Ciara Miller was shocked to find out her best friend, Amanda Batula, is dating her ex, West Wilson, per photos obtained by Page Six.
The “Summer House” star sat on the sidewalk slumped against the Hermès store in New York City in a white dress Tuesday. She was comforted by an unidentified male, who crouched down and held her by the arms.
The photo was taken just one minute before Batula and Wilson shared a public statement confirming their relationship, an eyewitness tells Page Six.
Batula and Wilson went public with their romance Tuesday via an Instagram Stories post.
“We’ve seen the growing online speculation, so while this is still very new, we wanted to provide some clarity,” the statement began.
“It was never our intention to purposely hide anything. Given the complicated relationship dynamics involved and the scrutiny that comes with being on a reality show, we needed a little space to process things privately before speaking on it.”
“We’ve shown up for each other as friends over the years, through all the highs and lows, and what’s developed recently was the last thing either of us expected.”
The pair noted that their “connection grew out of a genuine, longstanding friendship” and explained that they took time to go public their relationship because they wanted to “approach this with care.”
“As our feelings evolved, we wanted to take time to understand exactly what we were feeling. We also recognize that this has had an impact beyond just us and never wanted our actions to cause any hurt or be perceived as careless.”
A source connected to the situation claimed to Page Six that the two are in a “full-blown relationship.”
“It’s not just a hookup,” our insider insisted, adding that the duo’s co-stars — including Miller and Batula’s ex Kyle Cooke — are “pissed” and “disappointed.
Batula and Cooke announced their split in January after four years of marriage.
Both Miller and Wilson have been supporting Batula during the current 10th season of “Summer House,” in which the deterioration of Batula and Cooke’s marriage is playing out.
In a recent interview with Marie Claire, Batula praised both Miller and Wilson for their support.
“It would have been a very difficult summer to get through without Ciara. She is one of the kindest, most loving, loyal friends I’ve ever had. She sends me texts out of the blue, reminding me how strong, powerful, smart and kind I am — I don’t think she even realizes how much I need those texts,” Batula told the magazine just days before the hookup rumors surfaced.
“It’s also meant so much to me how supportive West has been throughout the season, sometimes in ways I wasn’t even aware of when filming. It’s not performative; it’s just really authentic to who West is. He checks Kyle and puts him in his place, and you’ll continue to see him be there for me throughout the season.”
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