I’m Refusing to Support My Late Husband’s Child from an Affair

The burden of betrayal, coupled with the complexities of inheritance and responsibility, can be overwhelming. This is precisely what Emma, a woman grieving the loss of her husband, now faces as she confronts an unexpected and painful dilemma. She shared her story:

“My husband, Mark, passed away nearly three years ago, leaving me to raise our 8-year-old daughter, Lily, on my own. After his death, I uncovered secrets that would have shattered our marriage if he were still alive. About six weeks ago, a process server came looking for him with a court order to submit DNA for a paternity test. I handed him a copy of the death certificate and sent him on his way.

Not long after, a woman named Rachel appeared at my door with a child, claiming that this was Mark’s son. Is it? I don’t know, and honestly, I don’t care. The child resembles him, but he’s young enough that he must have been conceived just before Mark’s death. I informed Rachel that Mark had passed away and directed her to his grave. Almost immediately, she began demanding ‘her half’ of his estate. I couldn’t help but laugh and tell her that half of nothing was nothing, and she was welcome to it.

Where I might be seen as the bad guy is that, while there was no estate, there were assets that bypassed probate. One of those was a rental property gifted to us by his parents, deeded to us as joint tenants with rights of survivorship. When Mark died, it became mine. I’ve since sold the property, and that money will go toward Lily’s college education. Legally, I’m covered—I’ve already consulted my attorney. While I do feel sympathy for this child, my priority is my own.”

Support for Emma came from many who empathized with her situation:

“You were not in the wrong. And for what it’s worth, that’s not a terribly uncommon scam for some reason. If you still have the papers, I’d look into whether they were even legitimate.”

“I would have said, ‘He died with a ton of debt. Let me get your info, so I can transfer half of it to you.’ She would be out of there so fast!”

“You need to focus on your child and your finances. The property legally belongs to you, and there’s no proof Mark was the father of the other child. Your priority is your own child’s future.”

“Unless she has a way to prove paternity, you have ZERO obligations to her or her child. Even if he is the father, the rental property was in your name, so it was not Mark’s to give away. Remember, she chose to wreck your home. I would not open the door for her.”

“Don’t even give a second thought about this again. Just tell yourself, ‘It was just a scam.’ And never talk to that person again—get a restraining order if it comes to that. If you are ever served with papers (i.e., an actual lawsuit), then lawyer up immediately and vigorously defend yourself.”

“It’s between your late husband and his baby mama. You received sole possession of all assets upon his death, and you owe nothing to her. She should have informed him she was pregnant with his child while he was alive if she knew. Why did she wait three years to come forward?”

Though the moral and ethical aspects of Emma’s decision may provoke debate, her story highlights a universal truth: moving forward often requires making tough, deeply personal choices.