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Forgiving infidelity with my sister

181 replies

Horsey22 · 07/10/2026 19:22

The relationship is over, it was 10+ years ago. I just can’t bring myself to forgive my sister, she’s never apologised and we’ve never spoken about it since. It was my husband and father to my children. Do I leave the past in the past?

OP posts:
maxslice · 08/10/2026 04:46

AnotherOctober · 08/10/2026 04:29

Read (and comprehend) the thread. She’s long divorced. The opening post made it clear it was her husband and the father of her children. One and the same.

Yeah, got it.

TabardOfDoom · 08/10/2026 05:54

Horsey22 · 07/10/2026 19:58

Sorry, no they’re not together now and I found out at the time. It’s honestly something we’ve just never spoken about and carried on like nothing happened, the children were young and both marriages separated because of it. The older I’m getting the more I’m resenting her but I don’t know why

You don't know why??? What? She SHAGGED with your husband!

I'll tell you why. As you get older, you start to really 'see' the world and the people in it and lose fucks to give, that's why.

I could never forgive that from either of them but especially her.

My sister did a series of really shitty things. As soon as my Dad died, I dumped her from my life forever. The relief!

I see her at funerals only now. She always tries to talk to me but all she had to do was not be a dick and she would still have a sister. It's not just me, she treats everyone around her with contempt.

Bin her off. Be happy.

EvieBB · 08/10/2026 06:37

2chocolateoranges · 07/10/2026 19:27

I Wouldn’t want anything to do with either of them. If that’s how people who are supposed to love you treat you then I’d rather be alone.
not forgivable at all.

Yep. Horrendous situation. My husband and my sister and literally my best friends so it would be horrific and very lonely to lose them both 😭

EvieBB · 08/10/2026 06:43

redjaffacake · 07/10/2026 19:24

What to do the voting options mean?

YABU = she should leave the past in the past and move on
YANBU = she's justified to feel aggrieved and not forgive/forget

CrazyMidget · 08/10/2026 06:45

PyongyangKipperbang · 08/10/2026 02:23

The cult you bought into has been proven to be a plagiarized work by someone who claimed to have had an epiphany.

That you are ok for falling for that is on you. I say that in a "kind, teasing tone".

What an insane reaction to the sensible idea of radical acceptance and moving on from a hurtful situation that you can do nothing about. You're mad.

EdithBond · 08/10/2026 07:11

Suggest you have therapy to explore your feelings with a professional.

Especially if your own parents provided no emotional support at the time and raised you to suppress your feelings. It’s unhealthy to bottle things up and carry them alone forever and can even affect physical health due to pent up stress.

You were a wonderful mother to put your children first, including their relationship with their cousins when young. But if they can maintain these relationships themselves now, it’s easier for you to decide what relationship you want with your sister going forward.

It was a major betrayal of trust by your sister, which had huge impacts: broke up your children’s family as well as your relationship and likely had financial implications too, which may have limited opportunities for you and your kids. For her to have never said how sorry she is, after years of reflection, is terrible. But sometimes people are worried it’d do more harm than good. Especially if she’s also been raised to sweep things under the carpet.

Therapy would allow you to get out the hurt in a safe space and come to a decision about what your ideal would be. We all have to decide that for ourselves. I’m a forgiver and a resolver. I think life’s too short and families are the most important thing. So, I’d probably want to ask my sister to speak to me about it, with some notice, so she can gather her own thoughts. Ideally, in a joint therapy session to create a safe space and help guide a painful discussion, to avoid an argument etc.

Ask her how she feels about it, which is hopefully terrible and profusely apologetic to you and your kids. Then you may be able to move forward in a relationship with her. But if she won’t discuss it or doubles down, I’d keep her at arms length and only be in contact to avoid causing a rift between your kids and their cousins or to care for your parents.

Finally, your ex was also clearly highly disrespectful and breached your trust. Your sister shouldn’t carry all the blame for his infidelity.

I hope it works out, whatever you decide is best for you and your well-being.

Tigercrane · 08/10/2026 07:20

The fact that she has not apologised, suggested she's not comprehended how serious it is!
Maybe forgive her in your mind if it helps you , if it gives you peace. I would not be able to have contact with her personaly.
Nobody can expect you to forgive someone who is not sorry.

bozzabollix · 08/10/2026 07:25

How absolutely awful for you. My sister had an affair with my best mate’s husband and that was bad enough! So had it been my husband I think I’d have killed her tbh, I felt anger like nothing before even with my situation.

I think your family set up and the non acknowledgement of such a huge betrayal must have been very hard to bear. Your parents should have had your back. That they didn’t not only have you lost your relationship with your sister, but you also lose the one with your parents even if it exists on a superficial way.

Personally I had to have counselling to sort out my feelings to give myself permission to not be close to my sister, my mother put a lot of pressure on me to keep things similar to before as my sister is needy. I really did need that, I suggest you do the same.

Really feel for you, she’s an absolute cow and to never apologise is unforgivable in itself!

Sunshineandgrapefruit · 08/10/2026 07:52

Wow so your parents didn't have your back? Didn't read her the riot act? Just head in the sand time? You haven't had a serious conversation with her about the damage she did and how it's all made you feel? No wonder it's all bubbling up. You need to confront the feelings and have a conversation with her at the very least.

Greenleavesandsunshine · 08/10/2026 07:57

BootstrapJack · 08/10/2026 00:00

I’ve name changed for this.

My sister had an affair with my then fiance, nearly 20 years ago. I’d felt a bit uncomfortable about how close they seemed to be getting, but she was having a bit of a difficult time and he was very capable, always there to fix everyone’s problems. And of course I didn’t want to believe that my sister would ever do something like that to me. I knew he was running around after her, taking her for lunch etc but I let him convince me that he was just playing a big brother role, and then I let my mum convince me that my sister had been an unwilling party to it all, that he’d exaggerated what went on, my sister had denied everything and that my mum had seen them together when he’d popped into hers for something and my sister had been there, and she’d looked so uncomfortable that my mum couldn’t possibly believe that my sister would have done that. So, through agonising pain (who knew a broken heart could be physically painful?), I forgave her for what I’d seen and believed it was all him. After all, she was my sister. I’d let her into my home and done all sorts to help her. He took exception to playing the villain of the piece and made sure I saw evidence that it had been mutual and that, for once, he’d been telling me the truth when he’d admitted to it all. So that was pretty awful. And I’ve not spoken a word to her since.

There have been family weddings where we’ve just kept our distance and not made eye contact. Neither of us have children of our own but our mutual nieces and nephews are largely unaware and I love them more than I have contempt for her, so I would never want to make them feel uncomfortable by causing any kind of scene. We just don’t make eye contact and sit as far from each other as possible. There have been occasions were we’ve been sat on the same table at a wedding. That wasn’t fun, but it was doable. It helps that I’m very happily married to the most wonderful man I’ve ever met, so have his support. She’s not been so lucky. I do have some level of pity for her, simply because she has a life that seems bloody miserable and she firmly believes that she’s not responsible for any of the decisions that led her here. She believes it’s all been done to her. I find her pathetic (which I know she’d be furious at) and I can’t hate that. Don’t misunderstand me, I would never, ever want her back in my life and if she died tomorrow I don’t think I’d feel anything. She’s a stranger to me now. But I got my anger at her out at the time.

Our family is beyond messed up. We operate on a sweeping it under the carpet basis. If we don’t talk about it, I can pretend that I’m not still furious at my mum and my other siblings for telling her they accept her denials but just shrugging their shoulders awkwardly when I tell them that I’ve seen texts, photos etc. I occasionally need to remind myself that I wouldn’t want her life for anything in the world and that I never, ever would have left him, so she actually did me a favour. I’m very close to my SiL but have a very surface level relationship with my siblings. I suspect my anger for them may come pouring out of me at some point. The older I get the less I care about maintaining relationships with them. I know they’re also very unhappy people, albeit for different reasons. And I’m not. I like my life. I have a happy marriage, wonderful friends, a nice life. I wouldn’t have those things if I’d stayed where I was.

I think that if you’ve just pretended it’s all fine for the sake of the children’s relationships with their cousins, is it now the time when they don’t need you to facilitate that relationship for them anymore? So then what do you do with that freedom? Do you tell her that you find her contemptible and that you’ve only been pretending all these years for the sake of the children’s relationships? That you don’t want her in your life anymore? You don’t have to leave it in the past if you don’t want to. You don’t have to stay calm and contained and pretend it didn’t happen if you don’t want to. You don’t have to do what your parents would prefer you did, if you don’t want to. You did what you thought was best for your children at the time and I commend you for that. But you haven’t committed to that position for the rest of your life. And I think you’re feeling increasingly resentful because you didn’t deal with your hurt and anger at the time. And what a coward she is that she’s never even tried to say sorry or explain herself. She sounds weak and pathetic as well. It might be that you tell her that you never want to see her again and that you have white hot rage running through your veins for her, or it might be that you keep it low key and quietly withdraw yourself from her life. Or something else. But it’s your decision. I think some counselling would do you the world of good. Not to persuade you to one course over another, but to teach you that it’s ok to feel what you feel.

This was a huge essay, far more than I intended, for which I apologise. I hope I haven’t disrailed your thread. I just wanted you to know that you aren’t alone.

Thankyou for writing that. You explained your emotions, in all their complexity really well. Sounds like you are doing the very best you can with the hand dealt to you.

boredsmored · 08/10/2026 08:04

she never even said sorry? wow

thepariscrimefiles · 08/10/2026 08:13

Horsey22 · 07/10/2026 20:45

My marriage is over. So is hers. I’ve not spoken to him a lot since, yes, still contact with her, over elderly parents mainly. But no, no massive fallout at the time. I wanted to be stable for the children and the close cousin bonds they had

Your elderly parents gave you no support when you found out that your husband and sister were having an affair. You are now forced into maintaining a relationship with your awful sister so that your parents are supported. This is one of the worst examples of adding insult to injury that I've ever known.

You need to start putting yourself first and pull right back from your parents and your sister. They have shown you no loyalty or care at whatsoever. You have been the victim of your sister's adultery with your husband and your parents' obvious preference for your sister.

Your sister reaped all the benefits from her relationship with your parents and you got absolutely nothing. No comfort, no help, not support. You should be absolutely furious. Leave them to it and do things that make you happy. You owe them nothing.

MsSmartShoes · 08/10/2026 08:34

She never apologised?!!!!!!!!!
I think that says it all really. She should be ashamed and full of remorse.
I suppose that if you’re enough of a cunt to sleep with your sister’s husband, you’re enough of a cunt not to be sorry about it.

PussyGaylore · 08/10/2026 08:35

I could never trust her again and we would never be close again but I would be polite and civil if our paths crossed as it takes a lot of effort to go NC with someone ( especially a family member) she really isn’t worth that kind of effort.

Blondiebeachbabe · 08/10/2026 08:59

I had this happen to me too, except it was my very best friend, not my sister. Although to be fair, I was closer to my friend than my sister actually!

I left the H, and I have never spoken to my best friend again. I wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire. It was 18 years ago, and I have moved on and have a lovely DH etc, but you cannot forgive the unforgivable, and if they turned up on my doorstep begging for shelter, I would slam the door in their faces.

I hope that they feel eternal shame - and I think they must, because had I done that, I think I would feel like such a low life. They didn't even go on to have a relationship, it was just one shag. Scumbags.

RingsLikeTinnitis · 08/10/2026 09:02

It's totally up to you of course and if you feel like you can carry on the relationship with your sister then that's your choice. However, I couldn't ever forgive this, I'd never speak to either of them again. I'm sorry you've been put in this awful situation, so totally cruel of both of them.

Dorothyperky · 08/10/2026 09:10

OP I'm afraid I would never forgive her.
My sister slept with many men when married and I dare say probably a few married ones.

We had a difficult childhood and she physically and verbally abused me. Later on I confided in her our brother had sexually assaulted me. She threatened to kill me if I told our mum. As she had already broken my nose at 2 and my arm at 10 I was fearful of her. She hated me because I should have been a boy and she could have been the only girl
Later on she accused me of stealing from our father. I'd provided a home for him for 18 years. He had contributed a bit to the family pot but nothing like the wages that I had to give up to nurse him for 3 1/2 years. She expected an inheritance. There was nothing to inherit. Our mother had spent his pension and their property proceeds. After she badmouthed me to the family and mutual friends I'd had enough.
I sent a text saying I never wanted to see her again. I've not seen her bar our younger brothers funeral where she couldn't even say good morning.
She's tried to stop our children being friends but that didn't work! One of her DC doesn't see her anymore.
I'm sad we're not friends anymore but she really didn't care about me all of my life. Who would let a very much older sibling abuse your little sister?

Would she have slept with my husband? Probably but he's a decent man so I can't see that in any shape or form.
I don't have many relatives left as we're 60+ but only you know if you miss her enough to forgive her. I had a years therapy and I highly recommend it. It made sense of my childhood.

Dancingsquirrels · 08/10/2026 09:13

I think it's hitting you now because you didn't process it at the time

Your family let you down big time

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 08/10/2026 09:27

This is one of those posts that saddens me so much. I have half sisters (2) and half brothers and 1 whole brother. I fell out with my younger half sister years ago but there’s no way on earth could I ever sleep with her husband. And if I did I’d feel beyond awful. But it wouldn’t happen. She must truly hate you to do this to you.

Of course she’s not apologising or taking responsibility for her slack actions. Why should she? Even if she did, well it wouldn’t make it ok for me but if she did then I’d be able to forgive a bit. Forget though? No never.

NewspaperTaxis · 08/10/2026 13:31

A problem with 'not forgiving' is that it's a way of feeling superior to someone who hurt you and therefore in some way felt above you. It's a case of 'I'm am going to withhold forgiveness because you owe me an apology, you are in debt to me and while that continues, I have something over you.'

It is a symptom of still being hurt.

It doesn't have much to do with the rights and wrongs of the situation, necessarily. You could clear sightedly recognise that she did wrong and not feel to bothered about it any more. In other situations, when feeling slighted, a person can withhold forgiveness as a way of feeling they are still in debt, and inferior in status.

The post some way up thread was very good at seeing it like a bank writing off debt. It's not good, but you just jettison the whole thing.

standandsip · 08/10/2026 14:15

Oh and the forgiveness mantra chanters can never agree on one reasonable definition of forgiveness that doesn't actually just mean ditching those who abused you, and moving on never to bother your arse with them again.

Nobody normal, sane or not insanely cruel would expect you to ever engage with the woman who used to be your sister again if you chose not to - so what would "forgiveness" even actually mean?

If all forgiveness means is to discard them and move on with your life without worrying about them, or letting them cause you any more harm, then great. Do that. No need to wrap it up in a pretty bow and talk a lot of crap about poison and burning to try to sound terribly wise.

Obviously, you don't let rabid dogs back in the house, that's absolutely insane. All those years ago she showed you exactly who she was. The question is, why didn't you believe her?

People who try to claim that not forgiving means obsessing about past cruelties or even bothering about them are the sort of person who lets others live rent free in their heads.

What you should have done was walk away, completely, never spoken another word to the dangerous, harmful woman who used to be your sister again, and just got on with your life. I use visualisations if someone has been an arsehole to me, like pop a little image of them into a box, then stick the box into a freezer (in my mind) or lock it up in a shed. Then you just get on with your life. No need to focus on her at all, she no longer exists to you. It takes a little practice, but it is certainly doable to completely and totally discard dangerous, abusive people from your life, your psyche, your thoughts. I've had to do it three times in my 50 something years, and those three people are like little fuzzy memories of a copy of a copy to me now.

They are gone, and they no longer have any power over me, or interest to me, you could do the same thing.

You can discard treacherous, damaging, dangerous arseholes from your life, with zero forgiveness - whatever definition we're using of forgiveness today - and still not bother your arse with them ever again.

You'll find the ones who wank on about forgiveness are low empathy and low compassion. The sort of people who tell grief stricken widows it's time for them to pull themselves together, you can't mourn forever, or tell women who've just had a miscarriage that God works in mysterious ways.

Dumping the treacherous person's sorry arse forever, not another word to them, not engaging in any attempts to draw you in or gossip about them by anyone else, and any time you happen to think of the harmful person doing your visualisations, diaphragm breathing, meditation etc and letting them blow away like a poisonous cloud in the wind is all the therapy most normal people could ever need.

Unfortunately because you allowed your parents to force this woman into your life, you were never able to exorcise her from your psyche. Time to do just that. She no longer exists for you, as of today. Just discard her, she behaved like trash, and you should have thrown her out with the trash long, long ago.

Exorcise her, give her no more power by engaging even slightly with her, and move on completely. Ah, the air smells fresher already.

No "forgiveness" of any variety actually required.

Blankitout · 08/10/2026 14:42

NewspaperTaxis · 08/10/2026 13:31

A problem with 'not forgiving' is that it's a way of feeling superior to someone who hurt you and therefore in some way felt above you. It's a case of 'I'm am going to withhold forgiveness because you owe me an apology, you are in debt to me and while that continues, I have something over you.'

It is a symptom of still being hurt.

It doesn't have much to do with the rights and wrongs of the situation, necessarily. You could clear sightedly recognise that she did wrong and not feel to bothered about it any more. In other situations, when feeling slighted, a person can withhold forgiveness as a way of feeling they are still in debt, and inferior in status.

The post some way up thread was very good at seeing it like a bank writing off debt. It's not good, but you just jettison the whole thing.

If OP feels superior I would suggest it's because she is superior: her sister , and her H's behaviour, was the behaviour of morally bankrupt and selfish people.

Given the what OP has said about the family dynamic her feelings and emotions haven't ever counted for much. If OP is now starting to process what happened in the past she is entitled to feel how she feels. If that is anger then good. Because it shows she is beginning to see her own self worth, and not accept the value her sister and her family imposed upon her.

If she does decide to forgive her sister then hopefully it will only be after she has worked through all the supressed emotions of the past years. And if she decides she cannot forgive then no one can criticise her.

Personally I don't see how she can forget what hapoened and if she did try to forget I don't think would be good for her mental health.

NewspaperTaxis · 08/10/2026 15:24

You can be superior but sadly not feel superior.

CrazyMidget · 08/10/2026 15:41

I recommend what worked for me - i.e. moving on from the person who hurt us and radical acceptance of what we can't change. For this, I've been told I'm someone who tells widows to pull themselves together and bereaved mothers that God works in mysterious ways. ??? I'm very experienced in bereavement and I would never, ever say such things. Here's what I do say: "I'm so sorry that that happened to you." And I've been told three times that I'm in a cult and selling something, because I recommended a well-known book that's about coming terms with things we can't change. And that I think I sound really wise because I quoted a well-known saying about how not moving on harms only you, not the person who wronged you.

I have been deeply wronged, more than once, and I was very angry at the time and told the three people exactly what I thought of them and then never spoke to them again. It all happened more than ten years ago, though, and I'm not angry anymore. I have peace. I've moved on.

There are some seriously angry people on this thread, so much so that they have to lash out at innocent posters with sensible advice about how not to let things eat you up inside. Recommend the book The Power of Now.

NewspaperTaxis · 08/10/2026 18:07

I can see @CrazyMidget 's point of view.

One reason why the OP may struggle with 'forgiveness' is that she never of course had it out with her sister or quite found out what she was thinking when she was doing it... Did she get overtaken with lust or love? Was she simply acting out of spite? Or was it a big play for what her sister had, a kind of awful rivalry writ large? I mean, what was she thinking? Then, on top of that, it's not a betrayal by just anyone, you have the fact it's her sister. And the family have suppressed it, in effect.

So it's complex and unresolved. It's not quite like some of the other examples possibly mentioned, where you can so easily move on, with a clear idea of what happened and why.

And ultimately, when you can't effectively police someone else's behaviour or hold them to account either, you have to pull up the drawbridge a bit and mind your own keep, you are responsible for yourself and they have to exist in their own world and be responsible for themselves. But to do that, yes, you do have to jettison the relationship and where love once existed, that is sad.