Britney Spears is firing back at her ex-husband Kevin Federline following shocking claims made in his upcoming memoir, You Thought You Knew.

According to an excerpt published by The New York Times, Federline alleges that during their sons’ childhood, Britney once watched them sleep while holding a knife — a claim he says left him “deeply concerned” for their safety. He also reportedly claimed that their sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, were “fearful” of their mother and at one point said they didn’t want to visit her home as teenagers.

However, on October 15, Britney took to social media to refute the allegations, calling them outright lies and expressing heartbreak over what she described as years of emotional manipulation.

“The constant gaslighting from my ex-husband is extremely hurtful and exhausting,” Britney wrote. “I have always pleaded and screamed to have a life with my boys. Relationships with teenage sons are complex, but I’ve always begged for them to be a part of my life. Sadly, they’ve always witnessed the lack of respect their own father has shown me.”

The 42-year-old pop icon revealed the painful truth about her estrangement from her children, noting that one of her sons has only seen her for 45 minutes in the last five years, while the other has visited just four times during that same period.

“I have pride too,” she continued. “From now on, I’ll let them know when I’m available. Trust me — those white lies in that book are going straight to the bank, and I’m the only one who gets hurt here.”

Britney also reaffirmed her love and devotion to her children while addressing years of media scrutiny over her mental health and personal struggles:

“I will always love them. And if you really know me, you won’t believe the tabloids about my mental health or drinking. I’m actually a pretty intelligent woman who’s been trying to live a sacred and private life for the past five years. I’m speaking up because I’ve had enough — and any real woman would do the same.”

Britney and Kevin’s relationship has long been a subject of public fascination and controversy. The two married in 2004 and divorced in 2007, with Federline obtaining primary custody of their sons in 2008 following Britney’s highly publicized breakdown.

In recent years, the singer has made several attempts to reconnect with her sons, occasionally sharing moments with Jayden on social media. Meanwhile, Federline, who remarried, relocated to Hawaii last year with his wife and all of their children.

In a recent interview with Access Hollywood, Kevin revealed that his sons are aware of the contents of his memoir:

“They haven’t read it all the way through,” he said. “But they know the stories — I’ve talked to them about these things for years. They already understood what life looked like for them before I even started writing.”

As the tension between the former couple resurfaces, fans and followers are once again watching closely — not for the drama, but for the resilience of a woman who refuses to be silenced.