Charlotte was going through her late husband's belongings when she discovered an old painting. It looked worthless, and soon she forgot about it.
But unbeknownst to her, there was a dark secret hidden beneath a layer of paint that would change Charlotte's opinion about her husband. He wasn't who she thought he was.
Happy Life Together
Charlotte and John spent 50 happy years together before he passed away. They raised two kids together and had lived a long, fulfilling life.
They didn't have much money, but they always made sure their children had everything they wanted. John was good to his wife and the children, but there was one problem that unfortunately never got resolved.
Private Person
John was a very private person, and he didn't share much with his wife and the children. It always bothered Charlotte, and it caused many problems in their marriage.
John would often spend all evening at work and come home late without an explanation. He also had a press in their bedroom wardrobe that he always kept locked.
Strange Behavior
Charlotte tried several times to open the press, but all of her attempts were unsuccessful.
She figured John would eventually tell her what he kept inside, but he never did. It was only when he passed away that she learned the truth.
Valuable Painting
A few days before John passed away, he gave her a painting and asked her to keep it for the rest of her life.
John said the painting was extremely valuable. However, when she showed the painting to an art assessor, he said it was worthless.
Worthless
Charlotte was confused. “Are you sure? Can you look again?”
She didn't know what to think as she walked home with the painting. Was it really worthless? If so, then why would her husband assure her that it was so valuable?
Tony
Charlotte decided to reach out to her friend, Tony, who was an amateur art restorer and get a second opinion from him.
As Tony examined John's painting, he noticed that it had an unusually thick layer of varnish on top of another thick layer of paint.
Something Wasn't Right
Something wasn't right. He had a feeling that something was hidden underneath.
Charlotte watched in confusion as he slowly started to break through the paint, trying not to cause too much damage to the painting.
Small Note
Then, suddenly, a small piece of paper emerged. It had Charlotte's name written in John's writing.
Charlotte grabbed the piece of paper and began reading it. There was an address and a code written on it. What did it mean?
Local Bank
The address led Charlotte to a local bank. She walked inside and asked one of the employees for help.
The staff member's face went pale when he saw the note. "Please, follow me," he asked Charlotte.
In Confussion
She followed the employee to a high-security room with a big safe in the center. He asked Charlotte to place a finger on the safe scanner until the light appeared.
Suddenly, she saw her husband's name on a silver plate beside the safe. Charlotte was perplexed. What was going on?
Another Letter
When the safe opened, she saw another note addressed to her. It was one of the most beautiful letters Charlotte had ever received from her husband.
She burst into tears as she read the note. She finally understood John's odd behavior.
The Truth
In his letter, John explained why he wanted her to visit the safe and why he kept so much money inside.
It turns out that John had two jobs.
Wealthy Uncle
John had a wealthy uncle who was a renowned painter. When he passed, he left his estate to John.
Charlotte's husband had inherited his entire work of paintings that he continued to auction in his free time. This explained why he would often come home late from work.
The Real Reason
John explained that he made this money by selling his uncle's paintings and prints. He kept it all a secret because he didn't want people to treat him differently based on his income.
So he kept his life private and lived a long, fulfilling life with his wife.