“When you have a broken heart – at least when I do – you got to get it out of your system. You want people to sympathize with you. I was at rock bottom, in the middle of hell.”

Rumors of a breakdown dogged Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert’s brief marriage. Both are now contentedly wed to separate partners.

Given their prominent positions in the music industry, it is understandable why Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert fell in love so soon.

Even though he was still married when he met her, their shared love of music drew them together. Their love affair ended in divorce eventually.

Blake Shelton and Kaynette Williams during the 38th Annual CMA Awards at the Grand Ole Opry House November 9, 2004 in Nashville, Tennessee. | Source: Getty Images

Following their introductions at CMT’s 100 Greatest Duets Concert, the two musicians first came into contact with one another in 2005.

https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?gdpr=0&client=ca-pub-3764810839868565&output=html&h=125&slotname=3197500636&adk=376180702&adf=2440869211&pi=t.ma~as.3197500636&w=500&abgtt=6&fwrn=4&lmt=1722354523&rafmt=11&format=500×125&url=https%3A%2F%2Favokaddo.com%2F2024%2F07%2F09%2Fwhen-you-have-a-broken-heart-at-least-when-i-do-you-got-to-get-it-out-of-your-system-you-want-people-to-sympathize-with-you-i-was-at-rock-bottom-in-the-middle-of-hell%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwY2xjawEV6ZRleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHXyzTnmexRrTPzEEP0chLLyY1svqKfsLeaYIY5QiJKwY1cdZvMAcehi0gA_aem_muoUArj-i3oQAZ_Vt4IXLA&wgl=1&uach=WyJXaW5kb3dzIiwiMC4zLjAiLCJ4ODYiLCIiLCIxMDkuMC41NDE0LjE2OCIsbnVsbCwwLG51bGwsIjY0IixbWyJOb3RfQSBCcmFuZCIsIjk5LjAuMC4wIl0sWyJHb29nbGUgQ2hyb21lIiwiMTA5LjAuNTQxNC4xNjgiXSxbIkNocm9taXVtIiwiMTA5LjAuNTQxNC4xNjgiXV0sMF0.&dt=1722354242850&bpp=1&bdt=656&idt=813&shv=r20240725&mjsv=m202407250101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3Dd6f422181fa8e320%3AT%3D1712754368%3ART%3D1722354247%3AS%3DALNI_MbQ8K8Uz_tQiOWk9_ho73iGWbUvXg&gpic=UID%3D00000de663175333%3AT%3D1712754368%3ART%3D1722354247%3AS%3DALNI_MZzkvLBsYSBf99BTmrLqXAWredf6A&eo_id_str=ID%3D880422cb866d8cdc%3AT%3D1712754368%3ART%3D1722354247%3AS%3DAA-AfjYIkHBaiiV25sK_LhuhTK3y&prev_fmts=0x0%2C870x280%2C1090x582%2C500x125%2C500x125&nras=2&correlator=1699554790549&frm=20&pv=1&rplot=4&u_tz=420&u_his=2&u_h=768&u_w=1360&u_ah=728&u_aw=1360&u_cd=24&u_sd=1&dmc=8&adx=110&ady=2970&biw=1090&bih=582&scr_x=0&scr_y=700&eid=44759875%2C44759926%2C44759837%2C95331832%2C95334524%2C95334828%2C95337868%2C31084184%2C95336522%2C95336267&oid=2&psts=AOrYGsm0A-AFATYU27TmKvVliCsLfTF5XTOaSmGFuY24Ig6grjwTRpyLmA9Oh3zCzX6atVTwsc2qXLatVe8cevMyFmbx1zE%2CAOrYGsmD7e8l14G2_MssL6qrMvdE56kkfUovkFzb7LNWKUClg1GLanK872ecrAO3gf80G7npkXJ8z6XUPegLdxJIPGrivQM&pvsid=4346139120627902&tmod=1615685186&uas=3&nvt=1&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fl.facebook.com%2F&fc=1920&brdim=164%2C24%2C164%2C24%2C1360%2C0%2C1123%2C702%2C1107%2C582&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7CopeEbr%7C&abl=CS&pfx=0&fu=128&bc=31&bz=1.01&psd=W251bGwsbnVsbCxudWxsLDNd&ifi=5&uci=a!5&btvi=3&fsb=1&dtd=M

From the beginning, she was drawn to him, but he ignored her because he was married. In a similar vein, Shelton was instantly smitten with the “Drunk” singer.

The beginning of their romantic tale

In a subsequent interview, Lambert claimed to have seen Shelton’s wedding photo in Country Weekly and to have known he was married. She continued, saying:

“I should have known better—this is forbidden. For crying out loud, my folks work as private detectives. I’ve witnessed affairs my entire life. I am one of the few who can truly know better than this.

Even still, she was powerless to ignore the “inevitable chemistry” they shared from the start. Shelton separated from his wife Kaynette Williams a year later and went after Lambert.

Shelton asked Lambert to marry him in 2010, but he did so in remembrance of her father. The “God’s Country” singer gave Lambert’s father a call to get his OK before proposing on May 9 and bringing out a platinum and diamond ring that he had personally picked out.

“It’s so much more perfect than I could have picked myself, but we’ve been together for five years, so he knew exactly what I wanted,” Lambert remarked. The country music artist cherished the casual party that was the proposal.

Apart from that specific instance, 2010 was an exceptional year for Lambert, as she achieved her first number one song, “White Liar,” in January and won both Album of the Year and Top Female Vocalist at the ACM Awards.

Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton at LP Field during the 2010 CMA Music Festival on June 13, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee. | Source: Getty Images

The pair married in 2011, but problems soon arose in their union. Rumors of a breakup surfaced in 2013, which the couple refuted.

In order to demonstrate that there were no secrets in their marriage, the “The Voice” judge at the time said that his wife had access to his phone anytime she wanted. He declared:

We truly do have that level of trust. Nothing is hidden. “Go search through my drawers or my computer if you feel like it,” is what I’ll say, and it’s been extremely helpful since I don’t want her to ever question anything.

Even though there were still rumors in 2014, the pair didn’t seem to be affected and even made jokes about the supposed divorce. In the past two years, Lambert joked, “I think I’ve had like five sets of twins and we’ve been divorced four times, and one of us had a $100 million divorce.”

Shelton and Stefani were married in a modest chapel on the “Home” singer’s property in July 2021 in a private ceremony held in Oklahoma.
The pair sent heartfelt wishes on social media to commemorate their third wedding anniversary the same year.

Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton during the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards concerts at the Fremont Street Experience during the on April 17, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. | Source: Getty Images

Lambert acknowledged that marriage was difficult, but he also stated it was a wonderful gift that shouldn’t be taken too seriously. She continued, saying:

It is our constant goal to be together. On our anniversary, I wouldn’t want to be on the other side of the nation! That moment is precious.

However, the pair soon shown that there was turmoil in paradise, proving the claims to be real. Gwen Stefani collaborated with Shelton as a coach on season nine of “The Voice” in April 2014.

After four years together, Shelton and Lambert announced their divorce within a year. They said in a statement that was released:

+We are actual individuals with actual lives, families, friends, and coworkers. As a result, we respectfully request your understanding and privacy in this very private situation.

The couple disclosed that they were surprised by the split and that they had to take a risk by choosing to continue living their lives on their own.

Both before and after the publishing of the statement, Shelton and Lambert said nothing about the matter. They had ten wonderful years together, including their courtship phase.

LIFE AFTER PARTNERSHIP

Shelton quickly started dating Gwen Stefani, his co-star on “The Voice,” following their breakup. On November 4, 2015, they made their relationship official via Shelton’s agent, who stated:

“Gwen and Blake have been friends for a long time, but they recently started dating.”

Gwen Stefani, Adam Levine, Pharrell Williams, and Blake Shelton during "The Voice" Season 7. | Source: Getty Images

The couple claimed that their congruent divorces and life events strengthened their bond.

Shelton eventually told Lambert about his divorce in 2020. Details regarding their breakup were disclosed in his song “If I’m Honest.”

He answered, “Maybe not specifics.” However, you get the gist of it. It is my chronicle of divorce, but perhaps even more than that, it is also my record of happiness and infatuation.

He’s got to admit that his second divorce has devastated him to the point of no return. Even though Shelton did not create the song “She’s Got a Way With Words,” which describes a partner who strayed and lied, he isn’t stopping people from believing it was a reflection of his own relationship. He declared:

“You have to let go of it when you’re feeling down, or at least that’s how I feel. You want to be able to relate to other individuals. I was in the midst of hell, at my lowest point.

But there was also someone who understood him quite well. It was a day he will never forget. “Gwen, who I didn’t really know, had these enormous tears in her eyes when I looked at her. It struck me, “Wow, she really feels bad for me.”

Miranda Lambert and Brendan McLoughlin during the 54th Academy Of Country Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 07, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. | Source: Getty Images

The singer of “Candyman” had recently filed for divorce from Gavin Rossdale, her husband of 20 years. Later, she spoke with Shelton by herself, and that’s when their close relationship began.

As time went on, their friendship grew; they went from communicating their understanding to exchanging emails once a week. He declared:

“Then I wake up, and she’s my entire world, and I wonder if she feels the same way about me.”

Shelton and Stefani were married in a modest chapel on the “Home” singer’s property in July 2021 in a private ceremony held in Oklahoma. Luckily, Stefani’s family and kids adore her new husband and have a wonderful impact on her. Says she:

“I’ve never had a more feminine style. I think it’s because I have a pretty macho man and I’m genuinely in love. Now that I’ve let that side of myself show, I enjoy it.

Within three months of their first date, Lambert also wed Brendan McLoughlin, an officer in New York City. Even though he was married when they initially met, their love remained. It was made public in 2022 that the couple was attempting to conceive.

During my grandfather’s funeral, a stranger gave me a note — I couldn’t help but laugh after reading it because Grandpa had played a trick on us

At Grandpa’s funeral, 18-year-old Dahlia feels isolated as her family fumes over the pitiful $1 inheritance. But when a stranger slips her a secret note, Dahlia is pulled into a mystery only she can solve.

I stood by the graveside, hands clenched in the pockets of my too-small black dress, listening to the priest’s droning voice blend with the rustle of the wind.

This was the saddest day of my life, but everyone else in the family seemed more concerned with glaring at each other than mourning Grandpa.

I could feel their bitterness lingering in the chilly October air, thick like syrup. One dollar each. That’s all Grandpa left us in his will, and they were furious. But me? I wasn’t angry. Just… hollow.

Grandpa wasn’t supposed to be gone. He was the only person who ever saw me, not the mess-up or the spare kid nobody paid attention to, but me. He let me in when no one else cared.

I stared down at the flowers resting on his coffin. I’d brought him a red rose, and it stood out among the white daisies everyone else had placed on the casket.

“One dollar,” Aunt Nancy hissed from behind me. “One damn dollar! That man was loaded, and this is what we get?”

Uncle Vic let out a bitter laugh. “Right? I swear he did it on purpose, the spiteful old man.”

“Typical Dad,” Mom muttered, crossing her arms tight across her chest. “He always played favorites, and Dahlia here was his little pet. Bet she got something we don’t know about.”

Aunt Nancy’s eyes cut toward me, sharp as glass. “What did he leave you, Dahlia? Anything? Don’t act like you didn’t get something.”

I stiffened. “I got the same as all of you.”

Mom’s fingers tightened over my shoulder. “Are you sure?” she asked in a low voice. “You were always with him. Maybe he told you something… think hard, Dahlia. You owe it to your family to share whatever he gave you.”

Memories came rushing back of Grandpa’s goofy stories about long-lost treasure and the butterscotch candies he always kept in his coat pocket.

Sometimes, he’d wink at me and say, “One day, kiddo, I’m leaving you a treasure. Real treasure!” But it was just a game, a joke between us.

I shook my head and turned my gaze back to the coffin. “What Grandpa gave me was his love, his stories, and a place that felt more like home than my actual home. Those things were worth more than money, and there’s no way I can—”

“Nobody cares about any of that!” Mom snapped. “Think, girl! What happened to all of his money?”

I shrugged. I truly didn’t know the answer to her question and didn’t care. Grandpa was gone. He was my confidant, my safe place, my friend. I’d lost the most important person in the world, but all they cared about was slapping a price tag on his death.

“She knows something,” Vic muttered, loud enough for me to hear.

Their voices twisted together, accusing, scheming — like they could squeeze secrets out of me if they tried hard enough. But I had no secrets that could earn them more money.

The second they realized there’d be no fortune, they turned away from the grave and stormed off. I could still hear them bickering as they walked away, lashing out at each other like vultures. It made me sick.

“You must be Dahlia.”

I looked up to see a woman, maybe in her 60s, with kind eyes and a worn leather bag slung over her shoulder. Her smile was soft and secretive, like she knew something the rest of us didn’t.

“I was a friend of your grandpa’s,” she said, leaning in as if we were co-conspirators. “He asked me to give you this.”

Before I could respond, she slipped a folded piece of paper into my hand and whispered, “Don’t let anyone see it, especially your family.”

Her presence felt surreal, almost dreamlike, and before I could say anything, she was gone, swallowed by the crowd of mourners. My heart pounded in my chest as I unfolded the note.

111 locker — Southern Railway Station.

For a second, I stood frozen, the words blurring in front of me. Then it hit me: Grandpa’s “treasure.” A laugh bubbled up from my throat, inappropriate and wild, but I couldn’t help it. He wasn’t joking after all.

That night, I lay in bed staring at the ceiling. The note was tucked under my pillow like a secret. Grandpa’s voice echoed in my mind, playful yet certain: “Locker number 111… There’s treasure in there, kiddo!”

A weight settled on my chest, something between grief and hope. What if this wasn’t just some wild goose chase? What if Grandpa had really left something for me, hidden away where no one else could reach?

The thought twisted around in my mind until I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed to know what was in that locker.

I called a cab the next morning. It was the first thing I did after I woke up. As I tiptoed past the kitchen, I could hear Mom muttering on the phone about Grandpa’s will, probably trying to squeeze sympathy or cash out of anyone who would listen.

I clenched my jaw and slipped out the door, the chilly morning air hitting my skin like a slap.

The ride to Southern Railway Station felt like the longest 20 minutes of my life.

My knee bounced with nervous energy as the cab wound through narrow streets, past graffiti-covered walls, and empty coffee shops just starting to open. The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror but didn’t say a word.

When we finally pulled up at the station, I stepped out and asked him to wait for me. I clutched the note tightly as I entered the train station.

The station smelled like diesel and stale popcorn. People rushed past me in every direction — commuters, travelers, strangers with places to go.

I hesitated at the entrance, suddenly feeling small and out of place. But then Grandpa’s voice floated back into my mind, steady and reassuring: “Real treasure, kiddo.”

I took a deep breath and headed toward the lockers and I could hear my heart pounding. Rows of metal boxes lined the wall, each one looking identical: gray, dented, and slightly rusty.

My eyes scanned the numbers until I found number 111.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the folded note. The key was taped to the back. With trembling fingers, I peeled it off and slid it into the lock.

For a second, it jammed, and I panicked. But then — click! The lock turned, and the door swung open.

Inside was a duffel bag. It was old, faded, and heavy. My hands shook as I pulled it out and unzipped it.

The bag was full of cash. Bundles upon bundles of it!

I gasped, my mind reeling. It couldn’t be real, could it? I reached in and pulled out a stack, flipping through crisp hundred-dollar bills. There had to be at least $150,000 in there.

And tucked inside the bag was another note, written in Grandpa’s messy scrawl:

For my beloved granddaughter, everything I saved is now yours. Take it and live free, kiddo. The rest of the family may not see your worth, but I’ve always believed in you.

Tears blurred my vision, and I hugged the note to my chest, a knot forming in my throat. This wasn’t just money. It was freedom — a way out.

Grandpa always knew how badly I needed to escape this family. And now, he’d given me exactly what I needed and tricked everyone else in the process!

I zipped the bag shut, slung it over my shoulder, and walked out of the station, my heart pounding in tune with my footsteps.

The early morning sun was just starting to peek through the clouds, casting everything in a soft, golden light. For the first time in years, I felt… light.

During the cab ride back, I stared out the window, watching the city come to life. I had options now. No more suffocating family dinners, no more being ignored or treated like an afterthought, no more being the family scapegoat.

I could leave. I could build something new.

The thought scared me as much as it excited me, but Grandpa’s voice echoed in the back of my mind: “Live free, kiddo.”

As the cab pulled up to my house, I made my decision. I wasn’t staying. Not another minute!

I didn’t even bother going inside. I pulled out my phone, booked a ticket to anywhere, and told the driver to head straight to the airport.

With the duffel bag in my lap and Grandpa’s note tucked safely in my pocket, I smiled for the first time in days.

I was free. And for the first time in my life, I knew exactly what that meant.

Related Posts

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*