Everyone has small secrets, others so powerful they could change their world. In this article, we share 10 stories that reveal the hidden struggles, suprising truths, and untold moments from people’s lives.

Story 1: 

As newlyweds, we met another young couple, and we became close friends. Then, suddenly, they stopped taking our calls. My husband said, “Let it go, honey.” 3 years later, I saw the wife at the bank. I confronted her. She became pale and said, “We saw on the news that your husband had robbed his employer. We didn’t want to be associated with you anymore.”

Seeing my confusion, she took out her phone and showed me a video. I watched my husband getting arrested at his workplace, and a reporter explained how he had stolen $170k from his workplace. I was in sh0ck.

Memories from the past flooded back. I remembered the strange month when my husband had been gone without a word, claiming later that we had “separated” temporarily. It all started to make sense. During that time, he had been arrested and was dealing with legal trouble.

As it turns out, his boss—kind and merciful—had decided to drop the charges, allowing my husband to avoid jail. Shortly after, he came back home as if nothing had happened. That explained why he had suddenly lost his job and why we moved to another state for some time.

What still shocks me to this day is how he managed to keep all of this a secret from me. How did I not see it? How could he hide something so big?

Story 2: 

I found out while building an Ancestry.com family tree that my deceased father-in-law was married to another woman in another state when my wife was born. He divorced her and married my mother-in-law within a month of my wife’s birth. They were married for over 40 years until his death. I’m 100% certain my wife doesn’t know this, and 99% certain my mother-in-law doesn’t either. © Jealous-Network1899 / Reddit

Story 3:

Story 4: 

My grandmother allegedly had an aff:a:ir with her sister’s husband and ended up pregnant. She had the baby, left her with a family member, and a couple of weeks later, the baby di:ed.

I’ll never know what actually happened. When my grandma was still alive, I asked her about it directly. She didn’t give me a straight answer—she just danced around it. It would make sense, though, considering she and that sister had a very adversarial relationship. I was told this by their brother, who happened to be schizophrenic, so who knows what the truth is. © ItsAboutTime125 / Reddit

Story 5:

Through a DNA service, I was contacted by someone claiming to be my first cousin, but I didn’t recognize the name. It turns out this cousin was put up for adoption at birth years ago by my aunt. My aunt had only confided in my mother, who told me after I started digging to figure out how we were related. Now, my aunt is horrified that I found out about her child and avoids me at all costs during family gatherings. © never_mind_its_me / Reddit

Story 6: 

Story 7:

My mum earns six figures, yet she’s a mistress for a millionaire. I’ve known for over 10 years. He regularly deposits money into her account—drips of a few thousand a month.

He has bought my grandparents things and even bought me things. I pretend he’s just a great and generous family friend, but I know she’s having an affair for cash. It’s not even like she needs the money. It’s wild. © inkvision / Reddit

Story 8: 

My mom gave birth on the floor of her apartment. I used to think it was because it happened so fast—that’s what she always said. I recently learned it was because she was in denial about being pregnant and never received any prenatal care. She denied it right up until the baby was literally coming out of her. © Over_The_Influencer / Reddit

Story 9: 

My brother had a:n affa:ir with one of my friend’s mums.

She used to give him a lift to work when he was 18 years old. This went on for over six months. She ended up getting obsessed with him, and he blocked her on all social media and his phone, basically burying his head in the sand. Her husband is a huge, intimidating guy, and her son is a lifelong friend of mine.

None of them know. My brother only told me because she, seemingly, didn’t tell anyone. It’s pretty weird carrying such a heavy secret. © kicksjoysharkness / Reddit

Story 10: 

Story 11: 

I learned from my best friend that my cousin (40-ish male) had an af:fa:ir with a 20-year-old girl, who is one of my friend’s friends. My cousin is engaged and has three kids with his fiancée.

I’m from a small town, and if I told someone, it wouldn’t just ruin their life—everyone would know. His mom comes from a high-standing family in the area, so it would be a complete disaster. © Valayria12 / Reddit