Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval Fiercely Defended Raquel Leviss From Their Costars Who Claimed She Went After Unavailable Men Before Scandal

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Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval Fiercely Defended Raquel Leviss From Their Costars Who Claimed She Went After Unavailable Men Before Scandal

Like day and night. Months before news broke of Raquel Leviss' affair, Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval were both in her corner amid multiple Vanderpump Rules feuds. During a new episode of the Bravo series, which aired on Wednesday, March 22, Raquel, 28, caught Sandoval, 40, up to speed about her drama with Lala Kent, Katie Maloney and Kristina Kelly. The TomTom co-owner took her side when the California native got into an argument with Lala, 32, at a group pool party. "I can't unsee the f—king bully that you were to her. For no reason. For no reason except to flex your f—king power," Sandoval told the beauty mogul. "You have moved on from [sleeping with James Kennedy while he was with Raquel]. She hasn't because she just got this information two weeks ago." Ariana, 37, questioned Katie, 36, and Lala's recollection of a fight during their girls' trip. "It is very difficult for me to wrap my mind around the idea that Raquel is fighting people and being crazy," the Florida native said in a confessional, referring to their August 2022 girls' trip. "I would think that Katie, Lala and Kristina gave the mean girl treatment to Raquel like they have given to other people in the past." Ariana's friendship with Raquel took a turn when Us Weekly confirmed earlier this month that Sandoval cheated with the California native. (Ariana and Sandoval parted ways after nearly a decade of dating.) "The cameras haven't stopped rolling since Wednesday night. It's not an understatement to say this will be the most explosive season of Vanderpump Rules ever," a source exclusively told Us at the time. [sendtonews type="float" key="6LfyBkBXvD-2827980-14453"] In response to the drama, the beauty pageant contestant took to social media to apologize to Ariana. "I want to apologize for my actions and my choices foremost to Ariana, and to my friends and the fans so invested in our relationships. There is no excuse, I am not a victim and I must own my actions and I deeply regret hurting Ariana," she wrote via Instagram on March 8. Ariana, for her part, broke her silence after a brief social media hiatus, writing via Instagram on Thursday, March 16, "Hi. where to begin? i want to express my most sincere gratitude for the outpouring of love and support i have received from friends, family, and people i’ve never even met in the last two weeks. When i have felt like i couldn’t even stand, you all have given me the strength to continue and seen me through my darkest hours. to say i have been devastated and broken is an understatement. however, i know that i am not in this alone." She continued: "So many of my closest friends are also grieving this loss right now and reeling from this betrayal on so many levels. i am so f—king lucky to have the best support system in the world and i hope i can repay every single person for the love you have shown me. what doesn’t kill me better run. love, ariana." The Vanderpump Rules cast will address their onscreen ups and downs on Thursday, March 23, during the season 10 reunion taping. Scroll on for more details on the aftermath of the girls' trip:

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Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval Fiercely Defended Raquel Leviss From Their Costars Who Claimed She Went After Unavailable Men Before Scandal

Like day and night. Months before news broke of Raquel Leviss' affair, Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval were both in her corner amid multiple Vanderpump Rules feuds. During a new episode of the Bravo series, which aired on Wednesday, March 22, Raquel, 28, caught Sandoval, 40, up to speed about her drama with Lala Kent, Katie Maloney and Kristina Kelly. The TomTom co-owner took her side when the California native got into an argument with Lala, 32, at a group pool party. "I can't unsee the f—king bully that you were to her. For no reason. For no reason except to flex your f—king power," Sandoval told the beauty mogul. "You have moved on from [sleeping with James Kennedy while he was with Raquel]. She hasn't because she just got this information two weeks ago." Ariana, 37, questioned Katie, 36, and Lala's recollection of a fight during their girls' trip. "It is very difficult for me to wrap my mind around the idea that Raquel is fighting people and being crazy," the Florida native said in a confessional, referring to their August 2022 girls' trip. "I would think that Katie, Lala and Kristina gave the mean girl treatment to Raquel like they have given to other people in the past." Ariana's friendship with Raquel took a turn when Us Weekly confirmed earlier this month that Sandoval cheated with the California native. (Ariana and Sandoval parted ways after nearly a decade of dating.) "The cameras haven't stopped rolling since Wednesday night. It's not an understatement to say this will be the most explosive season of Vanderpump Rules ever," a source exclusively told Us at the time. [sendtonews type="float" key="6LfyBkBXvD-2827980-14453"] In response to the drama, the beauty pageant contestant took to social media to apologize to Ariana. "I want to apologize for my actions and my choices foremost to Ariana, and to my friends and the fans so invested in our relationships. There is no excuse, I am not a victim and I must own my actions and I deeply regret hurting Ariana," she wrote via Instagram on March 8. Ariana, for her part, broke her silence after a brief social media hiatus, writing via Instagram on Thursday, March 16, "Hi. where to begin? i want to express my most sincere gratitude for the outpouring of love and support i have received from friends, family, and people i’ve never even met in the last two weeks. When i have felt like i couldn’t even stand, you all have given me the strength to continue and seen me through my darkest hours. to say i have been devastated and broken is an understatement. however, i know that i am not in this alone." She continued: "So many of my closest friends are also grieving this loss right now and reeling from this betrayal on so many levels. i am so f—king lucky to have the best support system in the world and i hope i can repay every single person for the love you have shown me. what doesn’t kill me better run. love, ariana." The Vanderpump Rules cast will address their onscreen ups and downs on Thursday, March 23, during the season 10 reunion taping. Scroll on for more details on the aftermath of the girls' trip:

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James' Concerns About Spending Time With Raquel

The U.K. native, 31, called out Raquel's decision to crash his boys' night with the cast, saying, "I feel like Raquel is trying to get a rise out of me. She might not be doing it directly — because she never does — but it is a clusterf—k of negative energy and I want nothing to do with it."

James was worried about his friendships with the group as they grew closer to his ex-fiancée. "Raquel is not only f—king up what I have going on but she is f—king up everyone's relationships. She is trying to make out with Schwartz and Katie isn't happy about that," he continued. "Her and Lala in Vegas were toxic as f—k and because she is "perfect" there are no consequences to her actions. Everyone wants to point the finger at me but let's point the finger at her for a second."

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Raquel Confides in the Boys

After Raquel arrived at boys' night, the California native opened up to Tom Schwartz about her issues. "I just want to have fun. The whole point of this trip is to have fun and it has been the opposite of that. Katie's mom was there and I had to explain in front of her the fact that I entertained the idea of making out with you," she said.

Raquel continued discussing her issues with the trip when Sandoval joined the table.

"I was being young and fun and single living my life and these girls literally set me up to make me seem like I am only chasing after guys they are interested in," she told the Missouri native, who was listening intently. "Lala goes, 'Honestly Raquel, I am really concerned about you right now and I would never trust you around my man. And I said, 'It's a good thing you don't have one.'"

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Schwartz Bonds With Raquel

"Hearing that Raquel stood up to Lala, I am kind of impressed. She is kind of thriving — and kind of hot," the Minnesota native, 40, told cameras before new footage showed him praising the model for calling Lala out.

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Katie's Shade at Raquel

Following Raquel's departure, the Utah native, 36, weighed in on their rift, saying, "I think it is a good thing I invited Raquel on this trip because now I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she f—king sucks and she isn't someone I want to be friends with."

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Katie's Advice About Single Sex

"I feel like I need to be Lala's sex coach because I know how fun single sex can be," the "You're Gonna Love Me" podcast host shared following Lala's first onscreen meeting with Don Lopez. "I don't want her to miss out — I want to inspire some d—k in her."

During the episode, Bravo included a flashback of Ariana asking Katie about being single. "What's it like out there? Is it a cornucopia of delicious d—k?" the former SUR bartender asked her friend.

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Lala's 1st Time With Don

"I know this may come as a shock but the sex was not good with my ex [Randall Emmett]. I haven't had an orgasm — a real one that I haven't faked — since 2016," she told cameras ahead of her date with Don. "Old school Lala was so lit. She was in the moment and she lived for her vagina and nothing else. She was slumbering instead of me but that bitch is awake now."

The next morning, Lala gushed to her costars about having the "best sex" ever. (Off screen, the Give Them Lala author confirmed in November 2022 that she parted ways with Don.)

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Checking In With Scheana and Brock

"The wedding is coming up in just two weeks and I am so excited. At my first wedding, I was in denial. I was trying to convince everyone that everything was perfect because I wanted to convince myself that it will eventually be fine," Scheana Shay, who tied the knot with Brock Davies in August 2022, recalled about her marriage to Michael Shay. "Until I found out that he was buying drugs again and then it wasn't fine. But now going into this wedding, I feel pure joy and excitement and love. This is my forever."

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Raquel Confronts James After Boys Night

During a tense conversation at SUR, Raquel called James out for avoiding her. "We will be around each other in instances where Ally probably won't be around. Like Tom Sandoval's pool party," she said. "You're invited — Tom Sandoval told me."

In response, the professional DJ pointed out that he didn't receive his own invitation.

"That's weird to think that they could just kick me out and bring Raquel in. I am f—king James Kennedy and I have been the life of this party for eight years. It is f—king bulls—t," he detailed. "I feel like the whole friend group is backing me up toward a cliff. I am being edged out and Raquel is taking up all that space.:

He continued: "First I don't get invited to the pool party right away and then Scheana not inviting Ally to the wedding. They think they can dictate who is hot or not in this friendship. It is honestly embarrassing."

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Scheana vs. Katie

Ahead of Scheana's big day, the singer, 37, was at odds with Katie over her former friend still visiting her wedding venue. 

"It sucks that Scheana's bridesmaid didn't book her room when she was bullying the rest of us to do it. But these are not my problems," Katie told cameras before she revealed her plans to travel to Mexico regardless. "I called the hotel and made sure Kristina Kelly could be added to my room and it was no problem."

The "Good As Gold" performer, for her part, admitted she was worried Katie would find a way to mock her wedding if she was at the same hotel. Scheana received support from Schwartz, who threw shade at his ex-wife's behavior.

"Katie's stubbornness is one of my least favorite qualities about her. Once she has made up her mind there is no turning back. Even if that means hurting the people around her," he explained before calling Katie "emotionally entitled" in front of their friends. "This is objectively out of line. You are in the wrong. There is no gray area."

The former SUR waitress got emotional when Schwartz refused to see her point of view, saying, "Schwartz taking everyone else's side over me was a big reason why I asked for a divorce. And I thought now that having the pressure to defend his wife is gone he could treat me like everyone else. No. I guess it is not a wife thing — it is a Katie thing."

(Katie and Schwartz announced their split in March 2022 and their divorce was finalized by the end of the year.)

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Lala and Raquel Face Off Once Again

"I am not talking to Raquel tonight. That bitch is insane. She was cool at first and then she got f—king weird and that's Raquel," Lala told her friends before the pool party. "She is the girl that everyone says is real hot but then don't let her open her mouth because you will want to run."

The Utah native added: "I do not think I can forgive Raquel for what she said to me. I can't have these weak links — I think she's weak — [around me]. This is about the comment made about me being a mistress. She feels comfortable saying that to me like she sees me as a home wrecker. If I cared what someone like Raquel thought of me, I would be at the bottom of a barrel. If you want to be a troll then I will treat you like one."

Meanwhile, Raquel didn't hold back about how "pathetic" she found Lala.

"Obviously I am not a weak f—king bitch," she said to Scheana ahead of her public fight with the businesswoman. "You are a bully and you are f—king pathetic. I don't need this energy in my life. I learned my lesson with James and I finally learned my lesson with you. We will never be friends and we will never see eye to eye. You give off mistress [and] bimbo vibes and I can't stand it."

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The Calm Before the Storm

Before an argument broke out at her party, Ariana praised Raquel's appearance, saying, "What is it like being the hottest person on the f—king planet?"

The Fancy AF Cocktails coauthor went on to side with Raquel during her fight with Lala and Katie. "It is very difficult for me to wrap my mind around the idea that Raquel is fighting people and being crazy," she added. "I would think that Katie, Lala and Kristina gave the mean girl treatment to Raquel like they have given to other people in the past."

Meanwhile, Sandoval joined in on the drama, telling the group, "Katie here is the thing with you. If someone doesn't have your exact perspective then they are somehow wrong."

Ariana shut down her then-boyfriend's comments, adding, "Tom I am walking away because I am not doing the Tom against the girls thing."

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Addressing the Coachella Rumors

Schwartz addressed the speculation that he hooked up with Raquel before filming started on season 10. "You know how people thought Raquel and I made out at Coachella? Well, this is the actual guy who made out with Raquel," he noted about Brock's friend Joey.

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Sandoval Comes to Raquel's Rescue

Amid Raquel and Lala's back and forth, Sandoval got in the middle of the fight.

"I can't unsee the f—king bully that you were to her. For no reason. For no reason except to flex your f—king power," the restaurant cofounder told Lala. "You have moved on from [sleeping with James while he was with Raquel]. She hasn't because she just got this information two weeks ago."

In a confessional, Raquel waved away her public drama with her castmate. "I honestly feel like I have leveled up from this girls' trip because a lot of my motivation was to be liked by other people," she explained. "So, the fact that I am facing Lala — I am loving this new version of me."