The Photo Frame Secret That Changed Everything

My 15-year-old wife died suddenly. I returned to an empty house, devastated, after her funeral. I was taking our framed engagement photo when I spotted something that made me pale. A yellowed folded note was behind the photo. My hands shook as I removed it. Despite not being addressed, I recognized her handwriting immediately. The contours of her letters reminded me of her hand in mine on peaceful walks. After glancing at the message for a moment, I opened it on the couch. Start date: March 14, 2010. That was two weeks before our wedding. My heart raced. It began, “If you’re reading this, then I must not be around anymore. Do not become angry. I hid this to avoid tarnishing our future. I believe you should know… No more reading. My throat was thick, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to learn what she’d kept for years. My curiosity and heartache drove me forward. Someone came before you. Just once. Very quickly, I regretted my error. I got pregnant. Without knowing what to do, I didn’t tell anyone—not even my parents. Adoption was my choice after giving birth in a remote village two hours away. I never saw… CONTINUE READING…