LeAnn Rimes reflected on her affair with now-husband Eddie Cibrian, admitting she felt like a “target” when the news went public.
The singer, 42, recalled “all of the craziness” she and Cibrian, 52, went through and acknowledged why a lot of women especially had a harsh reaction to their relationship.
“I realized very quickly that there are a lot of women who’ve been hurt,” Rimes said in a new interview with Flow Space.
“Like, I’ve been on both sides of that coin — I’ve been cheated on, too, so I know that feeling,” she explained. “But so many women don’t know what to do with that anger. … I was a target that was just easily projected upon.”
The “Can’t Fight the Moonlight” songstress shared that once she had that realization, “things got a lot easier” and she stopped “taking it so personally.”
“This is not all my pain to carry. I know what I’m responsible for in the situation and making amends for that,” she added.
The couple’s affair began in 2008 while they were filming the Lifetime movie “Northern Lights.”
At the time, Rimes was married to actor Dean Sheremet, while Cibrian was married to “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum Brandi Glanville.
Rumors of an affair began to swirl in 2009 though Cibrian initially denied the claims.
“It is a fabricated story that is using random snapshots as connective tissue to create a scandalous relationship,” the actor said in a statement to “Access Hollywood” in March of the year.
In July 2009, news of Rimes and Cibrian’s respective separations broke within days of each other.
The “Third Watch” star’s manager released a statement at the time, saying, “Eddie is a devoted and loving father first and foremost, and the speed bump he and Brandi are experiencing needs to be worked out privately for everyone’s benefit.”
In August of that year, Cibrian and Rimes made their public debut as a couple and he filed for divorce from Glanville.
The “Take Two” star and the reality TV personality were married from 2001 to 2010 and welcomed sons Mason, 22, and Jake, 18, during their nine-year marriage.
Rimes officially divorced Sheremet in December 2009.
The “Northern Lights” co-stars got engaged in December 2010 and said “I do” on April 22, 2011, making Rimes the stepmother of Cibrian’s two sons.
Glanville, 52, has been very open about her feelings toward the “How Do I Live” singer.
She even admitted that she threatened to “murder” Rimes when she found out about her relationship with her then-husband.
The two women have since put aside their differences, with Glanville insisting she learned to love the pop star.
The former model celebrated Christmas with Rimes, Cibrian and their sons in 2024, and the singer proudly posted with her as a member of the family.
“merry everything from our crew! so grateful for all the love in our home 🏠 today! hope everyone has had a peaceful, magical day! now… bring on the sweatpants and a movie 🍿,” Rimes captioned the family snap.