By Katanya Royster
Relationships can be hard work, and they require a lot of effort to be put in from both ends. When you both commit, it makes it all worthwhile- in most cases. While many relationships start off on a high note and continue on the path of blissfulness, others plummet to a place of irreconcilable differences, physical altercations and repeated infidelity. They end up heading straight to Splittsville. In fact, all you have to do is ask the following couples:
1. Chris Brown and Rihanna: Typically, the phrase “first love” invokes visions of butterflies, sunsets and all things untainted. But, in 2009, we saw an ugly side of first love. Singer, Chris Brown, was accused of assaulting his popstar girlfriend, Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty. At the time of the assault, Brown was 19 and Rihanna was 20. After pictures of Rihanna’s badly beaten face surfaced, fans immediately took sides. Some were ready to dismiss Brown’s actions as a forgivable misstep, while others were relentless in their criticism of him. Either way, it was the worst possible ending to a seemingly beautiful love story. Or was it? Recent tweets make it seem as if reconciliation may be on the horizon.
Related: 5 Celebrity Couples We Want to See Reunite
2. Russell Brand and Katy Perry: A shocked public let out a collective gasp when Russell Brand filed for divorce from his wife of 14 months. Failed Hollywood marriages are no surprise, but for some reason, we thought these two would be different. So what if Brand is a recovering sex addict and Perry is the daughter of evangelical ministers? We still thought this couple had a fighting chance. Brand’s boredom with the couple’s sex life and his inability to be alone, may have contributed to the couple’s marital problems, reported US Weekly.
3. Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries. Many thought Kim and Kris’ lavish wedding was a publicity stunt. So, when Kim filed for divorce after only 72 days of marriage, no one was shocked — except maybe Kris. The NBA star claimed he was surprised by Kim’s actions and that he wanted to make the couple’s marriage work. After the split went viral, Kim was embarrassed and, in a rare move, retreated from the public eye while her ex-hubby was booed in NYC during a basketball game. Thus, if the marriage was a publicity stunt, it may have been the worst one in history.
Related: What Kim Kardashian Taught Me About Marriage
4. Kobe and Vanessa Bryant: In 2003, Kobe was accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old hotel employee. Kobe proclaimed his innocence, but admitted to infidelity and famously apologized to his wife, Vanessa, with a $4 million ring and a custom-made Lamborghini. It seems that Kobe’s relationship patchwork was a bit like someone putting a Band-Aid on broken leg — a nice gesture, but it didn’t actually fix the problem- a cheating husband. In 2011, after 10 years of marriage, Vanessa finally filed for divorce citing “irreconcilable differences,”. Either way, a woman scorned, plus a husband worth $150 million dollars, minus a prenup, equals trouble. With that kind of money up for grabs, this downward spiral may have only just begun.
5. Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren. Tiger Woods’ fame had just as much to do with his clean cut image as it did with his amazing golf game. However, a one-car accident near Woods’ and Nordegren’s Florida home changed his reputation forever. A parade of women subsequently emerged and admitted to having affairs with the golf pro. In an attempt to save his marriage, the father of two spent six weeks in a rehabilitation program for sex addiction. Nonetheless, Nordegren filed for divorce granted on the basis that the couple’s marriage was “irretrievably broken.” Nordergren was awarded an undisclosed settlement amount thought to be in the neighborhood of $100 million dollars.
How did you know when you or a friend’s relationship was over? Share your stories below.
