When my husband, Jack, is extremely tired, he talks in his sleep. After 20 years of marriage, I’m used to his mumblings about work or fishing. But last night, something he said jolted me awake.
“Don’t go into the basement,” he murmured, his voice thick with sleep. A moment later, he added, “Liz, don’t open this. They’ll find out about the suitcase.”
What suitcase? His words left me uneasy.
The next morning, as I cooked breakfast, I casually brought it up. “You were talking in your sleep last night about a box in the basement. Isn’t that strange?”
Jack’s face turned pale. He forced a laugh but couldn’t meet my eyes. “Really? Must have been a weird dream!”
I sensed he was hiding something. When he left for work, I decided to check the basement. The door was locked with a padlock.
I called out, “Where’s the key to the basement? The door’s locked.”
A padlock on a door | Source: Midjourney
Jack’s response was evasive, claiming the keys were lost years ago and suggesting he’d fix it over the weekend. But he’d recently accessed the basement for Christmas decorations, so his excuse didn’t add up.
I asked Michael, our college-aged son, for help. “I need you to help me get into the basement. Dad’s been acting strange.”
Michael agreed, and we used Jack’s angle grinder from the shed to cut the padlock. The noise was deafening, and my anxiety grew with each passing second.
Inside the basement, I found the usual clutter. Michael discovered an old suitcase behind some paint cans. It was sealed with a combination lock, which we broke open with a hammer and crowbar.
The suitcase contained documents, keys, and a map. One document labeled “Inheritance” stood out. It revealed Jack had inherited a large estate from an estranged uncle, including a mansion and substantial money.
Michael found an old photo album showing Jack with a woman who looked like me and two children in the estate. It was clear Jack had another family.
When Jack came home, he saw the open suitcase and our shocked faces. “Liz, I can explain,” he stammered.
“Explain what?” I demanded. “The estate? The money? The other family?”
Jack sighed and admitted he had lived a double life early in our marriage. He had an affair with a woman named Imogen, had two children with her, and provided for them after her death. They lived in the estate with her parents.
Realizing the depth of the deception, I decided to prioritize Michael and myself. I filed for divorce. Michael refused to see his father again, and Jack didn’t contest the divorce.
What would you have done?
