A HEARTBROKEN woman has revealed how her life turned upside down after taking a sneak peek at her boyfriend's Facebook profile.
The 31-year-old had been with her partner, 37, for six months and was convinced there were no secrets between them, as they had shared all important personal history - or, so she thought.
But it all changed when a quick look at his Facebook page revealed the shocking truth - he had two kids, one of whom was 18.
According to the woman, she stumbled upon a snap of the family taken in 2019 and it shattered her trust completely.
Taking her story to the forum Quora, she wrote: ''Last night, I opened his Facebook account, which I don't usually do because I trust him, and I accidentally found out he has two kids.
''The oldest is 18. I checked the daughter's profile, and it broke me when I saw their family portrait posted in 2019."
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After learning the gut-wrenching truth, she decided to confront the lying man.
"I confronted him after crying, and he said he was married at the age of 18, but it didn't work out, and the ex-wife already had her own family," she said.
Despite loving the partner dearly, the 31-year-old was crushed by his lies and dishonesty and didn't want to be a step-mum.
"Has anyone experienced this type of situation? How did you move on and cope?" she asked.
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Unfortunately, as revealed by other social media users, she wasn't alone in her predicament.
One woman bravely opened up about a similar experience, advising: "For me personally, I would exit the relationship. 6 months is enough time to share that you have 2 kids and were married prior.
''That should be a given! If he's hiding something this major, I'd be concerned about what else he is hiding."
Another chimed in: "I met a guy and dated him for 6 months and found out he was engaged and living a double life!
''I was the perfect target because I'm a nice girl and always see the best in people.
''Sometimes, men who are looking to cheat and maintain a dishonest lifestyle pick girls who don't question them a lot. I hope you take this as a big red flag."
Four red flags your partner is cheating
Private Investigator Aaron Bond from BondRees revealed four warning signs your partner might be cheating.
They start to take their phone everywhere with them
In close relationships, it's normal to know each other's passwords and use each other's phones, if their phone habits change then they may be hiding something.
says: "If your partner starts changing their passwords, starts taking their phone everywhere with them, even around the house or they become defensive when you ask to use their phone it could be a sign of them not being faithful."
"You should also look at how they place their phone down when not in use. If they face the phone with the screen facing down, then they could be hiding something."
They start telling you less about their day
When partners cheat they can start to avoid you, this could be down to them feeling guilty or because it makes it easier for them to lie to you.
"If you feel like your partner has suddenly begun to avoid you and they don't want to do things with you any more or they stop telling you about their day then this is another red flag."
"Partners often avoid their spouses or tell them less about their day because cheating can be tough, remembering all of your lies is impossible and it's an easy way to get caught out," says Aaron.
Their libido changes
Your partner's libido can change for a range of reasons so it may not be a sure sign of cheating but it can be a red flag according to Aaron.
Aaron says: "Cheaters often have less sex at home because they are cheating, but on occasions, they may also have more sex at home, this is because they feel guilty and use this increase in sex to hide their cheating. You may also find that your partner will start to introduce new things into your sex life that weren't there before."
They become negative towards you
Cheaters know that cheating is wrong and to them, it will feel good, this can cause tension and anxiety within themselves which they will need to justify.
"To get rid of the tension they feel inside they will try to convince themselves that you are the problem and they will become critical of you out of nowhere. Maybe you haven't walked the dog that day, put the dishes away or read a book to your children before bedtime. A small problem like this can now feel like a big deal and if you experience this your partner could be cheating," warns Aaron.
Numerous readers of the post urged her to end the relationship.
One said: "I'm so sorry to hear this. If it was me I would leave. He might be a good guy, but ultimately, he had some big secrets, so at best, he's a weak guy, and he is still a dishonest one.
''I would never be able to trust him with the small things if I couldn't trust him with the big things. It's not about you being a step-mum.
''It's about him hiding things."
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Another user was more blunt, writing: "Dang. Move on from him.
''He's a piece of s**t for not being truthful from the beginning," while someone else simply responded with a string of red flag emojis.