LeAnn Rimes acknowledges that she may not be able to resist the allure of moonlight, but she has certainly embarked on a profound journey of self-discovery. It is precisely for this reason that the vocalist revealed she turned inward amidst the maelstrom of controversy swirling around her and her husband, Eddie Cibrian. Their romance blossomed in the late 2000s, amidst their respective marriages to Dean Sheremet and Brandi Glanville.
"I swiftly came to the realization that countless women have borne the brunt of heartbreak," she confided in a recent interview with Flow Space, reflecting on the public uproar that greeted her and Eddie's affair. "I have been on both ends of that spectrum – I have also been betrayed, hence I am all too familiar with that ache."
"Yet, so many women are at a loss as to how to channel that anger," continued LeAnn, whose paths first crossed with Eddie during the filming of their 2009 Lifetime movie, Northern Lights. "I became an easy scapegoat. Once I grasped that, the burden lightened considerably."
At 42, LeAnn decided that she couldn't take the hostility directed at her and Eddie's relationship personally. "I am cognizant of my own responsibilities in the situation and have made amends accordingly," she elaborated. "But the world's pain is not mine to shoulder, and for far too long, I was unjustly burdened with it."
LeAnn and Eddie, now 52, tied the knot in 2011, scarcely a year after their divorces from Dean and Brandi were finalized. Reflecting on her personal growth journey, the Coyote Ugly actress remarked, "If I aspire to lead a fulfilling life, I must learn to lower my defenses. For me, it was a matter of life or death; I had to confront it head-on."
She further added, "I believe I have transitioned from mere survival to thriving, and if there's an elevation beyond thriving, I am on my way to truly living. That is my destination."
In the years subsequent to her affair, LeAnn has also mended fences with Brandi, who shares sons Mason, 22, and Jake, 18, with Eddie. In June, they shared a heartwarming blended-family moment to celebrate Jake's high school graduation.
"And just like that, it's Graduation Day!!!" Brandi posted on Instagram, while LeAnn echoed in her own post, "We love you, Jake!!!!! YOU DID IT!!!"
