Fans were shocked and saddened to learn of the divorce between Adele and Simon Konecki back in April of 2019.
After all, the acclaimed singer-songwriter is as well-known for her lovelorn lyrics as she is for her unmistakable vocal prowess, and fans liked to think of her marriage to Konecki as the happy ending she deserved.
Sadly, it wasn't meant to be.
And adding to the heartbreak is the fact that it looks as though Adele and Konecki's split has been anything but amicable.
In a twist that perhaps no one saw coming, the conversation about the split has shifted from speculation about what went wrong and guilty excitement about some heart-rending breakup ballads to a bizarre clash over finances.
It appears the couple did not have a prenup, which could mean that Adele will have to pay spousal support to Konecki.
While Simon well-off in his own right, his ex is one of the world's most famous entertainers, and is worth much, much more than he is.
The couple married in California, a community property state, which means that assets attained during the marriage are to be divided equally.
And that could mean Adele will lose a significant chunk of her fortune.
Those who our familiar with the singer's financial situation say she could be forced to fork over £140, or about $170 million.
Others say that since she released two albums before her marriage, the damage won't be quite so profound.
Either way, the situation has ignited a tense debate on Twitter.
Some say the rumored settlement is outrageous, and Konecki should agree to step away from the marriage with no more than he brought into it.
Others believe a gender double-standard is in play, and they cite the lack of complaints over Jeff Bezos' astronomically expensive divorce as evidence.
"So it's cool for Jeff bezos to give his ex 30 billion and all other men, but for Adele to give 140m it's an atrocity and not cool?" tweeted one user.
"I thought women were advocating for equality in everything. So what's the fuss about the money the court asked Adele to pay to her husband?" another asked.
Obviously, no one really knows how much this divorce will cost Adele, but insiders say she and Konecki are doing their best to hammer out a mutually agreeable settlement.
In any event, there's a silver-lining for the singer and her fans -- Adele is reportedly back in the studio working on her first post-divorce album.
