Maria Shriver reportedly confronted her husband Arnold Schwarzenegger’s mistress over her suspicions that the woman was secretly raising his child.

The 55-year-old mother of four is said to have questioned the family’s housekeeper, Mildred Baena, 50, about whether her son was fathered by the Terminator star.

According to Radar Online, during this intense encounter, Baena broke down and admitted the truth.

Schwarzenegger only confessed to the affair after Shriver informed him she knew the truth about his 13-year secret, insiders say.

A source told the website, “Maria has suspected this for a long time and she asked the housekeeper. The housekeeper admitted it. Maria then went to Arnold and he confessed.”

Contrary to earlier reports, insiders claim Baena was not fired from her position with the family.

The source added, “Yes, her employment ended, but it ended without animosity. 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 that during her time in the family’s employ, Schwarzenegger showered Baena’s family with money.

The former Governor of California allegedly funded a lavish party for the daughter of Mildred’s sister Maria, who also worked for the family.

The event was a Quinceanera, a traditional Latin ‘coming of age’ party.

Schwarzenegger attended the event with his family, where he made a speech about wanting to ‘take care of’ the family, as Mildred and Maria had been close to him for many years.

TMZ claims that at the party, Mildred’s son, fathered by the actor, played with Schwarzenegger and Maria’s children.

The website also reports that Mildred was obsessed with former TV newswoman Maria and wanted to ‘be just like her.’

Sources claim that the housekeeper would wear the former NBC presenter’s clothes and jewelry.

After Maria left for work in the morning, Mildred would reportedly “climb into bed” with Arnold.

Sources say Mildred sought advice from Maria during her pregnancy, which coincided with Shriver’s.

Documents show that Mildred Baena’s son, believed to be Schwarzenegger’s love child, was born on October 2, 1997.

The actor and his wife Maria Shriver welcomed their second son, Christopher, on September 27 of the same year.

While pregnant, Baena and Shriver would have encountered each other daily, as Baena worked in the family home but lived elsewhere.

Schwarzenegger and Shriver have three other children together: Katherine, 21, Christina, 19, and Patrick, 17.

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,” suggesting 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.

Observers have noted that the boy, now 13, closely resembles the star in terms of his mouth and teeth.

Neighbors described the teenager as “the type of kid you just want to be around. He is so sweet, funny, and handsome.”

The boy is said to enjoy sports, school, and is involved in local charities.

Sources claimed that Guatemala-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; instead, Schwarzenegger, who is described as having a strong sexual appetite, would have unprotected liaisons with her during the daytime.

At the time, Shriver was a superstar presenter for NBC News. When her husband announced his plans to run for governor, she took unpaid leave of absence from NBC News to support his political aspirations.

She later quit her job in 2004 to focus on her role as First Lady of California.

Baena gave up her job in January after 20 years working for 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 he had fathered her child.

Baena now lives with her four children in a modest four-bedroom £150,000 house in Bakersfield, about 120 miles north of Los Angeles.

Neighbors said Schwarzenegger bought the house for her as a “retirement gift.” They also mentioned that Baena lives with a new partner, Alex.

A joint investigation by RadarOnline and Star magazine in the U.S. led to the naming of the mistress. “She is the one,” a source told the website.

Photos posted online by Baena, known as Patty, show her and a young boy.

On a social networking site, she claims 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.

“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, “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. I will always love my family!”

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 chat show 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.

She came on stage at the United Center with Winfrey’s best friend, Gayle King.

Shriver told Winfrey that the talk show host had “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 the news of the affair in a statement to the LA Times earlier this week.

He said, “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 apologized 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.”

When the LA Times approached the mother of Schwarzenegger’s love child after his statement was released, she declined to comment further.

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, new claims suggest that Baena was sacked by Schwarzenegger in a desperate bid to keep his affair and love child a secret.

Baena is rumored to have been considering going public with news of their affair.

In another 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 manila 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.”

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 womanizing and boorish behavior 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.