Nick and Jessica: Why They Split

When "Newlyweds" JESSICA SIMPSON and NICK LACHEY announced on November 23 that
they were calling it quits, it certainly didn't come as a complete surprise in
light of the ongoing break-up rumors that had been plaguing the couple.
In the latest issue of US Weekly, out on newsstands Friday, the magazine
offers up some revealing details about the split.

Sources tell US that Jessica sent Nick an e-mail on November 23 about her
plans to go public with the news that their union was coming to an end. "She had
had enough of the marriage and the fighting," the magazine quotes a source as
saying. "She just wanted it to be over."

Later that day, Nick and Jessica released the following statement:

"After three years of marriage, and careful thought and consideration, we have
decided to part ways. This is the mutual decision of two people with an enormous
amount of respect and admiration for each other. We hope that you respect our
privacy during this difficult time."

Another source close to Nick tells US that he was blindsided. "He feels like
he was sucker-punched. He wasn't even expecting it. He was devastated."
US also reports that Jessica is staying at her parents' home in Encino, CA,
while Nick continues to reside at the couple's Calabassas, CA home. According to
the magazine, a source close to Jessica said that "she felt he didn't want to be
in the marriage, and she was tired of being in a fake marriage."

On Thanksgiving, just one day after the separation was announced, US reports
that Nick had dinner in Los Angeles with his brother, DREW, while Jessica ate
with family at her grandparents' home in Texas. "She's doing just fine,"
Jessica's grandfather told US on November 27.

Back in October, rumors of a split started to swirl when Jessica arrived solo
(and without her wedding ring) to her sister ASHLEE's 21st birthday in Las Vegas
and Nick, who was scheduled to be there, was a no-show. Nick and Jessica were
also reportedly apart for two more special dates: their 3rd wedding anniversary
on October 26 and Nick's 32nd birthday on November 9.

And in their final public appearance together, on November 16 at the Genetic
Denim launch party at the LAX nightclub, US reports that Nick and Jessica barely
acknowledged one another. "It was painful to watch," said an eyewitness
according to US. "They were so uncomfortable around each other."

It was just this fall, while talking about her new body care collection "Sweet
Kisses," Jessica spoke with ET, offering marriage advice. "I think you have to
always remember, and he has to remember, that you do need a compromise, even
though it's hard," she said.

She admitted though, that sometimes strong personalities can get in the way of
marital negotiations. "There's people with pride involved," she says. "You have
to back down sometime -- just a little bit."

The couple married in Austin, TX in front of 350 guests in an hour-long
Baptist ceremony. Jessica wore a strapless VERA WANG gown and Lachey sang "My
Everything," a song he wrote just for his bride.



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