This elderly woman was in mourning, but remained speechless when she discovered her late husband's secret.

Charlotte's Story

Charlotte's whole life had always revolved around the hospital. As a nurse, she helped people in need. This was a benefit for her family as she could also take care of her husband John and their three children. After finishing her workday, Charlotte would call her friends and enjoy a good time with them.

During weekends, they would meet and find a place to relax. The relationship between John and Charlotte began to flourish and she had no idea what the future held for her.

Young Love

Charlotte and John's paths crossed for over 50 years, spending time at a local bar in the city center. Exchanging words, glances, laughing, and giggling, the two lovebirds fell in love with each other. Soon after, they were like a chain – their bonds were tight.

Years went by and they decided to get married. John claimed that this marriage was the best thing that ever happened to him, as he felt secure. "She is a wonderful woman," he said. Every day was a paradise, taking care of each other with their children.

The Skeptical Encounter

Their life was like a rollercoaster. Sometimes Charlotte burst with joy and laughter just being with John. And sometimes, she felt skeptical. She doubted certain aspects and felt like something was not right with her husband. John had this habit of disappearing without any reason. Charlotte started to doubt even more and eventually asked John where he was going.

In general, he would offer her a response, but most of the time, he would try to change the subject. He would say the reason behind his outings had to do with work. In his explanation, he didn't miss the chance to tell Charlotte to stop questioning him.

An Affair

It would happen occasionally that John went out with friends for dinner. Even though he was not doing anything wrong, Charlotte always asked what it was about. And John always replied in the same way - "It's work." Charlotte felt that his reason wasn't really the truth. She had doubts... what if he was seeing another woman behind her back?

She pondered this question day after day, reason after reason, and it made her very uncomfortable. A desire to follow him surged within her. But when she did, she ended up very confused because everything seemed normal.

A Hidden Compartment

She thought she wouldn't find anything aggravating if she continued to follow him. She then remembered that John had a drawer, the drawer of his secrets, that no one had the right to open or touch. Searching every nook and cranny, she tried to find the key that would give her access to this drawer.

But after several unsuccessful attempts, nothing worked. Her quest for the key came to an end. And so did her options. As there was no proof of an affair, she began to contemplate the other side of the situation. What if all her doubts were unfounded? What if it was all in her head?

I am Nothing Without You

Yes, there were moments when Charlotte felt that something was going on with John. But nothing changed the fact that she loved him with all her heart. Even if he was seeing another woman, she couldn't envision leaving him. She would rather question every day what she had done wrong, what was missing. After much deliberation and reflection, she came to the conclusion that losing her husband would leave a deep scar on her. While Charlotte continued to wonder what was happening with John, she was unaware that he was suffering from an incurable disease.

It turned out that he had several health problems over the past few years but had chosen not to get checked. But it had reached a point where he was constantly feeling unwell. So much so that if he didn't go to the doctor, his story would end. That's when he received his diagnosis, and the bad news was finally revealed.

Nowhere to Go

John was deeply saddened by the diagnosis, but there is more to discover in this story than meets the eye... His diagnosis revealed that he had an extremely rare disease with no cure. The news devastated John. He was speechless.

Then, the doctors informed him that he didn't have much time left to live, and that the last chapter of his life was about to close. He begged them to find a way to treat him, any way to prolong his life. Unfortunately, the doctors remained powerless.

Goodbye

Understanding John's condition better, Charlotte found the time to take care of him. In the end, she also had to call their children and figure out how to explain what was happening with their father. When the children arrived at the hospital, none of them knew what their mother was about to reveal. Saying goodbye is hard.

But sooner or later, we all face this situation at some point in our lives. Charlotte and John weren't prepared for this conversation. She struggled to find the right words to make their children understand their father's illness.

Looking Back

Saying goodbye is the most painful feeling one can express to a loved one. Their children managed to convey their sorrow. But even though she felt miserable at the thought that John would soon be leaving them, Charlotte stayed by his side until his last breath. They fondly recalled all their memories together, their experiences during their marriage, and the time spent with their children. This brought the couple a lot of joy and happiness.

In the middle of one of their conversations, John gave Charlotte the gift he had given her at the beginning of their marriage. It was so sad to think that there was a time when these two people shared a life together and that it was about to become a memory.

An Unusual Gift

Charlotte had never met anyone like John. Whether it was at the beginning of their life together or in the years that followed, John continued to give gifts to Charlotte. However, she knew nothing about the most precious gift John had planned to give her... He wasn't too vocal when it came to expressing his feelings or even when it came to expressing them.

On the contrary, and this was not new, he was very creative - painting had always been his passion. Painting something for his wedding gift. It could be the most beautiful way to tell Charlotte that she would always be very special to him.

Don't Hesitate to Ask Us

Through painting, John could express his emotions and show Charlotte that she meant everything to him. His wife knew nothing about this artwork he was working on and that it was going to become the most precious gift to him. And John had hidden his surprise well, ensuring that she wouldn't suspect anything.

At the time he was working on the painting, Charlotte didn't particularly pay attention to this piece, thinking it was another of his creations to pass the time. John did his best to look nonchalant because he knew that if he showed too much enthusiasm for the painting, his wife would suspect that something was going on.

Final Words

Because of his illness, John's health would deteriorate rapidly, and he was always tired. As time passed, he wasted no time letting Charlotte know that the painting was special and important, worthy of a second look.

His wife didn't understand the message he was trying to convey. She didn't say anything at the time and thought it would all make sense when she saw the finished painting. To her great surprise, she found something that changed her life forever.

A Puzzle

Charlotte had no idea. She was completely bewildered and speechless. She didn't think she would have to deal with such a thing after John's passing. She didn't know what to do and clearly didn't know anyone who could help her solve her dilemma.

She no longer remembered what he had said about hiding something in the painting. Charlotte took a look, turned the object around, but found nothing unusual. After a few days, she finally had an idea that would help her.

Secret Message

For days, Charlotte had deep thoughts because she didn't know what to do with the painting. But also because, according to John, something was inside. She then remembered a friend who had worked as an art restorer for 40 years. She was going to find him, no matter what?!

Shortly after, she managed to track him down, much to her relief. She contacted him immediately and explained her situation. Her friend started by erasing the top layer of varnish from the painting and made an astonishing discovery.

John's Code

Charlotte's friend immediately called her, and upon her arrival, the latter laid eyes on the secret message hidden in the painting. There was an address she did not recognize, as well as a series of codes written by John. Charlotte wondered exactly what her husband was expecting from her. She thought about the address over and over again to try to understand what it represented.

Obviously, it wasn't their address or anything significant to both of them. Then, she remembered - it was the address of the bank where John and she had opened a joint account. She now knew she had to go there.

The Secret is Revealed

When Charlotte arrived at the bank, she handed the paper containing the codes to the teller. To her surprise, the latter seemed to already know what it was. This prompted her to ask what was happening, as she felt like she was the only one not in the loop.

The teller guided her to a reception area and explained that it was the code for one of the oldest safes in the bank, which had not been opened for almost 50 years. He added that he had always wondered if someone would come one day to retrieve the items inside, and that day had finally arrived.

It Was Worth It

Before Charlotte was given permission to enter the vault room to open the safe, she had to follow the bank protocol. This meant she had to sign several documents to prove her identity. She was also escorted by two guards, in addition to the teller who had welcomed her. The young man had also brought the key to the safe.

Charlotte was trembling and sweating as she didn't know what to expect or how to approach the situation. When the teller finally opened the safe, they were all shocked. The safe was filled with money. Charlotte couldn't believe her eyes. John had always lived a simple and frugal life, even before their marriage. So, what was this all about??

The Inheritance

Next to the money in the safe was an envelope. Charlotte picked it up and opened it. The contents simply made her burst into tears. The letter was written by John himself, she was sure of it. She cried because John had expressed on this piece of paper all the things he had wanted to confess to her over the 50 years they had spent together. In this letter, John poured his heart out. He was only four years old when his father passed away. Shortly after, a wealthy uncle started financially supporting John and his mother.

This uncle had no other family, and since his brother had died, leaving his wife and child behind, he was trying to do what he could. When his mother couldn't afford to provide for their daily needs anymore, his uncle had stepped in to help. And in doing so, John had grown close to him. When his uncle took his last breath, the inheritance went directly to John.

Charlotte's Realization

Naturally, John didn't want to talk about the inheritance with other people, because he had seen how people could change. He had seen how it had influenced how individuals viewed his uncle when they found out he had a lot of money. And he didn't want that around him.

He explained all this in the letter to ensure that Charlotte didn't misunderstand his intentions and that there was no question of dishonoring her by sharing this secret when it was too late. He mentioned how grateful he was for the love and care she had given him. He also thanked his children for being understanding and respectful.

The Rainbow After the Rain

Charlotte was sobbing at the end of her reading. She was overwhelmed by so many emotions that she didn't know where to start or how to move forward. Deep in her heart, she knew she needed to make good use of the money John had left her. She then decided to take the initiative. She was going to pay tribute to her husband. She and the children traveled around the world with John's ashes to spread them. They had kept money aside for the future, but there was still so much left.

One day, she decided to donate a large portion of this wealth to fund research for the disease that had taken John. She donated her husband's paintings to a local museum because she knew it was the perfect place to honor John's talent. In the end, love prevailed. Despite the storm of negative circumstances, Charlotte managed to see the rainbow rise at the end.