“It was a slow death,” Kyle says of Annie finding out he had the second secret child

KYLE Walker tells The Sun today that his family is “all I have” – and that he has let them down.

The England and Manchester City defender admitted he was selfish not telling his pregnant wife about his second secret child – saying: “It was a slow death for me and for Annie.”

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Annie's world came crashing down just after Christmas when, out of the blue, she received a devastating Instagram message from Lauryn Goodman, who told her that Kyle had fathered another child with her.

For the first time, he publicly admits, “I'm sorry for having a second child with Lauryn and hurting my best friend.

“It's horrible to say that out loud.

“I hurt someone who I truly believe is my soulmate.

'It's hard not having her.

“She is my right hand.

“I think about her so much that she probably won't understand, and I probably won't really tell her.

“This is not an interview for me to tell the world how much I care about her, because that's because of me and Annie and what we feel.

“Annie knows I'm sorry.

“I'm sorry, because as a family this is not the intention.

'They're all I have.

“I'm not asking for pity.

“I failed Annie and my boys, I failed my mom and dad, and my grandma.”

Last year, Lauryn, 32, welcomed their second child – a girl – conceived during a brief collaboration in London.

Annie became pregnant with their fourth a few weeks later and is due to give birth in March.

Kyle said: “It hurts me to think about (how she is coping during the pregnancy).

“I have never been there.

“To not be there when she needs me most, but to know that you caused that pain, that's something I have to live with now.”

Lauryn told Annie she deserved to know the truth and provided DNA results and legal letters that confirmed her worst fears.

I failed Annie and my boys, I failed my mom and dad, and my grandma

Kyle Walker

In a surprising admission, Kyle says he lived the lie for 14 months even after Annie, 30, became pregnant for the fourth time.

Despite everything, he desperately tries to save the marriage, but he accepts that this could be the final nail in the coffin.

He said he wouldn't blame Annie if she chose to divorce him – and vowed to become a better role model.

He said: “I think there is too much pain and too much pain.

“For now, I just have to be the best dad I can be.”

In contrast, he added about Lauryn: “There was no relationship.

“That's something Lauryn could never honestly say.

“We never went out to eat.

“We have never been to the cinema.

“I admit that Lauryn was a friend for a long time.

“I probably met her when I was 20, 21.

“Then we have our episode in 2020.

“I'm 33 now, that's more than nine years before anything like this happened.

“After that there was nothing like that anymore.

“To be in a relationship with someone… would she even know how much sugar I have in my coffee, if I have sugar?

“She couldn't tell you.

“Lauryn had me cornered since October when she told me about having a second child.

“She asked me to jump and I said, 'How high?' This was to meet the growing and unreasonable demands in exchange for not destroying my family.”

Kyle admits he should have told his wife the truth when Lauryn became pregnant again.

But he knew this would almost certainly mean the end of their marriage – and force him out of the family home.

He said: “It was selfish. I didn't tell her because I wanted to be with her and the kids. Should she have heard it from Lauryn? No no.

'That was the least I owed her. I was aware that the clock was ticking and I still chose not to tell Annie.'

It was selfish. I didn't tell her because I wanted to be with her and the kids

Kyle Walker

But in a surprising admission, the World Cup star said: “Yes, and I don't regret it.

“I regret not telling her because she had a right to know, and that's the least I owe my best friend.

“I don't have any selfish regrets because I got to spend days with my kids.

“I was allowed to take the kids to the World Cup – they were there.

“I won a triple with City.

“Seeing my children's faces when we won the Champions League is something I will never forget.

“So while I deeply regret not telling Annie, I was able to experience it as a family.

“It was a double-edged sword between a clear conscience and the loss of my family.”

The fullback harbors the 'unrealistic' hope that Annie will give him another chance, but accepts the misery he has caused her.

He plays with his wedding ring as he thinks, “Would people think she was crazy to take me back?” One million percent.”

Under his wedding ring is a tattoo of the letter “A” for Annie.

She also has Kyle's 'K' written on her finger, but threw the ring away.

Kyle added: “People are entitled to their opinions, but they don't know what happens behind closed doors.

“We are not perfect.

“Everyone experiences ups and downs in life.

'But I wouldn't blame her if she divorced me.

“I would understand that she had gotten to a point where enough was enough.

“I have to respect her decision.

“I wouldn't be angry or shocked if she did that.

“The ball is firmly in her mind court about what she decides to do with the future.

“For me, I can keep saying sorry, but sorry won't change anything.

“All I can do is build a better future, with or without Annie.”

After Kyle fathered his first child with Lauryn, Annie described his betrayal as “obscene.”

But she took him back and they married at the luxurious Mottram Hall in Wilmslow, Cheshire, at the end of 2021.

To not be there when she needs me most, but to know that you caused that pain, that's something I have to live with now

Kyle Walker

But their marriage could not escape the shadow of his infidelity.

Kyle wipes tears from his eyes and admits, “I lost a part of her.

“She never told me she loved me until probably about three months ago.

“She refused to tell me she loved me.

“She said when she felt she could tell me that again, she would. And then this all happened.”

Calling Annie a “fantastic mom,” Kyle added, “The other day she let me call her phone, which was a huge help.

“That shows the mother that she is for the children.

'She doesn't want to take that away.

“They always wished me good luck in the past the games and they did so before the FA Cup win against Tottenham.

“Little things like that show the character she has as a mother.

“No matter what happens, the girl, the woman, my wife, will be my best friend until I die.

'I will fully respect her decision.

“I can't change the past.

“Hopefully I can change the future.

“Is it a reset button?

“The reset button should have been pressed the first time.”

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