A British millionaire has thought for years that he had fathered three sons. Until Richard Mason (55) was told in 2016 that he was suffering from cystic fibrosis, a condition that almost made him infertile throughout his life. DNA tests then showed that the businessman from Rhos (North Wales) is indeed not their biological father. He filed a lawsuit, with the result that his ex-Kate (54) now has to pay him an emotional compensation of 280,000 euros for that fraud. A piece of cake, because at the divorce she herself had pulled almost 4,500,000 euros out of the fire.

Kate and Richard both worked for the Barclays Bank. In 1987 the couple gave each other the yes, their marriage lasted for twenty years. The eldest son is now 23 years old, there are also twins of 19 years old.

Richard now suspects that the hidden affair must have dragged on for at least five years. Kate admitted after much insistence that there was indeed a lover in her life. “He was also a Barclays employee. We met in a London hotel, during trips I made as a trade union delegate.”

“Condom used every time”

Despite the steely evidence, however, she remains that Richard is the only real father of her children. “With that one person I went from buttock to a total of six to twelve times and we have always used a condom. So, he could not have been him.”

Two of the three children choose their mother’s side and have meanwhile broken all contact with Richard. He stays behind like a broken man. “You no longer know what is real and what is not, as if I live in ‘The Matrix’. The only positive from that marriage were just those three boys. And then someone suddenly says that reality never existed.”

©Facebook – British Millionaire, Richard with his new wife Emma.

“Through Facebook, I still see what my eyeballs are doing. The eldest has graduated in the meantime, but I was not invited to that party. Christmas gifts? I Cannot give them anymore, that breaks my heart. Not to mention all those messages from proud parents that I see passing through social media. That’s all taken away from me.”

Jewish interest

Noteworthy: when Kate was pregnant for the first time, she began to become interested in Judaism. She also insisted that their children be given a Jewish second name. Richard still does not know the identity of the real father, but thinks that she gave away an important clue.

On a professional level Richard founded MoneySupermarket, a site on which all sorts of prizes are compared. His career made a steep rise, he became wealthy. “But after our divorce, Kate wanted more money from me. And that while the biological father has not paid a cent for our children. As far as I know, at any rate… I would like that man to get out of the shadows when he reads this article, if only for the peace of my sons. Because yes, that’s what I still call them.”

The cystic fibrosis also means that his life expectancy has been given a serious bite. His lung capacity has dropped by twelve percent in two years, and within ten years a breathing machine will probably have to be used. “The same agony awaits me as my sister Susan. She had to get a lung transplant in 1989, but died on the operating bed.”

Breast cancer

Richard has again found love at Emma (46), although their marriage does not go smoothly either. She turned out to have breast cancer, a disease she is familiar with within the family: her mother died at the age of only 42 years. The sturdy boot followed barely a few weeks after Richard himself was already beaten. Meanwhile, one of her breasts has been dropped off. Her second breast and womb must also be removed, but for the time being she seems to have overcome the evil monster.

One of the twin sons sent Richard a promising text message last month. “Whatever happened, you remain my dad”, the text sound. “Of course, we keep in touch, that will never change. I will always be there for you.”

What if Richard could do one ultimate wish? “Then I would like me to play a role again in the lives of all my children,” he concludes.