Sam Asghari denied Britney Spears’ claim that their short-lived marriage was a “fake distraction” from her family drama.

“Our marriage was very real to me,” the actor told People (via his rep) in an article published Monday.

“It may have been short, but we were together for seven years. I was in love with her, will always have love for her, and wish her the best always.”

The former professional trainer hit back after the “…Baby One More Time” singer dissed their marriage via Instagram over the weekend.

In a lengthy, since-deleted post, she brought up Asghari while discussing her estrangement from her two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James , whom she shares with ex-husband Kevin Federline.

“We’re just people so fragile and human the hardest years of my life were my two sons gone

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