this is a lot to take in. I’m sorry for your loss, Victoria. Despite everything, Jim was a good man in many ways.”

“Thank you,” I said again, my voice breaking. “I need some time to process all of this.”

“I understand,” Todd said. “Take care, Victoria.”

“You too,” I replied, ending the call.

I sat there for a long time, the phone still in my hand, staring at the number on the piece of paper.

The life I thought I knew had been turned upside down in an instant. I had so many questions and so many feelings to sort through. However, one thing was clear: I needed to find out more about this part of Jim’s life and the daughter he left behind.

Determined, I decided to video call Todd later that day. My hands shook slightly as I dialed his number and waited for the call to connect.

The screen lit up, and Todd’s face appeared. He looked… young.

Before I could say anything, an elderly woman walked into the room.

“Todd, did you steal my phone again?” she asked, sounding annoyed.

“Sorry, Mom,” Todd replied sheepishly, handing the phone to her.

The woman looked at the screen, her face showing confusion.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“I’m Jim’s wife, Victoria,” I said. “He recently passed away.”

Her face fell, a mix of surprise and sadness crossing her features. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she said sincerely.

I took a deep breath. “Did you have a relationship with Jim?” I asked. “Your son told me everything.”

The woman seemed taken aback by my question.

She took a moment before answering.

“I met Jim 10 years ago at a supermarket,” she revealed.

“Todd requires special care, and when he saw Jim, he thought Jim was his father. Jim told him he wasn’t, but Todd got upset. Jim bought him a chocolate bar and left his number so Todd could call him. Todd began calling, and sometimes Jim would talk to him. Due to Todd’s condition, he makes up stories and presents them as the truth. Jim, being a psychiatrist, wanted to study this.”

I felt a wave of relief wash over me, but there was still a nagging feeling that something didn’t add up.

“So, Jim was just trying to help?” I asked, needing to hear it again.

“Yes,” she replied. “Jim was very kind to us. He helped Todd a lot, especially when he was having a hard time. But there was no affair, and there’s no daughter. Todd’s stories can be very convincing, but they’re not real. I’m sorry for any distress this has caused you.”

I nodded slowly, trying to absorb everything. “Thank you for explaining,” I said. “It’s been very confusing.”

“It’s alright,” she said, her voice kind. “Jim was a good man. He always wanted to help.”

“Thank you,” I said, offering a small smile. “I appreciate it.”

But even after the conversation with Todd’s mother, I still felt unsettled.

There were too many loose ends. That evening, I decided to delve deeper and opened Jim’s Facebook messages, hoping to find some clarity.

As I scrolled through his messages, one name kept appearing: Bella. There were frequent exchanges between Jim and Bella about sending money for their daughter’s school books.

My heart sank as I pieced together the truth. The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. Jim had been hiding something significant from me.

With trembling hands, I opened Bella’s Facebook profile, and my heart sank. Todd’s mom!

I called Bella’s number. The phone rang, and my heart pounded in my chest.

“Hello?” she said, her voice cautious.

“I know everything,” I said, my voice trembling. “I saw your and Jim’s Facebook messages. There’s no point in lying now, Bella.”

I heard her sigh on the other end of the line. “Jim asked me to keep quiet,” she said. “If you know the truth, that’s already too much.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as I listened to her words. My 30-year marriage, which I had thought was perfect, was now tainted with lies.

How could Jim have kept this from me? How could he have betrayed me like this?

“I don’t understand,” I said, my voice breaking. “Why didn’t he tell me?”

“He didn’t want to hurt you,” Bella said softly. “He thought he was protecting you. But I guess secrets have a way of coming out eventually.”

“Jim loved you, Victoria,” she continued. “He always spoke highly of you. I’m sorry for any pain this has caused you.”

“I’m sorry, I have to go,” I said, ending the call. I sat there for a moment, the phone still in my hand, feeling the weight of the truth.

My marriage wasn’t what I thought it was, but I still had the memories of the good times we shared. Those moments were real, and they mattered.

I stood up, a sense of determination washing over me. I couldn’t change the past, but I could choose how to move forward. I decided to rebuild my life, find strength in myself, and face the future with courage and understanding.

Jim’s secrets had shaken me, but they wouldn’t break me. I was stronger than that.

What would you have done?

If you enjoyed this one, here’s a heartwarming story about a single dad.

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.