Over the weekend, Justin Bieber shared a series of photos from his 29th birthday party.
Instagram: @haileybieber
The lavish event, which featured performances from musicians Leon Bridges and JulesTheWolf, was attended by Billie Eilish, Jaden Smith, the Kid Laroi, and many more of Justin’s close friends.
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However, fans were left pretty bewildered when some of Justin’s guests shared photos of one detail in particular.
Instagram: @justinbieber
Music video directors Alfredo Flores and Cole Bennett, both of whom were in attendance, shared photos of lighter covers that were available at the singer’s birthday party — and the message engraved on the surface quickly attracted the attention of several internet users.
Johnny Nunez / Getty Images for The Recording Academy
“I’m so thankful I didn’t end up with what I thought I wanted,” the covers read. It’s unknown whether or not these were party favors that were given out to guests or if they were just decorations.
Twitter: @AlfredoFlores
Regardless, many fans immediately assumed that the quote had something to do with Justin’s ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez, in light of the long-running drama between her and his wife, Hailey Bieber.
Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Recording Academy
For context, Selena and Justin dated on and off from 2010 to 2018. Just six months after they split for the last time, he and Hailey got married.
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Given that Justin and Hailey tied the knot within such close proximity to his and Selena’s last breakup, many fans have long speculated that there are still unresolved feelings between him and Selena.
Kevin Mazur / WireImage
Justin has repeatedly denied this; back in 2019, he responded to someone who accused him of marrying Hailey solely “to get back at” Selena with a firm message.
Instagram: @justinbieber
“Why would I dedicate my whole life to someone in marriage to get back at my ex?” he wrote, before adding, “I absolutely loved and love Selena she will always hold a place in my heart, but I am head over heels in love with my wife and she is the BEST THING that has ever happened to me period.”
Instagram: @justinbieber
Then, when he was caught with Selena’s name in his Google search history the following month, he once again spoke out publicly to refute rumors that he was hung up on her.
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But in spite of Justin’s repeated denial of having feelings for Selena, the rumors that he might surfaced once again in 2021 when he released a very pointed song called “Ghost.”
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Many people guessed that the track was about Selena after Justin sang the lyrics, “If I can’t be close to you, I’ll settle for the ghost of you / I miss you more than life … And if you can’t be next to me, your memory is ecstasy.”
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For this reason, plus the fact that Selena and Hailey have seemingly gone back and forth with shady messages in recent weeks, several fans quickly assumed that the aforementioned quote from Justin’s party was a reference to his ex.
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“so he admits he ended up with what he didn’t want,” one person tweeted. “admitting that your wife was your second choice on your birthday is crazy lmao selena truly lives in his mind rent free,” another suggested.