Throughout the ages, people have struggled to prioritize either their work or their family, and, more often than not, they end up having to choose between the two. The problem is that, regardless of what they pick, someone might always end up getting hurt.
This is what happened to a man who employed his sister’s unfaithful ex-boyfriend and also promoted him, which left her enraged. The man tried to tell his sister that it wasn’t personal and that it was just a business decision, but she felt extremely betrayed.
More info: Reddit
When people are more loyal to their company than to their family, it can cause relationships to fall apart
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The poster explained that he had hired his sister’s partner, Josh, to work in his business, and decided to keep him on even after he cheated on her and they broke up
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Eventually, the poster also promoted Josh because of his work ethic, but this hurt his sister, who got to know the news from one of their mutual friends
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The man explained that he didn’t want to fire Josh, since he hadn’t done anything wrong, and also because it was such a specialized position
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster tried to justify his business decision by saying that other employees had also urged him to promote Josh because of his efforts
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The man tried to tell his sister that his decision wasn’t personal—it was just business—but eventually he realized why she was so hurt by his actions
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The poster put his ego aside and helped his sister find a new job, took her for a family outing, and also encouraged her to build up her life the way she wanted it to be
As the OP shared, his sister, Sarah, had been dating a man called Josh for three years, and they had seemed to be happy together. Sarah even asked her brother to hire her boyfriend as a favor, and luckily, things seemed to work out then, but all this changed after Josh cheated on her with her best friend.
It can be heartbreaking to learn that your partner has had an affair, and psychologists also state that it can cause a lot of emotional turmoil. The victim of a cheater might also feel angry, sad, confused, and betrayed by their partner’s actions, and not know how to trust people again after that.
The problem is that, even though the poster knew how much Josh had hurt his sister, he continued to employ the man, and he also decided to give him a promotion because of his work ethic. He didn’t think to inform his sister about this, and she unfortunately found out about it from one of her friends.
It might seem heartless of the man to have chosen to boost his business over catering to his sibling’s feelings, but experts explain that sometimes this might be the right choice for a person. Folks might find themselves having to pick between whether to prioritize their work or their family, and they must do what makes the most sense to them in the moment.
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After the man got to know that he had hurt his sister’s feelings, he tried to explain to her that he had only made a business decision, and that it shouldn’t impact their relationship. Unfortunately, she didn’t seem to understand his point of view and even got their parents involved in calling him out.
Eventually, the OP decided to have an honest conversation with Sarah about the issue, and he got to know that she had actually been feeling bad about where her life was going. Since she was single again, hated her job, and had lost her best friend because of Josh’s actions, all of it was weighing heavily on her.
It’s clear that the poster had caused his sister more pain while she had been going through the most vulnerable time of her life. That’s why professionals explain that in such situations, it’s best to accept responsibility for the hurt you caused someone else, and to ask them what they’d like you to do to make things right.
That’s exactly what the OP did after talking to Sarah, and he helped her find another job in no time. He also spent more time with her and encouraged her to move into a place of her own. Although he didn’t fire Josh from his company, the man clearly seemed to find a way to balance his family life and his business responsibilities.
What do you think about the poster’s decision to promote his sister’s cheating ex? We’d love to hear your honest opinion on this.
People understood the man’s side, but also felt that he should put himself in his sister’s shoes and have more empathy for her
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