Ben Affleck Reportedly “Wants To Protect” His New Romance With J.Lo

Ben and Jen are back in a big way. And the more I learn about this relationship, the more obsessed I become. Honestly, Bennifer is making it all too easy to stan them. According to a People source, they are “madly in love.” That’s not all, apparently, Ben Affleck feels very protective of his newfound romance with Jennifer Lopez.

According to the source, this time around, J.Lo has “found someone who truly loves her for her” in Affleck, and she’s not the only one who is feeling the love. The insider added that Affleck is “very happy” in his new relationship. “She’s wonderful for him,” they explained.

It’s not exactly a surprise, then, that “Ben wants to protect what they have,” per the source. Turns out, 17 years of absence makes the heart grow fonder. (ICYMI, Bennifer first met in 2001 on the set of Gigli. They got engaged in November 2002 before breaking it off in January 2004.) Although their whirlwind romance was short-lived, Bennifer became one of Hollywood’s favorite — and most public — couples.

That said, their breakup was surprisingly chill and pretty much shade-free. At the time, Lopez’s spokesperson confirmed the news — no petty IG Stories or Twitter feuds in 2004. “I am confirming the report that Jennifer Lopez has ended her engagement to Ben Affleck. At this difficult time, we ask that you respect her privacy,” the statement read, according to MTV. And she kept it cordial in the years since. “Even though their split many years ago was devastating for Jennifer, she has never had a bad word to say about Ben,” People’s source claimed.

And though Affleck and Lopez have nearly two decades of proof that they can be friendly post-breakup, a source says they’re still hoping that the relationship will last this time. “They want to do everything they can to make this work.”

I, for one, am rooting for them!