Just days after Kristin Cavallari confirmed she and Mark Estes had broken up, the former reality star opened up about the reasons behind the split. On the Tuesday, October 1, episode of her “Let’s Be Honest” podcast, Kristin explained that she ended the relationship because she knew it would be best for her ex in the future.

“I broke up with Mark because I just know long-term it’s not right,” Kristin, 37, said, referring to her 13-year age gap with the 24-year-old TikTok star. “It’s not because of love lost or something bad happened. No one cheated. No one was mean. No one did anything. And those breakups are always the hardest, I think, because it’s almost easier if the guy does something that makes you hate him and it’s like, ‘F–k that guy, I want him out of my life forever.’ Mark didn’t do anything.”

News of Kristin and Mark’s split broke on September 28, seven months after they started dating. The Laguna Beach alum said Mark was the “best boyfriend [she] ever had,” but wanted him to “experience life” since he’s still so young.

Despite previously saying that the pair’s age difference wasn’t an issue, Kristin now admitted, “I started to feel the age a little bit just with life experience. I look back [to] when I was 24 and how much life has happened for me in between then. Those are crucial years. Those are formative years. That’s when you find yourself. He needs to be able to do that.”

During his relationship with Kristin, Mark was open about the fact that he wanted to have a child of his own one day. On a recent podcast episode, she hinted that she was coming around to the idea of having another kid if she stayed with the Montana Boyz member. Now, she’s looking forward to him having that future with someone else.

“He will make someone so happy one day,” Kristin gushed. “So, so happy one day and he will have a beautiful family of his own, which he should do. He should go and have multiple kids. I know that he will look back and he will understand and I actually think one day he will thank me.” She added that this is the “best thing” for Mark and that she doesn’t want to “rob him” of what he wants from the future.

At the end of the day, Kristin has no “regrets” about anything regarding the relationship, including going public and introducing Mark to her three kids, whom she shares with ex Jay Cutler. “I will forever look back at Mark and I with such fond memories and pure happiness,” she shared. “This is not a bad thing. I am optimistic that we will remain friends. I think we’re trying to be friends right now.” However, she also pointed out that “there needs to be some time in between breaking up and then coming back together as friends.”

Now that she’s single again, Kristin has no interest in dating. “That’s so not even on my radar right now,” she confirmed. “I also don’t know how much time I have for dating. Last fall, I was still doing split custody with my ex and I had every other week off from my kids and that’s changed. So I’m really happy and really content having my life, right now, being about my kids and work and my happiness.”