“If I’d married an American and lived in Hollywood, I’d probably be on my third husband by now.”

Following a promising career in show industry, Rachel Ward appeared to vanish from the public eye.

Rather than pursuing celebrity, she concentrated on her 39-year marriage to Bryan Brown and their expanding family.

She is devoted to her two grandkids, who she now has.

About the same time that Rachel Ward met Bryan Brown, she was listed as one of the ten most beautiful women in the world. She was a rising star who had been nominated for a Golden Globe and appeared on the cover of UK Vogue.

Richard Chamberlain, her co-star in “The Thorn Birds,” was enamored with the stunning actress. Speaking about their time together on set, he remarked that because of his stunning co-star, all the love scenes were a pleasure to perform. She was in love with someone else, though, even as he was falling for her.

At one point, Chamberlain disclosed that Ward was falling in love with Brown at the time, indicating that she was a romantic, but regrettably not for him. Despite this, Chamberlain claimed that Ward’s enthusiasm was infectious, primarily due to the fact that they portrayed a couple in love.

He went so far as to say that it was easy to accept that Ward was in love with him and no one else. “I assumed I was the one! It was amazing. God, he used to think, ‘She’s really into me.

According to Ward, there was a strong attraction between her and Brown. “His pecs were nice.” It is, after all, quite chemical, don’t you think? She talked about what made her fall in love at first, saying, “It’s pretty basic.” In all honesty, there was no other way to explain her feelings—she simply liked him.

Brown, meanwhile, immediately concluded that Ward was “not a bad sort.” He was attracted to her right away, but it took him a while to express his interest in her. For Ward, however, this was no big thing because, according to Brown, it was a challenge she was eager to take on until he eventually changed.

It was obvious once Ward made up his mind about him: the 35-year-old ladies’ man, who was, to be honest, just a man averse to commitment, was done playing games. It was now time for him to be married, if not to the stunning Rachel Ward.

Despite coming from a shattered home, Brown never thought he would get married, but in nine months, he and Ward were married. Before Ward entered his life, he used to assure his mother that he would never get married.

Ward and Brown were married under different circumstances, despite the fact that many people decide to get married after discovering they have everything they could possibly need and want in a spouse. Brown was filming a project with Paul McCartney in London at the time. When Ward arrived, they got into a heated dispute.

Brown said, “I just thought we may as well get married if we’re going to argue like that.” In Oxfordshire, the home of Ward’s boyhood, they were married that year. After a while, they made Sydney their home, raising Rose, Matilda, and James, their three children.

Selecting an Alternative Course
Ward was the star of numerous songs prior to “The Thorn Birds.” Although her 1983 mini-TV series with Chamberlain was well-received, she eventually gave up acting due to scathing criticism of her performance. Speaking on her personal experience, she acknowledged:

“I took being slaughtered very seriously. After that, I never really regained my confidence.

Ward’s career was impacted by “The Thorn Birds,” but in the end, it helped her find the love of her life. As they waited for a take one day, Brown instructed Ward to raise her hand. When he saw three lines in her hand during his palm reading, he concluded that she would give birth to three children. They had no idea that they would end up having three children together.

Ward kept acting, but not very often. She made the decision to put her family first and relocated to her husband’s home country of Australia.

In response to a question concerning advice on preserving marriage, Brown says that one should “say yes to your wife all the time, and if anything goes wrong, say ‘it’s my fault.’” Men would be happier if they knew that.

Together, the charming couple had three children who all follow in their footsteps: The most well-known roles for their 1987-born daughter Matilda are in the television series “Lessons from the Grave,” “How God Works,” and “Let’s Talk About.” Their daughter Rosie is well-known for “Black Mirror,” “Inside No. 9,” and “Gangs of London,” while their only son Joe is well-known for “Let’s Talk About” and “Rake.”

Brown acted in the family-friendly film “Palm Beach,” directed by Ward, with his daughter Matilda. The family completed the project collectively.

When Matilda, Ward and Brown’s daughter, gave birth to Zan Neathway Gooding, her first boy, in 2019, the couple became grandparents for the first time. Brown remained by her daughter’s side, eager to eventually hold his grandson in his arms.

The actor did not sure how to react to being referred to as “grandfather,” even if he was a devoted grandfather, since it seemed to reveal his age. But whether he liked it or not, he had to admit that he would always be referred to as “grandpa.”

At first, Brown was concerned about becoming a grandfather because a lot of people were assuming he would adore it. When his grandchild arrived, he quickly became attached to the young boy and wanted to spend as much time as possible with him. He had wanted to work through that portion on his own.

Following the birth of her son, Matilda married Scott Gooding, formally becoming his adolescent son’s stepmother. They had originally planned to wed on Brown and Ward’s land in New South Wales, but they had to postpone their wedding due to the fear of a wildfire.

The family was forced to evacuate after the bushfires threatened to destroy their house. Although they would have preferred to wed at home like her parents did, Matilda decided to get married in Sydney to make sure everyone was safe.

Gooding’s kid was very involved in the wedding. With a broad smile on his face, he stood behind his father during the ceremony. According to the renowned chef, the wedding was “possibly the best moment” of his life, therefore it was the perfect unforgettable occasion.

Matilda is a happy mother of two now that he has had her younger siblings taken care of. Gooding posted a cute picture of his son strolling and pulling the pram of his younger siblings.

Similar to how Ward and Brown remain involved in their children’s life, they also make an effort to spend as much time as they can with their grandchildren. The devoted grandparents post glimpses of their grandparenting on Instagram, where they participate in a variety of activities.

Ward is seen gardening with her oldest grandson Zan in one cute video. In their herb garden, they can be seen sprinkling sugar cane mulch. Gooding boasts that his mother-in-law is “nurturing” her grandkids in the same manner that she strives to take care of the surroundings.

Zan spends time with their farm’s horses when he and his grandmother, whom he refers to as “mopie,” aren’t in the garden. They also spent a Christmas at the family farm, where the devoted grandma raised her first grandchild by exposing him to the animals at a young age to help him become accustomed to them.

Anouk, her second grandchild, arrived, and Ward made sure to spend equal time with him. One day, Gooding took pictures of Ward walking with her daughter Matilda and her second grandson, capturing the precious moment.

When their daughter Rosie became engaged to her fiance Andrew Cameron in 2020, their family grew even more. The start of a stunning partnership was marked by their Instagram engagement announcement.

After a span of two years, Rosie and Andrew joyfully relocated to a stunning new residence in New South Wales. Surrounded by a forest, waterfalls, and an abundance of avocado trees, the property has a modest house.

All of their neighbors stopped by to give the gorgeous couple a warm welcome when they arrived in the neighborhood. They declare they intend to stay awhile and claim to have everything they could possibly need in the town.

Cameron is an Australian regenerative farmer who shares Ward’s enthusiasm for the practice. He was a perfect fit for the rest of the Brown family, which made it simple for everyone to get along and share interests.

Ward and Brown have raised their family admirably throughout it all. Despite the fact that their children have grown, they maintain a close relationship and try to spend as much time as possible with their in-laws. The Browns, Goodings, and Camerons were a joyful family celebrating Christmas together in 2021.

Ward claims that at that point in her life, she most likely would have been married to a third husband if she had married an American and moved to Hollywood.

Ward and Brown are enjoying a successful marriage and their children are all grown up and independent. Ward acknowledges that she thinks there’s more to life than her marriage and her family life, even after 39 years of marriage and counting. Says she:

“While my family and marriage are very important to me, they are also not the end all be all.” I want to pursue a profession in acting because I adore it.

Ward has all the connections necessary to maintain her presence in Hollywood, even if she has spent the years living in Australia. As a matter of fact, she has been making the trip to Hollywood on demand for years.

Ward claims that even though it could have been more practical for her to live in America for her career, she most likely would have been married to her third husband by then if she had married an American and moved to Hollywood.

Rather, she is in a committed relationship with the passion of her life and has complete control over her house and family. When she’s not working on a project, the actress frequently shares with her kids what she does with pride.

One day, while painting her house over several days, her daughter Rosie captured her elevating a glass and the ladder she needed to do the job. Instagram users agreed with the happy daughter’s goal of showcasing what an amazing mother Ward was.

Ward shares more on her Instagram than only her abilities and priceless family moments—her sense of humor. She corrected misinformation regarding her activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She reported the following facts: (1) she hadn’t visited the US in more than five years; (2) she didn’t have a personal trainer; (3) she had spent the previous ten days at the mid-north coast; and (5) she lacked COVID-19. “Take a swing at another witch,” she concluded her amusing message.

Ward works on her farm while Brown is filming “Darby and Joan” on television. Together with other things, they are the owners of The Good Farm Shop, which offers ready-made, organic meals.

Woman Discovers a Photo of Herself as a Newborn with a Birthmark She Never Had, Her Mother Finally Reveals the Truth — Story of the Day

While helping her mother, Sarah, move into a new house, Natalie stumbles upon an old photograph hidden in a box. It shows a young Sarah holding a newborn baby with a distinctive birthmark on its cheek. But Natalie never had a birthmark. Confused and unsettled, she realizes there’s a secret her mother has been hiding.

Natalie adjusted her grip on the heavy box, glancing at Sarah, who was busily sorting through their belongings. It felt strange, this new feeling—admiration. For years, she had begged her mother to leave Ross, warning her about his manipulative ways.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“You deserve better,” she’d say, but Sarah never listened. Each time she walked away from Ross, she’d return, swayed by a shiny necklace or an expensive dinner. But now, things were different. Sarah had finally found the strength to break free.

Watching her mother carry on despite the fear in her eyes, Natalie couldn’t help but feel a new kind of respect.

“I can’t believe this is actually happening,” Sarah said, her voice trembling as she looked around the empty house. It was a new beginning, but fear lingered in her eyes.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Natalie paused, watching her mother. “How do you feel about everything?”

“I’m scared, Natalie,” Sarah admitted, her shoulders slumping. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

“I get it, Mom. It’s okay to be scared. But remember, you did the right thing.”

Sarah wrung her hands, glancing at the floor. “What if I go back to him again? What if I can’t make it on my own? What if I fail?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“You won’t, Mom,” Natalie said firmly. “You’ll figure it out, and I’ll be here with you. You’re not alone in this. You have me, your one and only daughter, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Sarah looked up, and her eyes filled with unshed tears. Her brow furrowed, lips quivering.

“Mom, are you okay?” Natalie asked, concerned.

“Yes, yes. Sorry, I just got lost in thought.” Sarah forced a smile.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

They started unpacking, trying to focus on the small tasks. “You sure kept a lot of stuff, Mom,” Natalie remarked, lifting another heavy box.

Sarah called from the other room, “Oh, really? I seem to remember a certain college student with a mountain of boxes.”

Natalie chuckled, shaking her head. “Okay, okay, you got me there. But I’m different now. I’ve learned to let go.”

She pulled open a dusty box, revealing a stack of old photo albums. She brushed off the top one and flipped it open, smiling as she saw herself as a toddler, playing in the backyard, dressed in funny Halloween costumes, and grinning with a gap-toothed smile.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Page after page, she saw Sarah’s smiling face next to hers, but she avoided the photos that showed Ross. She flipped past those quickly, a sour feeling building in her chest whenever his face appeared.

Once she finished the albums, she reached the bottom of the box and noticed an old envelope. It looked out of place, hidden away like a secret. Curiosity took over, and she carefully opened it.

Inside was a single photograph. It showed a much younger Sarah, looking tired but joyful, cradling a newborn in her arms at the hospital. Natalie squinted at the baby, her smile fading. A large birthmark covered the baby’s cheek.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

She flipped the photo over and read the date. It matched the day of her own birth. Her heart skipped a beat, confusion filling her mind. “But I never had a birthmark,” she whispered to herself, scanning the photo again. A chill ran down her spine as dread settled in. Something wasn’t right.

Natalie stormed into the bedroom, gripping the photograph tightly. “Mom? Don’t you have something to explain?” she demanded, holding the picture up for Sarah to see.

Sarah’s eyes widened, and she froze, clearly flustered. “Uhh… Natalie… where did you find that?” she asked, her voice shaky.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“In the box with the photo albums,” Natalie replied coldly.

Sarah swallowed hard. “I can explain. It’s… it’s just the baby of a woman who was sharing the hospital room with me.”

Natalie narrowed her eyes. “Really? And you’ve kept it all these years? Why would you hide it in an envelope?”

“I—I don’t know,” Sarah stammered, rubbing the back of her head. “It’s nothing, Natalie.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Don’t lie to me, Mom,” Natalie shot back. “You always do that when you lie. What’s going on? Who’s this baby?”

Sarah sighed, her hands trembling. “It’s complicated, Natalie. It was a long time ago…”

Natalie crossed her arms. “Then start explaining.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Sarah took a deep breath, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “Alright. But promise you won’t hate me.”

“I can’t promise that,” Natalie replied sharply. “Just tell me.”

Sarah closed her eyes for a moment, collecting her thoughts. “When your father and I first got married, we didn’t have much. We were poor, barely scraping by.”

Natalie huffed, her impatience growing. “I know all that, Mom.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Sarah nodded. “Then, when I got pregnant, we were excited but scared. We didn’t have the money, but we wanted to keep the baby. When we went for the second ultrasound, they told us we were having twins.”

Natalie blinked, the revelation hitting her like a wave. “Twins?”

Sarah nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. “Yes. But your father… he didn’t take it well. He said we couldn’t afford two children. He wanted me to have an abortion, but it was too late.”

Natalie’s breath caught in her throat, but she remained silent, waiting for her mother to continue.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“When you were born,” Sarah whispered, “you had a sister. But then… your father brought two strangers into the hospital room. He said… one of you had to go. I begged him, Natalie, I did. But he had already made up his mind.”

Natalie’s hands tightened into fists. “You let him take her?”

“I didn’t have a choice,” Sarah sobbed. “I didn’t want to lose either of you.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Natalie stood, her chest heaving with anger. “So, I have a sister—a twin—and you never told me? You let her go, and you stayed with him after that?”

“I loved him,” Sarah whispered, tears falling freely.

Natalie glared at her, her voice trembling with rage. “You loved him more than your own child! I knew you weren’t the best mother, but this… this is worse than I ever imagined!” She turned toward the door, her mind racing.

“Natalie, please—”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

But Natalie didn’t stop. She ran out of the room, out of the apartment, leaving her mother’s cries behind her.

Back in her apartment, her hands shook as she typed out a message to Sarah:

Who did you and Dad give her to?

Minutes passed, each one feeling like an hour. When Sarah finally replied with the information, Natalie’s heart hardened. She blocked her mother’s number without hesitation, determined to find answers on her own.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Through a few quick searches on social media, she found out her sister’s name—Amber. She lived in a neighboring state. Without a second thought, she booked a plane ticket and boarded the flight that same afternoon, her mind racing with questions.

When she landed, Natalie called a cab, and the driver took her to Amber’s address. The cab stopped in front of a charming, two-story house with a big, well-kept yard. Natalie sat in the backseat, nerves building as she stared at the house.

“Lady, I can’t sit here all day; some of us have jobs,” the cab driver snapped.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Natalie shot him a quick, irritated look and got out of the car, her legs unsteady. She walked up to the fence, clutching it tightly for support. Her breath caught when she spotted a woman who looked just like her, except for a birthmark on her cheek—Amber.

Amber was playing with a little boy while a man, probably her husband, laughed beside them. An elderly couple sat nearby, holding hands, their smiles warm and gentle. When they leaned in for a kiss, it reminded Natalie of a love she had never seen between her parents.

“Mom, Dad, come on, show some restraint,” Amber said with a grin as she watched her parents kiss.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Just then, two older women walked by and noticed Natalie by the fence. “Hi, Amber!” one of them greeted her warmly, mistaking her for her twin.

Natalie hesitated, caught off guard. “Oh, uh… hi,” she replied awkwardly, forcing a smile.

The women continued walking, not noticing the confusion, while Natalie tried to steady her nerves.

Natalie took one last look at Amber’s family. They seemed so content, like a picture-perfect scene from a commercial. Amber was laughing with her little boy, while her husband joined in, and her parents sat nearby, relaxed and happy.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

It was clear they were close, a real family, and Natalie felt a sharp pang in her chest. She realized then that she couldn’t disrupt that happiness. With a heavy sigh, she turned away, her heart aching but resolute.

She couldn’t be the one to ruin Amber’s peace. As much as it hurt, she knew it was the right thing to do.

The next morning, Natalie flew back home, still haunted by what she’d learned. Without fully understanding why, she found herself calling a cab to her mom’s house.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

As she arrived, she saw her dad’s car pulling away. Her heart sank, and she feared the worst. She stepped out and knocked, and Sarah opened the door almost immediately.

Natalie looked at her mom, her voice sharp. “Was Dad here?”

Sarah hesitated, then nodded. “Yes.”

Natalie felt her stomach drop. “So, you forgave him. Again.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Sarah glanced down, fidgeting with her hands. “He brought me a necklace,” she said softly. “It’s beautiful…” Her voice faded as she spoke.

Natalie sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I see,” she said, turning to leave, feeling the familiar sting of disappointment.

Before she could step away, Sarah spoke again, her voice stronger. “But I told him to go to hell.”

Natalie stopped, stunned. She turned back, searching her mom’s face. Seeing the truth there, she stepped forward and pulled her into a tight hug. They clung to each other, tears streaming, finally finding a sense of relief.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Tell us what you think about this story and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.

If you enjoyed this story, read this one: When a new boss named Mr. Brecker arrived at the company, the staff hoped for the best. But he quickly turned out to be a nightmare—strict, rude, and dismissive, especially towards Kira, the hardworking manager. Instead of backing down, Kira decided to fight back, leading to a bold plan that would change everything.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.

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