Demi Lovato’s Ex-Fiance Max Ehrich Learned About Breakup Through ‘Tabloids’

Former The Young and the Restless actor Max Ehrich claims he heard about his break-up with singer Demi Lovato through the tabloids. The actor shared a series of Instagram Story posts on Saturday morning, making his first direct reference to the end of their engagement. The two began dating in March and Ehrich proposed to Lovato on July 22, meaning they were engaged for just two months.

“Imagine finding out the status of your relationship through a tabloid,” Ehrich wrote. “While in the middle of filming a biopic movie about a Pastor in a Christian Church whose intention of the film is to help people.” In a third slide, Ehrich added “God bless” and a dove emoji. Ehrich previously appeared to reference the break-up on late Thursday, when he shared a message reading, “Jesus loves you.” He included heart, praying hands, and dove emojis in the caption.

News of the split first surfaced in PEOPLE. A source told the magazine it was a “tough decision” for the two, but they decided to focus on their careers. “They have respect and love for one another and will always cherish the time they spent together,” the source explained. Just before that report was published, several other outlets published comments from sources who said the relationship was about to end. One source who spoke with Us Weekly said Lovato and Ehrich’s friends and family were “skeptical about their relationship and the longevity of it.”

Lovato still has not directly responded to the split on social media. On Thursday, she posted a brief mirror selfie in her Instagram Story that focused in on the phrase “Dogs over people” printed on her shirt. Another photo showed her getting make-up done for a photo shoot, and she was not wearing the engagement ring. Lovato did share a post on Instagram Thursday, but it was about her new partnership with Talkspace, which connects people to mental health professionals.

Ehrich is filming his movie in Atlanta, and Lovato reportedly went there to visit. During that time, fans began sharing screenshots of alleged social media posts Ehrich wrote, in which he praised Selena Gomez and other pop stars, comparing them to Lovato. The “Sorry Not Sorry” singer then shared a blistering criticism of tabloids, claiming the screenshots were fake and called on the media to cover more important stories. “Yes, it’s easier to tear apart celebrities and their relationships because 2020 sucks and scares the s—t out of us all, but it’s only gonna stay terrifying until we address it all and WORK ON SOLUTIONS TOGETHER,” Lovato wrote in an Instagram Story post.