Jessica Simpson Recalls Feeling “Saddened Beyond Belief” After Nick Lachey Moved on With Vanessa.
Jessica Simpson looked back on the heartbreak she felt when Nick Lachey began dating his now-wife Vanessa Lachey just months after their divorce in 2006.
Jessica Simpson is looking back on her divorce from Nick Lachey in new entries to her memoir, Open Book.
In an excerpt shared by Entertainment Tonight, the Dukes of Hazzard actress reveals how heartbreaking it was to learn of her ex-husband’s relationship with Vanessa Lachey, formerly Minnillo, just months after they went their separate ways.
As Jessica writes in the diary entry, “So, Nick, you’re with another already? Seems that you forgot the love you spoke to me… I’m saddened beyond belief. Alone in the dark, with no one to call my own.”
In the memoir, released last February, Jessica detailed how their marriage of four years publicly unraveled as they starred on the MTV series Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica.
Though many assumed the reality show was the cause of their divorce, Jessica said that wasn’t the case. Last February, she explained, “I don’t believe that the show is what tore our marriage apart.”
“Nick and I were very great at being together publicly and on-camera. We were best at our relationship when we were singing together. I felt like we were at home in that place,” Jessica continued. “But as far as doing the reality show, we just kind of had fun with it until the end—until we started having marital problems.”
In addition, she revealed in the memoir that she had an emotional relationship with Dukes of Hazzard co-star Johnny Knoxville, which she felt was “worse than a physical one.”
The star, who famously saved herself for marriage, wrote in the memoir, “After I actually had sex, I understood that the emotional part was what mattered. And Johnny and I had that, which seemed far more of a betrayal to my marriage than sex.”
It wasn’t long after the movie premiered that she and Nick went their separate ways, with the 98 Degrees singer taking half of Jessica’s income in the divorce settlement.
Jessica doesn’t necessarily regret the marriage, but she feels remorse about never signing a prenup. She reiterated this in an interview with Dr. Oz, explaining how she was “offended” when Nick first brought it up. She recalled, “I was like, ‘We’re going to be together for the rest of our lives. We’re saying our vows to God and in front of all of our family and friends. Like, this never gonna end.’ And, we didn’t sign a prenup.”
What’s more, Jessica and Nick hooked up some months after finalizing their divorce. According to Jessica, she watched a documentary about the making of Nick’s album What’s Left of Me, as well as his Making the Video special on MTV for his song of the same title, and decided to invite him over to talk, because she felt like she needed to “fix him.” One thing led to another and they slept together.
Coincidentally, Vanessa Vanessa and Nick first crossed paths when she starred in the “What’s Left of Me” video. Five years later, they tied the knot in 2011 and have since welcomed three children together.
