I Won’t Hand Over a Dime to My Late Husband’s Secret Child

The agony of betrayal, coupled with the unpredictability of inheritance and responsibility, can become an overwhelming weight. This is the harsh reality for one woman, who must navigate an unforeseen predicament following the death of her husband.

This is her story.

[edited] Almost four years after my husband died, leaving me to raise our 8-year-old son on my own, I’ve discovered a lot about who he truly was. Let’s just say that, if he were still around, we probably wouldn’t be together anymore.

About six weeks ago, a process server showed up, attempting to serve him with a court order for a DNA test related to another child. I handed him a copy of the death certificate and sent him on his way.

Not long after that, a woman showed up at my door claiming her child was his. I was shocked as I never thought that he could betray me. I have no idea if that’s true, and frankly, I don’t care. The thing is, the kid does resemble him a bit, but they’d have to have been conceived right before his death for it to be possible.

I told her he was gone and pointed her to his grave. Then she pulled out a DNA test demanding a share of his estate, waving it like some sort of golden ticket. I couldn’t help but laugh and told her, “My husband had nothing. Half of nothing is still nothing. You’re welcome to it.”

Where I’ve been called inconsiderate is because, while there was no formal estate, there were assets that bypassed probate. One of those was a rental property his parents gave us years ago, which was deeded to both of us as joint tenants with rights of survivorship. In other words, it became mine when he passed.

I’ve already sold it, and that money is what will help send my child to college. Legally, I’m in the clear (I’ve already spoken to my attorney about it). While I do feel for this other child, I still have my own to take care of.

People stood on her side.

• “The audacity of this woman to show up at your door. ‘I had an affair with your husband, had his baby, and now you must give me money.’ Too bad for the child, but she’s facing the consequences of her actions. Do NOT lose sleep over this.” © churchofdan / Reddit
• “She probably thought the dad was someone else and it took that long to get his DNA. Or she had a list to go through.” © SemiOldCRPGs / Reddit
• “You need to focus on your child and your finances. The property legally belongs to you, and there’s no proof your late husband was the father of the other child. Your priority is your own child’s future.” Trick-Measurement-20 / Reddit

• “Unless she has a way to prove paternity, you have ZERO obligations to her or her affair baby. Even if he is, the rental property was in your name, so it was not your husband’s to give away. Remember, she chose to wreck your house. I would not open the door for her.” mi_nombre_es_ricardo / Reddit
• “Don’t even give a second of thought about this again. Just tell yourself, ‘It was just a scam.’ And never talk to that person again, get a restraining order if it comes to it. Having said that, if you ever are served with papers (i.e. an actual lawsuit has been filed) then lawyer up immediately and vigorously defend yourself.” Apprehensive-Care20z / Reddit
• “You are not personally responsible for the woman or her child. People may try to make you feel bad for not ‘sharing’ with her child, but that was the responsibility of your late husband. Did he know about the child? If yes, then he should have made arrangements for them. If no, then she can go pound sand. She doesn’t get to just show up and start demanding money. The fact that she did exactly that makes me think that the reason she showed up was she found out that he had died. She was coming for your money. I’m glad you’re legally protected.” © BecGeoMom / Reddit

While the moral and ethical aspects of her decision may spark differing opinions, it highlights a universal truth: healing and moving forward often involve tough, deeply personal choices.