A husband's death may and often does have a terrible effect on the widow he leaves behind, especially when they’ve been together for nearly 50 years. When Charlotte's husband John passed away, the same thing happened to her. But he also left her with a mysterious note in addition to a wounded heart. The picture he had given her all those years ago apparently held a secret.
And it would alter all Charlotte had ever known about her enigmatic late husband John after she found the hidden inscription behind a coat of varnish.
Eventually, the phone rang
Charlotte picked up the ringing phone with trembling hands. She recognized the number right away. He was there. Could it be that she was about to find out the truth? Was she about to decipher her husband's last message to her?
There's a layer of paint hiding
She could hear the voice of the guy who had been assigned with analyzing her husband's artwork on the other end of the telephone. He urged Charlotte to pay him an emergency visit. When he scraped off the varnish, he found a major find that he was saving for an in-person reveal to her.
Subtle hints
The guy informed Charlotte that he had cracked the code buried in the picture when she arrived. Not only did he not identify it, but Charlotte understood it on sight.
However, the question remains as to what Charlotte's late husband concealed in the artwork. A little bit of context is needed to get a handle on this.
Hello, I'm Charlotte
Charlotte, a retired nurse who was previously a widow, had a long and successful career in the field. John, her husband, and she had three children together. Charlotte has felt lonely ever since John's death. Unfortunately, she was unable to move on from the loss of her spouse. Together, they had gone through so much…
Conversation with John
John and Charlotte met while they were both in their early 20s. The two of them had been at the same pub with separate groups of people, but when they finally crossed paths, it was instantaneous attraction. But Charlotte had yet to learn any of John's numerous secrets…
Confusing character of a guy
Charlotte immediately learned that John was a highly enigmatic character. He seldom if ever discusses his childhood or anything else from his history. Even in the present day, John's whereabouts were often unknown. However, Charlotte just didn't care right now.
The Experience of Having Kids
Charlotte's undying love for John allowed her to overlook his many flaws with ease. Charlotte's annoyance grew when she and John had two children together yet John continued to be absent often and without explanation.
Containing hidden information?
Charlotte became concerned that John was hiding anything from her and began pressing him for details about his whereabouts. Nonetheless, she always received the same reaction. It was nothing major and had to do with his employment.
Not a bad guy by any means
Charlotte felt compelled to agree with John's justifications. She still loved John very much, and he was a wonderful father to their kids even if he was seldom around. There was nothing wrong with her current situation, and Charlotte accepted it. At the very least for the time being…
Joyful, sober living
Not having a lot of money was never an issue for the family since they always had each other. They had two beautiful sons and spent those years together happily but responsibly. Charlotte's lingering skepticism, though, about John persisted. At some point, she made up her mind to do something about it…
To continue after John
Charlotte decided to go along with John one day as he left for "work" again. Their boys were away at a sleepover, so she felt safe going out. She was aware of the potential consequences of her decision to follow John, but she wanted to find out whether his claims were true.
Could it be that John was having an affair?
To a really fine restaurant on the outskirts of town, Charlotte tagged along with John. She waited patiently outside for a bit before peering inside. She could not believe what she saw when she came across John and a stunning young lady enjoying a romantic supper together. Charlotte walked inside the eatery in an agitated state.
In the workplace
John's argument was ready right away, and the dinner companion was eager to agree that this was all business. They answered with minimal hesitance. Charlotte was frustrated because she couldn't prove John was lying.
He Kept His Personal Life Out of the Spotlight
After that, Charlotte and John went home and had a serious conversation about trust. In an effort to be more honest with Charlotte, John said he would make an effort to do so. On the other hand, he said he was a private person who preferred not to air his dirty laundry right away.
Hidden compartment
Charlotte was forbidden to open a certain drawer in John's room since it held crucial information. Once, while he was away for a few days, she attempted to seek for the key but was unsuccessful. Since she couldn't find anything to back up her suspicions, she eventually stopped hunting for proof.
There can be no living without him
Charlotte loved him tremendously despite her frequent misgivings about his honesty. Even if he had been unfaithful, Charlotte could not bear the thought of ever being apart from him. Charlotte would soon learn that she would have to go on without John, unfortunately…
Distressing Health Issues
John was diagnosed with a rare illness after he had been retired for a while. For a long time, he was sick, yet he refused to see a doctor or seek medical attention because of his pride. When things had reached a breaking point, he sought medical attention and received the devastating diagnosis.
Fatal illness
His illness was little understood, and no treatment had been found. His doctor had broken the news that he likely did not have long left to live and that there was nothing more that could be done for him. Charlotte had hoped to spend more time with John, but she was wrong.
Call an Ambulance
Just a few days earlier, after dinner one night, John became ill unexpectedly, forcing Charlotte to call 911. His condition quickly became life-threatening, and he was admitted to the hospital. The doctor had informed John that night that he probably only had a few more days to live.
Thank you, Dad
Charlotte had contacted their two kids as soon as she received the devastating news, and they rushed to the hospital to say their last goodbyes to their beloved father. Back then, none of the kids had any idea that their dad was keeping a huge secret from them.
I have been blessed with a fantastic existence
Charlotte was the only one to spend the last hours with her dying husband after their sons had bid farewell. They reminisced about their many happy years together when John brought up the wedding present he had made for her 50 years before.
The one and only
Charlotte's husband has given her many thoughtful and artistic presents throughout the years. Amidst all the presents, there was one that meant the most to her. But this present would turn out to be far different from what she had anticipated. Certainly not…
Creativity and zeal for painting
John was naturally artistic, and painting was always his main interest. He had painted and sketched quite a few times before deciding to construct a lovely artwork for his wife. He informed Charlotte she could never part with it since doing so would hurt his feelings when he gave it to her.
He said his goodbyes and left.
John's condition rapidly worsened, and he passed away soon after. He informed his wife Charlotte that the artwork wasn't typical with his last breath. She had to examine the picture more carefully to determine its authenticity. The answer left Charlotte at a loss.
Time passes
She observed John's eyelids shut just as she was about to beg him to explain. All doors were finally locked. Charlotte grieved and felt overwhelmed by her emotions for days, to the point that she forgot John's last words to her. But then she took a look at the artwork and…
Without a clue
The wife had no clue what her husband was referring about, but she went to investigate anyhow. She examined the artwork from every angle but saw nothing unusual. Her spouse had given that explanation for a purpose. She continued her search for a while before finally coming up with a solution.
He who heals
When Charlotte was younger, she had a friend whose profession was art restoration. She could get a lot more advice from him if she needed it, and it would be useful for her to keep working on the painting. The only catch was that she had no idea whether or whether the guy was still alive; hence, she went online immediately to try to track him out.
Adequate thickness
The old buddy Charlotte had been looking for was, happily, still alive when she located him. Soon after, he began putting in time on the painting. The painting's top layer struck him as unusually thick, and he made the observation right away. Something John never did with any of his previous artwork.
Underneath all that varnish
He reasoned that whatever was concealed in the artwork had to be beneath this thick coating, so he cautiously began chipping away at it. When he finally did it, he contacted Charlotte to tell her he had found something incredible behind all that varnish.
Get moving
She hurried to his office to see the results of his recent discovery. He'd phoned her to tell her that the artwork had a secret message under its surface. As Charlotte was soon to learn, this was only a snippet of a much larger mystery.
Secretive Symbols
Charlotte came at the studio and gasped when she saw the artwork. The address and secret code were written in what seemed to be her husband's handwriting. There was more, however. There was a secret code put next to the address…
Our community bank
She and her husband had an account at a nearby bank, so she recognized the location right away. However, she did not understand the coding. She had no clue whether this was a second banking number or the code to her safety deposit box. However, she would soon find out…
She was taken aback by the outcome
She and the art restorer hurried to the nearest bank in the hopes that an employee there may be able to decipher the code and provide more details. When she presented the guy the location and code, he didn't respond as she had anticipated.
50 years of silence
The bank worker was taken aback when he immediately understood the code. There had been no activity in this safe for half a century, making it one of the oldest in the bank. Every now and again, someone at the bank would worry whether somebody would ever come for this safe. This day had finally arrived.
Warning the guards
After the bank worker identified which safe Charlotte had come to get, he immediately notified security. Charlotte had a bad feeling about it, but she was assured it was for her own protection. As events unfolded, it became more clear that nothing that had happened thus far could be true…
Moments seemed like hours
Charlotte accompanied the bank teller and the security guard to the room housing the relevant safe. The quicker her pace became, the more her heart seemed to race. She walked what must have been less than a minute, yet it seemed like hours to her.
Packing box with silk gloves
Her jaw dropped as soon as she walked into the room. The room was littered with safes, and in the middle was a massive marble table with a pair of satin gloves and a black box on it. She had always assumed that only the wealthy could afford such a luxurious suite.
A monetary motive?
Charlotte began to think that John was attempting to lure her to a bank because he knew she was looking for some concealed cash he had stashed there. Okay, but why would he do such a thing? And where did he expect to get that kind of cash?
Seriously, what could it be?
Charlotte was already overwhelmed by the complexity of this space. She couldn't fathom the possibility that John had hidden a substantial sum of money from her. But why take so much trouble to conceal such a little sum? Were we even dealing with currency? To her luck, she was going to learn this…
Hesitantly slamming the door shut
Charlotte had to sign many papers before she was given access to the safe. A second security guy arrived a few minutes later and locked the entrance. With the customer out of earshot, the bank worker donned the satin gloves and retrieved a black box off the table.
It's a little machine
Charlotte opened the package to find an exotic item. The bank worker opened a package, and out sprang a little gadget with blinking lights. The scene seemed to have been lifted from a futuristic film. But the nature of the gadget quickly became apparent…
Unique Procedure
The teller informed her that fingerprints might be scanned using the equipment. Her husband John's safe was one of a very small few that had this feature. When she touched it, the light went green, indicating that the safe could be opened.
You can't be serious
There was more cash in the safe than she had ever seen before. There's no way her spouse was responsible for all much cash. Charlotte's thoughts immediately jumped to the worst possible outcomes. But that wasn't the end of it, since the safe held more than just cash…
Avoiding disclosure
There was what seemed to be a letter addressed to Charlotte in an envelope sitting next to the cash. She had a growing suspicion that her spouse was hiding something major from her. When she looked at the lettering on the envelope, she knew it was from the sender.
A letter written by hand
Her late husband John penned the letter she found in the safe about half a century ago. It was filled with a heartfelt message, and if Charlotte hadn't been shocked enough by the discovery of the letter itself, she certainly would have been after reading its contents.
There were tears in her eyes
Charlotte politely requested the bank worker and the security officers to give her a minute of silence. When she was finally alone in the room, she started reading the letter and quickly discovered that her suspicions had been correct. Tears welled up in her eyes as she sat in the room.
Excellent lineage
John revealed in this heartfelt letter to Charlotte that, while he was still a little boy, he received a large quantity of money as an inheritance from his uncle. Since John's father died when he was just four years old, John has relied on his wealthy businessman uncle for financial support.
Such a terrible accident
Because John's mother could not afford to raise her children after his father's untimely death, John was raised in part by his uncle. John's connection with his uncle flourished as a result. Charlotte was aware of the existence of this uncle but was unaware of his connection to John.
Feelings of affection and esteem
He also shared the story behind his decision to keep Charlotte in the dark about his massive fortune. Why? Because he aimed to be liked and respected for who he was. He was never one to surround himself with folks who put a high value on material possessions.
His wealthy uncle
He was raised as his own son by his wealthy uncle, thus he saw firsthand how his uncle was taken advantage of by others who coveted his fortune. From an early age, he saw how others reacted to his wealthy uncle differently, and he vowed never to be subjected to the same treatment. On the other hand…
Compelling End
He ended the heartfelt letter by saying that Charlotte and the children may spend the inheritance as they liked. He was also very appreciative of Charlotte's undying affection and admiration during the course of their whole relationship.
As a farewell tribute
Charlotte had been moved to tears by John's kind comments and wanted to pay him one more homage. She didn't want to do it by herself since she knew it would be tough. Nonetheless, she was determined to surprise her husband with a special gesture, and so she brainstormed until she found an idea she liked.
Involving travel all around the globe
Charlotte used the funds to take her two kids on a globe tour. It was a touching and lovely journey taken in remembrance of her beloved husband, John. Charlotte began considering potential uses for the remainder of her fortune once they returned.
Serious living
She didn't know what to do with all the money since she and John had always been so thrifty. For a long time, she had been content with her life as it was and had no desire to alter her routine. A long time passed before she could think of a good way to put the money to use…
A really kind present
She did something really kind since she didn't need the money and because her children were already quite successful and financially comfortable. She gave the bulk of it to a research foundation studying John's fatal illness.
Novel Concept
However, she had other plans for the remainder of the cash: a gift for John. Because of his life-altering wedding artwork, she realized that he must have always had a love for art. However, it wouldn't be a stroll in the park.
Visiting the town's museum
She reached out to a mutual acquaintance who worked at a museum in order to arrange a fitting memorial for John. In return for a contribution, she arranged for this space to display John's artwork. For John, this is the realization of a lifelong ambition to have his artwork shown in a museum.
Without resentment
Charlotte had been lied to her whole life, yet she still loved her husband. She understood him and realized he had done this for a good cause. She believed that they would be reunited in paradise, where she could assure him that his actions were inconsequential.
The events of this story are entirely fictional and are products of the author’s imagination. Images included are meant for illustration purposes only. Any resemblance to actual events, places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.