- Britney Spears writes about her reaction to Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River" in her new memoir.
- The video, which featured a Spears lookalike, led to speculation that Spears cheated on Timberlake.
Britney Spears says she doesn't think her ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake "understands" how he "shamed" her with his hit song, "Cry Me a River."
In her new memoir "The Woman In Me," published on Tuesday, Spears recalls her relationship with the famous pop star, which lasted from 1999 to 2002, and which she says Timberlake ended via text message.
Months after Spears confirmed they had split, Timberlake released his debut album "Justified," which included "Cry Me a River."
The song alludes to a cheating partner, and the accompanying music video even features a blond woman who resembles Spears. This led to speculation at the time whether Spears had cheated on Timberlake.
In her book, Spears recalls the backlash she endured due to the success of the song.
"In the news media, I was described as a harlot who'd broken the heart of America's golden boy," she writes.
"The truth: I was comatose in Louisiana, and he was happily running around Hollywood," she continues, describing the heartache she experienced in the months after the split.
Although Spears admits to cheating on Timberlake with choreographer Wade Robson in her memoir, she accuses Timberlake of cheating on her multiple times throughout their relationship.
"But I was shattered," Spears writes. "Everyone felt very sorry for him. And it shamed me. I felt there was no way at the time to tell my side of the story. I couldn't explain, because I knew no one would take my side once Justin had convinced the world of his version."
"I don't think Justin realized the power he had in shaming me. I don't think he understands to this day," the singer adds.
Representatives for Timberlake did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Elsewhere in the memoir, Spears says her breakup with Timberlake also hit her hard because she realized she was losing his family.
"Part of what made that period of time so difficult is that Justin's family had been the only real, loving family I had," Spears writes. "For holidays, the only family I would go to was his. I knew his grandmother and his grandfather, and I loved them so much. I thought of them as home."
Spears' memoir "Woman in Me" is available to buy at Amazon, Bookshop, and other bookstores.