Raquel Leviss is following in Tom Sandoval’s footsteps by issuing her own apology over their affair.
via: Page Six
“I want to apologize for my actions and my choices, foremost to Ariana [Madix] and to my friends and the fans so invested in our relationships,” the 28-year-old said in a statement to “Entertainment Tonight” Wednesday.
“There is no excuse. I am not a victim, and I must own my actions, and I deeply regret hurting Ariana.”
Leviss went on to blame the scandalous dalliance on her “addiction” to love.
“I am reflecting on my choices, speaking to a counselor and I am learning things about myself such as my patterns of codependency and addiction to being and feeling loved,” she said.
“I have sought emotional validation through intimate connections that are not healthy without regard for my own well-being, sometimes negatively affecting others and often prioritizing the intimate connection over my friendships. I am taking steps to understand my behavior and make healthier choices.”
Leviss then claimed she has been “physically assaulted, lost friendships, received death threats and hate emails in addition to having had my privacy violated” since the scandal first made headlines last week, referencing a sexually explicit video that she recently accused her co-stars of spreading.
“I have begun counseling to end my unhealthy behavioral cycle, learn to set stronger emotional boundaries and learn to protect my mental health,” she concluded.
“I don’t expect sympathy, understanding or forgiveness. Right now I must focus on my own health and well-being, and as I strive to be a better person moving forward, I will prioritize my mental health and learn from my mistakes.”
Leviss’ lengthy statement comes hours after Sandoval, 39, issued a belated mea culpa of his own to his now-ex-girlfriend.
“I want to apologize to Ariana. I made mistakes, I was selfish, and made reckless decisions that hurt somebody I love. No one deserves to feel that pain so traumatically and publicly,” he wrote via Instagram early Wednesday.
“I can only imagine how devastating this has been for Ariana and everyone around us. … My biggest regret is that I dishonored Ariana.”
Leviss’ apology also comes one day after she filed a request for a restraining order against her co-star Scheana Shay.
It is unclear why Leviss is seeking court-ordered protection, but Page Six has learned she had a “heated confrontation” with Shay, 37, about the scandal over the weekend.
Sources confirmed to Page Six last Friday that Leviss and Sandoval had a “full-blown,” months-long affair during his nearly 10-year relationship with Madix.
An insider told us that the pair had been “communicating inappropriately for months” and now “want to be together.”
Madix, 37, found out about the affair just hours after she cheered on Sandoval’s cover band on March 1.
An insider told us she was “blindsided” by the news and feels “betrayed” by both of them — especially after recently growing close to Leviss.
“Ariana is heartbroken,” the insider shared. “Ariana was there for Raquel during the James [Kennedy] breakup. Ariana had no idea there were any issues.”
News of Leviss’ romance with Sandoval came as a shock to many, especially given the fact that she told Page Six just days earlier that she was focusing on herself after getting into hot water for hooking up with Tom Schwartz, Sandoval’s BFF, amid his divorce from Katie Maloney.
“I just, I don’t know, but I’m kind of like dating myself, and I enjoy being single, and I feel like being single has allowed me to really reflect on myself and spend quality time on myself,” she said. “And I feel like that was much needed for me to grow into.”
After news of the affair broke, several “Pump Rules” cast members took to social media to slam their scandalous co-stars.
While Maloney, 36, simply posted two clown emojis to her Instagram Story, Kennedy, 31, shared a screenshot of a report about the entanglement, writing, “Hope you all feel as sick as I do. This explains everything.”
Lala Kent, who has famously feuded with both Sandoval and Leviss, took a different approach, telling any of her followers going to Sandoval’s upcoming concerts to break out into “Ariana” chants.
“I obviously think you shouldn’t go at all. But if you’re so inclined to expose your eardrums to nails on chalkboard, this is what you do #Ariana,” she wrote.
Page Six can confirm that Bravo is currently filming the latest drama for the show’s ongoing 10th season.
We broke the news that one scene, filmed Saturday, will show Leviss and Sandoval kissing.
“Vanderpump Rules” airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.
