By Lizzie Smith and Andrea Magrath
Mistress: Housekeeper Mildred Baena is allegedly the mother of Arnold Schwarzenegger's love child
Maria Shriver confronted her husband's mistress over suspicions she was secretly raising his love child, it has been claimed today.
The mother of four, 55, is said to have asked her family's housekeeper, Mildred Baena, 50, if her son was fathered by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
During the dramatic showdown, Baena broke down and confessed, according to America's Radar Online.
The Terminator star only came clean about the sordid affair after Shriver told him she new the truth about his 13-year secret, insiders say.
'Maria has suspected this for a long time and she asked the housekeeper,' a source told the website. 'The housekeeper admitted it.
'Maria then went to Arnold and he confessed.'
Insiders also claim Baena was not fired from her position with the family as previously reported.
'Yes, her employment ended, but it ended without animosity,' the source added.
'She was upset with Arnold at the time and didn’t know what to do, she thought about going public, but it was a fleeting thought. Ultimately she didn’t want to hurt Arnold.'
TMZ reported today that Arnold showered Mildred's family with money during her time in the family's employ.
Obsessed: Internet reports claim that Mildred wanted 'to be just like' Maria Shriver, and would wear Shriver's clothes and jewellery
According to the website, the former Governor of California funded a lavish party for the daughter of Mildred's sister Maria - who also worked for the family.
Arnold and his family attended the Quinceanera - a traditional Latin 'coming of age' party where he made a speech telling relatives that he wanted to 'take care of' them as Mildred and Maria were so close to him for so many years.
According to the website, Mildred's son by the actor played with Arnold and Maria's children at the party.
Additionally, TMZ claims that Mildred was obsessed with former TV newswoman Maria and wanted to 'be just like her.'
Double take: Mildred's son in a picture taken some years ago, displayed on his mother's social networking site, and Schwarzenegger as Conan the Barbarian
Sources claim that the housekeeper would wear the former NBC presenter's clothes and jewellery and that after Maria left for work in the morning Mildred would 'climb into bed' with Arnold.
According to sources Mildred would go to Maria for advice on her love life and sought advice from her employer during her pregnancy - which coincided with Shriver's, it emerged yesterday.
Mildred Baena's son, believed to be the star's love child, was born on October 2, 1997, according to documents.
Suspicion: Arnie seen yesterday, the former Governor has put his film career on hold
The actor and his wife Maria Shriver welcomed their second son, Christopher, on September 27 that same year.
Baena and Shriver would have encountered one another daily while pregnant, with Baena working in the family home but living elsewhere.
Schwarzenegger and Shriver have three other children together: Katherine, 21, Christina, 19, and Patrick, 17.
Family support: Shriver took her children to lunch in Brentwood earlier this week
Pregnant at the same time: Schwarzenegger's alleged mistress at her baby shower in 1997 and Shriver, right, pictured that same year while carrying her youngest child Christopher. Both women gave birth within days of each other
A birth certificate obtained by TMZ lists Baena's then-husband, Rogelio Baena, as the father.
However divorce documents filed in February 2008 state the couple have 'no minor children,' which suggests her husband had discovered she had been unfaithful.
It has been claimed that Schwarzenegger did not discover he was the parent until the child was a toddler.
While the identity of the boy, now 13, is being protected, observers have noted that his mouth and teeth closely resemble the star.
'Proud parent': A photo of Baena and her son which she posted on an online networking site
Family home: News crews gathered outside the California home Arnie is said to have bought for Baena
Neighbours today described the teen as 'the type of kid you just want to be around. He is so sweet, funny, and handsome.'
He is said to enjoy sports, school and is involved in local charities.
Sources today claimed Guatamala-born Baena, whose duties included cleaning, laundry, cooking and other chores, began to 'pursue Arnold' in the late Nineties.
It has been reported that Schwarzenegger and Baena had unprotected sex in the family home during the affair.
Baena did not sleep in the marital home and instead Schwarzenegger, who is described as having a strong sexual appetite, would have unprotected liaisons with her during the daytime, the website reports.
Shriver was a superstar presenter for NBC News at the time.
Looking for love: Baena listed herself as 'single' and 'searching for a serious relationship' on social networking websites
Once her husband announced his plans to run for governorship, she took unpaid leave of absence from NBC News to support her husband's political aspirations. She quit her job in 2004 to focus on her role as First Lady of California.
Baena finally gave up her job in January after 20 years in the service of Schwarzenegger. Her son is said to have been an 'occasional presence' at the family's home.
Schwarzenegger is understood to have been 'generous' to Baena after learning had fathered her child.
She now lives with her four children in a modest four-bedroom £150,000 house in Bakersfield, about 120 miles north of Los Angeles, which neighbours said Schwarzenegger bought for her as a ‘retirement gift’. They said Baena lives with a new partner, Alex.
A kept woman: Schwarzenegger is said to have been 'generous' after he found out that he had fathered the boy
A joint investigation by RadarOnline and Star magazine in the U.S. led to the naming of the mistress last night.
'She is the one,' a source told the website.
Photos posted online by Baena, known as Patty, show her and a young boy. She claims on a social networking site to be 'single' and 'dating or searching for a serious relationship'. Baena also describes herself as a 'proud parent'.
Schwarzenegger told his wife about the child after he left office in January - leading to the couple's separation.
'This is a painful and heartbreaking time,' Shriver said yesterday.
Daddy drama: Baena's then-husband, Rogelio Baena, is listed as the father on the child's birth certificate in 1997, left. However, divorce papers lodged in 2008, right, show the pair had 'no minor children'
'As a mother, my concern is for the children. I ask for compassion, respect and privacy as my children and I try to rebuild our lives and heal. I will have no further comment.'
Their son Patrick tweeted yesterday: 'Some days you feel like sh*t, some days you want to quit and just be normal for a bit, yet I love my family till death do us apart. #family.'
He later changed his onscreen name to Patrick Shriver, from Schwarzenegger. His sister, Katherine Schwarzenegger, commented later in the day.
'This is definitely not easy but I appreciate your love and support as I begin to heal and move forward in life,' she said. 'I will always love my family!'
Earlier in the day, a number of websites claimed that another woman Tammy Tousignant had also had a lovechild with Schwarzenegger.
A former flight attendant on the actor's private plane, she yesterday denied that her son Tanner was his.
Staying strong: Maria Shriver appeared tonight with Oprah Winfrey during a star-studded double-taping of the chatshow host's final show
The boy is now 22. In a Facebook message yesterday, he wrote: 'I'm not his son.... don't waist your time. it was just a stupid story made up 8 years ago.'
After finding out about the affair Shriver moved out of the family home and into a hotel.
She is said to have been 'miserable' in her relationship for several years but did not want to end her marriage because of her strong Catholic beliefs.
She appeared alongside Oprah Winfrey, an old friend, as the chatshow host filmed her final show this week.
Wearing a blue dress and with her hair styled in waves, Shriver posed alongside Oprah in front of the audience, smiling and laughing.
Famous family: Schwarzenegger and Shriver with their children (left to right) Katherine, Christina, Patrick and Christopher in 2003
She came on stage at the United Center with Winfrey's best friend, Gayle King.
Shriver told Winfrey that the talk show host has 'given me love, support, wisdom and most of all the truth.' Making no mention of the latest scandal surrounding her husband, she said she knew she wasn't 'alone in receiving those gifts.'
Schwarzenegger broke news of the affair in a statement to the LA Times earlier this week: 'After leaving the governor's office I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago.
'I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family.
'There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. I have apologised to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry.
'I ask that the media respect my wife and children through this extremely difficult time. While I deserve your attention and criticism, my family does not.'
The LA Times said that when it approached the mother of Schwarzenegger's lovechild after his statement was released, she declined to comment further.
'Secret meetings': Arnold Schwarzenegger is alleged to have had women visit him at his Santa Monica office in the early hours of the morning
Baena told the paper she voluntarily left her position with the couple 'on good terms'.
She said: 'I wanted to achieve my 20 years, then I asked to retire.'
However, there are new claims Baena was sacked by Schwarzenegger in a desperate bid to keep his affair and love child a secret.
Baena is rumoured to have been considering going public with news of their affair.
In a further revelation website TMZ claimed that Schwarzenegger used his Santa Monica office for meetings with a series of women, around five to seven years ago.
The women would arrive in the early hours of the morning, carrying manilla envelopes. After meeting with Schwarzenegger for several hours they would then leave.
The world was stunned earlier this month when Schwarzenegger and Shriver announced they had split after 25 years of marriage, with many questioning the reasons behind the break-up.
They released a statement which read: 'This has been a time of great personal and professional transition for each of us.
Shriver then took to Twitter to thank her fans for their support after announcing the split, writing: 'Thank you all for the kindness, support and compassion. I am humbled by the love. Thank you.'
And, at an appearance last week at the Los Angeles' Skirball Cultural Center, Schwarzenegger suggested there was a chance of reconciliation.
He said: 'We both love each other very much. We are very fortunate that we have four extraordinary children and we're taking one day at a time.'
Earlier this week, an actress claimed she was just one of many of his mistresses.
Schwarzenegger has long been plagued by allegations of womanising and boorish behaviour towards females.
His 2003 campaign for governor was rocked by the 'Gropegate' scandal - allegations from six women who said he had groped them on movie sets, in studio offices and in other settings over the past three decades, without their consent.
Despite not wanting him to go into politics Shriver stood by her husband, describing his blanket apology to any women he offended as 'courageous.'
Her backing is widely thought to have helped Schwarzenegger to election.
'I wouldn't be standing here if this man weren't an A-plus human being. I wouldn't be taking my time, I wouldn't have left my job that I love, I wouldn't be doing any of this if I didn't believe in this man,' she said in a speech to a Republican women's group in Orange County in 2003.
She called him 'an extraordinary man', adding: 'He's honest, he's sensitive, he's sincere. And he is gracious with every bone in his body.'
The couple married on April 26, 1986, in a lavish ceremony in Hyannis, Massachusetts, near the Kennedy family compound.
source:dailymail
Labels: Celebrities, Entertainment