Nikki Garcia (Bella) opened up about her divorce on the latest edition of Nikki & Brie Show podcast.
Garcia and Dancing with the Stars dancer Artem Chigvintsev settled their divorce in late November. Their divorce came as a result of a domestic incident back in August in which Chigvintsev was arrested under the suspicion for domestic violence but that charge was later dropped. As part of the divorce settlement they dropped the restraining orders they had enacted against one another. The couple has son named Matteo, who is four-years-old.
“I needed to disconnect because first things first. I’m a mom and my son’s protection and privacy is the most important. So, I was going to do whatever it took for that, most importantly, and then just needing space for healing, for facing trauma head on,” she began.
Garcia describes the entire situation as tragic and heart-rending.
“It’s been really tough. I’ve been heartbroken, sad. You know, you dream of having this family and you have this incredible love and it just goes the other way. You go from having a great love story to having a terrible one. I never saw any of it coming as far as what the ending would be. It’s been a struggle,” she said.
Garcia said that her discussion about on the the podcast was the last time she would speak about for her son’s sake.
“After this I don’t want to ever talk about it again because I truly do want privacy for Matteo. That has been the most important part but obviously I’ve had a public relationship, I’m a public figure, so I have to talk about what’s gone on a little bit,” she said.
Garcia admitted that in the headlines, television and social media she pretended their marriage was a lot better than it actually was. Brie said on air that she had advised her sister to end the relationship many times based on what she saw and felt about it.
“I really played it up like things were a lot better than what they were in the public eye, which I have regrets in that because what I felt was if I could just put this person on a pedestal and maybe if this person hears it enough what I believe in them, they can believe that in themselves…I didn’t want to have another failed public relationship…I wanted it for Matteo. It always comes back to him. You fight for your kids, you want to stick together because that’s what the kids want and I tried really hard,” she said getting very emotional.
The couple currently have co-custody of Matteo.
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