Brian requested to use his father’s computer and discovered a password-protected folder labeled “PRIVATE.” Overcome by curiosity, he managed to guess the password and was stunned by what he found inside. The Greenwood household was quiet, with Brian, an 18-year-old college student, focused on his project. His father, Alex, a well-respected economics professor and Brian’s instructor, returned home looking fatigued after a long day at college. “You look worn out,” Amanda, Brian’s mother, greeted Alex with concern. “It’s been a long day,” Alex sighed, discussing the pressures of the semester’s end.
During dinner, the conversation shifted to Brian’s college experience. “Classes are going well,” Brian said, then hesitantly added, “There’s a girl, Elizabeth White, but she seems to avoid me.” Alex tensed at the mention of her name. “Elizabeth White? Brian, it’s best if you steer clear of her. She’s not a good influence,” he replied with unexpected seriousness. “Why, Dad? What’s wrong with her?” Brian asked, surprised. “She’s known to be quite frivolous… often seen with different boys.” Brian felt disheartened; he really liked Elizabeth. “Whatever. Dad, can I use your laptop later? Mine’s acting up,” he said, changing the subject. “Of course, you can use it anytime,” Alex replied.
The next morning, with the house to himself, Brian sat down at his dad’s laptop. Driven by curiosity, he stumbled upon a folder labeled “Private,” which was locked with a password. Remembering “Rocky0710,” the birthdate of their pet dog, he was shocked when it actually opened, revealing its contents.
Brian’s heart raced as he clicked on the first image. It was a photo of his father holding hands with Elizabeth, the ocean in the background. In another picture, Elizabeth was giving him a kiss on the cheek. The reality hit Brian hard; it suddenly made sense why his dad had always disapproved of Elizabeth. “How could he?” Brian whispered, feeling a mix of shock and heartbreak. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, realizing his dad had been unfaithful to his mom. He worried that his mom wouldn’t handle the truth about Alex well, but at the same time, he wanted to get back at his dad for his betrayal. As days turned into weeks, Brian concealed his feelings while plotting his revenge, deciding that the graduation ball would be the perfect opportunity.
The night of the ball was filled with excitement. Carrying the weight of his secret, Brian finally stepped onto the stage. With a steady voice, he declared, “Today, I’m going to reveal the truth about my dad.” As he spoke, images of Alex and Elizabeth appeared on a large screen, causing gasps to ripple through the audience. Alex rose and walked toward the stage as whispers filled the room. “I’ve been unfaithful to both my son and my wife for a long time,” he confessed, struggling under the weight of his admission. The principal, Carla Thompson, attempted to intervene, but Alex continued. “But it’s not what you think. Elizabeth isn’t my girlfriend… She’s actually my daughter,” he revealed, leaving everyone in stunned silence. “And her mother is the college director, Mrs. Thompson,” Alex added.
The hall erupted with mixed emotions as everyone tried to process the gravity of Alex’s revelation. It turned out that 18 years ago, when Brian was just an infant, Alex had a heated argument with his wife, Amanda. He was furious after his friend Adam told him that she was seeing someone else. “How could you do this to me? To us? I saw your photos with that guy!” Alex shouted.
Amanda was taken aback, insisting she was innocent. She tried to explain that she had been at a friend’s house and that it was all a misunderstanding, but Alex wouldn’t listen. Enraged, he stormed out and went to a nearby bar to drown his sorrows. The bartender tried to console him, but it was Carla, a colleague and teacher at the college where Alex was principal, who invited him to her birthday party at the bar that night. As the evening progressed and the party wound down, Carla noticed Alex was still upset and offered to drive him home. After drinking too much, they ended up kissing and spent the night together.
The next morning, Alex awoke at Carla’s place, filled with regret, especially after the harsh words he had directed at Amanda. He returned home early, where Amanda was waiting, worried. “Alex, where have you been? You smell of alcohol,” she said, clearly upset. Alex, hiding the truth, lied about his whereabouts. “I was just at a friend’s place and lost track of time,” he said, avoiding her gaze. It was then Amanda revealed her side of the story. “You know those photos of me with that guy at the hotel? He was planning a surprise for your birthday,” she explained, showing him receipts to clarify the misunderstanding. Feeling guilty and realizing Amanda had done nothing wrong, Alex apologized. “I’m really sorry. I should’ve trusted you.” However, he kept his own mistake a secret, not wanting to hurt her further. “From now on, let’s promise to believe in each other,” Amanda suggested, and they decided to start anew.
Determined to make things right, Amanda focused on ensuring Alex had a wonderful birthday, and she put in her best effort. The party was lively, with friends, family, and colleagues all enjoying themselves, including Carla. But things took a turn when Carla pulled Alex aside. “We need to talk,” she said seriously, leading him outside. There, she dropped a bombshell: “I’m pregnant, Alex, and it’s your baby.” Alex was stunned.
His reputation would be ruined if the truth about his one-night stand came to light. Carla proposed a plan: “I’ll move away, have the baby, and give it to a shelter. When I return, I want your job as principal. I don’t want this child.” Alex reluctantly agreed. “Okay, Carla. We’ll do it your way,” he said, making a life-altering decision.
As Alex finished recounting his story to the audience of students and faculty, Brian’s eyes filled with tears. The hall was silent, shocked by the revelations. Elizabeth couldn’t contain her fury. “When I found you, you told me my mother died and that you never knew you had a daughter!” she shouted as she approached Alex. “I was scared, Elizabeth. I couldn’t face the truth about the shelter… about leaving you,” Alex admitted, seeking forgiveness in her eyes. But Elizabeth slapped him and stormed out, unwilling to associate with a man who had deceived her and his family. “I never want to see you again,” Brian spat at Alex. “You’re a liar and a traitor.” Disgusted, he too left the hall.
Amidst the chaos, a cry for help rang out as Amanda collapsed from a heart attack, overwhelmed by the shocking revelations. Emergency personnel rushed in, the crowd parting in shock and concern. As the paramedics took her away, Alex sat alone on a bench, weeping. He had hoped that revealing the truth would mend things, but it only made everything worse. Elizabeth couldn’t forgive his lies; Brian couldn’t overlook his betrayal; and Amanda had fallen seriously ill due to the stress. Sitting there on that quiet night, Alex realized that his choices had caused immense pain to those he loved. He understood that it would be a long and difficult journey to regain their trust, one step at a time.