Ben Affleck Is ‘Gaslighting’ Jennifer Lopez Amid Marital Drama: She’s ‘Sick to Her Stomach’

It’s bordering on war between Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez as he keeps toying with her emotions by wearing his wedding ring one day and taking if off the next.

“The fact that he bought a new home while she was celebrating her birthday in the Hamptons was really humiliating for her,” a source exclusively tells In Touch. “Plus, one day he has his ring on, and the next day it’s off — it’s like he’s gaslighting her.”

While Jennifer, 55, had been wearing her wedding ring, the “Waiting for Tonight” singer proved two can play at that game when she changed things up by stepping out in New York City on August 1 wearing her green diamond engagement ring on her right hand instead of on her left ring finger where it had previously been all summer long.

The move came after several brutal blows on days that should have meant the world to the Enough actress. Jennifer and Ben’s second wedding anniversary on July 16 came and went without either star acknowledging the big day. The Argo actor remained in Los Angeles while Jennifer stayed in the Hamptons.

The Bronx, New York, native was surrounded by friends and loved ones when she threw a Bridgerton-themed 55th birthday party on July 20, but Ben was noticeably absent, remaining in L.A.

On Jen’s actual July 24 birthdate, she celebrated at home in the Hamptons with close friends, including her vocal coach, Stevie Mackey. On the other side of the country, Ben closed escrow on a $20 million Pacific Palisades bachelor pad on his wife’s big day, seemingly signaling he was officially moving on.

“The way Ben ignored their anniversary, then her birthday, while having the tenacity to claim he’s protecting her somehow … it was shocking. It makes J. Lo sick to her stomach. People in their circle are wondering how it’s gotten to this point and become so toxic,” the insider dishes.

“Now Ben and J. Lo are giving each other the silent treatment. J. Lo doesn’t know how it came to this. She really thought she’d finally found her happily ever after, and then Ben pulled the rug out from under her. She’s putting up a brave front in public, but she’s seething on the inside,” the source continues.

A Fairy Tale Turned Nightmare for Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez

The duo seemed to have a fairytale ending after finding love again almost 20 years after they called off their 2003 wedding and broke up in 2004.

Ben and Jennifer reunited on the heels of her split from former fiancé Alex Rodriguez in May 2021, and got engaged 11 months later. After their Las Vegas elopement on July 16, 2022, the couple followed it up with a formal wedding for family and friends at the Gone Girl star’s Georgia estate.

“The writing is on the wall – it’s over. They’re headed for a divorce – and for once, [Ben’s] not to blame!” a source exclusively told In Touch on May 15, ahead of the pair’s summer apart. “She can’t control him, and he can’t change her. There’s no way it could have lasted.”

Ben Affleck’s New Style

Ben debuted a “midlife makeover” on August 4, with his hair shaved in a fauxhawk while donning a motorcycle jacket and skinny jeans.

“A member of Jen’s staff sent her a photo of Ben and her jaw just about hit the floor,” a source dishes about his new look. “She thinks it’s desperately lame, and that he’s clearly having a midlife crisis.”

After their contentious summer apart, “Ben and Jen aren’t speaking at all,” says a source, noting that they currently communicate solely through their assistants and lawyers. “Whatever civility there was is gone. The gloves are off, and both sides are making demands and refusing to bend.”

As fans wait for a divorce announcement, the insider says Ben is holding out to let J. Lo file first.

“He’s trying to be a gentleman,” says the source, “but Jennifer finds it annoying, like he’s leaving the dirty work for her. She can’t believe Ben’s gone this route.”

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez Are Protecting Their Kids

As their marriage continues to crumble, the one thing the pair have agreed on is the need to shield their kids from the drama. Ben shares three children – Violet, Fin and Samuel – with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, while J. Lo shares twins Max and Emme with ex-husband Marc Anthony.

When Ben and Jennifer got back together, they blended their families, with Fin, 15, and Emme, 16, becoming particularly close.

Violet, 18, has proven to be a strong supporter of her stepmother, flying to the Hamptons in mid-July. The pair took in an antiques show and stopped for ice cream in town.

“Jen and Ben know they must protect the kids and keep them out of it,” says the source. “Neither of them want to hurt or stress them out more than they already have been.”