It only took one photo to cement the Hailey and Justin Bieber divorce story.

Hailey Bieber has made headlines after being photographed in New York City on an outing.

Over the weekend, Hailey was seen at breakfast at The Commerce Inn in the West Village. Later that night, the Rhode founder stepped out for a girls' night with Camila Morrone and Suki Waterhouse at Chez Fifi on the Upper East Side.

So umm, big woop? Who cares? Well, on both very public outings, Hailey was missing one accessory: her blinding engagement ring. Oopsie.

Of course, reports showing Hailey out in New York City without her wedding ring ran wild, as speculation grew that she and Justin Bieber were headed for divorce.

And like clockwork, Hailey responded by posting a selfie on her Instagram Stories that clearly showed her wearing her wedding ring.

Image: Instagram/@haileybieber.

But is that case closed?

Sure, some people just happen to forget their wedding rings when they go out, especially if they're away from home. Or maybe, they just choose to leave that (rather expensive) piece of jewellery back in the safety of their home.

But Hailey is well aware that this year has seen rising rumours that her marriage is headed for divorce. On her Instagram, she's known for ensuring that her wedding ring is front and centre of her photos to prove her critics wrong.

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A post shared by Hailey Rhode Bieber (@haileybieber)

Super subtle, Hails!

In almost all of Bieber's Instagram photos, her wedding ring is visible, so is it possible that she would have stepped out without it or is she sending a signal that all is not good in the Bieber hood?

To understand why this paparazzi moment is so big, we need to go back to the beginning.

Justin and Hailey Bieber's divorce rumours: a timeline.

Justin and Hailey first met in 2009 at a Today Show event, introduced by Hailey's father, Stephen Baldwin. Justin made their relationship Instagram official in January 2016, but they were on and off for years.

Justin and Hailey got engaged in July 2018, just a few weeks after rekindling their romance. Hailey's engagement ring, a huge oval diamond, became part of her signature look and is estimated to be worth around $800,000 AUD.

The couple married in a New York City courthouse in September 2018 before holding a larger, formal wedding celebration with family and friends in South Carolina on September 30, 2019.

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A post shared by Hailey Rhode Bieber (@haileybieber)

Their son, Jack Blues Bieber, was born on August 22, 2024. It wasn't long after the birth of Jack that rumours of a fractured marriage began to circulate, but these reports went into overdrive at the beginning of the year.

In January 2025, Justin suddenly unfollowed Hailey on Instagram, sending fans into a frenzy and sparking immediate rumours of a split.

Justin later claimed in a since-deleted Instagram Story that his account was hacked. "Someone went on my account and unfollowed my wife. Shit is getting suss out here," he wrote.

Justin then posted a loving tribute to Hailey, calling her "The greatest woman I have and will ever know," but for many confused fans, the damage was done.

Then came more baffling comments from Justin, which did nothing to quell the divorce speculation.

Watch Justin do Carpool Karaoke with James Corden. Post continues after video.

On Mother's Day in May, Justin posted a cryptic Instagram Story: "Love you moms but Mother's Day sucks." He deleted it but many considered the post in bad taste, considering Hailey was a new mum.

In other confusing posts, Justin posted a Story asking Hailey to "come meet me in the theatre room, I want to show u somethin," prompting people to question their communication.

Around the same time, Justin publicly apologises for no apparent reason over a "nasty" comment he made to Hailey during a past fight, admitting he once told her she'd "never be on the cover of Vogue."

He posted this apology on Instagram alongside Hailey's new Vogue cover, calling his own behaviour "childish" and saying he was "trying to get even" during their argument. The whole ordeal confused fans more, as they wondered why he would share such a cruel conversation he had with his wife for public consumption in a move that overshadowed her big moment.

In the Vogue interview, Hailey spoke candidly about the ongoing scrutiny and the relentless nature of the rumours surrounding her marriage.

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A post shared by Hailey Rhode Bieber (@haileybieber)

She expressed frustration at how, even after seven years together and welcoming their son, Jack Blues, the public and media have not "moved on" from speculating about her relationship.

"Well, I thought seven years in it would've [died down] already, and it hasn't. You would think after having a child, people would maybe move on, chill out a little bit, but no. So I guess these b***hes are going to be mad."

Hailey described the emotional toll of being constantly misunderstood and misrepresented, saying she's learned there's "no winning" when it comes to trying to correct every rumour or false headline.

Then in late May, Hailey sold her skincare brand, Rhode, to e.l.f. Beauty in a deal valued at up to $1 billion (about $1.5 billion AUD). Hailey's exciting news was quickly usurped by allegations made by various news sites that Justin was in severe financial debt.

More recently, Justin has continued to post some worrying comments on social media. On June 3, Justin posted: "LOYALTY is manipulative language. Loyalty is duty, it's an obligation. THAT'S NOT FREE WILL. Love is NOT a duty. LOVE IS A DELIGHT. Please stop using loyalty to keep people around you out of your own fear, it's hurting us," he wrote.

A few days later, Justin posted, "Tired of transactional relationships. If I have to do something to be loved, that's not love." He has since posted several times — often all in one day — sharing cryptic statements about a friendship ending and his past trauma.

"If you can't handle my anger, you can't handle me," he posted in a text exchange. "My anger stems from the pain I have endured. It is simply cruel to ask someone who has been traumatised not to express their trauma."

The last time Hailey and Justin Bieber were seen together in public was in early 2025. While Justin has posted photo galleries of Hailey in recent months, Hailey hasn't posted her husband on Instagram since February.

Feature image: Instagram/@haileybieber.