Reddit Stories - DECEPTION's Embrace_ The FORBIDDEN Union and Fateful BETRAYAL_

Episode Date: October 12, 2025

#redditstories #askreddit #aita #deceptionsembrace #forbiddenunion #fatefulbetrayal #storytelling #relationships  Summary: Dive into a tale of Deception's Embrace, The Forbidden Union, and Fateful Betrayal. Explore the intricate web woven by love, lies, and secrets in a gripping narrative that unfolds with unexpected twists and turns.  Tags: redditstories, askreddit, reddit, aita, tifu, deceptionsembrace, forbiddenunion, fatefulbetrayal, storytelling, relationshipsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reddit-stories--6237355/support.

I hope you enjoy this story. Father's spouse pretended that her former partner had passed away in order to wed him, but while I was on duty, I spotted him, leading me to uncover the deception and reveal her deceit. As a 34-year-old woman, I find myself in a difficult situation. Loss for words and turning to the Reddit community for help. I come from a pretty well-off background and have lived a privileged life all along. My parents always gave me everything I wanted. They were college sweethearts and had a strong, loving marriage.

When I was just eight years old, my parents got into a terrible car accident. When we found out the news, I was with my grandparents and we all rushed to the hospital. Getting outside during their surgeries was deeply traumatizing, not knowing if they would make it. Sadly, my mom didn't survive, but somehow, my dad pulled through. The guilt of living while she didn't became a daily struggle for him. In the aftermath, he struggled with his role as a parent, especially while I was dealing with the grief of losing a mom. My aunt, dad's sister, super close to him, stepped in.

She got us into therapy to navigate our issues, and that's when my dad started attending grief support groups to connect with others who had lost their loved ones to horrific accidents. In those support groups, he crossed paths with a woman named Linda, who later became my stepmother. My dad and Linda quickly became close friends, and eventually, she met me. Over time, their relationship deepened, and they started dating. They married three years later despite everyone thinking that it was too soon and have been together ever since. Right from the start, my aunt had reservations about her and expressed her concerns,

but my dad was convinced that Linda was good for him, and their connection was undeniable. Before marrying, my dad explicitly told Linda that he would be the same. sole parent responsible for me and give me any type of punishment. He didn't want her to step into the role of my mother but rather to be a responsible and dependable adult figure in my life. Fortunately, she has largely respected those boundaries and hasn't interfered much in my life. Linda had informed us that she married before, to her ex-husband, Mark, who died in a fire in their building years ago. She would always paint this picture that he was broke, and life was a constant struggle for them to make ends meet. We felt sorry for her as we knew how it felt to

lose a loved one. I looked forward to meeting my dad, and now, she's living the high life in comfort and luxury. Linda has a thing for splurging on pricey purses and shoes, regardless of the occasion. She loves being the center of attention. Over the years, Linda and I have kept things friendly. At the start, she tried to play the whole let's be friends card, but I quickly nipped that in the bud. I give her respect as much as I can for being my dad's wife, but our connection pretty much stops there. Although I wasn't suspicious, I always kept my distance. Now coming to what happened, I just finished college and landed a job with a cool tech company. The only catch is, it's on the other side of the country. Dad was pushing for me to join his company, but I really wanted

to carve my path in a tech gig, starting from scratch and learning the ropes on my own. Before I left, Linda threw a small get-together with close family and friends. It was heartwarming, but everyone seemed sad about me moving so far away. On the morning of my flight, as I shifted across the country and settled into a new city, I was both excited and nervous to live on my own for the first time and start a new chapter of my life. On my first day at the office, I was introduced to everyone. It's a huge place, mostly filled with hardcore engineers and coders. Given the nature of our work, we spend a good chunk of our time in the office itself

working into late hours of the night. About a week ago, during lunch in the office cafeteria, I noticed a guy who looked familiar. He was talking to my boss as they had lunch. The man seemed to have a familiar face, but I couldn't quite place him. I was sure that I had seen him from somewhere and thought maybe he was someone who lived in my hometown. As I was lost in thoughts, my co-worker came up to me and asked me to get ready for a presentation for a new client so I quickly wrapped up my lunch and left. As I entered the conference room, I noticed that familiar face sitting beside my boss. Our boss introduced him as a potential

client we had to present to. Everything felt a bit hazy, and I couldn't quite catch his name as I was still figuring out where I knew him from. I quickly set up the projector and got started with the presentation. Throughout the meeting, a nagging feeling persisted, like I had seen him somewhere before. The man seemed impressed and it seemed like he was ready to get on board with us. I beamed, leaving my boss and him to dive into further discussions. Once their discussion was done, I saw the man heading for the elevators. I couldn't shake off the feeling, so I followed him, and we ended up in the same elevator. He noticed me and smiled politely. I didn't want to see me. I didn't want to seem like a stalker, so I casually mentioned how he looked familiar to me. He looked

at me inquisitively and I asked him if he was from my hometown, but he shook his head. He asked my name and told me that he had never known anyone by my last name. I realized there was no connection, so I let it be, awkwardly shook his hand again, and thanked him for choosing our company for his project. Later during our team meetings, my boss informed us that this new client we had onboarded was this self-made tech guy who needed our help to polish up his app. His name was Mark in the app we are supposed to design is going to revolutionize recyclable waste management. When I heard the name, my stomach dropped. It suddenly clicked why I thought he looked so familiar to me. It's because I had seen his photo on one of my stepmother's albums. I vividly recalled the

day when my stepmother and dad were out, and like any other curious kid, I found myself rummaging through everyone's stuff in our house. I found a photo album tucked deep into a drawer and realized from the photos that it belonged to my stepmother. I was casually flipping through the pages, oddly looking at her pictures, when I stumbled into a picture of Linda standing with a man. They looked at the camera, smiling, dressed in winter clothes, standing in front of a Christmas tree. The festive backdrop added a touch of warmth to the scene. I never directly asked Linda about the man in the photo, but I had pretty much figured it might be someone from her past. Back then, it was just a peek into Linda's past, nothing significant. Little did I know, this seemingly innocent image would soon collide

with my present, sparking a flurry of questions and revelations about the man I encountered at work. My thoughts raced, drawing connections between the client I knew and Linda's supposedly late ex-husband from her history. I was confused as to how Mark was still alive when Linda told us that he had passed away years ago. I felt lost, unsure of what to do, and talking to Linda about it seemed out of the question. If she had been lying about her ex-husband all this time, there was no way she would suddenly come clean. I needed solid proof before confronting her, confirmation that the man, who is our client currently, is indeed the same person, Mark. Since the revelation, I have been sticking close to my boss during meetings with Mark,

hoping for a chance to talk to him privately and dig deeper for the truth. Today, with my boss on medical leave, it felt like the perfect opportunity to talk with Mark. We got done with our meeting and I asked Mark if he wanted to have lunch with me at our office cafeteria. He agreed and we went down for lunch. We talked about our work and our conversation slowly drifted to family. I shared with him that my mother had passed away when I was young. Mark looked sympathetic, his expression reflecting a mix of understanding and compassion. I then eased into the conversation, mentioning that my father was married to a woman named Linda. Mark's reaction was noticeable, he went really quiet and looked up to see me like he was trying

to process what I just said. The revelation seemed to hit him like a sudden gust of wind, catching him off guard. His brows furrowed slightly, and he took a moment to process the unexpected news. Looking at his reaction, I asked him if he knew her and he slowly nodded. He asked me to show him a picture of her and when I did, he gasped in surprise. I started talking about Linda's version of his past, the fire, financial struggles, and his apparent demise. The initial furrowed brows deepened into a more pronounced look of disbelief. I could see the gears turning in his mind as he struggled to process the narrative I was laying out.

Mark then went on to share his story. He spoke about being married to a woman named Sarah and how they enjoyed two beautiful years together. Sadly, Sarah's life ended in a skiing incident during a vacation. The loss threw Mark into a deep despair. At the suggestion of a friend, he joined a grief-counseling group in his community to cope with the pain. It was within this group that Mark crossed paths with Linda. She shared a heartbreaking story of losing her husband to a tragic incident, a shooting in her neighborhood. The camaraderie in the grief support group provided solace, assuring Mark that others, like him, were navigating the heavy grief of losing their spouses. Over time, Mark and Linda became friends as they found comfort in each other's company.

Mark entered into marriage with Linda one year later, hopeful that this could be his second shot at happiness. Things went well initially, but one day. while discussing his will, trouble brood. Mark shared that in the event of his death, his house would go to his brother's children. Linda became quite upset, questioning why he hadn't designated the house to go to her. Mark explained that it was a family home, and he intended to keep it within the family, ensuring she would be financially cared for throughout her life with his savings account money. She asked him about his life insurance money and he disclosed that he had put his brother as his nominee. This sparked a huge.

huge fight, with Linda adamant that she deserved the house and the money. After that clash, Mark and Linda's relationship took a nosedive. She started picking fights over trivial matters and even accusing him of infidelity without any proof. The conflicts escalated to the point where they both found it unbearable. Unable to sustain their relationship, they eventually reached a mutual decision to divorce as it became clear that things weren't working out between them. But to Mark's shock during the divorce proceedings, Linda did a complete turnaround. She accused Mark of financially abusing her throughout their marriage to exert control over her. Linda, being younger than Mark, managed to make this story seem believable, casting a shadow

over his reputation. As the divorce unfolded, Linda's false stories took a toll on Mark's life. Her accusations not only damaged his standing but also had a ripple effect, affecting his relationships with his friends and family. Following his lawyer's advice, Mark had to pay a substantial alimony payment to Linda so she would not continue to tarnish his character publicly. Since then, Linda had seemingly disappeared from his life, and today was the first time Mark had any news of her. Listening to his story left me in shock. Mark's revelations painted a dark picture of Linda's actions, a calculated scheme of deceit and manipulation.

As our conversation unfolded, it became apparent that Linda had meticulously crafted a fabricated tragedy, falsely claiming Mark's demise in a non-existent fire. This sinister plot allowed her to integrate into yet another grief-counseling group, potentially targeting her next victim. The scheme aimed to garner sympathy, portraying her as a grieving widow burdened by a tragedy she had invented. Sadly, my father had fallen prey to her convincing, After our lunch together, I assured Mark that I would uncover the truth about Linda's deceit.

I have spent the whole day mulling over the details and trying to figure out my next steps. Even now, as I am writing this, I still can't shake off the disbelief and anger simmering within me. It is astonishing to realize how seamlessly she has woven herself into the fabric of our lives, all for the purpose of financially benefiting from my father. On the one hand, I feel conflicted that my father seems genuinely happy with Linda, and I am unsure how to break the news to him as it can potentially hurt him. On the other hand, I know that Linda knowingly joins grief support groups to find vulnerable individuals she can target and manipulate. The fact that she lied about her husband's death in a building fire to gain our sympathy and trust adds another layer to her deceit. I feel conflicted as to how I should proceed further.

Will I be in a whole if I tell my father the truth and confront Linda about her past? Update 1, taking everyone's advice, I chose to confide in my aunt about the situation. I needed another adult to believe my story before confronting my dad. Not wanting to take a leave from work as I have just joined the company, I invited my aunt, Hilda, to visit me here. She flew here last night and was overjoyed to see me. I had planned to take her out for breakfast and I had invited her. I wanted Mark also. I wanted her to hear the whole story from Mark. I was shaking in anticipation as I drove her to the cafe. When we entered the cafe, Mark was already there waiting for us.

I walked up to him with my aunt behind me who looked at him and gave me a curious look. I told her there that we needed to discuss something with her, and concern flashed across her face. After placing our orders, I turned to my aunt, revealing that this was Mark, Linda's ex-husband. Mark politely smiled, and my aunt looked at him in disbelief. I asked Hilda if she had ever seen Linda's ex-husband in pictures and she shook her head. I told her that I had when I had gone through Linda's photo album. Although my aunt didn't know what Mark looked like, she knew that Mark was supposed to be dead so she looked at him in shock.

Mark then showed her pictures of him and Linda on their wedding day, honeymoon, and other events. He went on to explain how Linda had deceived him into marriage and eventually. when she discovered he was unwilling to give her any of his properties or life insurance, they ended up in a bitter fight, leading to their divorce. Mark revealed how Linda had almost ruined his life by spreading lies to his friends and family. She only agreed to vanish from his life after he agreed to pay a substantial amount of money as alimony. My aunt was in total shock the entire time. I then explained to her how Linda purposefully joined grief support groups,

seeking out vulnerable individuals to exploit, especially those who are wealthy widows. She then befriends them and marries them in the hopes of securing a hefty inheritance. Hilda, still in disbelief, bombarded Mark with questions, digging for more details about Linda. Each answer seemed to deepen her shock. As Mark continued revealing Linda's deceitful actions, my aunt's disbelief transformed into a mix of concern and outrage. Hilda looked at me and emphasized that we needed to talk to my dad about this as soon as possible. She stressed the importance of revealing the truth to him before the situations spiraled further

out of control. She was afraid that Linda might put my dad through the same fate as Mark. Mark agreed with her and warned us that Linda was capable enough to do this when it came to matters of money. I nodded solemnly, finding solace in the fact that my aunt now knew the truth and we could together reveal the truth about Linda. Mark and Hilda exchanged numbers so Mark could send her his pictures with Linda. With these photos in hand, my aunt and I felt a sense of empowerment as we now had proof to show my dad and the rest of our family. As we left the cafe, there was an unspoken understanding between Mark, my aunt, and me a shared

determination to untangle the deceit woven by Linda and protect others from further harm. Since returning home, my aunt and I have been trying to figure out. how and when to break this news to my dad. We don't want to confront him in front of Linda as we don't trust her anymore. It remains to be seen what we do next. Update 2, we finally disclosed everything about Linda to my dad this Thanksgiving. I was determined to be with my dad when we revealed the truth to him as I didn't want to talk about this on the phone. Taking a break from work during Thanksgiving, I flew back home for our yearly family gathering and celebration. Upon my arrival, adorned with festive decorations, and Linda welcomed me in. This marked my first encounter with

her since learning about her past. I awkwardly smiled at her and hurried to greet my dad. It had been a while since I saw him and I realized just how much I missed him. The family gathered for Thanksgiving dinner and we all had a wonderful time together. I was with my dad and I kept exchanging glances, uncertain about finding the right moment to address the challenging topic with my dad privately. The next morning, I took my dad out for lunch, using the pretext of discussing my ongoing projects. Knowing Linda's disinterest in work-related discussions, I was confident she would not join us. My dad seemed surprised when Hilda joined us for lunch, thinking I had invited him alone. Without wasting much time during lunch, Hilda started to ask him if he had ever

investigated Linda's past. My dad stared at her blankly and said he had never done that. I then showed my dad pictures of Mark and Linda, asking him if he recognized the man. He nodded, saying it was Mark, Linda's ex-husband who had passed away. I went on to tell him that Mark was indeed alive and that I had met him at work. My dad looked at me surprised as I went on to explain that Mark was never dead. Linda had divorced him after finding out he wasn't going to transfer any of his properties to her after his demise. In the process of their divorce, she had tried her best to ruin his reputation. among his family and friends.

My dad leaned back, processing the unexpected revelation. After a moment of silence, he looked at me and asked, how did you find out about all this, and why didn't Linda tell me the truth? I took a deep breath, explaining my unexpected encounter with Mark at work. I told him how Mark came into my workplace one day as a potential client which eventually led me to confront him. Mark had no idea Linda was my stepmother, and he was as surprised as we were when I told told him about the false story Linda had told us, claiming he died in a building fire.

The expression on my dad's face shifted from surprise to a mix of shock and realization. He seemed torn between the truth I presented and the years he had spent believing Linda's fabricated stories. He started asking more questions about Mark and Linda's past, trying to understand the extent of the deception. My aunt, Hilda, interjected, explaining that Linda had manipulated Mark by meeting him at a grief support group and claiming her last husband died in a shooting accident. She had then married him to financially exploit him during their marriage. Hilda emphasized that my dad needed to recognize the severity of Linda's actions and think about the next course of action. As the weight of the situation settled in,

my dad looked confused and betrayed. I felt bad for breaking my dad's heart. He admitted that he felt blindsided by Linda's deceit and was struggling to accept our version of the truth when he was told something entirely different by Linda. As our last resort, we then decided to FaceTime Mark so he could directly talk with my dad and help sort out any further confusion. Initially hesitant, my dad eventually agreed. Mark and my dad engaged in a lengthy, detailed discussion about Linda. As the conversation unfolded, my dad was compelled to confront the reality that Linda had been deceiving us for all these years. The weight of the truth finally settled on him, and it was evident that this revelation had shattered the image he held of Linda.

He was white as a sheet and was struggling to comprehend the extent of Linda's lies. Amid the revelation, my aunt, Hilda, did her best to comfort him, understanding his profound shock at discovering the truth. I asked my dad to take his time and come up with a plan for what he wanted to do next. I assured him that both my aunt and I were there to support him through whatever decisions he needed to make in the aftermath of this shocking revelation. The gravity of Linda's deception weighs heavily on us all, and the path forward remains uncertain, but my dad's well-being remains my top priority. I will make sure to stand by dad and support him in any way I can and hopefully, Linda doesn't get to continue manipulating and hurting our

family. Together, we will navigate this challenging situation and ensure that my dad finds the clarity and resolution he needs for the next chapter of his life. Update 3. It's been two months since my last update and a lot has happened since then. First of all, following the truth bomb, my dad confronted Linda, leading to a heated despite her persistent lies, my dad presented evidence, including pictures of their marriage. He then told her that Mark had met me at work and told me everything about their marriage. Linda cornered, finally conceded defeat. overwhelmed by guilt, she came clean about her lies, laying bare the extent of her schemes.

My dad asked her to immediately get out of our house much to my surprise. This was the first time I had seen my dad raise his voice. Linda, visibly shaken, shot an angry glance at me, seemingly blaming me for exposing her past. I felt no sympathy for her, after all, I owed her nothing. Taking a firm stance, my dad decided to file a while. for divorce and initiated discussions with his attorney. Initially, when he parted ways with Linda, my dad was not the same. He was sad and shattered. Luckily, we are a close-knit family,

and everyone rallied around him, offering us support during this tough period. The revelation about Linda's deceit left everyone as stunned as we were. Despite Linda's attempts to reach my dad, he blocked her on all fronts. I was pretty sure she wouldn't dare to message me, given that I exposed her truth. Today, I see my dad going through a tough time, but I am also glad he's separating from that awful woman. I genuinely hope he finds healing and moves on to better days after this tough chapter. Amidst all this, my bond with my dad has grown stronger. We share our thoughts and feelings more openly now, helping each other navigate the emotional aftermath of Linda's deception. It's clear that the healing process is slowly happening, and we will take some time,

eventually move past this obstacle together, leaving the shadows of the past behind.