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Monique Samuels recently opened up about Stacey Rusch communicating and potentially even dating her ex, Chris Samuels. Plus, the Real Housewives of Potomac star is revealing why she doesn’t trust Cookie.
Monique and Chris got married in 2012 and went on to have three children. Sadly, they then filed for divorce in April 2023, and it was finalized in September of that year. She returned to RHOP in 2025 as a friend of the show after five years away.
Monique was on a December 2025 episode of Page Six’s Virtual Reali-Tea podcast. While on, the hosts asked her if she felt there was “weird communication” between Stacey, Chris, and Cookie.
“Well, there was definitely communication with Stacey because she showed it to me,” Monique said. “She showed me a message from like way before I even signed my contract, where he was texting her, asking, ‘Hey, I heard my name’s being talked about on the show.'”
She went on, “So, they were already communicating. So, why would they not communicate later on?” One of the hosts then asked if she believed the texts were authentic, as Ashley Darby had questioned whether Stacey may have deleted or otherwise altered them.
According to her, “The communication was real, and it was interesting because I wasn’t at the previous events for Gizelle’s 10 million download party. So, when I’m watching it in real time, she says she didn’t have his number, and that’s why Charrisse called him.”
However, Monique went on to detail how Stacey later showed the messages between them, proving she initially “lied” about not having Chris’ number. She added, “It was just weird. It’s like, why are we lying?”
Later, the hosts asked the RHOP star about Cookie, noting that they don’t have the best history. She said, “It’s not that I don’t like her. I don’t trust her, and she is a person who I cut off, along with my ex-husband, while we were still married.”
@virtualrealitea Monique Samuels is spilling the tea on “RHOP” breakout star Cookie starting “affair” rumors about her NFL star ex-husband, Chris. 👀🍪
Monique went on to explain why she cut Cookie off in the past. According to the reality star, “So she was spreading all kinds of rumors, saying that she was having an affair with Chris years ago.”
She continued after being questioned about the situation, “So, she was telling people that she was having an affair with my ex-husband, who was my husband at the time. And she said the only reason he was staying is because of the kids. She would tell people these things.”
Monique went on to say that she and Chris confronted Cookie over the phone regarding the rumors, telling her, “We not fooling with you.” She also said she was “completely caught off guard” that Chris would even talk to Cookie after all she did to them in the past.
@virtualrealitea Monique Samuels is calling out “RHOP” co-star Stacey Rusch for “lying” about her relationship with her ex-husband, Chris. 👀