Ashlee Simpson Addresses Sister Jessica Simpson, Eric Johnson Divorce Speculation

Ashlee Simpson didn’t mince words when asked about rumors that her sister Jessica Simpson is preparing for a divorce from her husband, Eric Johnson.

When asked if there was any truth to the speculation while on a walk with husband Evan Ross, Ashlee set the record straight to TMZ, answering simply, “No.” The “Pieces of Me” singer, 40, then walked away without looking back.

The question comes amid rumors online that Jessica and her husband, who tied the knot in 2014 and share daughters Maxwell, 12, Birdie, 5, and son Ace, 11— are preparing to end their marriage after a decade.

Chatter first started when the “I Wanna Love You Forever” singer, 44, was spotted out and about numerous times without her wedding ring on. Her left hand has also been conspicuously bare in several of her recent Instagram posts.

Also missing from Jessica’s social media has been Johnson himself. The former NFL player, 45, has been a mainstay on his wife’s profile for years but recently has been absent from all of her posts. Johnson last appeared on Jessica’s Instagram grid in April, when the “Irresistible” singer shared photos from her family’s spring break trip and Easter celebration.

More recently, Jessica’s fans have been theorizing her cryptic Instagram captions could been about her marriage. “Interviews in my Nashville music room where I unearthed my singular magic,” she captioned a Nov. 11 post. “This comeback is personal, it’s an apology to myself for putting up with everything I did not deserve.”

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The musician’s followers were quick to assume the post was in reference to her relationship with Johnson. “Is this j simp saying she’s single?” one person asked, as another commented, “Yep, called this a while ago. We love you. Stay strong.” A third added, “Sounds like a breakup album to me! It’s always been strange I felt like something was holding you back.”

TMZ reported the following day that a friend of the “With You” artist contacted a Los Angeles-based divorce attorney late last month asking to arrange a meeting, as Jessica was reportedly “unhappy” in her marriage. The outlet didn’t know whether or not the friend actually met with an attorney at Jessica’s request, but claimed that the message to the lawyer “was clear.” Another person on the singer’s team also reportedly contacted another attorney regarding “matters that were divorce-related.” Neither Jessica nor Johnson have commented on the report.