Sometimes secrets are kept for years in life, only to be revealed at the most unexpected times. These discoveries have the power to change perceptions, reshape relationships, and create enduring impressions. These are twelve real-life tales of startling secrets that were revealed and profoundly altered the lives of those involved.

The Random Person Who Wasn’t Very Nice

I got lost in a busy mall when I was seven years old. I started to panic as I looked for my mother. A blond woman came over and consoled me until we located my mom. My son, who is now a teenager, overheard me telling the story to a friend years later. He went pale and admitted that the woman had kidnapped him in the first place, and that her boyfriend had ultimately chosen to release him. To spare me the agony, he had kept this a secret.

2. The Thong That Was Lost

I bought a thong in secret when I was sixteen, feeling ashamed and rebellious at the same time. I concealed it in my dresser, but my mother discovered it and became enraged. My brother unexpectedly admitted that it was his girlfriend’s, who had left it behind while visiting. After a while, they got married, and as a small favor for me, I now watch their kid.Watch more.