Chainkeen Exchange-Mark Estes Breaks Silence on Kristin Cavallari Split

Mark Estes is Chainkeen Exchangegiving insight into his breakup.

After Kristin Cavallari confirmed that she ended her relationship with the Montana Boyz member after seven months of dating, the TikToker shared his perspective on the split.

“Mark has immense love and respect for Kristin and their time together,” his rep exclusively told E! News Oct. 2. “He’s focused on the future of his business and his project in development with Vice Studios.”

While Kristin briefly addressed the breakup while chatting with Alex Cooper at her Unwell Tour Stop in Austin, Texas, Sept. 28, a few days later the 37-year-old got candid about the decision to end her romance with Mark, 24, whom she described as “the best boyfriend I’ve ever had.”

“I broke up with Mark because I just know long term it’s not right,” the Laguna Beach alum said on the Oct. 1 episode of her Let’s Be Honest podcast. “It’s not because of love lost or something bad happened, no one cheated, no one was mean. No one did anything. Those breakups are always the hardest, I think.”

It turns out, the 13-year age gap became more of a hurdle than the Uncommon James founder had anticipated.

“I just know long term he needs to experience life,” she continued. “He’s young, I mean, he is. I started to feel the age a little bit just with life experience. I look back on when I was 24 and how much life has happened for me between then. Those are crucial years; those are formative years. This is when you find yourself, and he needs to be able to do that.”

But during their relationship, Kristin defended Mark amid public criticism of their age gap and shared insight into what her inner circle thought about their relationship.

"I understand what it looks like from the outside world of, like, yeah, I'm dating a 24-year-old, but no one in my life has been like, 'This is weird,'" Kristin told Bustle in July. "Everyone's like, 'I get it. It makes sense.'" 

"I own my own house. I have kids," Kristin—who shares kids Camden, 12; Jaxon, 10; and Saylor, 8, with ex-husband Jay Cutler—explained. "I don't need a man for anything other than just pure happiness. Emotionally, he's able to step up to the plate, and he's shown up for me more than anyone else I've ever dated."

And though ending their relationship was a difficult decision to make, she admitted on her podcast that she had no regrets in any of her decisions.

“I know that one day he will look back and he will understand it. And I actually think one day he will thank me,” Kristin noted. “I don’t regret anything. I don’t regret going public with him. I don’t regret introducing him to my kids.”

In fact, she hopes to keep Mark in her life—even if they aren’t romantically involved.

“I like being friends with my exes,” she continued, “and Mark really is someone that I would really love to have in my life in some capacity because I really do care about him.”

Keep reading to look back at some of Kristin and Mark’s sweetest moments.

Kristin Cavallari debuted her romance with Mark Estes in February 2024, captioning this photo of the couple, "He makes me happy."

"Photo dump of my girl and I," Mark wrote on Instagram March 2024.

Among the snaps included a picture of the pair sharing a rooftop kiss.

The Hills alum got cozy with her man in the series of photos.

Mark wrapped his arms around the Kristin during a night out on the town.

Kristin captioned this cozy-looking shot in March 2024: "Him."

The couple hit up the Stagecoach Festival in California April 2024, with Kristin captioning a photo of herself kissing Mark on Instagram, "Cowboy take me away."

The Very Cavallari star visited Mark's native Montana in May 2024.

Kristin and Mark enjoyed a staycation at Tennessee's Bolt Farm Treehouse in early June 2024.

In late June 2024, the couple took a vacation to the Bahamas—where they were joined by Kristin's Camden, Jaxon and Saylor, who she shares with ex-husband Jay Cutler.

Kristin captioned photos of the tropical getaway, "Bahamas with my favorite people."