Married at First Sight couple Virginia Coombs and Erik Lake separated in April and have officially just filed for divorce, although Virginia is giving the impression she and her husband are still together.
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According to court documents filed in the state of Georgia obtained by Soap Dirt, Erik and Virginia have been separated since April 29, 2021.
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Erik and Virginia drew up divorce papers on June 11, 2021 and officially filed the papers on June 29, according to the website.
Erik's lawyer reportedly e-filed them and a hearing will take place in 31 days. The couple's divorce is therefore expected to be granted on July 30.
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The documents reportedly state that Erik doesn't have to pay his wife any money, nor does Virginia.
But Virginia took to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday, June 29 and posted a sweet photo of Erik and herself embracing on the beach.
The Season 12 Married at First Sight star wrote alongside the image, "Social media can be very toxic. And for that reason, [Erik] and I decided a few weeks back to take our relationship off social media."
"We did a very public experiment and appreciate all the support but are currently enjoying some privacy. Please be respectful of that and remember to always be kind," she added, before thanking her supportive followers for their positivity.
Reports of Erik and Virginia's divorce began to swirl last week, when the @Mafsfan Instagram account reported on June 22, "As many of you noticed... Virginia recently unfollowed Erik on [Instagram]. According to multiple sources, Erik and Virginia filed for divorce a couple of weeks ago."
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The account continued in its posting, "Guessing they will be faking it on Couples Cam to keep that MAFS [money] coming in. Receipts will be posted when available."
Comments poured in from Married at First Sight fans, most of whom expressed how they weren't surprised to hear Virginia and Erik had split since they were often at odds and arguing while filming Season 12 in Atlanta, GA, last year.
One Instagram user pointed out how it appeared Virginia and Erik had begun following each other on Instagram again.
But another person wrote in reply, "She literally just refollowed him after this was posted [on @Mafsfan]," suggesting Virginia and Erik may be trying to keep the news of their alleged divorce under wraps.
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After all, Virginia and Erik are currently starring on Season 3 of Married at First Sight: Couples Cam, which just premiered on Lifetime earlier this month and airs on Wednesday nights.
Although the divorce documents state Virginia and Erik had separated on April 29, Virginia denied breakup speculation in May, telling a fan in the comments section of one of her Instagram photos, "I am not single!"
The photo showed Virginia debuting her new black hair color, and Erik apparently fed into the couple's storyline by writing on the post, "Beautiful as always... I have a thing for dark haired women," along with a fire emoji.
Virginia also proudly uploaded a photo on Instagram Stories at the time of her left hand displaying her temporary heart-shaped wedding ring.
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With her dog Rocky sleeping in the background, Virginia wrote on the image, "My wedding ring never comes off."
Virginia continued, "[Erik] got me this ring for Valentine's Day... I didn't like the one I got from the show. But not trying to rush into picking out a 'real' one. And I still use my silicone ones from Decision Day to work out and what not!"
Virginia was responding to accusations she had allegedly flirted and danced with another guy at a bar one Saturday night out with a girlfriend in May.
Virginia's girlfriend also posted a selfie of the two girls at the bar and eagle-eyed fans noticed the Season 12 Married at First Sight star appeared to not be wearing her wedding ring.
"Either she is no longer with Erik, or she's cheating," an alleged witness at the bar wrote on Reddit.
"She was ALL over a guy at The Ivy in Buckhead Atlanta last night. And the way he was holding her while dancing, and while at the bar... they certainly were not 'just friends.'"
When Virginia denied her split from Erik on social media, she also claimed the bar selfie was featuring her right hand -- not her left hand -- and that's why people couldn't see a wedding ring.
Virginia reposted the selfie on her Instagram Stories and clarified, "I wear my ponytail holder on my RIGHT hand... which is the hand you see here."
Erik and Virginia got married in August 2020, and on Married at First Sight's Season 12 Decision-Day episode that aired in early May on Lifetime, Erik got down on one knee and presented Virginia with a silicone wedding band when asking if she'd stay married to him.
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Virginia chose to remain Erik's wife because she gushed about how she's in love with him and viewed him to be a sensitive, passionate and protective man with a pure heart.
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Virginia and Erik, however, have major differences, from their cultural and political beliefs to their timeline for having a child.
Virginia also liked to party with her friends on the weekends and Erik wasn't exactly thrilled with Virginia's close relationship with her guy friends.
"He's sometimes too grown up," Virginia told the cameras on Decision Day. "Erik always thinks he knows best... I'd be lying if I said that I'm confident in where me and Erik are. I am a little scared about the next step in our relationship."
And Erik hoped to become the No. 1 person in Virginia's life, with their marriage being her priority ahead of her friends. Erik anticipated only time would break down Virginia's walls.
During the reunion special, Erik and Virginia revealed that Virginia had moved into Erik's apartment with her pets and was liking it just fine.
The couple insisted their relationship was doing well even though they had normal marital problems and arguments.
On the early-June premiere episode of Couples Cam's third season, Virginia and Erik were shown traveling to Pennsylvania for a visit with Virginia's mother and sister six months into their marriage.
Virginia said she and Erik had grown closer together from the "scrutiny" and "heat" they were receiving online.
Virginia said the mean comments about her appearance and acne online were the hardest to deal with but she and Erik continued to reassure and protect one another.
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