“I’M DONE PRETENDING” — Megan Kerrigan Byron Posts 7-Word Story After Kiss Cam Caught Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot in Crowd Full of Employees

On July 18, 2025, a kiss cam moment at a Houston Astros game at Minute Maid Park reignited a firestorm surrounding Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot. The viral footage, timestamped at 7:24 PM CDT, captured the pair in an intimate embrace, unaware they were on the jumbotron, in a crowd that included several Astronomer employees. Megan Kerrigan, Byron’s wife, seated in Row 5, froze as the scene unfolded, her shock captured in a video that amassed over 60 million views on TikTok and X. Hours later, Megan broke her silence with a cryptic seven-word story on her reactivated Instagram account: “I’m done pretending. Truth will out.” The post, since deleted, has sent shockwaves through social media, amplifying the scandal’s fallout and exposing the personal toll on three families amid a crowd of colleagues who witnessed the betrayal firsthand.

The Astros Kiss Cam and Employee Witnesses

The incident occurred during the Astros’ game against the Seattle Mariners, in a premium seating section filled with Astronomer employees attending a company-sponsored outing. The kiss cam, at exactly 7:24 PM, spotlighted Byron and Cabot, with Byron’s arm around her and their hands intertwined, as reported by X user @HoustonFanatic. Unlike their flustered reaction at the Coldplay concert two days earlier, where they hid from the camera, the pair appeared briefly oblivious before Cabot turned away and Byron shifted uncomfortably. The crowd, including at least a dozen Astronomer staff, erupted in a mix of boos, gasps, and laughter, with one employee reportedly shouting, “Not again!” according to @TexasTruth22 on X.

Megan Kerrigan, 50, an educator at Bancroft School in Massachusetts, was in Row 5 of Section 112, watching the jumbotron in stunned silence. Eyewitnesses described her as “motionless, like she was in shock,” per The New York Post. The presence of Astronomer employees, some of whom later posted anonymously on X about the “awkward” atmosphere, added a layer of professional embarrassment to the personal betrayal. One employee, quoted by Axios, said, “Seeing our CEO and HR chief like that in front of us? It’s a gut punch to the company’s culture.”

Megan’s Seven-Word Story

At 1:12 AM on July 19, 2025, Megan reactivated her Instagram account, which she had deactivated after the Coldplay incident, and posted a story with the words: “I’m done pretending. Truth will out.” The seven-word message, accompanied by a black background, was screenshotted by followers before Megan deleted it within an hour. The post, reported by Hindustan Times, was interpreted as a declaration of her intent to confront the affair publicly, signaling the end of her marriage to Byron, with whom she shares two sons. X users like @Heart4Megan praised her courage, writing, “Megan’s done hiding his lies. Queen energy.” Others, like @thematrixloop, noted, “Those seven words say more than any interview could.”

Megan’s brief return to social media contrasts with her earlier retreat after the Coldplay kiss cam on July 16, where she removed “Byron” from her profiles and deactivated her accounts (The Economic Times). Her silence at the Astros game, compared to her reported “You disgust me!” outburst at Coldplay (The Express Tribune), suggests a shift from anger to resolve, with her Instagram story serving as a quiet but powerful statement.

A Scandal Rooted in History

The Astros incident is the latest in a series of revelations about Byron and Cabot’s relationship. A 2019 Munich trip itinerary, leaked recently, included a hotel staff note suggesting Cabot visited Byron late at night, hinting at a relationship that predates their time at Astronomer (The New York Post). Kenneth C. Thornby, Cabot’s ex-husband, claimed he warned her about Byron in 2022, producing a photograph of the two at an intimate San Francisco dinner that she begged him to delete (The New York Post). The involvement of Cabot’s current husband, Andrew Cabot, CEO of Privateer Rum, adds a third family to the scandal, with their $2.2 million home purchase in New Hampshire in 2025 now under scrutiny (The Economic Times).

The presence of Astronomer employees at the Astros game elevates the stakes. Posts on X by @anuibi and others suggest that staff felt betrayed by their leaders’ behavior, especially given Cabot’s role in promoting workplace ethics. “Our HR chief and CEO canoodling in front of us? It’s a mockery,” one anonymous employee wrote on a company Slack channel, per Axios.

Astros’ Response and Corporate Fallout

The Astros issued a statement at 2:47 AM on July 19, 2025, via X: “The kiss cam is a fan engagement tradition. We regret any distress caused and were unaware of the personal circumstances. Our focus is on our fans and baseball.” The late-night timing reflects the team’s rush to contain the fallout, especially after the Coldplay incident drew global attention (Fox News). Astronomer, valued at $1.3 billion, has placed Byron and Cabot on leave, with co-founder Pete DeJoy as interim CEO (Axios). Former employees have called Byron’s leadership “toxic,” with one telling The New York Post, “This isn’t a shock to anyone who’s worked with him.”

Cabot’s LinkedIn, which boasted about “winning trust with CEOs,” has been deactivated, and Byron’s profile has disabled comments amid a flood of criticism (Hindustan Times). The company’s board is reportedly considering Byron’s permanent exit, with The Financial Express noting investor concerns about reputational damage.

Public Reaction and “Coldplaygate” Redux

The kiss cam video, timestamped at 7:24 PM, has fueled a social media storm, with hashtags like #Coldplaygate and #AstrosAffair trending. X user @StarPlatinumSOL quipped, “Andy Byron’s out here collecting kiss cam Ls like Pokémon cards.” The Seattle Mariners leaned into the drama, posting a meme of Cal Raleigh with the caption, “Spotted at a concert? Call [email protected]” (Times of India). Sympathy for Megan has surged, with @BaseballBuzz writing, “Megan in Row 5, watching her world crumble? Heartbreaking.” The video’s spread has also drawn mockery of Astronomer’s culture, with @perfectminz asking, “How do you trust an HR chief who does this?”

Broader Implications

The scandal, amplified by Megan’s seven-word story, underscores the collision of personal indiscretions and public exposure. The New York Times cited experts like Charles Lindsey, who noted, “Public venues like stadiums offer no privacy.” The presence of employees at the Astros game highlights the professional ramifications, with The Financial Express reporting that Astronomer’s board faces pressure to address workplace ethics. The scandal’s impact on three families—Megan’s, Thornby’s, and Andrew Cabot’s—has resonated widely, with Megan’s Instagram story seen as a rallying cry for accountability.

Conclusion

Megan Kerrigan’s seven-word Instagram story—“I’m done pretending. Truth will out”—marks a turning point in a scandal that has unraveled her marriage and exposed Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot’s alleged affair to a crowd of their own employees. The kiss cam moment at 7:24 PM on July 18, with Megan in Row 5, has become a symbol of betrayal, amplified by a viral video and the Astros’ 2:47 AM statement. As Astronomer grapples with leadership turmoil and the public dissects the drama, Megan’s words capture her resolve to move forward, leaving Byron and Cabot to face the consequences of their actions in both their personal and professional lives. The truth, as Megan declared, is indeed coming out.