Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater are reportedly feeling "relieved" after the latter's ex-wife, Lilly Jay, chose to maintain a composed tone in an emotional essay regarding her divorce from the actor.
On Thursday, Jay addressed the end of her marriage to Slater, which subsequently led to his romantic involvement with Grande, his co-star in the movie adaptation of "Wicked."
According to a source who spoke with the Daily Mail, "They're relieved that Lilly didn't throw them under the bus."
The insider added that both the "Thank U Next" singer and "SpongeBob" actor are fully aware of the circumstances surrounding their romance and the timeline of events, noting that "Lilly made it clear that she moved to London with him" and that "the timeline from that point forward speaks for itself."
While Jay's divorce settlement imposed restrictions on her disclosing specific details about the split, it did allow her to share her emotional experiences.
"During the legal proceedings, Lilly was essentially silenced, unable to speak freely. Despite the circumstances, she came out of the divorce a winner," the source explained.
The psychologist reportedly showed dignity by refraining from discussing the affair publicly.
Jay stressed her commitment to presenting her story respectfully for the sake of her son, stating, "She knows that one day her son will read about this online."
The source indicated that Jay's essay included a subtle jab at Slater through a "sponge" analogy, suggesting a sense of liberation now that her story is out.
In her essay published in The Cut, Jay shared her experiences as a single mother and the unexpected end of her long-term relationship. She explained how motherhood fills her time but not her mind, as she goes through the public fallout of her marriage.
The mom-of-one further noted that she never anticipated getting divorced, especially not immediately after giving birth to their first child while her husband moved on with a celebrity.
Slater and Jay finalized their divorce in September after separating in 2022. The actor filed for divorce on July 26, 2023, citing irreconcilable differences and requesting joint custody of their two-year-old son.
Meanwhile, Grande also finalized her divorce from Dalton Gomez in October 2023, shortly after announcing her relationship with Slater.
In October, Slater addressed the backlash stemming from the circumstances of his relationship with Grande, stating the challenges of having their private lives scrutinized by the public.
He told GQ, "I think there was something that was really difficult about things in your private life being commented on and looked at by the public."
"There were a lot of big changes in private lives that were really happening, so it's really hard to see people who don't know anything about what's happening commenting on it."
Likewise, Grande defended Slater, describing the negative portrayal of him in the media as inaccurate.
The "7 Rings" singer explained to Vanity Fair, "There couldn't be a less accurate depiction of a human being than the one that the tabloids spread about him."
"No one on this earth tries harder or spreads themselves thinner to be there for the people that he loves and cares about."
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