Greg and Natalie have been divorced for quite some time, but they have a three-year-old son named Oliver. Greg believes they are co-parenting successfully until Natalie calls and tells him awful news.After five years of marriage, Natalie and I separated. We were young when we first met, so when things didn’t work out, we didn’t put in enough effort.

Since the divorce, we have lived in different states, and the shortest way to travel to each other is via plane. However, we have a three-year-old kid named Oliver, which complicates matters. Even though I have all of the holidays with my son, it is not enough. But I didn’t want a conflict with Natalie. It was more vital for us to get along rather than quarrel continually.

Oliver did not deserve to live in a family where his parents were continuously fighting. I believed it, as did Natalie. Every evening before bed, Natalie would video call me with Oliver to say goodnight. It had become our routine, which was comforting to me. So everything was going well until Natalie called me in tears one day.

“Greg!” she cried into her phone. “Our son’s gone!” “What?” I questioned, unable to understand her words. “Oliver is dead,” she said again. “What? How? “What happened?” I asked, collapsing to the floor in my living room. “It all—” she began speaking before being cut off. “What?” I repeated. “He’s just gone, Greg.” “I’ll get there soon. I’ll take the next flight out.”

“Don’t,” Natalie replied. “We have already held a ceremony. “He has been buried.”I hung up feeling crushed. How could Oliver have died? Why didn’t Natalie tell me anything sooner? That made no sense. If he was ill or something had happened, I deserved to know. And what about Oliver’s burial? Natalie had the opportunity to tell me, but chose not to.

I purchased the next available ticket to Natalie’s city, but it was only for the next day. I stared at my computer screen all evening, looking at the departure information and wondering what had occurred. I couldn’t believe Oliver, my little guy, had died. I resented Natalie for not inviting me to the funeral. How could you have forgotten to notify the father? And if Natalie did not call me because she was grieving, why didn’t her parents? Or perhaps Mike, her new husband?

The next day, as I was packing my bags, Mike called. “Hi, Mike,” I said. “I am on my way. “I will be there by tonight.” “Wait, Greg,” he replied softly. “I need to tell you something.” Greg’s statements stunned me to the core. “Natalie has lost her mind.” She made it all up. Oliver is alive, Greg. “What?” I inquired, shocked.

“Natalie made it up,” Mike reiterated. “Oliver is with Natalie’s parents.” It comes out that while I was spending the entire night mourning my child, Natalie cooked up a tale to get me to leave her life for good. It made sense—without Oliver, I didn’t need to contact her. According to Mike, Natalie had stated that she no longer wanted me to interfere in their life. Despite her pleas, Mike stated he called me right away when Natalie told him.

Now that I knew the truth, I felt a rollercoaster of emotions. My child was alive. But I was also irritated with Natalie. Even after the divorce, I never expressed wanting Oliver to have exclusive custody. He needed us both equally. But would she go to such lengths to keep Oliver to herself? I gathered the remainder of my belongings and headed to the airport. I needed to learn more.

When Natalie answered the door, her eyes welled up with tears and her lips quivered. “Greg,” she murmured sheepishly, allowing me inside. “How could you do that to me?” I inquired, laying my luggage down in the hallway. “I thought you would take Oli from me,” she blurted out. “Why would I do that?” I asked her. That was a ludicrous thought. “Because I am pregnant with another child. I was terrified you’d take Oliver away from me if you found out.

There would be another child with me, and you would want to keep Oli with you, that’s what I assumed.” Natalie began crying, visibly horrified by her actions “Natalie,” I whispered softly, realizing Mike had entered the room. “This changes things, but it does not justify what you did. It would have helped if you had put your trust in me to be transparent and honest. I would never have separated Oliver and you. He needs both of us. However, the deceit has made me really furious and hurt. I spent hours believing my son had died.”

Natalie remained there sobbing for a long time, caressing her stomach every few minutes. Then I heard the sound of small footsteps racing down the corridor.
“Daddy!” Oliver shrieked and jumped into my arms. I refused to let him leave. Finally, I persuaded Natalie that I was not coming to take Oliver away. But I was also clear that if she did it again, I would have to take legal action.

On the one hand, I believe I understand Natalie’s pain and confusion at the possibility of losing her kid. But it also didn’t make sense. If I had the chance, I would have told her how excited I was for Oliver to be a big brother.I’ve urged that Natalie and I seek counseling to address any unresolved concerns from our divorce. Mike has been an excellent source of support for her, and I am pleased that if anyone had to be my son’s stepfather, it was the man who called and told me the truth.

I have returned home, but I am looking for work closer to Oliver. Have you been told any lies that endanger your life as you know it? Here is another story for you. Hank thought he had a wonderful marriage until one day he discovered something strange. Scrolling through the wife’s bills, Hank noticed she spent a lot of money on baby things, pediatricians, and other expenses. The trouble was that the couple did not have any children. He discovered she led a second life.