NEW YORK — Jessica Simpson is opening up on her split from Eric Johnson, which she confirmed last month after 10 years of marriage.

The 44-year-old fashion designer told People that the former NFL tight end, 45, is “still very much a part of my life and will always be.”

The estranged couple, who dated for four years before tying the knot in July 2014, will always be tied together through their three kids: Maxwell, 12, Ace, 11, and Birdie, 5.

“I’ve grown up so much. I can handle so much,” Simpson said of the healing power of making new music, as she prepares to drop her new single “Use My Heart Against Me” this week. “Maybe I’m just meant to love a lot of people in my life.”

Though she didn’t detail the breakdown of her marriage to Johnson, Simpson appeared to hint at it, telling People: “I don’t know why my heart gets tossed around but I’m one of the lucky ones.

“At least I have my children and I still have Eric,” she said.

The stars faced split speculation since at least late last year, when sources with direct knowledge told TMZ that those in Simpson’s camp had reached out to divorce attorneys beginning in late October.

The rumor mill continued to churn when Simpson teased new music on her Instagram and said that her “comeback is personal, it’s an apology to myself for putting up with everything I did not deserve.”

Last month, Simpson shared that she and Johnson had “been living separately, navigating a painful situation in our marriage.

“Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them,” she said in a statement to TMZ at the time. “We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family.”

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