Teen Mom’s Cory Wharton is sharing a glimpse into what went wrong in his relationship with ex-girlfriend Taylor Selfridge.
“I made a mistake. I get that, but it was a nine-year relationship and there’s so many emotions, so many laughs and so many memories,” Wharton, 35, said via his Instagram Story on Thursday, October 8. “I took accountability. A big reason why the relationship didn’t work is me. The only way to move past it is to take accountability. Own up to your mistakes and move past it, and that’s what I plan on doing.”
Earlier in the day, Wharton announced via Instagram that he and Selfridge, 32, had split after nine years together. The pair share daughters Mila, 6, and Maya, 3. (Wharton is also dad to Ryder, 9, with ex Cheyenne Floyd.)
Selfridge also confirmed the breakup by sharing a separate statement via her Instagram Story.
“Yes, I left. I was sick of not getting basic respect from the person I was with for 9 years and the father of my two children,” she wrote on Thursday. “I’m sure everyone could tell the last few years. I deserve more than that and I’ll get it. End of story.”
In his latest Instagram Stories, Wharton seemingly addressed his ex’s post when he claimed “it’s not malicious” between the duo.
“It wasn’t an ugly breakup. If one party wants to make it look like it was this and that, that’s fine,” he said. “It wasn’t. It was a very mutual thing. ‘OK, it’s time to split. This isn’t working for us. We’ve struggled for two years on making this thing work.’”
Wharton continued, “I want nothing but the best for Taylor. … It’s time to heal. It’s time to move on. There’s no reason to just let this thing linger around. It was time.”
The reality stars met in November 2017 while filming MTV’s Ex on the Beach. They continued to document their love story on Teen Mom: The Next Chapter.
Wharton’s relationship with Selfridge, however, was put under the microscope during The Challenge: Cutthroat, which is currently airing on Paramount+.
During the season, Wharton developed a friendship with Izzy Fairthorne. Although things never got physical between the pair, Wharton ultimately issued an apology to Selfridge for crossing boundaries.
“You guys thought I didn’t know I was going to get eaten up in my comments. I already knew that,” Wharton said on Thursday. “I’m not running from it. It is what it is.”
Moving forward, the Real World alum said he is focused on being the best dad to his three children. While it may be a “new chapter,” Wharton vowed to be the “same dad.”
“What I plan on doing is being present for my three daughters because they need me now more than ever before,” he said. “I don’t want them to think just because me and Taylor split up that now dad isn’t present. No! My presence is going to be there more than ever before.”
Wharton continued, “It’s sad. I’m sad. We’ve been struggling for a while. I’m just happy to move past it.”
