A man's life can truly change in the blink of an eye. Everything went down in flames for the divorced businessman Richard Mason once his doctor told him he couldn't have any children. The revelation can ruin anyone's dreams, but that was especially shocking for him. After all, he spent more than 20 years raising three sons.

Suddenly, Richard saw himself in the middle of an uncanny situation. He felt so lost when he discovered the truth that he compared his life to "living in The Matrix." But how did something like this happen? And who's to blame for the whole story? Continue reading to find out about all the shocking twists and turns.

A Successful Man

For the most part, the English businessman Richard Mason is an accomplished individual. He worked at Barclays Bank before becoming a successful entrepreneur. He co-founded the comparison website MoneySupermarket.com (one of the first of its kind) with a colleague and made a staggering $12 million overnight. He was also a happily married father of three.

Accustomed to having a good life, Richard could never have anticipated that one visit to the doctor would change his luck for good in more than one way. Then he uncovered the truth about his family—the kind of truth that's very hard to swallow.

Starting a Family

Richard met his wife Kate while working at Barclays Bank. They hit it off very easily as two beautiful and successful young adults working in the financial sector. In 1987, they walked down the aisle and became husband and wife. Years later, in the late '90s, they welcomed three children.

Richard and Kate gave birth to a son in 1995 and twin boys in 1999. They lived together for years before separating and looked like any other British family. However, there was a dark secret at the core of their life together, and it would only come out years later.

The Divorce Settlement

Long before knowing the truth about his wife and sons, Richard found himself in an unhappy marriage. At the end of 2007, he and Kate finalized their divorce after spending roughly two decades together. Being a wealthy man, Richard was forced to pay a hefty divorce settlement to his ex-wife.

In addition to a one-time payment of close to $5 million, he paid Kate a monthly sum of $3.7K to cover his sons' education. While he always thought he was simply fulfilling his duties as a father, Richard needed to wait another ten years to realize he was being played.

Life Goes On

Following his divorce, Richard moved on with his life. He continued to talk routinely with his three sons, he was still a successful businessman, and he even found love in the arms of another woman. Married to his second (and current) wife, Emma, Richard thought all his problems with Kate were old news.

When two young people tie the knot, they are expected to make mistakes and hurt one another, even if unintentionally. However, Richard was about to get hurt unprecedentedly years after divorcing his ex-wife. Lies can utterly ruin a marriage—but in his case, the truth was far more devastating.

Doctor's Appointment

As the years pass, people must start paying more attention to their health. Routine visits to the doctor are always recommended, but they are crucial for men and women over 40. In 2016, Richard visited the hospital and returned home with a daunting diagnosis: he had cystic fibrosis, a disease in his family.

At the time, Richard was still haunted by the passing of his sister, who had died from cystic fibrosis years before. She passed away after a heart-transplant surgery. Even though she was in the hands of the reputable Sir Magdi Yacoub (a now-retired Egyptian professor of cardiothoracic surgery), she didn't resist the procedure.

What's Cystic Fibrosis?

Because of his sister, Richard was more than familiar with the horrors of suffering from cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder caused by a faulty gene that affects water and salt movement in and out of cells. Over the years, this stimulates the creation of mucus that can accumulate in the body's passageways.

Richard's lung capacity, for example, was reduced due to cystic fibrosis. Because of his diagnosis, the businessman knew he had about ten years before he needed to use an oxygen machine. Yes, cystic fibrosis sounds like a nightmare; surprisingly, it wasn't the worst news he would hear from his doctor.

98% Sure

When he found out he had cystic fibrosis, he was also told something peculiar by his doctor. He assured him that most cystic fibrosis male patients were infertile (to a scale of 98%) and that he believed Richard to be infertile too. The millionaire didn't know if he should laugh or cry after hearing the doctor's words.

Richard was a father to his three sons since the mid-'90s, and the idea that he couldn't have children seemed absurd. But the doctor was so convinced that Richard realized he should dig deeper. So, after leaving the doctor's office, he called his ex-wife.

Ex-wife Got Defensive

Kate picked up the phone and noticed that Richard sounded way more anxious and frightened than ever. When she heard the news the doctor had delivered, she could not help but feel bad for her ex. But as soon as she heard about the infertility diagnosis, she immediately became defensive, raising suspicion on the other side of the line.

Demanding some answers, Kate told Richard that he was, of course, the father of their three boys. He, however, was not convinced. He went through some emotional turmoil and eventually asked for his sons' DNA in order to conduct a paternity test.

A Shocking Twist

Richard relied on DNA from his oldest son and one of the twins to uncover the truth about his family. Waiting for the result of a paternity test is always stressful, so imagine doing so shortly after being diagnosed with the same genetic condition that killed your sister! Understandably, Richard was scared.

However, he still had hope: surely the three sons he had cared for for more than 20 years were his, right? Sadly, hope is very different from reality, and the DNA test results confirmed the businessman's worst fears: in a shocking twist of events, he learned that he was not their birth father!

Stranded Between the Past and the Future

A subsequent sperm analysis and scrotum ultra-scan reconfirmed Richard's worst fears, further proving his inability to have children. At this moment, the millionaire didn't know what to do or think. It was as if everything he took for granted slipped away from him in the blink of an eye.

Richard worried about his future because he was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. But he worried most about his past after learning that he was infertile. Soon enough, the resentment hit him: his sadness and depression turned into anger, directed mainly at his ex-wife. So he called her again, looking for more answers.

Kate's Halfhearted Admission

When Richard confronted Kate with the facts, she could no longer assure him that his sons were his. So, she decided to spill the beans and admit that she was unfaithful to him while they were married. However, she did so halfheartedly, denying the possibility that another man got her pregnant.

"Yes, I was involved with another man, who worked at Barclays Bank at the time," she told Richard, "But we only got together six to 12 times, and we always used a condom." Richard was unhappy that his ex-wife wouldn't tell him who the birth father of their children was.

Recalling the Past

Richard was riding quite the emotional rollercoaster, and there seemed to be no way out of it. So, he started recalling the past, looking for answers to explain his current situation. If Kate wasn't prepared to open up about the truth, he might find clues to what had happened on his own.

It was then Richard remembered two very strange situations. The first was the sudden interest his ex-wife showed in Judaism when she became pregnant with their first son. And the other was the memory of a weird visit to an Indian restaurant that popped up in Richard's mind.

Suddenly Jewish

Having a child changes a person. But Richard always thought it was odd that Kate developed a sudden interest in Judaism once she became pregnant with their first son. Even though the couple had no direct links to the religion, Kate was adamant about giving their son a Jewish middle name and not having him christened.

At the time, Richard thought Kate was just going through a maternity-inspired spiritual awakening. After learning the truth about his infertility, Richard interpreted the situation differently. Could it be that the birth father of his sons was Jewish and that he insisted that Kate raised the children as Jewish?

Consuming Thoughts

Understandably, Richard's brain was going through a lot; as for his heart, it was broken into a million pieces! Also in his mind was the night he walked into an Indian restaurant with Kate while they were still happily married. While it was their first time together in the restaurant, the employees treated Kate like she was a regular.

At the time, Richard didn't find the situation that suspicious. But it was now clear to him that Kate had visited the Indian restaurant with another man, possibly more than once. Could this mysterious man be the birth father of his children?

Payback Time

When people see their lives going down the drain, they often look for someone to blame. Feeling betrayed, Richard was furious at Kate, not only because she had cheated on him while the two were married but also because she was unable to open up and share the whole truth with him.

While he didn't give up on uncovering the identity of the father of his children, Richard thought, "Enough is enough," and decided to take his ex-wife to court. This course of action would put him in the middle of a never-seen-before trial and cause him yet more trouble.

Paternity Fraud

After looking for answers, Richard decided to seek justice. So he sued Kate for paternity fraud. Paternity fraud occurs when the mother of a child misidentifies the identity of the child's biological father. While this is not a crime in most civilized countries, it does have legal pertinence.

After all, paternity fraud is way more common than people think. An American Association of Blood Banks study, for example, concluded that three out of every man tested were not the real biological fathers of their children. Shortly before going to court, though, Richard received a text message that caused him to reconsider his actions.

If You Sue Mom…

Richard's life-changing visit to the doctor impacted his entire family, children included. Nevertheless, two of his sons decided to stand by their mother's side. Upon hearing about the paternity fraud case, Richard's oldest son sent him a text message that read something like, "If you sue mom, I will never talk to you again."

This almost caused Richard to give up. However, he couldn't cope with the fact that his ex-wife would continue to live her life without consequence despite doing something so horrible and lying about it. Against his oldest son's will, he decided to move on with his plan.

A Broken Family

Divorce can set a family apart. But Richard and Kate's divorce was nothing like the bomb that hit the family when he got his cystic fibrosis diagnosis. After moving on with the paternity fraud process, he started being ignored by two of his sons. Only one of the twins continued to talk to him periodically.

Despair and heartbreak gave way to hate and resentment, and it was hard for Richard to interiorize that his ex-wife was living quite the life. In part, she was in a comfortable situation because of her hefty divorce-settlement payments. This, of course, added up to the tension.

Kate Had a Lavish Life

Richard found it tremendously unfair that his ex-wife was doing so well despite having done something as bad as lying to him for more than two decades. She resided with her new partner in a huge seven-bedroom mansion. Four expensive vehicles were parked in the front of the house, including a pricey Range Rover "Vogue."

Without the $5 million she got from Richard, Kate's life would probably be very different. Richard wanted to get back at her. Legally, paternity fraud is not a crime. But in his mind, it sure felt like he had been a victim of his ex-wife.

All Hell Breaks Loose

In one of his songs; the singer-songwriter Bill Callahan states that "When you're married, you're married to the whole wide world." Richard indeed felt the impact of these poetic words when he realized he needed to explain his situation to everybody, from his second wife and other family members to his co-workers.

It's hard enough to struggle with cystic fibrosis after learning that you've raised another man's children for more than two decades. But just imagine doing so while having to deal with the burden of sharing the news with pretty much everyone. Richard was going through unspeakable emotional turmoil.

Absolutely Distraught

After taking his ex-wife to court, Richard spent a lot of his time telling people again and again that he found out he wasn't the father of his three children. Paternity fraud is always hurtful, but it hurts more in the case of men who do everything right by the kids they think to be their own.

Add the fact that Richard lost a ton of money to his ex-wife when the two divorced, and you get a combo that would turn any man's head upside down. He sure felt like his life would never be the same: it was as though his entire past proved to be a lie.

Kate Wanted More and More

In light of such a daunting revelation, Richard also started rethinking his opinion of his ex-wife. Even though he paid her a divorce settlement of nearly $5 million and more than $3K per month for years, she always asked him for more money, claiming that she needed it to care for the children.

Richard already thought his ex-wife made him some abusive requests since they got divorced. But now, such requests seemed even more unacceptable. If Kate knew who the real father of her children was, why didn't she ask him for money? Why did all of the burden fall on Richard's lap?

No-Brainer Court Case

Against his oldest son's will, Richard and Kate went to court. Kate was accused of paternity fraud; not even the best lawyer in town could save her from her destiny. Richard had a solid case, with tons of medical exams proving his infertility and two DNA tests backing up his position.

In the face of all of the evidence, Richard was proven right in court, and Kate was forced to pay him roughly $310K in damage. This made him feel somewhat vindicated, but it was too short of a sum for justice to be made. And that's not the end of the story.

Missing Details

What made Richard sad wasn't the fact that Kate was "only" forced to pay him $310K. Instead, it was still not knowing his son's real father. Part of the reason why Richard decided to get the authorities involved was that he was still looking out for answers—answers that his ex-wife wouldn't provide.

While in court, Kate was entitled not to share more than what she wanted. For that reason, she kept the identity of her boys' birth father under wraps, never letting out any details about his name, job, or current situation. To this day, Richard still doesn't know who the mysterious man is.

Going Public

After countless hours explaining to his family and friends that his sons are not his, Richard decided to go public and share his story with Britain's leading news outlets. Talking with the press was a sort of therapy for him, which allowed him to reflect on everything he was put through after being diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.

Naturally, the press was also very interested in Richard's story. After all, he was a relatively known businessman who had been the victim of one of the most shocking instances of paternity fraud in recent history! Sounds like a nice way of selling newspapers.

Still Struggling

When the personal stories of everyday people hit the news, they often come with a happy ending. But Richard's tale was more about shock than redemption. In his interview with the Daily Mail, for example, the businessman admitted to thinking that his life was ruined and that his future plans were put on hold.

Robbed of his past, Richard was also robbed of his future, as he dreamed of having a child with his current wife Emma. When one's family's involved, things become much harder. But it's almost impossible to put ourselves in the shoes of a man whose entire life was destroyed in a single moment.

A Family Matter

Before sharing his unbelievable story with the news, Richard was forced to tell his family about his condition. This was a tremendous task! Consider how disappointed his mother, for example, must have been after discovering her grandsons were not related to her by blood. That's got to break any grandparent's heart!

Richard's younger sister was surely extremely disappointed as well, especially since she was also diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (his other sister sadly passed away shortly before he was diagnosed). In other words, Richard was far from being Kate's sole paternity fraud victim: his close relatives and friends suffered too.

The Impact of Paternity Fraud

Paternity fraud is not recognized as a crime, even in instances in which the misattributed father paid child support for years (just like Richard). Nevertheless, it is morally wrong for a woman to name someone as her child's father when she knows such isn't true. The emotional turmoil caused by paternity fraud can sometimes be irreparable.

Paternity fraud has a deep impact on both parents, children, and their closest relatives, leading to paranoia, depression, low self-esteem, and anxiety. Richard knows how it feels to be through it all, and it's almost a miracle that he kept his sanity through it all.

Was Justice Made?

In the end, was justice served for Richard? Or is the $310K payment made by Kate meaningless? While $310K doesn't seem like a lot considering all the money Richard paid to his ex-wife, it is more than many other fraudulent mothers have been sentenced to pay. In many instances of paternity fraud, mothers get to move on unscathed.

Justice, however, isn't solely measured in monetary terms. Richard was cut away from his past! How can a man (especially a father) bounce back from that? And is there enough money make up for such a painful experience? We don't think so.

What Richard Wants

In his interview with the Daily Mail, Richard revealed some anger towards his ex-wife, which is quite understandable. However, he was adamant in stating that he doesn't blame his sons for not talking to him anymore. Being close to his estranged kids, however, is what the businessman wants the most.

He said, "If I could wave a magic wand, I would want to be in all their lives." Hopefully, Richard's kids were listening when he said that and will forgive their father for taking their mother to court. For the poor boys, it was like reliving the distress of their parents' divorce once again.

A Positive Final Message

After being through so much, Richard deserves more. Even though he's not the biological father of his three sons, he is their real father, who watched them grow up and paid for most of their expenses. That's got to be worth more than a purely biological connection.

On a final positive note, Richard revealed that he received a kind text message from one of his sons, stating, "I'll stay in touch, that will never change…" and that "You will always be Dad." These words have surely lifted Richard's spirits, especially since he's trying to reconnect with his sons as he battles cystic fibrosis.

To Be Continued

This is a true story, and it's not over yet. Richard still doesn't know who the biological father of his sons is, and there are no indications that the boys themselves know it too. The businessman continues to have many challenges, the greatest of which is tackling a disease that impacted most of his close relatives.

As his lungs deteriorate and his condition gets worse, Richard will hopefully regain the support of his two estranged sons. While we don't know much about his role as a father, we're sure he deserves more from his family, especially considering everything he's been through.