I’m Spencer, a 31-year-old tech consultant, and life was going smoothly until I met Maeve. We clicked instantly, and two weeks into dating, she wanted to meet my parents. Nervously, I agreed.

Lunch with my parents went well, but my dad kept staring at Maeve like something was wrong. After we left, he dropped a bombshell: years ago, he’d had an affair, and Maeve resembled the woman he’d been involved with. He feared Maeve could be his daughter.

Panicked, we pieced together the timeline. Thankfully, the dates didn’t match. Maeve wasn’t his daughter, but the damage was done. My father had kept this affair a secret from my mom for years. Now, he had to tell her.

As I drove home, I was filled with questions. How would my mom react to the betrayal? Should I tell Maeve about what nearly happened? My view of my father had changed forever, and I wondered if my parents’ marriage could survive the truth. Life, once simple, had now turned into a web of difficult choices.