Ben Affleck reunites with ex Jennifer Garner to celebrate bittersweet milestone without wife Jennifer Lopez

Ben Affleck looked visibly content as he reunited with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner to bid farewell to their daughter Violet, who is off to college —a significant family moment that was notably missing one key figure: his current wife, Jennifer Lopez, amid ongoing reports of marital strife.

In recently published photos , Ben, 52, appeared relaxed and cheerful as he enjoyed a family dinner with Jennifer, also 52, along with their children, Violet, 18, and Fin, 15, in the charming town of New Haven, Connecticut, over the weekend.

It’s reported that Violet will be attending Yale University, the prestigious Ivy League institution located in New Haven.

The happy family gathering comes at a time when rumors swirl about the state of Ben's marriage with Jennifer Lopez, with eagle-eyed observers noting that Ben was not wearing his wedding ring during the outing.

Despite her close bond with Violet, Jennifer Lopez, 55, was conspicuously absent from this significant milestone in her stepdaughter’s life.

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The family of four enjoyed a leisurely dinner al fresco at South Bay, a local restaurant, before taking a relaxing walk around the area. At one tender moment, a beaming Ben was seen embracing Fin, clearly cherishing the time spent with his children.

Ben, casually dressed in a button-down shirt, slacks, and Nike trainers, was all smiles as he pulled Fin in for a heartfelt hug while they gathered along the sidewalk.

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Jennifer Garner, effortlessly chic in a striped top, jeans, and smart black glasses, looked equally at ease as the group enjoyed a warm summer evening together, celebrating Violet’s big step towards adulthood.

Jennifer and Ben, who were married from 2005 until their separation in 2018, share three children: Violet, Fin, and Samuel, 12.

Earlier this year, Violet graduated from high school, a moment that Jennifer commemorated with a deeply emotional post on her Instagram. In a series of heartfelt photos, the actress was seen tearing up in various locations, capturing the bittersweet nature of her daughter’s graduation.

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“Tell me you have a graduate without telling me you have a graduate,” Jennifer wrote in the caption, alongside images of herself crying at what appeared to be Violet’s graduation ceremony and during a flight. There’s been widespread speculation about Violet’s next steps, especially after she was seen sporting a Yale sweatshirt in a photo shared by her high school’s Instagram page, suggesting that the Ivy League is indeed her college destination.

Divorce papers prepared?

Meanwhile, Ben and Jennifer Lopez's relationship seems to be under increasing scrutiny, with rumors suggesting their marriage might be on the brink of collapse.

© Rossa Cole/Shutterstock

The couple is believed to be living separately, and reports have surfaced that they have already prepared divorce papers, to be filed at a later date.

On Ben’s 52nd birthday, Jennifer Lopez was spotted paying a discreet visit to his house, but the pop icon later spent the evening with her girlfriends at a Bruno Mars concert for the grand opening of the new Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

This quiet birthday visit contrasts starkly with Jennifer Lopez’s own 55th birthday last month, which she notably spent without Ben.

Adding to the speculation, Ben recently purchased a $20.5 million home in the upscale Pacific Palisades area in July, moving out of a $100k-a-month rental in Brentwood. Jennifer Lopez has been staying at their lavish Beverly Hills mansion, which has been listed on the market for $68 million.

J-Lo appeared to sideline Ben on his birthday when she took to social media—not to wish him a happy birthday, but to share a series of radiant photos of herself. The images showed the singer posing in a sheer, shimmering Dior dress, standing next to a vintage convertible, taken during her time in the Hamptons last month.