The Untold Story: Britney Spears Reveals Justin Timberlake's Shocking Role in Her Post-Breakup Struggles

Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears during The 44th Annual GRAMMY Awards L. Cohen/WireImage

Britney Spears alleges in her forthcoming memoir, The Woman in Me, that Justin Timberlake remained ignorant of the severe criticism she faced after their breakup in 2002. A reliable source confirms that the 41-year-old singer writes about Timberlake's lack of awareness regarding the influence he wielded in publicly condemning her for the end of their relationship.

Spears reflects on the negative reception she received from the public when Timberlake released his song "Cry Me A River" in 2002, following their breakup. The song's music video even featured a lookalike of Spears, seemingly depicting their split. The couple ended their 3-year relationship amidst rumors of Spears' infidelity towards the 'NSync member. In her book, Spears reveals that her managers attempted to maintain an image of her as an "eternal virgin," despite her losing her virginity at the age of 14. However, once Timberlake publicly acknowledged their sexual relationship, Spears was unfairly labeled as a "cheating slut" and accused of being dishonest.

In the end, she wasn't angry with Timberlake for revealing the intimate details of their relationship. She had no interest in maintaining the image of a "young-virgin" that her managers had created for her in her twenties. However, the disclosure still caused her pain due to her recent experience of having had an abortion. In a book excerpt published earlier this month, Spears disclosed that she became pregnant during her relationship with Timberlake and chose to have an abortion after he expressed that he was not ready to be a father.

Spears acknowledges that she didn't handle the situation well at the time. She even believed that she was the one at fault in their breakup. Since then, she has felt as though she's been placed under some kind of curse.

According to a different source, Spears confesses to having an affair with her ex-dancer and choreographer Wade Robson in her memoir. She also claims that Timberlake cheated on her multiple times with a member of the British girl group All Saints and a girl he met in Las Vegas.

Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake attended the MTV Icon Tribute to Janet Jackson, as captured by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.

Throughout their time together, both Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake have openly discussed the impact of infidelity on their relationship's demise. In a 2002 interview with Barbara Walters, Timberlake acknowledged their imperfections and refrained from passing judgment on anyone involved. He characterized their love as youthful and incredibly passionate.

In a 2003 interview, Walters asked Spears about the accusations of cheating. Spears responded, "I'm not explicitly saying he's guilty, but I'm not exactly saying he's innocent either," to the late broadcaster.

According to his 2018 memoir, "Hindsight: & All the Things I Can't See in Front of Me," Timberlake admitted that he penned "Cry Me a River" in just two hours, fueled by feelings of being "hurt" and "angry" after the breakup. He explained, "I needed to channel those emotions into something tangible that others could understand and connect with. And they did, because we've all experienced similar feelings in our own lives."

Prior to the official release of The Woman in Me, an exclusive source informed Us that Timberlake is actively distancing himself from the book. They noted that he is not placing much importance on any possible discussions about their past relationship. The insider further revealed that Timberlake has moved on and has a completely different life now. He is focused on his family, career, and future, and he desires to leave the past behind. (Timberlake and his wife, Jessica Biel, have two sons, Silas and Phineas. Spears, on the other hand, shares two sons, Sean and Jayden, with her ex-husband Kevin Federline.)

The Woman in Me hits bookstores on Tuesday, October 24.