I've been married for 10 years and just found out my husband has a secret family

A woman has been left feeling 'completely numb' after her husband of 10 years confessed to having a secret 12-year-old daughter to another woman - and now he wants her to move in with them

A woman has been left in shock after discovering her husband of 10 years has a secret daughter from a previous relationship. The woman, who is 38 and has two children with her 42 year old husband, shared her story on Reddit.

She said she thought they were living a "normal, happy life" until one day her husband came home from work "visibly shaking". He confessed to having a 12 year old daughter from a one-night stand before they met.

The girl's mother had recently passed away and he had known about his daughter all along but kept it a secret because 'he didn't want to lose me'. He showed her emails he'd sent to his daughter's mother over the years - asking for photos, sending money, and generally checking in on them.

She said: "I was devastated but also completely numb. He'd never met the girl in person until her mother passed away."

Now, the situation has become even more complicated as the girl has no other family and he wants to bring her to live with them permanently. He said he feels it's the "right thing to do.", reports the Mirror.

The woman admitted she didn't know how to respond, torn between anger and sympathy for the child who has lost her mother and needs stability.

The woman recounted the turmoil of discovering her husband's decade-long secret. "We had a huge fight. I screamed, cried, threw things. He just kept apologising, saying he thought he was doing what was best. But I can't get past the fact that he hid something so big from me for an entire decade."

Despite the tumult, she opened her home to the innocent girl, expressing mixed feelings: "She's sweet, quiet, and totally innocent in all of this, but I feel like I'm living someone else's life. I see her every day, and all I can think is: my husband lied to me. She has his eyes, his smile, and it's like a constant reminder of his betrayal."

Her children are confused about their sudden 'sister,' and no one outside the family knows. "I haven't told anyone else - not my family, not my friends. I feel so ashamed and trapped. I don't know if I can stay with him after this, but at the same time, I feel responsible for this girl who had no choice in any of this. I'm drowning, and I don't know what to do."

Commenting on her situation, one user provided a blunt perspective: "I'd never stay married to someone who lied and hid a child for 10 years. I mean if he can lie about something this huge then what else is he lying about? " Another echoed the sentiment asking, "I wonder what else he's been lying about."

A third suggested a practical approach: "Get couples counselling before making any decisions but it's understandable to want to divorce after being lied to your whole relationship."