People sometimes withhold information to maintain their relationship. Moreover, it may not even be cheating, but rather something unimportant and yet lacking in quality. But sometimes people hide even something as small as a trifle. See for yourself.
My husband and I first connected as college students. After graduating and starting our careers, we had a baby. He and my family have been asking when we plan to tie the knot. Plus, we’re not sure how to inform them that we’ve been married for ten years.
Simply put, when we were still students, we had a civil ceremony. We didn’t want to waste time changing the documents, so we kept our own surname.
In addition, everyone around us predicted that the student marriage would not last very long. We didn’t inform anyone about it.
My brother and I once broke several glass candlesticks. In any case, my brother dodged the pillow I threw at him and it hit the candle holders behind him. Glass was present everywhere. After everything was cleaned up, we had to rearrange some of the candlesticks to make it look like nothing happened. Our mom still didn’t find out after a long time. © Quora / Author Unknown
Despite her fondness for fine chocolates, my 41-year-old wife gets upset when I buy them for her. She has such strong control that she only eats one every day. For her birthday a few weeks ago, I got her a larger-than-normal box of Godiva chocolates. I buy a small box of eight and when she’s not looking I sneak the “surprise filling” into the larger box as the box shrinks.
When she only has four or five left in the bottom layer of the large box, I stealthily fill it up to twelve. She didn’t realize I’d been giving her hidden fillers for over two weeks or so and she doesn’t want me to stop. This little secret is something I hope to keep forever. © Quora / Peter Ratcliffe
Our dating life has just begun. After dinner, we decided to go back home. As we chatted and giggled and pulled each other’s legs, he noticed that one of my shoelaces wasn’t tight.
“Start by tying your shoelaces. You will stumble and fall!
I just finished a large pizza and a plate full of spaghetti all by myself. I couldn’t bring myself to bend over and oblige. Plus I was too slow to try. “I have no idea how to tie them. That’s what I just said; I do not know why.
We were surrounded by people on a busy route. He laughed at me, got down on his knees, and tied it in my middle. That was four years ago. I can tie my own shoelaces, even though he still can’t. He always sits on his knees and ties my sneakers whenever I want to wear them.
I’m not going to tell him. © Quora/Manisha Kanoria
My husband and I spent five years trying to conceive. I fell into a deep depression and started blaming myself for not being able to get pregnant. Then I cheated on my husband. That was the only time it happened and I cut off all contact with him the next day. I know it’s not forgiven, but the guilt is eating me alive.
We are really excited that my husband and I now have two handsome boys. How can I continue? How come people don’t feel guilty about it?
I know he would leave if I ever told him because it would break his heart. © Unknown Author/Reddit
My girlfriend made delicious raspberry jam for six months. My mother asked for the recipe after I gave it to her to try, but my girlfriend withheld it from me, claiming it was a trade secret. Suddenly she stopped making it, but I got so used to it that I couldn’t eat any other marmalade. I was almost sobbing as I begged and pleaded. “The old lady who made it is gone, so there will be no more raspberry jam!” she said in a fit of rage.
My husband and I had an argument before we got married. We planned to go somewhere together but he never showed up and never called me. After our argument at his place, his brother decided to have fun with my car.
My husband would not acknowledge his brother’s wrongdoing. I used my keys to covertly scratch his car which was parked outside his place of employment.
My husband is still of the opinion that whoever keyed his car was either a random person or a co-worker. We are now married and have two children. And I’m still too shy to be honest with him. © Quora / Sylvie Kalkis
My friend from school was telling her parents that she was taking a dance class before she came to my house. Her lessons were funded by her parents, to whom she also showed some original dance moves. I find it odd that her parents didn’t know about her cheating.
Sometimes when I bring home cosmetics or personal hygiene items from the store, my husband asks, “What’s that?”
I replied, “I wish to keep my mystery woman with you, darling, so I choose not to answer,” channeling my best Rita Hayworth or Marilyn Monroe’s impression in both voice and manner. I don’t want to exercise or work out with him, tell him any other personal secrets, or reveal my beauty to him. Not at all.
I don’t mind that when I get up in the morning I look a little haggard and my eyes are puffy, but I don’t like how I “magic” myself to look good. It doesn’t matter if I’m flossing, shaving my armpits, spitting toothpaste into the sink, or whatever.
He doesn’t need to see, hear, or know any of it. © Quora / Marion Esclairimonde
It’s been over 35 years since our divorce, so it was a very long time ago. My husband of three and a half years didn’t know that my “main squeeze” was the best man in his second marriage!
© Quora / Author Unknown
I learned the secret from my father when I was 22. As I believed my brother should be aware, I told him. My brother and I now carry the secret that my father took with him to the grave.
His trade secret? Another son was born to him. Since I am the oldest in the family, this boy is probably four or five years older than me.
Dad refused to tell me any information about himself. He mentioned that there was another person who knew about the boy, but he also took the secret to his grave. My brother and I now know we have an older half-sibling, but we don’t know where to look. © Quora / Rebecca Busato
I brought some things, including my wedding band, to the pawn shop because we had no money.
I thought I would pay for them and get my stuff back but I never did so I lost them. When my wallet was stolen later that year, I told my husband that my wedding ring was among the items taken. My biggest secret is that I’ve done my best to be a decent wife – honest, reliable, and trustworthy – but I won’t tell him because I know he’d be disappointed and in the end, material possessions are just a means to an end. © Quora / Author Unknown
My father learned the “big secret” on his 55th birthday.
He said I was already in my mother’s womb when he and my mother were married.
As if it wasn’t clear enough – I was born in November of that year, and according to my mother, overdue – and the wedding took place in March. By the way, I’m 32 years old. Mom has not yet been informed of this discovery.
He will most likely deny it. just like little kids!
When we were engaged, I had a pre-marriage affair with Jo, my wife’s best friend. We broke it off a week before the wedding and didn’t continue it. About two years into our marriage, I discovered that my wife, Marla, was having an extramarital affair.
I originally forgot about it because of my qualms about Jo. However, when Marla became pregnant, I was unable to determine if the child was truly mine. Tia’s paternity test was performed a year after her birth and the results were negative for Thad. I checked again at another lab and the results showed that Tia was not mine.
Marla probably has no idea I know. And it would probably end our relationship forever if she found out I knew. I’m working up the courage to tell her about it. Her partner is married and has two children. If this comes loose, a lot of damage will be done. I’m ready. © Quora / Author Unknown
My friend loves coffee so much that they have a coffee machine at home.
My husband and I share an office, and in the fifteen years we’ve been together, he often uses our office coffee machine. A friend of mine mentioned in a recent conversation that her husband only drinks tea instead of coffee. It was strange.
I asked her husband at work and he replied, “She never offered me coffee.” She gives me tea, which I drink even though I hate tea, and the coffee maker is all hers. How on earth could she not learn her husband’s preferences after fifteen years of marriage? I am incredulous. And how can you keep quiet for fifteen years and drink something you hate?
Last year I took a DNA test to learn more about my ethnicity. And it completely changed my life. Then I got my parents to take the test as well.
The results for my father showed that he is not my biological father. But my dad looks like me! Oh my god, I must have been switched in the hospital and my biological parents and their baby are in there somewhere. This is really amazing. However, the results showed that my mother is my biological mother.
In May I received an email from the company that did my DNA tests informing me that I now have new relatives.
After logging in, I found that there were two genetic matches: my uncle, who has a 25% match, and my cousin, who has a 12.5% match. My father was actually my uncle’s brother as it turned out.
I found him on Facebook and sent him a private message that said, “Hello, my name is…” along with a photo of my mother from 1969.
I know you met my mother in Bucharest in 1969. She was walking around…
Tell me if that’s you, please. I’m grateful.
When finally asked, he replied, “Yes, it is true.” Just like your mother, you are just as beautiful. It’s been fifty years, my god.
are you my daughter When I went to see him, I saw that he and my father resembled each other. It’s all pretty crazy.
My dad is not my biological father, but I’m not sure if my parents realize that.
I decided not to tell them at all. This secret still shocks me. © Quora / Author Unknown
And these are the accounts of those who reveal the most personal details they have never shared with anyone.
The stories shared reveal the myriad reasons why people keep secrets in their relationships. From small deceptions designed to maintain harmony, such as secretly restocking a box of chocolates or pretending not to know how to tie shoelaces, to major revelations such as hidden marriages and infidelity, these anecdotes highlight the complex interplay between honesty, trust, and the desire to protect loved ones from pain or disappointment. The motivation behind these secrets often comes from a place of love and care, aimed at protecting partners, family members, and friends from potential harm or conflict.
These stories also highlight the emotional burden carried by those who keep secrets. Guilt, fear, and anxiety often accompany the decision to withhold information, especially when the stakes are high. For example, the story of a woman who kept her infidelity a secret to protect her marriage and children illustrates the deep inner turmoil that can arise from such decisions. Similarly, the story of a person who discovers his true paternity through a DNA test reflects the shock and uncertainty that life-changing secrets can bring.
Ultimately, these reports highlight that while secrets can sometimes preserve relationships in the short term, they also have the potential to cause long-term emotional and trust issues. The choice to keep or reveal a secret is deeply personal and context-dependent, influenced by potential consequences and the individual’s ability to carry the weight of their hidden truths. These stories remind us that while secrets can provide temporary comfort, the pursuit of honesty and openness is often necessary for a true and lasting connection.