Leah Messer has been through an awful lot during her decade in the spotlight.
Teen Mom fans have looked on with concern as Leah battled addiction and endured two divorces, and they continue to root for her as she seeks the best possible treatment for her daughter Ali, who suffers from muscular dystrophy.
Last year, Leah seemed to be on the verge of a well-deserved happy ending when she got engaged to Jaylan Mobley.
But as you’re probably aware, that situation didn’t end well.
In August of 2022, Jaylan popped the question during a trip to Costa Rica.
“It feels amazing. I never imagined myself being here today, but I couldn’t imagine myself being anywhere else,” Leah told People magazine at the time.
Just two months later, however, Leah and Jaylan broke up under mysterious circumstances.
It looks like Jaylan cheated, but because he convinced Leah to sign a non-disclosure agreement, we might never know for sure what happened.
Whatever the case, the split was a messy one, and it seemed to have taken quite a toll on Leah.
But now, a year later, Leah is assuring fans that in the wake of one of the most difficult ordeals of her entire life, she’s still optimistic about the possibility of a brighter future.
“Would you guys believe me if I told you this has been one of the hardest years of my life?” Leah asked fans in her Instagram Story on Wednesday.
“Because it has been, but I keep looking forward despite it all. I pray that you are too!” she continued.
“We are all battling so much that we don’t speak on. I hope these next few months lighten up on your girl and anyone else who has had a tough year. It’s making us hella stronger & wiser!”
Leah has repeatedly declined to comment on the issue of Jaylan’s alleged infidelity.
She’s confirmed, however, that Mobley was lying when he said he bought her a house and added her name to the deed.
“I take full responsibility for believing that because I even asked, ‘Don’t I have to be present?’” she later recalled.
“And he said, ‘No, because I’m the sole owner.’ It’s the lying…”
Jaylan presented Leah with the deed when he proposed, but she later revealed that the stunt was “fraudulent” and hinted that he had forged the document.
Needless to say, it sounds like this dude was involved in some seriously sketchy behavior, and Leah probably dodged a bullet.
“While the last year has been tremendously exciting for both of us, we’ve realized that it’s best we walk separate paths. We are so grateful for the lessons, growth, and memories we’ve had in this relationship,” the exes said in a joint statement last October.
“So many of you have watched our love story unfold, and we hope that you’ll continue to watch our stories while we move forward as friends.”
We’re sure the split was not easy to overcome, but it sounds like Leah is finally ready to move on.
Hopefully, she’s learned some lessons about how to spot red flags a little earlier!