Ariana Madix BLASTS Claim Raquel Leviss Was 'Manipulated' Into Believing Tom Sandoval Open Relationship Rumors!

Ariana Madix doesn’t have any sympathy for Raquel Leviss — and she doesn’t think fans should either!

During the extended and uncensored version of part one of the Vanderpump Rules reunion out on Thursday on Peacock, Scheana Shay claimed in a never-before-seen clip from season 10 that Tom Sandoval told Raquel at Coachella that he and Ariana were in an open relationship. This was back in April 2022 — just a few months before their affair began. The Scheananigans podcast host recalled:

“Apparently in April [2022], she [Raquel] told this person that at Coachella, after you went to sleep, they were in the hot tub, he [Tom] made a comment to her and was like, ‘So you know like Ariana and I are like open right?’ And that he started coming onto her at f**king Coachella. Like telling her, ‘We’re open. We’re open.’”

Ariana seemed shocked by the news, saying “that has never been the case ever.” But elsewhere in the season, Tom denied ever doing such a thing and seemingly tried to place blame on Katie Maloney when she discussed the rumors in a previous episode. Shady!

Naturally, the open relationship claim led one fan to wonder if the 28-year-old had been “manipulated” into thinking it was fine to date the bar owner despite his long-term relationship. Commenting under a Page Six post about the scandal on Instagram, they suggested:

“Could it be that he manipulated Raquel the same way that Ariana has claimed he manipulated her for years. I mean why wouldn’t Raquel believe him if that’s what he told her. He was taking her on vacations, to meet his parents, they even spent Christmas together.”

We suppose there’s always the possibility Raquel was fooled, but don’t feel sorry for her just yet! Ariana was quick to reply to the comment and offer a bit of insight into the open relationship rumors, saying:

“just to clarify — she didn’t BELIEVE that. She told someone that he told her that. There are missing major chunks here which is totally understandable. They can’t fit every piece of context into the show.”

Clarifying further, the reality star continued:

“He also spent Christmas with me and my family in LA (photo shown in the finale) before splitting his time and going home to see his after. First holidays without my grandma please remember.”

Splitting time with his mistress during the holidays is wild. The open relationship speculation, on the other hand, is not so surprising. Ariana’s been fielding these rumors all season long — and during her chat on Watch What Happens Live last week, she spilled the tea, saying she thinks they “came from him” all along. Now we know why she believed that, thanks to Scheana.

While Ariana and Tom were never in an open relationship, Raquel is sure letting her feelings for Sandoval be out in the open now! Remember on last week’s WWHL when Ariana revealed Raquel has been sending her ex-boyfriend love letters, presumably from the mental health facility she is reportedly at? Well, there’s more from where that came from!

While speaking to the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday, the sandwich shop owner revealed “a postcard came to my house yesterday.” OMG! A freaking postcard?! Meaning everything the SUR waitress had to say was out in the open? Jeez! Pissed Raquel didn’t bother to be a bit more discreet with her message, Ariana said:

“When I got home yesterday from recording a podcast, it was in the mail. I put it on the counter. I mean, come on, babe, put it in an envelope… I don’t know what the deal is, but I don’t believe they’re not together.”

The mail also bothered Kristen Doute, who opened up about the situation on her podcast, Sex, Love, and What Else Matters, on Thursday. She began:

“On Watch What Happens Live, Ariana talks about how Raquel sent a letter. And Andy [Cohen] said, ‘Did you open it?’ And she said, ‘Nope, that’s a federal crime. I just left it out for him.’ I was like, ‘Good on you. I would’ve 100 percent opened it. I would’ve had that thing in the microwave, undone it and resealed it’… Ariana has more self-control than I do.”

LOLz!!

She went on to share some scoop about the new postcard, revealing it had lightning bolts on it and a message that read something like, “I saw this and I thought of you,” which Kristen and her guests deemed “really vapid and surface level.”

Of course, the lightning bolts are of note because earlier in the season, fans noticed Raquel bought a lightning bolt necklace reminiscent of one the TomTom co-owner wears. While it wasn’t discovered until after the cheating scandal was exposed in March, it acted as a sign of the times for sure! Defending Ariana, Kristen argued:

“At least that [first letter] was in an envelope. Girl, if you’re going to be sending stuff to the house where Ariana lives currently, maybe put it in an envelope so she doesn’t have to see it, or read it, or see the freaking lightning bolts all over it.”

Amen!

As for why she thinks Tom hasn’t discouraged Raquel from sending mail to his shared home with Ariana, the podcaster mused:

“Because he’s probably thrilled to be getting fan mail sent to his house.”

It is totally insensitive of both of them — but then again, they were never very sensitive about this whole affair in the first place. Sigh. Thankfully, it sounds like Ariana is doing her best to ignore the drama. She told ET on Wednesday:

“I am in a position right now where I just want to do everything and I really am enjoying myself, doing it as much as I can. I want to claim independence, I want to claim success, I want to reclaim my time. I want to claim all the good vibes and positivity and I want to be involved and leave stuff in the past.”

We want nothing but the best for her! Thoughts?! SOUND OFF (below)!

[Image via Bravo /Peacock /YouTube]