I remember that night clearly. I came home, tired after a long day, and slipped quietly into bed beside my husband. But when he woke up and turned to look at me, it wasn’t his face I saw—it was the face of a stranger. And that stranger had a shocking secret to reveal, something I never wanted to believe.
It all started weeks earlier, when I got a strange phone call out of the blue. “You’re my grandfather?” I whispered into the phone, feeling like I was in some kind of dream. I had no family left—my mom had died from cancer years ago, and my maternal grandparents had passed away when she was just a little girl.
I didn’t even know my father. Mom said he disappeared the moment he found out she was pregnant with me. Because of all this, I’d never had good relationships with men.
But now, this stranger claimed he was my grandfather. He said he found me thanks to one of those DNA testing kits—something I had done just to learn about my health history. And now, out of nowhere, I had family.
He lived in another town and even paid for my plane ticket to come meet him. When I arrived, he greeted me warmly, “Hello, Lucy. I’m Zachary Gaines. It’s very nice to meet you.”
I was curious but nervous. “It’s nice to meet you too,” I said, my voice shaky. “I don’t usually do small talk… but can you tell me why my father left my mom when she was pregnant?”
Zachary sighed deeply and began to tell me a story that sounded almost too painful to be true. “My son, Peter, didn’t abandon you,” he said gently. “He was on a business trip for months. When he returned, he told us he had fallen in love and was getting married. We were so happy he was settling down.”
Then his voice cracked. “But the next day, he was in a terrible car accident and died. He never told us about your mother, and his phone was destroyed in the crash. We had no way to reach you.” Tears rolled down his cheeks.
Zachary shared stories about Peter—my father—and invited me to move to his town. He ran a publishing company and wanted me to work with him. After so many lonely years, I accepted. I was eager to finally have a family.
Months passed, and my grandfather’s health started to decline. We hired Mary, a kind woman, to be his live-in caretaker. Mary introduced me to her friend, Alex, and from the moment I met him, we connected. He was handsome, caring, and seemed to genuinely love me.
Our relationship moved fast. I didn’t know much about men, but Alex made me feel special. We married just a month after meeting, with my grandfather proudly walking me down the aisle. It felt like I had finally found my perfect family.
Alex came from a wealthy background, and we lived in a beautiful house. Still, he loved spending time helping my grandfather, even with Mary around. Over those months, the three of us became very close.
One evening, I was driving home from work. My phone buzzed. “Honey, I’m at your granddad’s place. Where are you?” Alex asked.
“I’m almost home,” I replied. “Just want to get into our bed and sleep.”
“I might stay a bit longer here. Don’t wait up for me,” he said.
I thought nothing of it and kept driving, but there was an accident on the road. It took me an hour longer than usual to get home. When I finally arrived, I noticed something odd—a pair of sneakers by the door. Alex never wore sneakers like those. I shrugged it off and went inside.
I found a man sleeping in our bed. When he saw me, he smiled but it wasn’t Alex.
“Hey, baby,” I said, cuddling up next to him. Then he turned, and my heart stopped. It wasn’t Alex.
“Hello,” the stranger said calmly.
I jumped back, scared. “Who are you?!” I yelled.
He smiled strangely. “Your husband… technically.”
“No! You’re not! I’m calling the police!” I shouted, shaking.
“You can’t,” he said coolly. “Not unless you want to go to jail for living in my house illegally.”
I stared at him, stunned. Then he told me something I never imagined.
“I’m Alex Cherry,” he said. “You’re married to me on paper, but my brother Todd has been using my name for months. I was away on a business trip to Africa and just found out when I hired a private detective to track him.”
My mind spun. “How can I believe you over my husband?” I asked, trembling.
Alex showed me photos on his laptop—him and Todd as kids, Todd’s mug shots, and evidence of his crimes. “Todd and a woman named Mary are trying to steal your grandfather’s company,” Alex said grimly.
“My grandfather’s company?” I gasped. “That’s why ‘Alex’ wanted me to marry him so quickly.”
Alex nodded. “Zachary Gaines is your grandfather?”
“Yes! Todd’s at his house now with Mary,” I said. “Can we call the police?”
“They should already be there,” Alex said. “I called them as soon as I got back but must have fallen asleep. Let’s go.”
We rushed to my grandfather’s house. Sure enough, Todd and Mary were arrested right on the lawn for identity theft and other crimes. Thankfully, my grandfather recovered, and the court annulled my fake marriage.
After that nightmare passed, the real Alex and I started spending time together for real. We got closer and eventually fell in love for true. And yes, we ended up at the altar again—but this time, with no secrets or lies.
What can we learn from my story? Take your time to truly know someone before you trust them. I rushed into marriage with a stranger, and it nearly destroyed my life. Trust is everything in a relationship, and I learned the hard way to be careful who I let in.
“Always look deeper,” I tell my friends now. “Not everyone is who they seem to be.”