Cheating ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Star Admits She Has an Unhealthy ‘Addiction’ to Love

Vanderpump Rules star Raquel Leviss has finally broken her silence days after the affair heard around the world—or at least the greater Los Angeles area—was exposed.

“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,” Leviss said in a statement to Entertainment Tonight. “There is no excuse, I am not a victim and I must own my actions and I deeply regret hurting Ariana.”

Leviss, 28, also seemed to confirm the rumor that co-star Scheana Shay gave her a black eye, noting she’d been “physically assaulted, lost friendships, received death threats and hate emails in addition to having had my privacy violated” since her affair with co-star Tom Sandoval was made public. On Wednesday, Leviss filed for a restraining order against Shay, according to TMZ.

Although Leviss didn’t say whether she and Sandoval are still together, she said she’s entered counseling to “end my unhealthy behavioral cycle” as she works to undo her “patterns of codependency and addiction to being and feeling loved.”

“I have sought emotional validation through intimate connections that are not healthy without regard for my own well-being, sometimes negatively affecting others and often prioritizing the intimate connection over my friendships,” she said. “I am taking steps to understand my behavior and make healthier choices... I don't expect sympathy, understanding or forgiveness. Right now I must focus on my own health and well-being and as I strive to be a better person moving forward, I will prioritize my mental health and learn from my mistakes.”

The bombshell scandal has only risen in volatility since it was revealed over the weekend. On Wednesday, Leviss not only filed a restraining order against Shay—her close friend as of last Wednesday, when the two appeared on Watch What Happens Live together—but also sent a legal letter to her entire cast.

Rumor has it that Sandoval’s longterm girlfriend Ariana Madix found out of the affair through a NSFW video of Leviss on Sandoval’s phone. In her legal letter, Leviss demanded her co-stars not spread the video as she says it was recorded without her permission, according to TMZ. In California, both parties need to consent to being recorded, and distributing revenge porn is a crime.

As the temperature continues to rise, it’s unknown if Leviss will make it to the reunion, which somehow films in just two weeks, Bravo’s Andy Cohen revealed on his radio show earlier this week.

Cameras have gone back up as Bravo catches reality TV’s Brangelina in all its messy glory, so fans won’t have to wait long to catch the scandalous fallout. If Leviss follows the Bravolebrity playbook, we may even watch this counseling on screen.