I stared at the attached video file, my cursor hovering over it. Taking a deep breath, I clicked play.
The grainy security footage showed Joseph’s office on a Sunday.
My brow furrowed. He never worked weekends.
Then I saw him walk in, but he wasn’t alone. Two small children, a boy and a girl, clung to his hands.
“Daddy, can we play hide and seek?” the little girl’s voice rang out.
Joseph’s laughter filled the room. “Of course, sweetheart. Let’s see who can hide from Daddy the best!”
I felt the blood drain from my face.
DADDY??
Joseph and I didn’t have any kids. And these weren’t just random kids. They were HIS.
The video continued, showing Joseph playing with the children, helping them with coloring books, and sharing snacks. It was a side of him I’d never seen… tender, paternal, completely at ease.
“Daddy, when can we go to the beach house?” the little boy asked, his voice full of excitement.
Joseph ruffled his hair. “Soon, buddy. I promise it’ll be the best surprise ever.”
My heart shattered into a million pieces. Beach house? What beach house?
The video ended, and I sat in stunned silence. My phone buzzed, jolting me back to reality. It was a text from Joseph.
“Hey sugar, running late at the gym. Don’t wait up! 😘”
I threw my phone across the room, hot tears streaming down my face. “You lying pervert!” I sobbed.
The next morning, I woke up with puffy eyes and a pounding headache. Joseph had already left for work, leaving a note on the kitchen counter:
“Sorry, I missed you this morning. Hope you have a great day! Love you! Mwaaaah! ;)”
I crumpled the note in my fist. How could he act so normal? How long had he been living this double life?
I called my best friend, Lisa. “Can you come over? I need you,” I choked out.
Twenty minutes later, Lisa was at my door. “Bridget, what happened? You look terrible!”
I pulled her inside and spilled everything. Lisa listened, her eyes widening with each word.
“That lying, cheating jerk!” she exclaimed. “What are you going to do?”
I shook my head, feeling lost. “I don’t know. I can’t even think straight.”
Lisa grabbed my shoulders. “Listen to me, Bridget. You need to be smart about this. Don’t confront him yet. We need a plan.”
“A plan?” I laughed bitterly. “Lisa, my entire life is a lie. What kind of plan could possibly fix this?”
“Not to fix it, Bridge. To make him pay.”
I nodded, suddenly seeing things in a new light.
Over the next few days, I played the role of the unsuspecting wife perfectly. But every “I love you” from Joseph felt like a knife twisting in my gut.
One evening, as we sat down for dinner, I plastered on a smile. “Hey, I was thinking we could go to Antonio’s on Friday. You know, that new Italian place?”
Joseph’s eyes lit up. “That sounds great! I’ve been wanting to try it.”
“Perfect! I’ll make the reservations.”
As soon as Joseph left for work the next day, I sprang into action. I hired a private investigator and gave him all the information I had.
Within 48 hours, I had a name: Miranda. Joseph’s other woman. The mother of his children.
I stared at her picture on my laptop screen. She was beautiful, with long red hair and a warm smile. The kids looked just like her. Just like Joseph.
“Oh, Joseph,” I whispered, tears streaming down my face. “Why wasn’t I enough?”
And soon, Friday night arrived. Joseph looked handsome in his casuals, completely oblivious to what was coming.
“You look beautiful,” he said, kissing my cheek. I forced myself not to flinch.
“Thanks! Shall we go?”
As we walked into Antonio’s, I scanned the room. There she was — Miranda, sitting at a table with her two kids.
Joseph froze when he saw her. “Go on, darling! Don’t you want to meet… her?” I cooed.
“What… what’s going on?” he stammered.
I grabbed his arm, my nails digging into his skin. “Why don’t we join your other family for dinner, dear?”
Miranda’s eyes widened as we approached. “Joseph? What’s happening?”
I smiled coldly. “Hello, Miranda. I’m Bridget, Joseph’s wife. It’s so nice to finally meet you.”
The color drained from Joseph’s face. “Bridget, I can explain—”
“Save it,” I snapped, turning to Miranda. “Did you know about me, girl?”
Miranda shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. “No, I… I had no idea.”
I nodded, a strange calm settling over me. “Well, now we both know the truth.”
The next hour was a blur of accusations, tears, and broken dreams. Joseph tried to explain, to apologize, but his words fell on deaf ears.
“How could you do this to us?” Miranda sobbed. “To our children?”
Joseph reached for her hand, then mine. We both recoiled. “I never meant for this to happen,” he pleaded. “I love you both. I love all of you.”
I laughed. “Love? You call this love? You’ve been lying to us for years!”
“How long?” Miranda demanded. “How long have you been married to her?”
Joseph’s shoulders slumped. “Twelve years.”
Miranda gasped. “But… but we’ve been together for seven years. Our kids…”
“Are six and four,” I finished for her. “Quite a juggling act you’ve been doing, Joseph.”
I stood up, my chair scraping loudly against the floor. “I think we’re done here.” I pulled out a manila envelope and dropped it in front of Joseph.
“These are divorce papers. I suggest you sign them quickly.”
As I walked out of the restaurant, I heard Joseph calling after me. “Bridget, please! I love you!”
“No, Joseph. You don’t get to say that anymore.”
The weeks that followed were a whirlwind of lawyers, paperwork, and difficult conversations. I threw myself into the divorce proceedings, determined to come out on top.
One day, my lawyer called with some hot news. “Bridget, we found something interesting. It seems Joseph has been squirreling away money to buy a beach house.”
I laughed bitterly. “Let me guess, a surprise for Miranda and the kids?”
“Most likely,” he replied. “But here’s the thing… it’s still in both your names. We can use this.”
A plan began to form in my mind. “Tell me more.”
My lawyer outlined the legal complexities, fueling my determination with every detail. Joseph had taken everything from me — my trust, my future, my dreams of a family.
Now, it was time for me to take something back.
The final divorce hearing arrived. Joseph looked haggard, the weight of his lies finally showing on his face.
As we waited outside the courtroom, he approached me. “Bridget, can we talk? Please?”
I crossed my arms. “What could you possibly have to say?”
“I’m sorry. I know it doesn’t change anything, but I truly am sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”
I looked at him, really looked at him, for the first time since that fateful video. “You’re right, Joseph. It doesn’t change anything. But thank you for finally being honest.”
Inside the courtroom, as the judge read through our settlement, Joseph’s eyes widened at each asset I was awarded. When she got to the beach house, he couldn’t contain himself.
“But that was supposed to be—” he cut himself off, realizing his mistake.
I smiled sweetly. “Supposed to be what, Joseph? A love nest for your secret family?”
The judge frowned. “Mr. Thompson, is there something you’d like to add?”
Joseph slumped in his chair, defeated. “No, Your Honor.”
As we left the courthouse, I felt a weight lift off my heart. It wasn’t just about the money or the assets. It was about reclaiming my dignity and my self-respect.
I walked away, leaving behind the shattered remains of our marriage and the man I thought I knew. As I stepped into the sunlight, I took a deep breath. The future was uncertain, but for the first time in weeks, I felt a sliver of hope.
My phone buzzed with a text from Lisa: “How did it go?”
“It’s over! And I’m finally free!🥲”
Walking down the courthouse steps, I realized this wasn’t just an ending. It was a beginning. A chance to rebuild, to rediscover myself, and to create a new life… one built on honesty, strength, and self-love.
The road ahead would be tough, but I was ready. After all, I had survived the worst betrayal imaginable. Whatever came next, I knew I could handle it. 😎
Mum Faced Backlash After Saying Her Baby is “Ugly” in a Viral Tiktok Video
Lucy Baehr didn’t see her daughter Reese as the cutest baby, but a mother’s love transcends mere looks. However, the story didn’t stop there; when she playfully posted her daughter in a TikTok challenge, she encountered a storm of criticism, which Lucy defied with her steadfast maternal affection.
Getting pregnant with Reese had its fair share of ups and downs
Lucy Baehr shared an experience that resonated with many mothers who eagerly anticipate the arrival of their newborn babies, expecting them to be undeniably cute. Hailing from Arkansas, her story took an unusual and humorous twist, capturing the online world’s attention.
Lucy’s journey to motherhood was a real rollercoaster. She’d faced the formidable challenge of infertility and experienced heartbreaking losses. But she was a loving mom to her daughter, Harper, and a dedicated stepmom to Cole. In September 2019, they added a third furry member to the family, a dog, hoping to fill that void in their lives.
Then, in February 2020, she dropped a bombshell: Lucy found out she was pregnant with a baby girl. The news left her overjoyed and, well, a little incredulous. When her daughter, Reese, finally arrived, Lucy’s first reaction was a mix of shock and humor.
She recalls the moment, saying, “I’m pretty sure I looked at my husband and was like, ’She’s healthy?’” It was a perfect way to sum up a surprise that life had thrown her way, making Reese’s arrival a bit less unique than they had anticipated.
“Her nose was incredibly swollen, and her eyes were beady.” The new mom also shared how looking back, not a single person, not even the delivery room nurses, tried to sugarcoat that Reese wasn’t exactly a poster baby for cuteness.
“People just didn’t comment on her appearance,” she laughed.
When Harper, Reese’s sister, got to hold her baby sibling for the first time, even she couldn’t help but notice the striking differences between them. While Baehr’s daughter was likely excited about becoming an older sibling, she couldn’t help but steal a glance at her mother and make a candid observation about Reese’s appearance, describing it as “weird.” Lucy, her mother, reassured Harper, telling her there was some truth to her observation.
The “ugly baby” Tiktok challenge
Most people know it’s almost taboo for mothers to admit their children might not be the cutest openly. Still, Lucy Baehr fearlessly ventured into that territory using TikTok. She joined in on a trend where people shared their experiences of expecting an adorable newborn but being surprised by reality. With a good-natured laugh, the mother of three proudly declared that she had taken the crown in that department!
When Baehr caught the trend of folks sharing photos of their “less-than-cute babies” on TikTok, she couldn’t resist jumping on the bandwagon. At one point, her video had been seen by almost 24 million people. It all turned into a big laugh, with some users jokingly suggesting that her daughter looked like Mr. Bean or Harry Potter’s Dobby!
Most of the comments from her TikTok followers were all in good fun. One person even quipped that Reese looked “like a villager.”
Another person playfully guessed that the little girl definitely took after her father. Someone else couldn’t help but sympathize with the idea that women endure nine months of nausea and drama, only for their kids to come out “looking like their dads.” Another added, “Newborns are rarely, if ever, cute. They’re a ‘trust the process’ kinda creature.”
However, while many on social media found Baehr’s post to be light-hearted fun, some didn’t share the sentiment. Some believed poking fun at a child was in bad taste and sharing such a clip on social media wasn’t right.
The new mom got a lot of heat for poking fun at her baby
Baehr opened up about the criticism she faced, with some people labeling her a “terrible mom.” Critics were concerned that her viral post might negatively impact Reese’s self-esteem. However, Baehr stood her ground, explaining that she was simply being honest.
The mother of three clarified that she intended to normalize the reality of how newborns often looked when they entered the world. She reassured everyone that Reese was perfectly fine. Baehr even pledged to share the story with Reese one day.
She also believed that her daughter would inherit her sense of humor. Her primary aim was to remind mothers that not all newborns fit the typical “perfect-looking” image, and that’s perfectly okay. She emphasized that her video wasn’t meant to be mean-spirited, and she knew Reese wasn’t ugly.
Lucy also shared an Instagram picture of her newborn baby, adding a heartfelt caption explaining the significance of Reese’s name. She deeply loved the little girl, saying, “You were loved long before you got here.”
The glow-up is real
But as a respectable princess, Reese has grown into a beautiful baby. Her mom finally gave her Instagram followers a peek at Reese almost three years after her birth, sharing more photos and even a video clip showcasing how pretty and lively her daughter had become. People in the comments couldn’t help but gush, calling Reese a “beautiful baby girl,” “absolutely precious,” and “a doll.”
Then, on November 4, 2022, Baehr dropped an Instagram video that captured how Reese had changed over the years. She revealed that it took her two years to put the clip together and that it had her feeling a bit emotional. The video showed Reese laughing, smiling, learning to crawl, playing with the family dog, taking her first steps, feeding herself, exploring the world, and transforming into the gorgeous little girl she is now.
Things have been looking up for Reese, who’s now nearly three years old. “Reese is gorgeous,” Baehr proudly said. “She has these huge blue eyes.”
However, Reese’s journey reminds us that beauty truly comes in all shapes and sizes. Her heartwarming transformation and her radiant spirit teach us to embrace our unique selves and appreciate the beauty in every child, no matter how they may look at birth.
Stories like this might sound strange, but they’re pretty common. Just see what other folks shared about their first encounters with their babies.
Preview photo credit lucybaehr / Instagram
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