When I noticed my husband, Damien, acting distant and secretive, I feared the worst: that he was cheating on me. He’d become more withdrawn, lied about spending money, and started hiding his phone. Despite my suspicions, he always reassured me with weak excuses.

The turning point came one night when he returned home late, drunk, and silent. Desperate for answers, I set up a nanny camera to catch him in the act. To my surprise, I saw him alone, reading a letter that made him break down in tears. Confused, I found the letter the next day and learned it was from a doctor—Damien was dying of terminal cancer, given just six months to live. He had been hiding it from me, trying to protect me from his suffering.