Credit: Bravo
Melissa Gorga addressed a text she sent Teresa Giudice after the season 12 reunion – and a message from Teresa before the start of season 13.
She also accused her sister-in-law of “gaslighting” her and teased the Luis Ruelas drama, which viewers will witness.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey stars fought in the dramatic reunion, triggering Joe Gorga into an emotional place. Later on, according to reports, Teresa exposed a false rumor about Melissa’s affair, which prompted the couple to skip Teresa’s wedding to Luis.
Speaking with E! News, Melissa revealed that she and Teresa weren’t on speaking terms at the start of season thirteen.
According to Melissa, she sent Teresa a “text message” amid the reunion’s conclusion, in order to “put a button on this right now and claim peace … I thought that was big of me.”
The star said Teresa “didn’t respond … didn’t answer.” Right before they started filming again, however, Teresa “suddenly texts” Melissa with an invitation to her 50th birthday celebration on an island, Melissa alleged.
“I just was like, ‘No. It’s not happening.’ It didn’t make any sense. It was gaslighting. It was very thought-out, and I saw right through it and I said no,” claimed Melissa, who feels Teresa only talks to her while filming. “It’s just like, ‘We’re going to start filming again, hi.’”
“[This] doesn’t work for me anymore,” Melissa added, and later expressed, “I need to do what’s best now for my husband. “I’ve been married for almost 19 years. I have three children. I’m not gonna put her marriage in front of mine, that she met somebody a year ago. I’m not gonna do that … Anyone who’s trying to hurt my marriage — that I’ve been married for 19 years with three kids — I’m not gonna go and celebrate yours.”
Teasing an anticipated fight between Luis and Joe, Melissa explained, “It’s weird. It’s like Louie did not come into the family like that. So I don’t know if it’s like a learned behavior … My family does not function this way.”
The star claimed it didn’t become physical. “They do not get into a physical fight, thank God. You don’t have to worry about that. That’s just the tension, like it’s crazy,” she said.
Regarding the wedding they skipped, Melissa addressed if she’ll watch it on television. “It’s pretty much the finale of our show, so I’m sure I will watch,” she shared. “I don’t know if Joe can watch, it is hurtful to him if I’m being honest. It’s so sad that he’s her only living relative and somehow he’s not there. It was just awful the way it went down.”
Melissa teased an “accumulation” of issues. “There is something that was the icing on the cake that really hurt us,” said Melissa.
The star also revealed she harbored a secret for much of season 13 “for the right reasons—for the family—because [Teresa] was getting married.”
“We were like, ‘We’re not going to throw a bomb in here right before her wedding,'” she continued. “When it does come to light, then I had to call it out.”
Melissa said they haven’t seen Luis and Teresa since the season finished filming.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey season 13 premieres on Tuesday, February 7, at 9/8c on Bravo.
