Mark had always thought that his family was strong. His only daughter Emma, who just turned 18, has been the center of his and Sarah’s life for many years. Mark had always been proud of being a loving dad who was Emma’s guide through childhood and helped her get ready for adulthood. But Sarah recently told him something shocking that turned his whole world upside down and made him make a very hard choice.

Mark told us his story.

Mark said “Hello” at the beginning of his letter. It’s crazy to think that I’d be here, questioning everything I thought I knew about my family. Sarah and I have been married for 19 years, and our daughter Emma has always been the most important thing to us. She turned 18 not long ago, and we were excited to see her start her journey into adulthood, full of hope and possibilities.

I’ve always had a good relationship with Sarah. Over the years, we’ve had our fair share of problems, but we’ve always worked through them together. That’s why, when Sarah walked up to me with a serious face, I had no idea what she was about to say. I told her she had to tell me something she had been keeping from me for a long time.

Sarah, his wife, told him something he didn’t expect.

Mark went on, “Sarah admitted that Emma isn’t biologically mine.” She told me that she cheated on me with her ex-boyfriend before we got married and didn’t find out she was pregnant until after we were married. She chose to hide it because she was scared and confused at the time and hoped no one would find out.

Sarah promised me that she never talked to her ex-boyfriend again. But I was broken, so I asked her, “Why are you telling me this now?” She told me that she wasn’t going to tell me ever, but something made her say it now.

“Her biological father died,” she told me. A few weeks ago, Sarah got a letter from the lawyer for her ex-boyfriend. According to the letter, the lawyer’s ex-husband had just recently learned about Emma and had planned to leave a large inheritance to both Sarah and Emma before he died. He wanted to make sure Emma was taken care of even though he had nothing to do with her life.

Mark was hurt and confused all at the same time.

Mark said, “It felt like my whole world fell apart when Sarah finally told me the truth.” I thought Emma was my daughter in every way for 18 years. I was there for all of her big moments, like when she took her first steps and her first day of school. I even taught her how to drive. It was terrible to find out all of a sudden that she isn’t biologically mine.

Sarah told them that she could no longer keep this a secret because it involved an inheritance. She told us we had to face the truth and decide what to do next. I didn’t know what to say, though. I was so angry, hurt, and confused that I couldn’t think straight. I felt like leaving everything to get away from the pain. In my heart, I knew that Emma was still the same girl I had raised and loved for 18 years. That could not be changed by anything.

Mark made the choice to take Emma out of his will.

Mark went on, “In the days that followed, I began to doubt everything.” What did Sarah do to hide this from me? Is this going to change the way I know Emma? I know she’s not my biological daughter, but she’s my daughter in every other way. Even so, the hurt felt too strong to conceal. I had to make the hard choice to take Emma out of my will because I thought that she would be financially secure with the money from her biological father.

I knew it wasn’t about the money, though, even as I made my choice. It was about how trust had been broken and how the life I thought I knew seemed like a dream all of a sudden. Sarah says she did what she thought was right at the time, but I really think she feels very bad about it. But now I’m not sure if I can ever really get over this and rebuild the trust that was broken.

Mark has a lot of different feelings about his daughter right now.

Mark said, “Emma still doesn’t know the whole story, and I’m not sure if I should tell her or not.” I don’t want to put this on her right before she starts her own life because she’s almost an adult. Though, I believe she has the right to know the truth, even if it’s painful.

I don’t know what to do next. Did I make the right choice, or am I letting my feelings get in the way of my thinking? What should I do?”

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