Affleck “pulls away the rug”

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's marriage was once seen as the rekindling of a Hollywood romance for the ages, but it is now on the verge of ending. According to insiders, the relationship, which has been rekindled nearly two decades after their initial split, is marred by growing tensions, and both stars are reportedly heading for divorce after a tumultuous year.

Jennifer Lopez, who thought she had finally found her “happily ever after” with Affleck, is now grappling with the sudden shattering of her dream. “J.Lo doesn't know how this happened,” a source close to the couple revealed. “She really thought she had finally found her 'happily ever after' and then Ben pulled the rug out from under her.” Tensions between the pair have reportedly reached a point where they are keeping quiet about each other, with Lopez trying to keep up a brave facade in public while she seethes inside.

The turning point appears to have been Lopez's 55th birthday, which she spent in the Hamptons without Affleck by her side. While Lopez celebrated with friends and family on the East Coast, Affleck stayed in California and closed a deal on a multi-million dollar bachelor pad in Pacific Palisades. The move, described by an insider as “the conclusion of the relationship,” left Lopez feeling humiliated and abandoned.

Affleck's behavior in recent months has caused a stir. The actor reportedly fluctuated between wearing and taking off his wedding ring. “The fact that he bought a new house while she was celebrating her birthday in the Hamptons was really humiliating for her,” the source noted. “Plus, he wears his ring one day and doesn't the next – it's like he's manipulating her.”

To add to the drama, Lopez made a statement by wearing her engagement ring on her right hand during a public appearance in New York City on August 1. The move, which came after a series of pointed rebuffs from Affleck – including not mentioning their second wedding anniversary – signaled that Lopez may be ready to take control of the story.

The couple, who secretly married in Las Vegas in July 2022 and then held an official ceremony at Affleck's Georgia estate, have reportedly been having problems for some time. “It's final – it's over,” an insider claimed in May, predicting the couple's impending split. “She can't control him and he can't change her. It just couldn't have lasted.”

Affleck, who debuted a “midlife makeover” with a faux hawk and new wardrobe in early August, was described by Lopez's confidants as “desperately lame.” “One of Jen's staff members sent her a photo of Ben and her jaw nearly dropped,” a source revealed. “She thinks it's desperately lame and that he's clearly having a midlife crisis.”

As the couple's marriage goes from bad to worse, communication between them has reportedly completely broken down. Both sides now communicate through their assistants and lawyers. “The civility that once existed is gone. There is a tough line being played, and both sides are making demands and refusing to back down,” the insider said. While fans speculate about an impending divorce, sources suggest Affleck is holding back and waiting for Lopez to file for divorce first. “He's trying to be a gentleman,” the source noted, “but Jennifer finds this annoying, like he's leaving her to do the dirty work.”

Despite the escalating tensions, both Affleck and Lopez are reportedly determined to protect their children from the fallout. Affleck has three children with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner, while Lopez has twins with her ex-husband Marc Anthony. “Jen and Ben know they have to protect the kids and keep them out of this,” the source stressed. “Neither of them wants to hurt them or stress them out any more than they already are.”

While the once-fairytale romance appears to be falling apart in front of the public eye, Lopez is reportedly trying to see this difficult time as an opportunity for a fresh start. “It's been a rough year with some unexpected realizations, changes and obstacles, but Jen is trying to see her 55th birthday as a fresh start,” an insider shared. But given Affleck's recent actions and the couple's continued silence, it remains to be seen whether this chapter of their lives will end with a reconciliation or a very public split.

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