I Went Into the Forest With My Father. Suddenly, He Grabbed My Hand and Said, ‘Finally, We’re Alone. Come Here, Let Me Kiss You. I’ve Wanted to Do This for So Long.’ I Pulled Away in Terror. But My Father Stepped Closer, Took Me by the Shoulders, and Whispered, ‘Don’t Be Afraid, Sweetheart. Your Mother Will Never Know What Happened Between Us.’ I Started Trembling. And When He Said, ‘I’ve Been Waiting 19 Years for This Moment,’

My father remained silent for a long moment.

“Your mother.”

I looked at him in confusion.

“But Mom is alive.”

“I’m talking about your biological mother, Emily.”

I froze.

“What…?”

My father lowered his head.

“You weren’t born to Margaret. You were born to a woman named Catherine.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

He continued:

“Catherine was my first wife. We were very young. She passed away a few days after giving birth to you.”

I began to cry.

“Then why have you never told me?”

“Because Margaret has raised you since you were two months old. She loved you as if you were her own child.”

I sat down on the bench.

My father continued:

“Before Catherine died, she had one final wish. She wanted me to bring you here when you turned nineteen.”

“Why here?”

My father pointed toward the clearing.

“Because this is where we first met. And right beside this bench, I asked her to marry me.”