The Doctors Visit
Richard Mason had everything men dream of! He was a successful businessman, and his family life was close to perfect. He thought he could not ask for anything more in his life, but he soon received disturbing news that changed everything!
One day, he went to his doctor for a check-up. He was feeling good and didn't think anything would bother him. He had a beautiful wife and a family that he loved. Despite his positivity, Richard couldn't help but feel uneasy when the doctor walked in. The specialist looked at him with something close to sympathy, and that's when Richard's heartbeat spiked.
A Businessman and A Father
Richard Mason is a businessman who lives in the UK. One of his most significant ventures was co-founding MoneySupermarket.com, a popular website where people compare prices while shopping.
At 55, he was considered a millionaire, and he appeared to have it all. Richard had a beautiful wife and three sons, but he had no idea that their family would fall apart so quickly.
The Spark Wasn't There Anymore
Richard and Kate had three sons; Will and the twins, Ed and Joel. Richard and his beautiful family lived happily until the couple began having some issues.
Sadly, they both felt like the spark in their marriage was gone. But being the amazing parents they are, the couple wanted to wait until the boys were 18. Little did Richard know that while he was being a great dad, something unfortunate was happening behind the scenes.
It Wasn't Easy
Separation is not an easy process; in some cases, it can turn ugly really fast. Once the Spark in Richard and Kate's marriage disappeared, the couple decided to separate for their own good.
They both stayed close to their children even though they decided to build their independent lives. In 2008, the couple was officially divorced, and that's where things became messy for this millionaire.
She Asked For More Money
Even though it was difficult for Richard, they mutually agreed to file a divorce. Once the court proceedings began, Richard noticed that Kate was pushing for him to pay more money. She was turning into someone he didn't recognize.
He and Kate came to a financial settlement where Richard agreed to pay her a large sum of $5 million for their divorce settlement. Aside from the massive divorce settlement, he also included money for the education of their sons, but Kate didn't stop there.
Questionable Amount
The couple had been divorced since 2008 and tried to remain friends for the sake of their children. They both honored their accomplishments by having a trustworthy and straightforward post-divorce life.
Eight years after their divorce, Richard uncovered a nasty secret that Kate had been hiding from him. Richard didn't know why Kate had been pushing him to pay a huge divorce settlement, but he soon uncovered her deepest secret, and it left him heartbroken.
A Simple Routine
Richard discovered that his ex-wife kept a nasty secret during their entire marriage. How did Richard know about her secret? It's all thanks to his simple routine. And the whole thing happened by accident.
One fine day, Richard decided to have his routine medical check-up. However, he was left perplexed when the doctor shared his health examination results. For the first time, this tech guru came across something he couldn't understand.
The Unexpected Discovery
Richard was already 55-years-old when his doctor revealed his disease. A 30-minute test unearthed more about him than he had ever known, and the man was truly shocked.
When his doctor returned with his results, he told Richard that he wanted to do different tests. Richard agreed to undergo these tests, which led him to uncover his ex-wife's secret.
A Series Of Test
When Richard's doctor came in with his results, he told him that he wanted to run different tests while he was there. It's never a good sign when doctors say something like, and immediately Richard knew this was serious.
After the tests, his doctor confirmed the tragic news and informed Richard that he had cystic fibrosis. Richard was confused when he heard the devastating news. But the doctor didn't stop there.
It's Genetic
When Richard heard the news, he was scared. He wasn't expecting that he would receive troubling information about his body. Richard knew what cystic fibrosis was because his sister had been diagnosed with the same disease.
Richard knew that he might also be diagnosed with the same condition, but his concern was not just for himself. He was worried that he might have passed it on to his sons.
Did He Pass It On To His Sons?
Cystic fibrosis can lead to damaged lungs and decreased lung capacity. Richard started to worry that he might pass his disease to his own sons and wanted the doctor to confirm that it wouldn't happen.
Richard had to ask a tricky question to ease his worries. His doctor had good news and bad news for him. This led to one of the most heartbreaking revelations for the millionaire.
The Good News
So, did Richard passed on his disease to his sons? His doctor has good news for the doting father of three. The good news is, his sons are less likely to have the disease. Richard breathes a sigh of relief—but only for a minute.
Then, his doctor shared something to Richard that he never expected. His doctor opened about Richard's fertility, and then it hit him. The poor man's life was falling apart all over again.
He's Infertile?
Richard was relieved to find out that none of his sons would have the genetic disease. When his doctor discussed his fertility, he told him that a man with cystic fibrosis is infertile. Richard was shocked.
When Richard learned about this, his world fell apart. Maybe the doctor gave him the wrong diagnosis? He clutched on to this hope, knowing that if the doctor was right then, Richard had been living a lie for the past 18 years.
A Huge Misunderstanding
When Richard heard that he was infertile, he was so confused. He had three wonderful boys! Maybe, his doctor gave him the wrong diagnosis.
He couldn't believe what he was hearing! Richard knew that it must be a big misunderstanding. He was there throughout the whole child-birth process and couldn't accept that his ex-wife lied to him.
The Confusion
Richard couldn't believe that his doctor told him that he was infertile. He has three boys from his previous marriage, and Richard knew that it was a big misunderstanding. But there was some doubt creeping into his mind.
He told his doctor that he must've given him the wrong diagnosis. This is what Richard's doctor has to say about the matter ...
His Diagnosis Was Correct
Even Richard's doctor was shocked by the fact that Richard was infertile. He was a father of three sons, and he knew that it was impossible. But tests don't lie!
He looked at Richard, and after a long silence, he told Richard that his diagnosis was correct. After hearing his doctor's side, Richard's world collapsed. There was only one thing left to do.
The Nasty Truth
Richard accidentally discovered the nasty secret that his wife had been keeping from him. Because of a series of tests that were not part of Richard's regular check-up.
He uncovered the truth that he has cystic fibrosis, and his wife had been lying to him about his children. If we were in his shoes, we would also feel devastated about the truth.
In Denial
Richard couldn't accept the fact that his ex-wife had been cheating behind his back. What's more heartbreaking for Richard was to accept that fact his sons weren't biologically his. While he was listening to his doctor, Richard slowly began to put things together.
He was thinking about Kate having an affair with other men while he was away. For Richard, it seemed impossible at first. Then he remembered ...
They Look Like More Of Their Mother
Richard had never considered the possibility that his boys are not biologically his. He believed his wife even though their marriage had a bittersweet end. But he had never actually asked her about it. He needed to know the truth.
Now that he knew about his condition, memories began to resurface. Richard even remembered that people used to comment that his boys look more like their mother.
The Words Speak Louder
Richard started to remember how people had always commented on how his twins looked like his ex-wife, Kate. The kids never looked like him, not even a little bit.
Maybe Kate's genes are more dominant than Richard's genes? Richard simply ignored these comments at the time, but now he couldn't stop thinking about it.
Is It Someone He Knew?
Richard knew that his boys looked more like his ex-wife, Kate. Now that he learned about the nasty truth, he began to think about who the boys looked like.
Richard remembered that his boys shared similarities with someone he knew. Did Kate have an affair with someone he was friends with?
Richard Knew Who It Was
Richard began to narrow down the boys' potential father list—the man his ex-wife was having an affair with. Richard thought that she might be cheating behind his back while she was away on her business trips.
It must be someone from her work. He thought of one man, a co-worker of Kate's, and the similarities he shared with his boys.
His Next Move
So what's Richard's next move? Richard couldn't just walk on her front door and confront her about the dirty secret he discovered. Also, he still didn't fully believe it.
Richard decided to send his ex-wife an email informing her of the discovery, which turned his world upside-down. What he wrote in his email must've shocked his ex-wife because he didn't receive any response.
The Email
Richard began typing the email with tears in his eyes. He decided to inform her about his recent discovery. In his email, he wrote about receiving his diagnosis from his doctor and the implications of it.
He told her that he has cystic fibrosis and boldly wrote about what his doctor told him. He mentioned that he was confident that he was not the father of any of the children.
He Waited For Her Reply
Richard waited for Kate's reply, but he didn't receive anything from her. He decided to send her another email; he wrote on his second email that he was willing to cooperate with Kate if she told him the truth.
However, what happens if Kate denies everything? Richard said that he'd take extra measures to get to the bottom of the problem. And was even willing to undergo more tests.
He Finally Got A Reply
When Richard sent his second email, this time Kate finally responded. Kate denied everything and firmly insisted that Richard was the father of their children. She sounded convincing, but he didn't know what to believe.
She wrote in her email that the boys are his biological children, no matter what the science might suggest. After reading his ex-wife's response, Richard decided to execute Plan B—do extra tests.
Going The Extra Mile
After reading his ex-wife's reply, Richard decided to do extra tests. He first called his eldest son, Will, to inform him about the matter and see if he would cooperate.
Richard needed Will's DNA and wanted to be sure he was the biological father of his children. When he told his son about the whole situation, Richard was surprised by Will's reaction.
Richard Told Will About His Suspicions
Richard told his oldest son, Will, about his cystic fibrosis diagnosis, which Will took surprisingly calmly. He also shared with Will that it's unlikely for someone who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis to father a child.
Richard didn't expect Will's reaction to the whole situation. He was grateful that his oldest son understood his pain and Will's words made him emotional.
The Confrontation
After getting the approval of his sons, Richard will finally know if he is the father of his children. For 23 years, he believed that he was their father, when he learned about the truth, he was overwhelmed.
After learning the truth from his father, Will confronted his mother about the situation. Kate couldn't lie to Will, so she finally admitted to her son that she had an affair with another man.
Coming Out Into The Light
Kate still insisted that the boys were Richard's biological sons, but Richard already decided to complete the extra tests. Richard first took tests to check his fertility levels; unfortunately, the tests confirmed that Richard was unable to father any children. The DNA results from his boys also brought him bad news; he wasn't the father of his kids. After learning about the results, he decided to settle the messy affair in court.
Learning about the truth changed Richard Mason's life. But what's more painful is the fact that his ex-wife lied to him for decades that he was the father of his three sons. A simple check-up led him to discover the secret that his wife had been hiding from him. The truth finally came out into the light a bit too late.