Ashley Darby may have ended the possibility of a friendship forever on Sunday night’s episode of ‘The Real Housewives of Potomac.’
via People:
The episode kicked off with Ashley and Gizelle Bryant, deciding to host a dominatrix-themed party to celebrate the girls’ last evening in Portugal. With both Gizelle and Ashley matching in bright red looks, the naughty nighttime event was full of lingerie, leather, whips, handcuffs and some sexy surprises.
All of the women, including Candiace, Robyn Dixon, Dr. Wendy Osefo and Karen Huger, showed up in their sexy attire and enjoyed hors d’oeuvres while playing raunchy games — even demonstrating their best bedroom moves. And while they all appeared to be having fun together, the only thing that fully dominated the party was the awkward tension between both former pageant queens after Ashley revealed to Candiace that she made the decision to write a statement in defense of Monique Samuels.
“I feel like this is the first time, maybe ever, that our group doesn’t have real tension,” Robyn said, complimenting the women on seemingly getting along with each other just moments before Ashley’s announcement.
“Yes, I agree, but I do want to — because I want to be transparent with you,” Ashley said, turning to Candiace and immediately changing the energy of the room. “You are my friend — growing friends … I want you to hear this from me … Monique did ask me to write a statement. I did it because I am worried about what can happen to her.”
Back in November 2019, both Monique and Candiace accused each other of second-degree assault, filing complaints directly with the District Court of Montgomery County in Maryland. In December, however, the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office informed lawyers for the costars that they would not be pursuing their ongoing cross complaints.
As Candiace appeared confused by Ashley’s words, Wendy interjected to ask Ashley if her statement was a character reference. Ashley clarified that Monique’s attorney had asked her to write about “what was seen publicly,” noting that she mentioned the interaction she and Candiace had at the aspiring singer’s house last year when Candiace wielded a butter knife in Ashley’s face. In addition, Ashley also said she talked about their confrontation at last year’s RHOP reunion, and Candiace’s past Twitter comments about her.
“So basically the statement was about assassinating Candiace’s character,” Wendy said.
“It doesn’t hurt Candiace,” Ashley said, as several ladies in the room insisted that it did. Wendy, a CNN political commentator and college professor, argued that the statement iwas being used to “weaken Candiace’s case.”
“The fact that [Monique] asked you and you weren’t even there is questionable,” Gizelle added. “But she knew you would do it based off of y’all’s relationship.”
Candiace went on to tell Ashley that Monique wasn’t a true friend to her, saying Monique had “talked cash money s— about you to me — her and her husband.”
Trying to defend herself further, Ashley told Candiace that her main goal was to “lessen what happens to Monique, and not harm you.”
“But Ashley, you also said that you wrote this statement kind of as revenge towards Candiace,” Robyn interjected.
“I didn’t say the word revenge,” Ashley said.
“Well, you said, ‘Now you’re even,'” Gizelle responded.
“That’s f—ed up,” Wendy said.
“So essentially, you wrote a statement to get back at me for what you feel I did to you?” Candiace asked Ashley. “Don’t sit here and say you what did is not going to affect me, because it f—ing does.”
“That’s some snake s—,” Wendy added.
“If I am sitting here saying it to the person, then how am I a snake?” Ashley asked Wendy.
“When you saw an opening to get back at her, you move like that,” Wendy fired back. “That’s some snake s—.”
“You’re worried about the liar, who could not handle my mouth and thought it was in her best interest to put her hands on me and the lie about it? F— you, Ashley,” Candiace said through tears.
After Ashley excused herself from the room, Karen — who had been quiet for most of the argument — said that while she didn’t condone Monique getting physical with Candiace, she pointed out that Monique had since acknowledged that she was wrong.
“You don’t see what I see,” Candiace said to Karen, referring to Monique.
“No, you’re right, and I own that,” Karen said.
After the dominatrix event, Candiace returned to her room to call her husband, Chris, and tell him about what had transpired between her and Ashley — additionally calling out Karen for her lack of support.
“Everyone in the room was condemning Ashley for what she did, except Karen,” she said.
In a conversation with Gizelle earlier that day, Candiace revealed that while she was “open” to starting over with Ashley, she was “looking at [Karen] differently.”
As for where Karen stood? Following the blowout, she said in a confessional that she knew “the truth” about Candiace’s part in the altercation with Monique, claiming that Candiace admitted to “releasing” a wine glass on Monique during the fight in her court documents.
“I saw Candiace’s statement because Monique gave it to me, and saw that Candiace admitted that she released the glass on Monique in self-defense. She called it ‘releasing,'” Karen recalled. “I’m waiting for Candiace to tell the truth. Both of them are wrong.”
To the group, Karen said she knew things they didn’t know about the fight but was choosing to remain “neutral.”
“I have been loyal to Karen, more than anybody will ever know,” Candiace said in a confessional. “Now, you’re acting as if there is room for doubt.”
In the trailer for next week’s episode, Karen throws the launch party for her new wig line — Wig Shift — but all the girls are shocked when Monique shows up to the event after Karen told them in Portugal that the mom of three was not invited.
It’s obvious Karen isn’t neutral, but instead simply not wanting to give up on her friendship with Monique. Do you think Ashley was wrong for crafting that statement? ‘The Real Housewives of Potomac’ airs Sundays (9 p.m. ET) on Bravo.
