What sort of emotions are triggered when you find out you married the ex of your ex’s mistress? It would make quite the country song if you could answer that question. If anyone can figure out the puzzle, it’s Shania Twain, because she did precisely that – married the ex of her ex’s mistress.
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In 2008, everyone, including Shania, was shocked to learn that her then-husband, Robert Lange, was cheating on her. Not just cheating, either; he was cheating with his secretary, who was married to Frédéric Thiébaud at the time. Complicating the situation further, Shania and the secretary, Marie-Anne Thiébaud, were very close friends.
Shania Twain promptly dumped Robert Lange. He made some ridiculous statements about the breakup, saying things like, “It’s literally just a growing apart, that’s all.” They formally divorced in 2010. The Thiébauds also divorced as a consequence of the affair.
Robert Lange and Shania Twain were married in 1993 and had a son together, Eja D’Angelo, who was only six years old at the time of their breakup. Most of Shania Twain’s most popular songs appear to be about her relationship with Robert Lange.
Reeling in shock
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Shania Twain said she found the breakup to be devastating. She was reeling in shock. Shania told Marie-Anne, one of her best friends, that she was “a bad person.” She also said that Frédéric Thiébaud was shocked by the affair, and the two of them emotionally connected during the aftermath of their mutual and entangled marriage breakdowns.
For Shania, the breakup with Lange was about a lot more than just her marriage. The couple worked closely together, with Robert acting as a producer and songwriter for many of Shania Twain’s recordings. His assistance had been instrumental in propelling her into stardom and making her the success that she is today. She has sold over 100 million recordings of her music and is the best-selling country music artist of all time.
Shania has also revealed that while Robert Lange is allowed to co-parent their son, she refuses to have anything to do with Marie-Anne. Shania shared this gem of great wisdom:
Sometimes I get overwhelmed coping with things, but experience also teaches you how to manage. When you get older, you have so much experience at falling and getting up. You’re not going to stop falling. But you will get better at getting up and brushing yourself off. I believe that. I’ve lived it.”
Shania had a very troubled early life. Her step-father was abusive to both her and her mother. Her parents were then both killed in a car crash, leaving Shania to finish raising her three siblings all by herself. After launching her singing career, in 2004, she had to take a hiatus due to illness damaging her voice. She managed to triumph over adversity and is now estimated to have a net worth of $400 million.
Husband swap
Frédéric Thiébaud and Shania Twain got engaged in 2009 and then married in 2011. Shania referred to their marriage as “so beautifully twisted.” Although it may not be so surprising that the two people wronged by the affair may have found comfort in each other.
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