In a stunning and devastating turn of events that is certain to have all of Bachelor Nation reaching out to their loved ones to say, "Called it," "The Bachelor" star and Waukesha native Nick Viall and Vanessa Grimaldi have broken up. For those with over/under bets at home, that's just more than five months since the show's season finale in March. 

The two released a joint statement to E! News, saying:

"It's with a great amount of heartbreak for the both us as we have decided to end our engagement. We gave this relationship our all and we are saddened that we did not get the fairytale ending we hoped for. We will continue to be there for each other no matter what. This hasn't been an easy decision, however, as we part ways, we do so with lots of love and admiration for each other."

Perhaps it was deciding whose country would be called home that split these two former lovebirds apart; though they reportedly lived in Los Angeles most of the time since the show's end, those watching "The Bachelor" know the two struggled near the end to decide whether they'd stay in Nick's native U.S.A. or move closer to Vanessa's job, students and family in Montreal. Or maybe it was the pressures of life together in the constant spotlight.

Or, quite possibly, it was the fact that the two met on a reality TV dating show in which Nick dated more than 20 women at the same time in front of millions of prying viewers, a program that's only resulted in two lasting relationships over 21 seasons. Who could know?

Still, any breakup is unfortunate for the parties involved – even one found in a contrived reality television competition and even one as transparently doomed as this one, which ended its "Bachelor" run with several episodes of tears and tense conversation as well as a stiff, often uncomfortable follow-up interview with "the intense romantic and sexual chemistry of two day-old bowls of soggy Crispix." So I wish them the best in whatever and whoever is next in their now separate lives – which, in Nick's case, is probably attempting to convince ABC to take him on for the next season of "The Bachelor." Hey, fifth time's the charm!

And I wish Chris Harrison the best in finding more Evan and Carly footage to throw at viewers during "Bachelor in Paradise" in the hopes of desperately proving what he told Rachel before her season is true: "We are actually good at what we do here."