I previewed this story yesterday, and I’m so glad I waited to read/transcribe the whole thing, because it is a work of art. Maybe fiction, maybe nonfiction, who can tell? As I said yesterday, Star Magazine has an epic LeAnn Rimes story, all about how she and Eddie Cibrian are spending money like it’s going out of style, but it’s mostly just Eddie buying himself “presents” because he works so hard being “supportive” of his wife. This is a rather chilling piece of sadness, paranoia, relationship trouble and money drama, and it’s delicious.

LeAnn Rimes hasn’t had much success with buying love from her worst critics, but friends close to LeAnn say that when it comes to her husband, Eddie Cibrian, LeAnn is attempting to buy his loyalty – and the bills are starting to mount!

“Eddie spends LeAnn’s money at an alarming rate!” an insider tells Star. “He acts like it’s unlimited; he doesn’t even care. He buys whatever he wants, no matter how extravagant it is. The way he sees it is, he supports LeAnn in everything she does, so it’s only fair that he gets to buy himself treats.”

Eddie’s appetite runs deep when it comes to creature comforts. Since their 2011 marriage, she’s bought him expensive vacations to Mexican resorts, Rolex and Cartier watches, and she stands idly by while he splurges not only on himself but on her – including that five-carat, $85,000 engagement ring.

“Eddie will buy LeAnn gifts with her own money, but she doesn’t care… it’s a great excuse for her to show off to everyone and act like Eddie takes care of her.”

LeAnn’s accountant has repeatedly warned her that Eddie’s spending is out of control, but she just turns a blind eye, terrified that one false move will cause Eddie to leave her for another woman – just like he did to Brandi Glanville.

“He could bring them to the brink of bankruptcy, and she still wouldn’t say anything,” the source says.

LeAnn’s erratic behavior continues to baffle those around her – the day after Christmas, while passing through LAX, she became so incensed at a photographer who asked her about her X Factor performance that she jumped into an elevator without her 9-year-old stepson.

“It was creepy,” said an eyewitness. “One second she was smiling and happy, the next she was absolutely furious.”

It was exactly that kind of outburst that may already be hurting her work. Once worth an estimated $38 million, an insider says she has “nowhere near” that now. “Her career isn’t working out the way she hoped, so she’s doing all these little shows here and there to try to raise funds,” says an insider. “She even sold her Tennessee mansion in March for $3.35 million less than it was listed for, because she needs the money.”

And what about Eddie’s career? It’s at a virtual standstill He was cast as the lead in The Playboy Club last year, only to see it quickly cancelled due to abysmal ratings; though he’s scheduled to appear in the upcoming Tyler Perry flick Single Moms Club, there’s not much else on the horizon.

With two expensive lifestyles being supported by virtually one income, there’s pressure on LeAnn to keep earning.

“Deep down, she knows she can only keep Eddie if she’s rich,” says the insider. “Once the money goes, so does he.”

[From Star Magazine, print edition]

Sometimes these tabloid stories go just a little too far, and they creep across that line between “haha, LeAnn has issues” and “Damn, poor LeAnn, chica has issues.” The “Deep down, she knows she can only keep Eddie if she’s rich… Once the money goes, so does he” line actually made me wince. I winced because I think it’s probably true, and I winced because Eddie Cibrian is a bastard. We can harp on and on about LeAnn, but Jesus, Eddie is all kinds of wrong, isn’t he?

Speaking of LeAnn and Eddie’s money, did you know they are buying a new mansion? I only know that because Brandi Glanville tweeted this:

Photos courtesy of WENN.