Another one bites the dust on Married At First Sight.
Stella Mickunaite and Filip Gregov, who were this year’s only couple success story on the Nine dating show, have reportedly called it quits just months after getting engaged on screens.
The duo proclaimed their love for one another at final vows with Filip getting down on one knee and Stella squealing with delight. But now, just three months after that April episode aired, the pair are no more.
According to the Daily Mail, the Stella and Filip have quietly ended their romance just weeks away from their one-year anniversary (the series aired from January to April but was film last year between August and November).
“It was ultimately Filip who decided to end things,” a source told the outlet. “He’d been wrestling with it for a while and eventually realised they just weren’t on the same page about what they wanted out of life.”
The source added that there was no explosive fight or catalyst, but rather both came to the realisation that they were heading in different directions.
“Money wasn’t the only issue, but it definitely became a sticking point,” the source said. “Stella has always been very ambitious and wanted someone who could provide the lifestyle she was looking for.”
After news of the split broke on Monday morning, the MAFS bride seemingly addressed the break-up news on Instagram with an emotional message about reflection and regret.
“It would be easy to tell this story by deciding who was right and who was wrong,” she wrote alongside a selfie of herself sitting on a beach. “To point fingers. To protect my ego. To pretend I was perfect. But no. I’m not here for that. Far from it.”
“I made mistakes. I have regrets. And while those truths are painful to sit with … They’re also incredible gifts. But only if we choose to receive them that way. Only if we meet them with humility and a deep, honest look within ourselves.”
In her post, Stella admitted this past week felt like a “rollercoaster” and she “went to the depths of it”, but she learnt necessary lessons and insights that needed confronting from within.
“Life has a beautiful way of teaching us. Sometimes gently,” she continued. “And sometimes, when we miss the gentle lessons … Life delivers one that’s heartbreakingly loud. This one was loud. Boy, was it loud.”
Stella went on to say that qualities she’d always seen as strengths – such as her urgency directness and ambition – may have been her downfall.
“This relationship quietly revealed something I couldn’t see before,” she revealed. “The people we love don’t always experience our intentions. Sometimes they experience pressure. Sometimes they experience control. Sometimes they experience someone who is so focused on tomorrow that they unintentionally miss the beauty of today.”
“That has been one of the hardest mirrors I’ve ever had to look into. Not because it fills me with shame,” she explained. “Love isn’t only about having a good heart. It’s about the impact we leave on the heart standing opposite ours. That is a lesson I’ll carry with me out.”
Filip has not directly addressed the break-up reports, but fans have noticed Stella was notably absent from recent photos taken from his everyday life with one fan asking, “Where is Stella?”
“You can literally have all these tabs open and still show up consistently,” he wrote as he shared a carousel of photos on Instagram of himself living his life. “Work. Health. Family. Relationships. Purpose. Service. Building something meaningful. Enjoying the smaller moments.”
“Balance doesn’t mean every area gets equal attention every day. It means nothing important gets neglected for too long. You keep showing up. You adjust when needed. You stay grounded in what matters. That’s the goal.”
It appears Stella and Filip have also quietly unfollowed each other on Instagram.
