Everyone advised me to forgive my husband and move on after he cheated on me with my sister. My family made an effort to persuade me that their child from an affair needed a father. The cosmos had already picked a side, but my sister and husband were eager to tie the knot.
“You won’t believe what my sister did to me.” is a statement I never imagined I’d make, but here we are.
If your husband cheats on you, do you know what’s worse? It’s him and your sister. What’s worse? It’s being handled by your entire family as if it were
“one of those things.”
Before this year, I believed I had my life all out. My name is Hannah, and I am 34 years old. I met Ryan at a friend’s cookout, complete with lawn chairs and cheap beer. He was courteous and silent. possessed the constant warmth I had always desired. We quickly fell in love.
I can very clearly recall our third date—we were heading back from dinner when we got caught in a downpour. We were laughing like fools, soaked wet, and without an umbrella. With rain streaming down our faces, he kissed me in a broken streetlight and declared,
“I could do this forever.”At the time, I trusted him.
I chuckled and wiped the tears from my eyes. “You’re crazy,” I said.
He said, “Crazy about you,” and drew me in.
It reminded me of a scene from a movie. When things go tough, you play back the kind of song in your mind to remind yourself why you fell in love in the first place.
Three years later, my mother assisted me in choosing the lace dress I wore as I walked down the aisle. “This is it.” I thought as I gazed into his eyes,
“This is what love looks like.”With tears in his eyes, my father handed me over. In the first row, my mother wiped at her makeup. My sister and maid of honor, Chloe, was standing next to me in a light pink dress, carrying my bouquet and grinning as if she was truly delighted for me.
Before walking down the aisle, I recall gripping her hand. “Thank you for being here,” I said in a low voice.
She gave a squeeze in return. “Always, sis. Always.”
That turned out to be a lie.
We were best friends, not just sisters.
Up until high school, Chloe and I shared a room. We would laugh about boys and mumble secrets late into the night. She sobbed as she climbed into my bed after her first boyfriend broke up with her, and I spent the entire night trying to distract her with microwave popcorn and cheesy romantic comedies.
Every Sunday morning, we had the dumb habit of texting one another, “You alive?” And we were always there for one another, even as adults, when things went messy.
It got worse because of that.
Ryan and I had a strong desire to start a family. However, after a year of trying and too many fertility tests to list, we were informed that my chances of becoming pregnant were very slim.
Sometimes I can still hear the doctor’s words. Like my body was a broken promise I couldn’t fulfill, I said, “It’s not impossible, but statistically unlikely.”
During that meeting, Ryan held my hand. I started crying when the doctor left the room. I cried,
“I’m so sorry,” “I’m so, so sorry.”He had said, “Hey, look at me,” as he raised my chin. “This doesn’t change anything. We’ll adopt. We’ll foster. Hell, we’ll get 10 cats if we have to. But I’m not going anywhere.”
I will always remember the night I sobbed in his arms. He said, “We’ll figure it out.” while holding my face. “I don’t love you because you can give me a baby.”
I trusted him. God, I thought he was real.
But one Thursday, everything fell apart. It seems like yesterday to me. I prepared his favorite dish, lemon chicken. Light a candle and arrange the table. I thought we might discuss adoption. Or consider agencies. Perhaps begin to plan for a different future.
I had even printed out three different adoption agency’ brochures. On the kitchen counter, they were arranged in a tidy stack beside a bottle of his preferred wine.
I knew when Ryan entered. His hands were stuffed into his coat pockets as if he didn’t want to touch anything, least of all me, and his mouth was a tight line.
I responded softly, “Hey,” attempting to ignore the knot that was starting to build in my gut. “You okay? I made your favorite.”
Something in his face fell apart as he looked at the food, wine, and candles on the table.
“Hannah…”
“What’s wrong?” I asked, taking a step closer. “Did something happen at work?”
He stared at the floor for an excessive amount of time. Then he spoke in a low, clipped voice.
“Hannah, I need to tell you something.”
My chest constricted. “What is it? You’re scaring me.”
Adam swallowed hard, and I saw his apple bob. Now his hands trembled.
“Chloe’s pregnant.”
I felt sick to my stomach. I briefly believed that he could have meant that she had gotten pregnant with someone else. that he was only giving news about his family. However, the fact that he was unable to look at me told me everything.
“Chloe?? My sister??” I said, scarcely raising my voice above a whisper.
He gave a nod. “It’s my baby.”
I blinked. “Your… baby?”
One more nod.
The table’s candle flickered. A dog barked somewhere in the distance. The chicken was growing chilly. Sitting there, teasing me, were the adoption brochures.
“How long?” I inquired in a strangely serene tone.
“Hannah…”
“How. Long.”
“Six months.”
That was the end of it. No justifications. Not for the “I messed up” excuse. Just the sound of my breath fighting not to break and the silence.
I didn’t throw anything or shout. I simply grabbed my keys and left.
He eventually found his voice and asked, “Where are you going?”
I said, “To see Chloe,” without turning around.
“Hannah, wait… please, we need to talk about this…”
However, I had already left. Before I got into my car, I heard him call my name one last time before the door slammed behind me.
It was a blur of a drive to Chloe’s flat. I don’t recall changing lanes or stopping at red lights. I can still clearly recall whitened knuckles from a tight grip on the steering wheel.
As if anticipating my arrival, Chloe answered the door. There it was, front and center, the smug little look mom used to wear when we were kids and she got the last piece of cake.
Wearing leggings and a loose t-shirt, she leaned against the doorway and murmured, “You’re here sooner than I thought,” her stomach already slightly protruding. “Guess Ryan couldn’t keep his mouth shut.”
My voice cracked as I said, “Is it true?” but I refused to back down.
She gave a shrug. “You already know the answer.”
I felt like slapping her. I wanted the entire street to hear me scream. However, I didn’t.
“How long has it been going on?” I asked instead.
A lock of Chloe’s flawless golden hair was tucked behind her ear. “Six months.”
Six months. A half-year. She was having an affair with my husband while I was researching adoption agencies and grieving over failed pregnancy tests.
“Six months,” I said softly again. “So… that family dinner in April? When you hugged me and said you were proud of me for staying strong?”
She lacked even the grace to display embarrassment. “What do you want me to say, Hannah?”
My throat ached. “You looked me in the eye. You hugged me. You smiled at my wedding. You were my maid of honor, Chloe!”
Unconcerned, she crossed her arms. “It’s not like you were really paying attention to him anymore. You were so caught up in doctors and crying every other night.”
I said, “Because I was trying to have a baby!” in spite of myself. “Our baby! The family we planned together!”
“Well, maybe he got tired of waiting,” she retorted.
I gazed at her. “So that’s your excuse?”
As though she were doing me a favor, she lowered her voice and leaned closer. “You can’t give him what he wants. I can.”
Like a bag of bricks, the words struck.
I muttered, “You’re my sister,”
She patted her stomach and said, “And you’re too wrapped up in your own problems to see what’s right in front of you.” “This baby deserves a father who actually wants to be there.”
As I opened my lips to respond, I ran out of coherent words. Her voice followed me down the corridor as I turned and walked away.
“Don’t make this harder than it has to be, Hannah!”
I received the second betrayal that evening when my mother called.
As if reading from a screenplay, she said, “We know this is hard,” in a controlled tone. “But the baby needs a father.”
I said in a whisper, “The baby?” “You mean Chloe’s baby. The one she made with my husband?”
“Hannah, please. Don’t make this about you…”
“How is this NOT about me, Mom?”
“You need to be the bigger person, sweetheart. For the family.”
Without saying anything else, I hung up.
My dad called me the following day.
“You can’t let this tear the family apart, Hannah.”
I chuckled. “Too late for that.”
“Hannah, listen to reason…”
“No, you listen. She slept with my husband. For six months. And you’re telling me to just… what? Show up for Sunday dinner and pretend it didn’t happen?”
“We’re trying to think about what’s best for everyone…”
“Everyone except me, you mean.”
Quiet.
I said, “That’s what I thought,” and hung up.
It was a swift divorce. The house wasn’t a battle for me. It wasn’t what I wanted. It felt like a landmine in every room.
I relocated across town to a tiny apartment. Just one bedroom with very little furniture. It was mine, though. tidy. Keep quiet. Not burdened by memories.
My mother called once more a few months later.
“Hannah, they’ve decided to get married. The baby’s due in a few months. It’s the right thing.”
Before answering, I counted to five while holding the phone to my chest.
“You really think that’s the right thing? After what they did?”
She said, “It’s not about you anymore,” as if I were being self-centered. “Think about the child.”
Silently, “I’m thinking about the child,” I said. “A child being raised by two people who destroyed a marriage to be together. What kind of foundation is that?”
“Hannah… you need to calm down…”
“Calm down? Are they even going to invite me to the wedding? Or is that too uncomfortable for everyone?”
She paused. Her quiet was sufficient, as if I should ignore my suffering because Chloe was playing home with my ex.
A cream-colored envelope arrived at my door a few days later. An invitation stamped in gold read, “Ryan & Chloe. Join us as we celebrate love.”
The restaurant Ryan and I had discussed reserving for our anniversary, Azure Coast, was listed as the location. Floor-to-ceiling windows facing the ocean are located in the same location.
I chuckled. The kind of thing that erupts when you’re on the verge of going insane.
I failed to RSVP. I simply lighted a candle, poured myself a drink of wine, and vowed to stop crying.
I stayed at home on the wedding day. No cosmetics. No phone calls. Only my couch, my blanket, and an old romantic comedy that I wasn’t really watching.
The phone rang at that moment.
Mia was the one. At the same restaurant where Chloe and Ryan were getting married, she was a waiter.
“Girl, turn on the TV. Channel 4, now.”
“Mia, what..?”
“Just do it. Trust me. You DO NOT want to miss this.”
I reached for the remote control and turned it on.
And there it was.
Their upscale location by the sea, the restaurant, was on fire.
Not in a symbolic sense. On flames, literally.
I gazed at the display. People rushed out with their mouths covered in sequin gowns and tuxedos. The top storey was spewing smoke. There was a surge of firefighters. Behind them, the nighttime sky was glowing orange.
The sirens were drowned out by the reporter’s voice.
“Sources say the fire started when a decorative candle caught one of the drapes during the reception. Fortunately, no serious injuries have been reported, but the venue has been completely evacuated.”
The camera then panned in on them.
Chloe: ash-streaked white dress, half-fallen veil, mascara streaming down her cheeks. She grabbed her stomach as Ryan stood next to her, jacket off, shouting at someone off-camera.
I sat still. remained motionless. didn’t flinch.
Through the speaker, Mia’s voice crackled.
“They never even made it to the vows. It happened right before they said ‘I do.’ The whole place had to be evacuated. I was carrying their cake when the alarm went off.”
I inhaled and closed my eyes. Not because I felt happy. Not because it corrected any wrongs. However, I had a sense of calm for the first time in months.
“I guess karma didn’t want to miss the wedding,” I said.
Mia whistled quietly. “Girl. You said it.”
She came in after work three days later.
She collapsed into my couch as if she had just finished a marathon after dropping her suitcase on the floor.
As she kicked off her shoes, she asked, “Guess what?” “It’s official. The wedding was called off. They never got legally married. No license filed. No ‘I do.’ Nothing.”
I arched an eyebrow. “So they’re just… stuck?”
“Pretty much. She’s blaming the venue. He’s blaming her cousin for knocking over the candle. Apparently, they had a screaming match in the parking lot while the fire department was still there.”
I took a drink of my tea. “Sounds like a match made in hell.”
Mia gave a snort. “It’s a mess. And I love it for them.”
I peered out the window. The sky had gold streaks and was gentle and blue.
I mutely uttered, “I spent so long thinking I lost everything,” “But maybe I didn’t lose anything worth keeping.”
My shoulder was where Mia rested her head.
“I never told you this,” she stated, “but the night you found out… Ryan came by the restaurant. I heard him talking to the bartender. He said he felt trapped. Like he didn’t actually want to marry her, but he didn’t know how to back out.”
I blinked. “He said that?”
“Yeah. Word for word. He said, ‘I ruined everything for someone I don’t even love.’ And now? He’s living at his buddy’s place. Alone. Chloe’s back at her apartment. I heard through the grapevine they’re barely speaking.”
I grinned. Not in retaliation. Not resentment. Simply put, relief.
“Looks like the universe knows how to return a favor.”
I ended up back at the beach where Ryan had proposed the next weekend. I watched the tide come in while standing barefoot on the sand and feeling the wind pull at my hair.
Don’t cry. Not a flashback. Only me. standing. breathing still.
Chloe’s message chimed on my phone:
“I know you’re happy now.”
After reading it twice, I removed it without responding.
There are certain people who never change. Some people never even attempt.
Until the sun disappeared behind the waves, I strolled along the shore. “I didn’t lose them. I let them go,” I told myself in the silence.
And it was the truth at last.
Disney ditches ‘diversity’ and ‘DEI’ in business report for the first time since 2019
Disney removed the terms “diversity” and “DEI” from its annual business report for the first time in five years Thursday morning.
In the company’s 2025 Form 10-K filed after its recent Q4 meeting, the words “diversity,” “inclusion,” “DEI” or “diversity, equity and inclusion,” appeared zero times. While the term “equity” appeared about 130 times, it was only used in a financial context.
By contrast, the company’s 2024 SEC filing included a dedicated section on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
DISNEY INVESTOR PLEDGES TO CONTINUE FIGHT AS SHAREHOLDERS REJECT PROPOSAL TO DISTANCE COMPANY FROM LGBT GROUP
Disney’s 2025 annual report included zero references to “diversity.” (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
“Our DEI objectives are to build and sustain teams that reflect the life experiences of our audiences, while employing and supporting a diverse array of voices in our creative and production teams,” the 2024 report read.
Initiatives under that DEI section included programs to engage “creative executives from underrepresented backgrounds” and “over 100 employee-led groups which represent and support the diverse communities that make up our global workforce.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Disney for comment.
DISNEY DROPS CONTROVERSIAL ‘REIMAGINE TOMORROW’ PROGRAM AS COMPANY PARES BACK DEI INITIATIVES
Earlier this year, Disney also removed two of its DEI programs, “Reimagine Tomorrow” and “The Disney Look,” from its 2024 SEC 10-K report. The “Reimagine Tomorrow” program came under scrutiny after a 2022 meeting the program hosted featured a Disney executive touting her “not-at-all-secret gay agenda.”
Disney has been moving away from diversity initiatives over the last couple of years. (Getty Images / Getty Images)
“On my little pocket of Proud Family Disney TVA, the showrunners were super welcoming. … Our leadership over there has been super welcoming to my not-at-all-secret gay agenda, … They’re going hard. … I don’t have to be afraid to have these two characters kiss in the background. I was just, wherever I could, adding queerness,” executive producer Latoya Raveneau said at the time.
FCC CHAIRMAN OPENS INVESTIGATION INTO DEI AT DISNEY, ABC IN LETTER: ‘I AM CONCERNED’
Though Disney has been shifting away from DEI initiatives, corporate stockholders voted in favor of continuing the company’s participation in the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) corporate equality index in March.
The HRC is described as a “national benchmarking tool on corporate polices, practices, and benefits pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer employees.” Disney most recently earned a top rating of 100 for this year’s index.
Disney removed its controversial “Reimagine Tomorrow” program after backlash. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images / Getty Images)
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Business Insider also reported last month that Disney hosted its first “Global Belonging Week,” which featured several references to “belonging” and “inclusion” without including the word “diversity.”