Discovering family secrets can be heartbreaking, especially when you’ve grown to believe that everything is alright. The once calm family and the peace everyone protected for so long has ended due to betrayal of all sorts. Many families suffer from the consequences of their parents' wrongdoings, such as affairs. The trust of their partners is ruined, and children are devastated by the person they placed on a pedestal. Family issues and secrets start to arise one by one — soon enough, each member is expected to take a side. Sometimes they burn bridges with the one who committed infidelity. It is only right to end a marriage that doesn’t serve both people well, which is also for the children’s sake.

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Aside from breaking hearts and trust, another painful thing about affairs is the revelation that your partner has an illegitimate child. The pain and anger are extremely valid, but the child should not be treated like a criminal. No child ever chose to be a fruit of an affair — they are also victims of an adult’s wrongdoings. NegotiationDry222 understood this even when the rest of her family had similar mindsets. In her Reddit post, she shared how she maturely dealt with her father’s faithlessness. She chose a different path than her family and adjusted her perspective on the situation. Despite being a child of an affair, OP befriended her half-sibling. She told the story in a detailed way and even provided a legend for the people involved. HB is for half-brother, YS is for younger sister, OS is for older sister, and N is for niece.

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“Pa had an illegitimate son while my youngest sister was a toddler. My half-brother's mother died in a car crash in high school, and the fling's family informed ours, asking for child support. Mom divorced him, of course. OS and Mom went no-contact with Pa, while I and YS kept his number, rarely texting him. We gave him family updates but never accepted meet-ups or gifts,” NegotiationDry222 wrote. With the knowledge of having a half-sibling, she felt guilty for not reaching out when he did not even do anything wrong. OP understood that her half-brother wasn’t the villain in the story.

She brought up her urge to connect with him to her family, but all she got were disapproving reactions. But OP did not let them hinder her from wanting to get to know her half-brother. Through the magic of social media, she found some information about him and even sent a message that started a wonderful sibling relationship. “The floodgates opened. We realised we had similar feelings about Pa's affair. It was the little brother I never knew I wanted. We agreed to meet up the following month at a cafe,” OP shared. “I kept these meet-ups a secret for a few months, but I eventually had to tell my family. OS was livid, saying I was reopening wounds, while Mom was just uncomfortable.”

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Although her older sister reprimanded her, OP defended herself and decided on her own. She kept seeing her half-brother every two months, which became a bridge for her younger sister to meet him. Out of respect, OP never opened up about their setup to her mother and older sister. Also, her father reached out again, which she also kept from her family members. Then something happened that her family was very against, even though she was already a woman of her own. The issue started when the half-brother consulted her about a girl he got pregnant. “One girl got unexpectedly pregnant and wanted to put the baby up for adoption. HB was in tears, as he wanted to be a father. When he needed a sortable home for his daughter on short notice, I offered up my house,” OP explained.

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From her perspective, it’s alright because she’s earning her own money and is in her 30s. She was ready to adopt and care for a child in need of a comfortable home. But once again, she received backlash, especially from her older sister. “She's gone no-contact with me. She said I lied to her since I didn't consult her about it properly. She said I'm keeping the baby in the middle of family drama when they could be in a stable foster home right now,” NegotiationDry222 said. Her sister might be outraged, but her mother had an opposite take on her choice. The mother even met the child out of curiosity, and it was all fine for her. Despite the awkward encounters with her former husband, who lives near OP’s house and looks after her niece while she’s at work, her mother accepted everything.

It seems that the older sister was the only person disappointed with OP. Perhaps it’s a traitorous move for her, as if OP had already chosen her father’s side. NegotiationDry222 might have been interacting with her father, but maybe it’s her way of moving forward — keeping her peace with those who were also victims of the infidelity. Redditors also agree with how OP views the family issues and validated her decisions in the comment section. Many people could not help but write lengthy opinions, which were all on point.

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“NTA - you're a single adult who is financially independent, why do you need to consult with them? Informing them makes sense, I suppose, but you did do that. Not great that Pa and Mom bumped into each other, but they're adults, the divorce was a long time ago, and it's not HB's or N's fault, so it's fair to ask them to keep it cool for their sake,” smkmn13 commented. They had to move on from the past, and OP is doing the right thing by leading her family toward a calmer path.

Her older sister might have difficulties, but it’s time to widen her perspective. Family issues are truly exhausting to deal with — you must be the bigger person for your mental wellness and personal growth. If you had the same thoughts as OP, maybe you can also join the conversation below her post. Let her know that she’s doing something life-changing.