Matapos ang mahigit dalawang taong pananahimik, sa wakas ay nagsalita na si Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray sa dahilan ng hiwalayan nila ng dating fiancé na si Sam Milby.
Sa panayam niya sa vlog sa YouTube ng TV Patrol anchor na si Karen Davila nitong Huwebes, February 12, 2026, naging bukas si Catriona na pag-usapan ang masalimuot na kinahinatnan ng noo'y pagmamahalan nila ni Sam.
Ayon sa beauty queen-actress, makaraan lamang ang ilang buwan matapos mag-propose sa kanya ni Sam ay bigla umanong nagbago ang takbo ng isip ng aktor nang magtapat itong hindi pa pala siya handa sa pag-aasawa.
Ikinagulat ito ni Catriona at labis na ikinadurog ng kanyang puso't kalooban.
Read: Catriona Gray “guarded and apprehensive” when she first met Sam Milby
Pagbabalik-tanaw ng Miss Universe titleholder: "There was a point in our relationship where I think he just realized that he wasn't ready to take it to the stage of commitment that we were on, because he had proposed.
"And then, a few months later, [he] realized that hindi pala siya ready. So, that was very hurtful for me, and I was really blindsided at the time."
Read: Catriona Gray, ayaw maging "weakest link" sa kanyang first movie
Tulad ng karamihan sa pag-ibig, sinubukan daw ni Catriona na ayusin at ipaglaban ang relasyon nila ni Sam.
Handa raw siya sa anumang adjustment na hihingin nito.
Ngunit habang tumatagal, napagtanto niyang tila siya na lamang ang sigurado at may gusto sa relasyon nila ng aktor.
Pahayag ni Catriona: "I really tried to make it work.
"So, I was willing to just—siguro, when you love someone, you're willing to understand them.
"Pero it got to a point na, at that age, and what we've been through, kung hindi ka pa rin sure, I think that's an answer already."
Catriona on choosing herself and knowing what she deserves
Aminado si Catriona na hindi naging madali ang tuluyang pagsuko sa relasyon nila ni Sam, lalo na’t mahal na mahal niya noon ang dating nobyo.
Ngunit mas nanaig daw ang desisyong piliin ang sarili dahil alam niyang naibigay na niya ang lahat para sa aktor.
Aniya: "It was the hardest thing to do, but I realized that I needed to choose myself in that moment, because I've given so much in trying to adjust [like] ako na maggi-give dito, I'll try to be understanding.
"I don't look down on myself at that moment because I did it because I love the person.
"But at the end of the day, it's not the relationship that is giving way."
Read: Sam Milby: "I think there’s also emotional cheating."
Pangarap din naman daw ni Catriona na makasal sa lalaking pinakamamahal niya at magkaroon ng sariling pamilya. Pero paano raw niya ito magagawa kung ang lalaking kanyang mahal ay hindi sigurado sa kanya.
Saad niya: "As a woman, I wanna have a family. I wanna get married, and I'd love to be a mom someday.
"So, I really want a partner who values me and sees that future too.
"Ayokong mag-wait around for someone to figure out."
Catriona talks about her healing
Sa kabila ng masakit na pinagdaanan, iginiit ni Catriona na tanggap na niya ngayon ang nangyari.
Ibang-iba raw ito sa naramdaman niya noon kaya't ipagkibit-balikat nito ang ingay sa social media tungkol sa dahilan ng kanilang hiwalayan ni Sam.
"I think that heartbreak taught me a lot because I was really shattered.
"And to navigate that publicly was really hard too, coz I didn't want to talk about it kasi ang sakit niya, e.
"And to everyone who kept asking, like, 'Ano ang nangyari, bakit hindi kayo nag-post together, what's happening?'
"I was so broken and I was just, like, 'Please, let me grieve.'
"But obviously now, like, I'm so much better."
Read: Sam Milby admits he's no longer friends with Moira dela Torre
Hindi rin ikinahiya ni Catriona na ibahagi ang kanyang pinagdaanan para tuluyang gamutin ang sugat na naidulot ng relasyon nila ni Sam.
Pahayag niya: "I went to therapy for two years. I became so close with my core group—my friends, my family—in a way that I don't think I had before.
"So it's just been a really healing journey. I feel like I came back home to myself.
"So the version of me now, I'm the healthiest I've ever been.
"My relationships with the people around me are the richest they've ever been.
"And so, in a way, I see the blessing and the hurt.
"And a year, two years ago, I couldn't even say that."
IS CATRIONA READY TO FALL IN LOVE AGAIN?
Sundot na tanong kay Catriona, "Are you still hopeful about love?"
Mabilis at nakangiting sagot ng dalaga, "Absolutely. I definitely believe in love.
"I think if you’ve had a bad experience with a guy or two, you shouldn’t allow that to reframe or change how you see love.
"Coz I think, love is beautiful. And I feel like God's will for us is to find someone to be married with and to have love with.
"So if it's not yet good, God's not yet finished."
Sa katunayan, araw-araw raw ipinagdarasal ni Catriona na ipagkaloob nawa ng Diyos ang lalaking itinadhana para sa kanya.
Ito rin daw ang dahilan kung bakit minabuti ni Catriona na muling sumubok sa paghahanap ng kanyang iibigin sa pamamagitan ng pakikipag-date.
Pagtatapat niya, "I am [currently dating]. [He's] non-showbiz."
Read: Catriona Gray reacts to being shipped with Vico Sotto
CATRIONA, SAM CALLED OFF THEIR ENGAGEMENT
Noong Febuary 4, 2024, nagsimulang umugong ang balitang break na sina Catriona at Sam nang mapansin ng netizens na hindi na suot ng dating Miss Universe ang kanyang engagement ring.
February 8, tila binasag ng engaged couple ang hinala sa kanilang relasyon nang maispatan silang magkasama.
Read: Catriona Gray, Sam Milby seated apart on a plane bound for Canada
Sa litratong in-upload ni John Prats sa Instagram, makikita ang tila pakikipag-double date nila ng kanyang asawa na si Isabel Oli kina Catriona at Sam.
Read: John Prats uploads photo with engaged couple Sam Milby and Catriona Gray amid rumors
February 24, muli silang naintriga nang naiulat sa isang vlog na totoong break na ang dalawa.
Ayon sa vlog, may nakapagsabing source na matagal nang hiwalay sina Catriona at Sam ngunit nananatiling magkaibigan ang dalawa.
Read: Engaged couple Catriona Gray and Sam Milby spotted together at an event amid breakup rumor
Sa katunayan daw, nang nagdiwang ng ika-30 kaarawan si Catriona noong January 6, 2024, ay wala na sila ni Sam.
Napagtanto raw kasi ng aktor na hindi pa siya handang magpakasal kay Catriona matapos mag-propose ng aktor noong February 16, 2023.
Read: Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and Sam Milby are now engaged
Hanggang noong February 28, 2024, tuluyan nang inamin ng Cornerstone Entertainment, ang talent management agency na kinabibilangan ng dalawa, na may hinaharap na pagsubok ang relasyon nina Catriona at Sam.
Pero sinusubukan naman daw ng dalawa na ayusin ito.
Read: Engaged couple Catriona Gray and Sam Milby “facing some challenges in their relationship”
Ngunit pagsapit ng February 2, 2025, naaktuhan si Catriona na umiiyak sa ikalawang gabi ng three-night, sold-out concert ni TJ, ang Sarili Nating Mundo, sa Araneta Coliseum.
Sa mga kuhang video noon ng netizens sa nasabing concert, makikita ang paghikbi at pagpatak ng luha ni Catriona nang kantahin ni TJ ang single niyang "Hanggang Dito Na Lang."
Ito ay sa kabila ng ilang layo lamang ang upuan nila ni Sam, na nanood din ng concert.
Dito mas lumakas ang kutob ng kanilang fans na totoo ang bali-balitang break na sila.
Read: Catriona Gray caught on cam crying at TJ Monterde's concert
Hanggang noong February 18, 2025, tuluyan nang inamin ni Sam na nagtapos na ang apat na taong relasyon nila ng dating Miss Universe.
Walang binanggit na dahilan si Sam. Ang tanging siniguro lamang niya ay hindi third party ang dahilan ng kanilang hiwalayan.