Have you ever stumbled upon an item that shocked you? What if it belonged to the person you trusted most in the world? While you might have a few things of your own that you wouldn’t want the world to find out about, these folks took to the internet to confess what strange item their partners owned.
1. Wish I Hadn't Seen That
Before my now-husband and I got married and were preparing to merge our lives, I was clearing out some old files from his computers for sale. I came across photos of him and his ex-wife (nothing inappropriate, mind you). However, one image stopped me in my tracks.
It was a simple close-up shot of my husband with his ex. There was nothing remarkable about it, except the undeniably radiant joy that seemed to shimmer off of him. His eyes, his grin, every bit of him.
He had been with his ex-wife since they were just 15—a childhood romance story and they had a couple of kids as well. They remained together for two decades until she confessed that she was feeling lost and had found somebody else. It gave my heart a jolt—I had never seen him as overjoyed as he appeared in that photograph.
But it wasn't as though I felt he didn't love me or that he would always prefer her. I just wished I could have known him like that.
2. Missed Prescription
My wife hails from England, a charming lady with two kids from a previous relationship. On a particularly drizzly weekend, we found ourselves curled up on the couch while I engrossed myself in a book about England's royalty. Unexpectedly, a folded piece of paper tumbled onto my lap from between the pages.
My wife glanced over, her face drawn in confusion, before saying, "Oh, that's from Dr. Jones, my doctor back when I was pregnant with Kim. He prescribed me that for morning sickness but I misplaced it. I must've used it as a bookmark." After reading the note, I was floored.
The note was actually a prescription for a drug known as Thalidomide. While its use was prohibited in the US, it was commonly prescribed in the UK to alleviate morning sickness. Sadly, many babies born to mothers who consumed it passed away within their first year and others were born with serious deformities.
Our daughter is now a perfectly healthy adult, all thanks to her mom unknowingly using a harmful prescription as a makeshift bookmark.
3. Secret Love Letter
My husband ended his life, leaving me in a financially vulnerable state. It's still hard for me to grasp how someone you care deeply about could leave you without any financial safety net. Before he left us, he made sure his pension benefits went to the Humane Society and handed me a bill of $6,000 in credit card debt.
With my brother’s help, I went through my husband's clothes and belongings. We discovered several brand new items he'd never used: an elegant suit, a classy gray wool jacket, three comfy sweaters, and a gorgeous pair of shoes still nestled in their box.
Then, while going through his wallet, I stumbled upon a romantic note from an old flame of his. This was a woman he had known before we got together. Astonishingly, he had kept that note in his wallet throughout our 18-year marriage, and I had been completely unaware of it.
4. A Secret Cash Stash
I once knew a man of 42 who was a successful dentist. He and his equally attractive, physically-fit wife worked together in the same dental practice, reminiscent of a real-life Ken and Barbie. One unfortunate day, the man collapsed on their kitchen floor. His wife instantly started performing CPR, but it was to no avail.
Later, she learned from medical professionals a shocking truth—he suffered a major heart attack, likely passing away before he even hit the ground. He hadn't anticipated his end coming so unexpectedly at such a young age and thus, didn't prepare for it. To her astonishment, she discovered several hidden aspects of his life, and even ended up being subjected to numerous lawsuits following his death.
In their closet, she unearthed $30,000 in cash. Where it originated from and what its intended use was remained a mystery to her. A year on, when I asked her what she would say to him if he were alive now, her reply sent chills down my spine. Unflinchingly, she expressed her animosity; implying that she would have taken his life herself.
5. Mementos From Another Time
My wife lives with a disability. When she fell terribly sick and had to stop working, she brought home all her scientific research and stacks of documents about immunology, rheumatology, genetics, and certain children's diseases. They filled several drawers.
After a few years went by, I suggested we could discard them. But she wasn't ready to let them go. Ten years later, I unilaterally decided to dispose them. By then, her vision had deteriorated so much she couldn't read anymore, as she lost control over her eye muscles needed for reading.
I was mindful to go through each document carefully, just in case any needed preserving. Deep down in one of the drawers, I stumbled upon a letter that hit me hard. It was from a young man she used to date before our paths crossed.
Our existence felt clouded by tragedy, scarred by illness and shattered hopes. I couldn't bring myself to junk this relic of her past, preserved from a time when she was vibrant, healthy, and full of dreams and love. So, I kept everything just as it was.
6. It Just Had To Be In The Budget
When my life partner of 12 years received the devastating news that his cancer was incurable, the first thing we decided to do was sort out our finances. We wanted to ensure that our son with autism, who needed round-the-clock attention, and myself were financially secure after he was no longer with us. Because of our son's needs, returning to work wasn't an option for me.
I urged him to cut back on unnecessary expenses. This included a recurring donation to a charity he strongly believed in. It truly saddened me that we had to make such a decision, but we saw no other alternatives. He reassured me that he had stopped the direct debit. However, after he passed away a few months later, I discovered the truth—the donation was never canceled.
I suddenly understood that he just didn't have the heart to stop helping a cause he cared deeply about, so he had misled me. Instead of feeling angry, I chose to feel proud of his selfless act. Even when death was looming, his kindness and dignity never wavered.
7. Did You Have Fun On Your Work Trip, Honey?
My husband returned home looking impressively tan and unexpectedly healthy after his Poland business trip. I asked him how he managed to get so sun-kissed, as if he'd spent a week on a beach. He told me there had been a heatwave in Poland.
Together, we unpacked his luggage, after which I went to put away his laptop in his office. An open cabinet caught my eye. He must have stopped by there before entering the house. A bag was concealed on a high shelf, and when I looked inside, I was stunned.
It was packed with a variety of intimate items and antidepressants. It was clear these things weren't being used for our intimate moments, and I realized he'd kept the antidepressants secret from me. But, that wasn't all I would uncover.
Not long after, I discovered a reservation email on his laptop. It was for a five-star Italian hotel for two scheduled for June. Things progressively deteriorated from that point. The shocking revelations just kept coming. I have since separated from my husband.
8. A New Makeup Product
For the past few weeks, my now ex-boyfriend's behavior had been more than difficult to handle. He started accompanying me to work in my car, suspecting I was meeting other men. He'd forcefully make me unlock my iPhone to snoop through my social media and emails. But that was just the tip of the iceberg.
During the nighttime, he'd keep me up by throwing drinks and breaking things around the house. He even choked me until I blacked out. Finally, one day, at work, I couldn't hold it in anymore and decided to call the police to remove him from our home while I was out.
I met the officers at my workplace, showed them my bruises, and gave them a quick rundown of my hellish predicament. They took my keys, and by 3 pm, he was out of the house. I finished work at 6 pm and went home, completely emotionally drained. I just sat there, crying in silence; I loved him and just wanted to be happy. Is that too much to ask? Then, I saw it.
Peeking from under the sofa was a shiny makeup stick, a contour stick to be exact. I didn't own one, and the only other woman who had been in my house was my hairdresser. So I texted her, asking if she'd left something behind, but she hadn't.
That's when I realised a shocking truth—my ex had been bringing other women into our house while I was at work. Upon investigating further, I discovered emails he had sent, inviting local women (from my tiny village of fewer than 400 people) to our home. The date on the email was from the day before we had taken a vacation. Over a year has passed, and it still stings.
9. Secret Santa
To set the scene: My husband has three kids with his ex who live abroad. When our relationship was still relatively young yet getting serious, I warmed up to the idea of becoming a stepmom. However, he wouldn't allow me to speak to them as he hadn't yet told them about us.
I wasn't thrilled about this, especially as we were trying to start a family, but I decided to respect his timeline. I understood that admitting to his children that he wouldn't be returning to live near them was a challenging conversation to have.
Instead, I made a connection with his children in my own way. I used to find out their current interests and carefully pick out gifts that would excite them. I would then wrap them up and get them ready to be shipped overseas by September, accounting for possible postal delays. I would give them to my fiance to mail, as he had the necessary address details.
This went on for three years, until one day when I visited his friend's house and made a heartbreaking discovery: All those Christmas gifts from the past three years—a pile of my love and goodwill—were left unattended.
It completely broke my heart. Those gifts were my attempt to foster a bond with his kids, a physical representation of my love and efforts. But, they remained unsent.
Of course, my support and advice to their father was crucial, but these gifts were personal—and went unsent. It was disheartening, but what hurt me more was the perception his children had of me.
The only thing his kids knew about me was that I was the 'wicked foreign woman' preventing their father from returning home. This image took root because he lied to them about our relationship and his plans, until his mother revealed the truth by showing them pictures of our baby.
I continuously warned him about the harm his lies could cause, but he disregarded my advice. It took him another decade before he was ready to introduce both his families, but by then, it felt too late.
Now, his kids want nothing to do with me and honestly, the feeling is mutual. I always supported their father's efforts to maintain a bond with them while never speaking ill against his support for them. Are they aware that his financial support is largely due to my work? I pay 60% of the bills while they receive 2/3 of his income.
It's draining to constantly be vilified for a story that's far from the truth. I'm sure a lot of stepparents can relate. Discovering those unopened boxes marked the end of my hopes for establishing a good bond with his children.
Sign up to our newsletter.
History’s most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. Making distraction rewarding since 2017.
10. Hoping For A Hole In One
About a year after my wife succumbed to a brain tumor, I was rifling through our filing cabinet for something. I stumbled upon a folder labeled "golf," penned in her handwriting. Now that I'm fully retired, I've been golfing quite a bit. My wife dabbled in golf but wasn't keen on lessons or extensive practice.
Every so often, we'd hit our nearby golf course as it was just another activity we could enjoy together. Inside the folder was every scorecard from all the games she'd played, meticulously clipped together by course and arranged chronologically. I think this was her method of monitoring whether she got better over time. Until now, this remained unknown to me.
11. A Final Phone Call
Once upon a time, my fiancé Richard was employed at a civil engineering firm while I was still in school. After almost two years together, his company presented an irresistible opportunity to work on a bridge project abroad. Even though it meant three months apart, it was too good an offer to pass up, promising remarkable professional growth for him, and for us as a couple.
I gave him my blessing, although I insisted that this should not become the norm. To stay connected, we would have daily brief phone calls, considering the high cost of international calls those days. Regardless of my busy schedule, I made sure I was home ready for his call prior to bedtime in his timezone.
One day, however, I didn’t get his call. I thought, given it was about two months into his trip, it was understandable that he might have been too tied up one day. But when he didn't call again the next day, I began to worry. My attempts to reach him were unfruitful as his line was down. I left a message with his boss to find out about his well-being.
The following day, as I was heading to school, a mutual friend of ours rushed up to me, hugging tightly. They were in tears, so I began to console them. When they shared the news with me, I was totally blindsided: Richard had been killed in a car accident two days ago.
A drunk driver in a van had collided with Richard and a coworker's car as they were leaving the site. Richard's sister had informed our friend, assuming I would have been contacted as well.
To my dismay, I eventually discovered that Richard's father had ordered his brothers to clear out our belongings from his grandmother's house, which we had purchased in Richard’s name. As I was not listed in any of the paperwork except for the insurance policies, they were legally within their rights. As his official next of kin, they had removed everything, even our photographs and my collection of audio tapes of his calls.
Through this heart-wrenching experience, the most aching thing was realizing that all traces of Richard vanished along with him.
12. A Moldy Memento
My spouse and I, both military veterans, eventually made the choice to stay put in Texas. Unfortunately, many special keepsakes stashed in our memory boxes got permanently damaged due to a mold invasion.
This damage included ruined journals, books, notes, and romantic letters. However, there was one loss that really shook my husband—it was his first-ever Bible, filled with personal annotations in the margins and key verses highlighted. A friend had given it to him after the tragic death of his brother.
Despite the mold attacking its pages, my husband couldn't bear to dispose of it. He treasured a personal message from his friend inscribed within it. So, I searched online for a professional book restorer and got in touch with one. Although this wasn't his typical restoration job, he agreed to help us out.
We sent him the book, and after a couple of months, he successfully revamped it. The restorer crafted a new book cover, personalized it with my husband’s name in a corner, and eliminated every trace of mold.
13. Listening In
My former hubby always came off as relaxed and agreeable. He rarely fought or got angry. Whenever I'd try to debate issues with him, he'd simply shut down. But the dynamics changed when I admitted my discontent with our marriage.
Strangely, he began initiating disagreements and spouted harsh, irate words. Unbeknownst to me, others had been influencing him negatively, which explained his unpredictable behavior. He started reaching out to my loved ones, trying to convince them to talk me out of ending our matrimony. He also began tailing me whenever I was out and about in the town.
Eventually, I initiated the divorce process and requested him to vacate our home. Despite this, he stayed put, fueled by his pals' misguided advice that leaving might compromise his rights to the house during the divorce procedure. They didn't realize that my mom had generously contributed to half the house's initial cost.
His constant bitter jabs forced me to switch bedrooms for peace. One night, I stumbled upon a baby monitor hidden beneath a dresser. He'd been eavesdropping on me! I switched it off and carried on.
The following day, while he was at work, I searched our master bedroom for the monitor's receiver. Though I didn't find it, I did uncover a scare: A bag-full of AA batteries and a voice-activated tape recorder.
Evidently, he'd been placing the recorder around the house, spying on conversations. I quickly nabbed it and he never saw it again. It took another month to get him to leave and a full year before the divorce got finalized.
During the divorce proceedings, he dodged questions regarding the tape recorder and his illegal snooping activities.
14. The Traveling Photograph
An old girlfriend of my partner clued me in on a vintage Polaroid he kept from his former wife. She encountered it in his pocket one day when she was doing his laundry. The photo was at least a decade old when she spotted it. I merely shrugged. I had never met his former wife.
She was residing in Paris and couldn't tolerate him. I bet a photograph of her in his possession would have given her the creeps. But then again, it wasn't my place to interfere. A year after that, the photograph surfaced in our laundry.
I carefully laid it on the dresser, among the scattered coins, bills, and guitar picks collected from his denim pockets. It disappeared just as I hoped it would.
A few months later, I discovered the photo again, hiding under our bed. I placed it back on the dresser, making sure that he'd see it, suggesting him to store it somewhere safe.
A few months passed, I stumbled upon it again. This time in a pile of letters on the kitchen table. I kept it aside and handed it over to him when he got back home. “I found the Polaroid again,” I told him. He just nodded and said, “Oh. Okay”. I asked him if he was trying to give me a hint by leaving the photo around. He replied no.
I narrated this Polaroid saga to his previous girlfriend after I had ended things with him. It seemed somewhat nasty to find amusement in the situation, but we ended up laughing nonetheless.
15. The Mysterious Dresser Drawer
While I was out of town visiting my parents with my eldest son, I lost track of an item. Before I ventured off, I had misplaced this object, so my husband agreed to search for it during my absence. His investigative journey led him to the confines of my bedside drawer. Hidden in there, he uncovered my large, battery-less pink companion.
What shocked him the most was discovering that my synthetic buddy was significantly bigger than he was. I had purchased it online, where it seemed much more compact than its actual size. I really can't explain why I held onto it. However, his discovery profoundly bruised his self-confidence (double entendre unintentional).
Subsequent to finding the item, my husband vented his emotions on Facebook, deftly avoiding direct mention of the cause. My mom saw his cryptic post and grew concerned for his well-being. Mulling over her advice, I decided to give him a call to see how he was coping. When he confided the root of his distress, I was mortified and brimming with remorse.
We extensively discussed the situation, and by the end of our conversation, my reassurance seemed to have restored his faith: he was all I really needed.
16. Dear Diary
While my significant other wasn't around, I found myself rummaging through his possessions, trying to uncover buried secrets.
I stumbled upon several of his diaries, penned hastily after he first landed in Montreal. They narrated a poignant scene—his encounter with his wife in Dallas, just before his Canadian move. He had pleaded with her to share the reason for wanting to end their marriage. Her reply stunned me: "You degrade me by calling me a pig when I eat." I was taken aback.
How could he be so harsh with his beloved wife? As I flipped through his other diaries, I found numerous instances where he'd wistfully remembered his happier times with his ex-wife through dreams. He held a fervent wish of patching up their strained relationship, like fixing a shattered mirror to reflect as one again.
Despite being apart for a solid two to three years, it was abundantly clear that he still harbored deep feelings for his ex-wife.
17. The Photos That Changed It All
As our 27-year marriage was drawing to a close, I stumbled upon an envelope barely bigger than a note card. It bore my husband's name, but the sender was someone familiar—a friend of ours and his wife. With no second thoughts, I opened it, assuming it to be an invitation or a thank-you note. It held a very different content.
Within was a series of quite explicit photos of men caught in various intimate acts. My shock was beyond words and I felt sick to my stomach. I quickly hid these photos, trying to devise a strategy to discuss this with my husband.
This incident, I would say, was the penultimate blow to our already crumbling marriage.
18. A Lighthearted Find
My husband died unexpectedly. I never got around to cleaning under our bed. I was aware that he used that space to keep a bunch of books and other stuff. I, alone, couldn't move the bed and didn't feel compelled to either. Then, three years later, I finally decided to take on the task.
During the clean-up, I stumbled upon a discarded cardboard shell of a videotape, minus the actual tape. The subject of the tape was adult-themed, which didn't bother me one bit.
Interestingly enough, the leading lady featured on the cover of this tape was none other than Stormy Daniels. I had a good laugh when I saw this. It felt like my husband was pulling a prank on me from beyond, maintaining the playful humor that was common in our relationship.
19. Searching For An ID
My ex had a habit of manipulating me without my realizing it—I only understood this years later during therapy. One day he claimed he'd lost his ID. When we couldn't find it after a thorough search, he blamed me, which was pure madness.
He used this baseless accusation as a reason to go through my belongings. Despite having nothing to hide, I found this intrusion unsettling. He haphazardly dismantled photo frames, emptied drawers, and broke some of my items in his recklessness. I pleaded with him to stop, trying to reassure him that I never took his ID, but he continued until my side of the room was a chaotic mess.
He then ignored me for days and swayed our children into believing that I was deceitful. He insisted that he knew I had his ID. But a fortnight later, I made a shocking discovery. I found his ID hidden away in a box under his side of the bed—he had been hiding it all along. The havoc he wreaked, the false allegations and inducing our kids to distrust me...the reason for it all still eludes me.
Freepik,DCStudio
20. A Hidden Stash
Five years ago, I crossed paths with my husband at a rehab center. We'd both had a clean streak for a considerable period before deciding to become a couple. Having overcome our addiction and rediscovered ourselves beyond the influence of opiates, I was terrified at the thought of them reentering my life. This fear was so potent that I got a tattoo saying "do not administer opiates".
Three or more years ago, we had finally broken free from addiction and life seemed beautiful again.
However, just two months ago, a typical morning turned horrifying. As my husband still slept, I was searching for his lighter. As I picked up his jeans from the previous day, another pair of shorts fell out from inside. Secured inside these shorts was a small bag—and the sight nearly stopped my heart.
I untied the bag and the all-too-familiar orange color inside struck me like a punch. I let out a scream that seemed to echo the trauma of my heart being ripped out while still beating. Everything I'd built and known, my reality—it was shattered in under half a minute. The cruellest twist of illusion.
My life as I knew—my daily experiences, my perceptions, my joy and my love—felt stolen away. I couldn't believe it was possible. I thought he might make other mistakes, but not this one. This possibility had never crossed my mind. And if anyone had hinted at this a year ago, I would've staked my whole life on its implausibility. Sadly, it seems, I would've lost that bet.
Freepik, 8photo
21. Curious About A Plane Crash
A woman I know tied the knot quite early due to an unplanned pregnancy during her college years. She'd married a military pilot who tragically lost his life in an unexpected plane crash, which left her to singlehandedly bring up their three sons.
Choosing not to marry again, she held onto his personal effects, like clothing, military documents, and other personal belongings. She left these possessions undisturbed for three decades until she decided to sell their home.
While sorting through his old papers, she unravelled a surprising secret—she found love letters from a male friend of her late husband, who she knew nothing about. Documents showed that her late husband had taken time off and had spent this time with his undisclosed boyfriend instead of with her and their children.
Now she speculates if he could possibly have staged his death to spend his life with his hidden lover, a move that would have been deeply unacceptable in the conservative, military family context of the 1970s.
22. Humble Hero
When my father passed away, my mother discovered a collection of his awards and recognitions from his time in the United States Air Force. We were unaware of his long service of over 20 years and his many accomplishments until we began to sort through his personal items.
He had been honored with two highly prestigious medals. One of these was the Distinguished Flying Cross, which he received for leading a victorious mission over Vietnam despite intense enemy fire. Furthermore, he had an array of high-ranking ribbons that were awarded for his other successful missions.
We were blindsided by these accolades because he never chose to share them.
23. Secret Collection
Back in 2012, my then-boyfriend, now husband, moved into my mother's home. He brought along a small black box from his old bedroom and made me promise not to peek inside.
The moment he was out the door for work, my curiosity got the better of me. Guess what? It was packed with Yu-Gi-Oh cards!
Wikimedia Commons, Timothy Tsui
24. That’ll Cause Some Trust Issues
I stumbled upon a packet of so-called "female Viagra"—nearly all used up. But get this—he's been covertly slipping it into my food and drinks, hoping to increase my desire for him. The man's heavily into alcohol and narcissism is his second name. After confronting him, we've parted ways now.
25. Sketchy Locker
My dearly departed husband used to work as a mailman. After his passing, I was handed a box with all the contents of his work locker. As I sifted through it, I stumbled upon something perplexing.
Hidden among his things was a box of condoms. We were happily married for 15 years and a couple for a near 19 years when he left us. He had undergone a vasectomy before even our paths crossed, so I was baffled as to why he needed condoms. What added to my confusion was his past affair while still married to his former wife. These disturbing revelations made me question if he was unfaithful during our marriage too.
26. What Else Are Nightstands For?
The other day, my ex-girlfriend accidentally left her handbag open, revealing her pay slip. I couldn't help but glimpse at it. To my surprise, I discovered that her earnings were much greater than what she'd been sharing with me. Put simply, she wasn't contributing her fair share. She had even opened a savings account with her mom! Needless to say, I broke things off with her within a week.
27. This Anniversary Gift Backfired
My wife once came upon a shoebox after we tied the knot when our belongings combined. Surprisingly, I had more items than her, some of which remained packed up in boxes that hadn't been touched for a long while. For our first anniversary, I gifted her a Beretta handgun.
Fast forward a few years, she's going through these forgotten boxes and stumbles across a shoebox. Inside are old snaps of all my past loves from my teenage years, along with their letters to me. These memorabilia had fallen off my radar; I hadn't gone through them since before we got together.
One fine morning, I wake up to find the shoebox on her dresser, with a note stuck to the mirror on top of it. It simply said: “Please get rid of these," pointing to the box. Being known for my playful nature, it sparked an idea.
I took all the pictures and heartfelt letters out of the box, spread them out, and arranged the photos facing the room with the letters placed underneath. Her dresser was transformed into a makeshift shrine. The next morning, to my amusement, I found all the memorabilia neatly folded, face down atop the shoebox.
This time, however, the Beretta was resting on this stack with another note attached. It said, “No, seriously, please get rid of these!” And so, it was the end of the road for the shoebox and its contents. We're now 38 years into our marriage and we continue to share laughs about our little pranks and responses.
28. Why Would You Lie?
During our marriage, I nudged my husband towards obtaining US citizenship, but he never seemed interested. He thought that he didn't need it and even accused me of selling out when I got mine. Instead, he chose to work in his home country, making brief trips back to the US every quarter.
Unfortunately, he had a serious car accident while abroad and had to be rushed back to the US for emergency treatment. For three months, he was confined to the hospital, followed by a stint in rehab. Still determined to continue working overseas, I once more suggested he become an American citizen. This would be beneficial for his work as an ex-pat.
Yet, he remained unyielding and didn't heed my advice. Eventually, our relationship suffered from the distance, and I ended up filing for divorce. When I started to collect his personal belongings for him to claim, I made a shocking discovery. Hidden among his papers were application documents for US naturalization. As it turned out, he'd applied for it before he first went overseas for work.
This revelation was a complete surprise, a startling find in his stash of files.
29. It’s Strictly Protocol
Guess what, I discovered birth control! We've never really used any before so I was pretty upset. Later, I found out these were part of his military medic kit! Relax, I made sure his statement checks out. He had to demonstrate to me the list of mandatory contents in his kit for overseas deployments.
I didn't bother questioning whether he used any during his deployment, it's probably better for me not to know.
30. That Might Affect The Monthly Budget
When I was tidying up after my husband's passing, I stumbled upon some legal documents. It turns out he'd been sued a year into our marriage. The amount wasn't astronomical, but given our financial situation at the time, it would have been significant for us.
He quietly settled the debt without my knowledge, thanks to a very affordable payment plan. I wasn't upset when I discovered it, just taken aback. Even though we didn't have an abundance of money when we got married, we were good stewards of what we did have. I suppose he didn't want this financial speed bump to burst the blissful bubble of our newlywed life.
31. Talk About A Missed Red Flag
Not long after my wife disappeared in the darkness without a whisper or even a hint of discontent, I was lost for words. As far as I was aware, everything between us was smooth. We didn't argue, there wasn't any violence, no substance abuse, we were intimate, and we enjoyed the same hobbies.
As I sifted through the miscellaneous items she'd left behind, I stumbled upon something that sent chills up my spine: a ragged straw doll that seemed like a leftover Halloween prop. The doll was dressed up creepy, with a picture of my face pasted on it, the eyes masked with grey tape, and a barbecue-style skewer stabbed right into where its heart would be.
I haven't spoken to her or crossed paths with her since that night, and, to this day, the very thought of it all gives me goosebumps.
32. Stumbling Upon A New Family Member
My spouse tragically left us at just 49 due to an aortic aneurysm. In the ensuing week, my eldest daughter was by my side, helping to sort through some belongings that she knew I couldn't manage by myself. There was a memorable afternoon a few days into the tidy up when an unexpected shout echoed through the house.
That's when she stumbled upon his secret—it was a "pet" safely tucked away in a compact plastic terrarium stashed in the garage...a black widow spider. The rest of the family, it's fair to say, have quite the fear of spiders.
33. Now That’s Creative
One day, after my (now former) spouse returned from the Rhodesian Bush Conflict, I discovered women's underwear hiding in his suitcase. Unsurprisingly, I questioned him about it and he provided a lamentable explanation.
His story was that they were the newest trend in men's undergarments. So, I made him stick to that story and wear them for a solid ten-day span, requiring him to clean them nightly. However, one day he arrived home without the controversial undergarments, claiming they had ripped. From that moment forward, I never had an ounce of faith in his words again.
34. Collecting The Little Things
I was so surprised when I discovered that my fiancé had saved an empty cologne bottle that an old girlfriend had once given to me! My fiancé shared that she held on to the bottle just because it was a keepsake of mine—not because it was a gift from another woman.
She even saved a silver button from my beloved shirt that had seen better days.
Freepik, KamranAydinov
35. Awkward Silence
Soon after my husband and I tied the knot, he encouraged me to take a look at some of his personal diaries. So, one day, I decided to do just that. He'd previously mentioned that he had two adult children from his first marriage. However, as I was reading his journals, I found references to two additional young children from a second marriage.
Feeling confused and curious, I picked up the phone and dialed his work number to ask him about how many kids he truly had. He didn't give a response. At that moment, I felt as though I had said 'I do' to someone I hardly knew.
36. Why Would You Keep That In Your Car?
As I sat in the car with my significant other's two children, patiently waiting while he dashed inside a shop for a quick errand, I idly flipped open the glove compartment. There, a pile of letters fell out, all addressed to him but at a different apartment—certainly not ours. That's when I discovered his dirty little secret.
To my absolute shock, I discovered he was not just cheating, but he had set up an entirely separate living space for his secret love life. The challenge to keep my composure was overwhelming when he climbed back into the car.
37. Not A Great Moment To Capture
At the age of 20, I'd been married for a short while to a man eight years my senior. He had started acting standoffish and no matter how much I tried to talk to him about our relationship, it seemed pointless. I had a hunch that something wasn't right, so I began snooping through his belongings hoping to discover what was off.
There, hidden in his sock drawer, was an envelope filled with photos that made my stomach churn. The images showed him and my sister together in a hotel room—he was wearing nothing but underwear. He even snapped a selfie with her! This was a shock I hadn't expected to uncover.
38. A Hidden Talent
I stumbled upon some stunning pictures: Glimpses of wildlife, images of his puppies frolicking, and breathtaking landscapes. He captured these memories with his camera, now carefully tucked away in the same cabinet where we store important documents such as passports and birth certificates. There's no denying the sentimental value they hold. While he has never directly shown me these pictures, he is aware that I've had a look at them.
What really surprises me is he possesses a natural knack for photography and yet, the trusty camera stays hidden away. These days, he just relies on his phone to snap photos. Guess it's the demands of family life that changed things.
39. A Diary Confession
After my fiancé's passing, I sought any signs that he may have written a will in the recent days. I decided to leaf through his diary for any clues. He was certainly autistic, so the exhaustive account of everyday trivia, stretching back to when he was seven, did not take me by surprise.
In one of his latest entries, I stumbled upon a revelation: he had been engaging in intimate relationships with both men and women during the entire span of our relationship. The majority, however, were men. He had never disclosed to me that he was bisexual. There was absolutely no suggestion of it.
Freepik, yanalya
40. Betrayed by Technology
We've always been a solid Android household. One day though, my wife shared a surprising revelation—she was struggling to get the hang of her Android. To her, an iPhone seemed a lot simpler to use, despite the fact that it stubbornly resisted pairing up with our home WiFi, printers, and assorted smart devices. We didn't hold it against her, and helped get her iPhone up and running.
41. A Memory You Might Want To Forget
I happened upon a mangled piece of metal and just couldn't figure out what it was. Trying to make sense of it, I flipped it over and back again, puzzled about its existence in my partner's possession. When he came home, I questioned him about it.
Turns out, it was a bullet that had been shot towards him, ending up lodged in his car's light bar. My partner was no ordinary citizen; he served as a police officer in a significant Californian city. One typical evening, while responding to a break-in, he found himself a target in a dimly-lit alleyway.
For reasons I genuinely don't grasp, he wanted to discard this distorted piece of metal I discovered. He wished to never lay his eyes on it again. Yet, I've kept it with me, until now.
42. We Need A Fact Check On This
One day, I opened the veggie drawer in our cooler and found it stuffed with batteries. He's convinced chilling batteries helps them last longer. My hope is to gradually get him to see that this applies to lettuce too.
43. A Sketchy Matchmaker
In my inbox, there was a message from an old boss who we'd left behind when we relocated to Europe.
He and his mum were setting up a visit, and his mom was playing matchmaker for her newly single son who hadn't quite grown up. She was eyeing my partner, guessing we were on the rocks.
And then, boom—they connected.
44. That’s A Good Campfire Story
My husband had to take out a couple of steps for some small fix-ups. This gave him his first peek at what was hiding under our deck. Much to his astonishment, he discovered a tombstone belonging to a two-year-old boy named Johan, who tragically lost his life back in 1862.
This tombstone, it seemed, was pilfered by the son of the home's former occupant, along with a few accomplices, from an historic graveyard in the town next door. The earlier homeowners didn’t bother to relocate it while setting up the deck. The local history buffs had spent quite some time searching for it.
45. A Painful Discovery
I found something quite startling among my wife's belongings: an unusual blanket stained with blood. I took some time to investigate the matter. When I was about to give up, a memory struck me. My wife had a high school friend who now resides in Alabama.
Thanks to my fantastic relationship with her brother, I managed to reach out to the friend. She disclosed a heart-breaking truth to me: the bloody blanket belonged to her first child, who tragically passed away in a car accident.
Naturally, I didn't fault my wife for keeping this from me. I can't think of a greater agony than a parent grieving their child. It slowly unfurled that my spouse's ex-boyfriend had assaulted her, leading to an unexpected pregnancy. Despite this adversity, she fell in love with her unborn child, deciding to keep them. However, a devastating accident occurred.
I can only imagine the depth of my wife's pain.
46. Oh, That Actually Makes Sense
My significant other is a police officer, and there were a few times when he brought his detective car home. One day, he was retrieving something from the car trunk when I spotted a box of menstrual pads there. Unusual as it seemed, he explained that they were for soaking up blood effectively—they're an emergency stopgap to manage wounds before medical help gets there.
47. What Else Are Nightstands For?
After my ex-husband and I split up, he wound up with one of our specially made nightstands, while I took the other. Later on, I ended up buying the matching piece from him. A few years later though, I couldn't get the drawer to shut, so I took it out.
Stuck beneath the drawer was a poor performance review and a peculiar mail-order catalog that sold various "magic" candles, enchantments, and other items related to witchcraft. Strange, right?
48. A Disturbing Diagnosis
When my spouse succumbed to cancer back in 2017, I found a hidden letter while clearing out his office. This letter was from his oncologist. As soon as I started reading it, I couldn't help but cry. The letter revealed that his prognosis was terminal with an estimated life expectancy of four to six months. Before this, I was completely unaware that his condition was terminal.
My spouse never discussed this letter or his grim diagnosis. The date on the letter was November 2016. Unfortunately, his health severely declined with liver failure setting in on April 9, 2017. He passed away a month and a half later, on May 26, 2017.
