Heart, Echo: It's over!

 And so, after all the blind items and the unconfirmed tab headlines, Heart Evangelista has finally admitted that she and Jericho Rosales have decided to part ways after going steady for more than three years.

“Heart realized that she has to focus on her career,” Annabelle Rama told The STAR yesterday. Annabelle is the new manager of Heart, with Heart’s father, Rey Ongpauco, as co-manager.

A few days ago, Heart signed a two-year contract with GMA. Heart was formerly a contract star of ABS-CBN where she did her last TV starrer, Pangarap Kong Bituin.

“I also realized that I’ve done my parents wrong by disobeying them,” said Heart who reconciled with her parents after being estranged for three years.

It must be recalled that Heart entered into a relationship with Jericho against her parents’ wishes.

Asked if she and Jericho “lived-in,” Heart said no.

She decided to live independently in her own condo unit in Makati almost at the same time she started going steady with Jericho.

For a while, she was managed by Manila Genesis (headed by Angeli Pangilinan who wasn’t pleased by Heart’s switch from Kapamilya to Kapuso). Jericho is currently in Kuala Lumpur shooting a teleserye jointly produced by ABS-CBN and a Malaysian company. He remains a contract star of ABS-CBN/Star Cinema and is still managed by Manila Genesis.

Heart’s first project for GMA is the action-adventure series Asero (tentative title) with Richard Gutierrez in the title role, shooting of which will start this weekend.

“More than ever,” added Heart who is, like Jericho, a Born-Again Christian, “I also realized that you should never go against your parents.”

The rumors that Heart and Jericho were breaking up started circulating when it was known a few weeks ago that Heart had cut ties with Manila Genesis.

At first, Heart (and Jericho for that matter) was mum about the rumors.

“She reached a decision only yesterday,” said Annabelle (who, along with husband Eddie Gutierrez, is a long-time friend of Heart’s father). “Kaya ngayon lang siya umamin.”