Behind the Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth Break-Up; Adam Sevani to Blame?

What began as a rumor has been verified by multiple sources: Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth have split up.

While fans deal with the shock of this development, most are left with just one question: WHY?

Insiders give multiple accounts of the problems Miley and Liam faced, but the two most popular theories boil down to this:

1. Cyrus was not ready for a major commitment.
2. A picture of Miley straddling Adam Sevani may not have sat well with Hemsworth.

First, a friend tells E! News signs of trouble were evident as soon as the singer left to film the movie LOL in Detroit. Claims this source:

"Miley has been super focused on her work. Liam wanted more, but she's 17 and has other priorities right now. He's been a distraction... She is not ready to settle down, and Liam's not a happy camper."

Is it truly over for good?

"They're both young. To say they are done forever would be premature, but it's safe to say for now they are doing their own thing," concluded this individual, emphasizing that Miley is "not with anybody else."

That may be true, but E! - not your typical, lie-spewing tabloid - cites another report that claims a compromising photo of Cyrus and Sevani may have played a role in this split.

Two weeks ago, a photo of Cyrus on the set of LOL was posted on Flickr and then quickly removed. In the image, she is standing between a man's legs and a witness recounts:

"I was out in my car and I could see in between the trailers and I saw them. I think it's Adam Sevani, but it was hard to tell."

Rumors of a romance between Miley and Sevani actually popped up two years ago, when the latter was featured in a YouTube dance-off video against Cyrus and her pals.

Of course, other sources state Liam was the one with a wandering eye, specifically toward a girl he met at the U.S. Open Surf Competition earlier this month.

We'll keep readers apprised of all these allegations and stories as more information comes out. For now, we're simply left to wonder: How long until Miley and Nick Jonas give it another try?