Ben Affleck was spotted smirking as he emerged from his office in Los Angeles on Wednesday – amid his marital woes with Jennifer Lopez.
JLo, 55, and Ben, 51, have not been seen together in months, and DailyMail.com has revealed they have prepared divorce documents to file at a later date.
Now, amid claims JLo is ‘humiliated’ by the implosion of their marriage, Ben was glimpsed radiating a cheerful disposition.
Dressed in a sleek navy suit without a tie, he was still sporting the faux-hawk he acquired as part of his recent shock makeover.
He could be seen grinning broadly as he strolled across the parking lot – as sources claim he has reached a ‘better mindset’ and is ‘pushing forward.’
His latest sighting came after insiders revealed his future plans for his impending divorce from JLo, his second wife.
Last month, he purchased a $20.5 million mansion in the Pacific Palisades, after previously moving out of his and JLo’s marital home into a rental property.
‘Ben needed new energy in his life,’ said a source, noting his new house is ‘more his speed’ than the sprawling estate he shared with Jennifer. ‘He’s in a better mindset and is pushing forward,’ the insider added to Us Weekly.
‘Ben feels like he’s been weighed down this year. He will always care for Jen, but he knows the marriage is done, and he wants to focus on himself right now.’
A source in Ben’s camp has said that he achieved ‘the closure of the relationship’ by moving into his new property, but added he was still in contact with JLo.
Another insider remarked that the couple ‘don’t have a lot of common ground, and the honeymoon phase has worn off’ to the point they are now on ‘different pages.’
As for the legal proceedings, both want a ‘seamless’ divorce and ‘Neither of them want this to be dragged out and contentious,’ a different source revealed.
Still another insider noted that the pair signed a prenuptial agreement and ‘have been finalizing what that will look like if they pull the trigger’ with an eye to remaining ‘amicable’ after sorting out their split.
‘In a perfect world, Jen would like to make it work with Ben. It’s heartbreaking to her and she tried very hard to make it work,’ said yet another source.
Ben’s longstanding friend and collaborator Matt Damon – whom he rose to fame with when they co-wrote and co-starred in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting – has apparently been at his side as he navigates the end of his marriage.
‘Matt has been so supportive throughout this ordeal. Matt’s a great distraction, and he makes Ben laugh,’ an insider explained.
Another source added that Ben is unconcerned about the ‘negative attention’ he might be receiving from the public.
The claims come after JLo was seen back on the West Coast – without her wedding ring – after an extended stay in The Hamptons.
Lopez has reportedly been left ‘furious and humiliated’ by her split from Affleck, ahead of an imminent divorce filing.
The singer has been in the headlines alongside her actor spouse with the two being engulfed in divorce rumors after DailyMail.com exclusively revealed documents had been ‘finalized, but not yet turned in.’
Now, sources have told Page Six that Ben has held off filing for divorce in a bid to ‘protect’ Jennifer, after it was reported that the pair are no longer on speaking terms.
An insider said: ‘He’s humiliated her because she made a big deal that he’s the love of her life. They just had two weddings two years ago. This is some kind of a record, they’re not young kids.’
It’s also thought that Jennifer is also upset by the marital split, as both of their respective children are involved.
‘There are five kids involved in this,’ the source said. ‘She knew they were going to blend families. She has not fully accepted it is over.’
Jennifer has twins Max and Emme, 16, from her previous marriage to Marc Anthony, while Ben shares Violet, 18, Fin, 15, and Samuel, 12, with ex-wife Jennifer Garner.
The source went onto say that Ben has held off immediately filing for divorce in a bid to ‘protect’ Jennifer.
MailOnline contacted representatives for Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck for further comment.
In recent months, the once-loved up couple – who previously dated from 2002 to 2004 – have been pictured without their wedding rings and now look set to push ahead with their divorce after a final attempt at reconciliation failed.
And as reports about the fate of their A-list union reach fever pitch, the couple has seemingly cut all ties to one another.
According to TMZ, the Love Don’t Cost A Thing songstress and the Gone Girl star have stopped talking altogether – making it even more difficult for the pair to reach an agreement.
The outlet revealed that the Hollywood heavyweights have been making their separation harder by keeping tight-lipped – refusing to talk in person or over the phone.
TMZ reported that the celebrities are yet to enlist the help of lawyers and have instead gone through their respective business managers.
However, they plan to hire divorce lawyers after they reach a settlement.
Last week, a friend of the couple told DailyMail.com that they are still set to divorce.
The news came after Ben splashed out a whopping $20.5 million on a new ‘bachelor pad’ mansion in the Pacific Palisades on July 24 – the day his spouse celebrated her birthday.
And according to Jennifer’s friends, the purchase left her furious and felt like a ‘stab to the heart.’
Ben’s lavish purchase came days after the couple listed their Beverly Hills mansion for $68 million.
And July 24 also marked the day the singer finalized the sale of her four-bedroom New York City penthouse for $23 million, People reported.
‘They finalized the divorce papers with her a month ago, but are waiting for the right time to drop them,’ one source close to the duo claimed.
‘At that time, they will release a joint statement that will say how they have much love for each other and how they fought to make it work, but couldn’t.
‘Honestly, in the end they could not come to a compromise. What they had before is gone and they have both accepted it,’ another source claimed.
Amid reports of their separation, Ben has also unveiled his shocking new appearance.
He rounded off the outfit with skinny jeans, aviators and black leather jacket that appeared undersized – but went noticeably without his wedding ring.
Ben and Jennifer were last pictured together on March 30. They have since spent the summer apart – Jennifer largely on the east coast while Ben remains at home in Los Angeles.
The couple showed that they had no plans of romancing as they even spent their wedding anniversary, which was on July 16, in different cities.
Reports of Ben and Jennifer’s marital woes began circulating in May when a sources close to the couple reported Ben had moved into a $100,000 rental and the couple intended to sell their ‘dream home’.
A separate source noted that the rift between the husband and wife had been ‘difficult day-to-day’ amid basic philosophical differences.
‘She likes to open her heart to her fans and to the world,’ the source said. ‘He is more introspective and private.’
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Source: New York Post
