Kristin Cavallari, 37, shocked ex Mark Estes, 24, with split – as insiders reveal why her friends had reservations about the Montana Boyz star

Kristin Cavallari’s ex Mark Estes was shocked by her decision to end their seven-month relationship and begged the mother of three to reconsider.

Cavallari, 37, choked back tears as she confirmed in a candid interview on her podcast: Let’s be honestthat she broke up with the Montana Boyz star, 24, last week before claiming he would ever ‘thank her’.

Sources now say Mark was not happy with the decision, unlike some close to Cavallari, who had always had reservations about the TikTok influencer.

“It was Kristin who pulled the plug and even though Mark didn’t agree to it, he really has no other choice,” the insider exclusively told DailyMail.com.

‘The age difference wasn’t a problem at first, but later it was because of the different places in their lives.

Kristin Cavallari’s ex Mark Estes was shocked by the reality star’s decision to end their relationship, insiders claim

Sources claim the TikTok star has begged the mother of three to reconsider the split

“Mark hoped it would last. He asked her to reconsider and still wants her to do so. He had become close to her children.”

The source explained that Kristin’s certainty about not wanting more children was the reason for her decision.

“Kristin is done having kids,” they said. ‘She loves being a mother, but doesn’t want to experience this again.

“Mark does want to have a family and children and that’s why she said he ‘will thank her’ – because he will.”

Kristin had explained on her podcast, “He will make someone so happy one day… and he will have a beautiful family of his own.

“I know one day he’ll look back and understand, and I actually think one day he’ll look back and thank me.”

The source reiterated that cheating had not played a role in the breakup, adding that their short-lived romance “showed Kristin how beautiful she was” and “restored the confidence she lost after splitting with Jay.”

Speaking about Mark on her podcast, Kristin had insisted that the young social media star had been her best boyfriend since her divorce from former NFL star Jay Cutler.

The source explained to DailyMail.com that TikTok star Mark wasn’t happy with the decision, but some of Kristin’s friends had reservations about him

However, friends of the star had always been tired of the age gap romance, mainly due to the fact that Mark was still very new to his fame and was focusing on building his following.

“Some people close to Kristin were concerned that his desire for Montana Boyz would become famous,” they said. “He was a little consumed by it. It was never a red flag for Kristin because this is how she met him, but it became a concern for those around her.”

The insider added, “As much as he would never want to admit it, she did help him gain recognition.”

Kristin opened up about her decision to end the romance on her podcast, telling fans, “Mark and I broke up. It’s hard because I broke up with Mark because I just know it’s not good in the long run, and not because love was lost or something bad happened.”

She praised the influencer for being “nothing but so sweet and so supportive” during their relationship.

“He’s the best boyfriend I’ve ever had,” she said. “I just know that in the long run he has to experience life, he is young… I started to feel the age a little bit with life experience.”

“Mark hoped it would last,” the insider said. ‘He asked her to reconsider and still wants her to do so. He had become close to her children

Kristin continued, “I look back at when I was 24 and how much life has happened since then. Those are crucial years, those are formative years, in which you find yourself and he must be able to do that.’

The fashion designer emphasized that she was “aware” of their 13-year age difference and had not “ignored the fact that he was younger.”

Still, she insisted her and Mark’s relationship was the “best” of her life and “very healthy and very mature.”

Despite their split, Kristin insists she doesn’t “regret making him public” or “introducing him” to her three children Camden, 11, Jaxon, 9, and Saylor, 8, whom she shares with ex-husband Jay.

The Uncommon James founder also stated that she was “optimistic” that she and Mark would remain friends.

The podcast host previously revealed that Mark first came to her attention in September 2023 when she was perusing TikTok, spotted him and immediately thought he was “so hot.”

“Some people close to Kristin were concerned that his desire for Montana Boyz would become famous,” the insider added. “He was a little consumed by it.”

Kristin spoke about the ‘benefit’ of staying friends with her exes, just days before news broke that she and Mark had split after seven months of dating

She then received an “I love you” message from the Montana Boyz account and invited her to her podcast, where she immediately hit it off with Mark.

Recalling their first meeting, she said: “That attraction was always there, but when I met him I thought, he’s actually a really nice, good guy. He is very sweet from the jump. He was so kind to me.

“Dating a 24-year-old isn’t something I was looking for. It’s not something I ever thought would ever happen. I understand what it looks like to the outside world. Really and truly. I understand that. He’s not a typical 24-year-old.

“I think it’s a lot of things. I think sex for women only gets better as you get older. Because I think women, when you’re in your early twenties and stuff, you’re insecure in a lot of ways, you’re worried about your body or whatever. [you] look like. I’ve let go of all that and I think I’m more physically present during sex than ever before. And I’m so attracted to it [Mark]. And I just think we’re having really hot sex.”

Kristin was married to Jay for seven years before they split in 2020.