\n Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix, Raquel Leviss<\/span> Shutterstock (3)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Before Tom Sandoval<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s affair scandal with Raquel Leviss<\/strong> came to light<\/a>, the Vanderpump Rules<\/a> <\/i>star had been candid about his hope to improve his relationship with now-ex Ariana Madix<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cAriana and I have been together for nearly 10 years, and obviously, love Ariana but because of how different we are as people<\/a>, we\u2019ve kind of grown a little bit apart,\u201d Tom, 40, said in an emotional confessional during the\u00a0Wednesday, May 10, episode. \u201cThe issues that Ariana and I are having are not just her fault, they\u2019re mine also. I\u2019m hoping that Ariana and I can get back to where we were<\/a>. It\u2019s the best relationship that I\u2019ve ever been in.\u201d<\/p>\n The TomTom owner and Ariana, 37, had been dating since 2014.\u00a0Us\u00a0<\/i>confirmed in March that the pair split after Tom\u2019s months-long secret affair<\/a> with costar Raquel, 28.<\/p>\n While most of\u00a0Vanderpump Rules<\/i>\u00a0season 10 was filmed before the twosome\u2019s breakup and the affair scandal<\/a>, Tom frequently lamented about his and Ariana\u2019s\u00a0relationship woes.<\/p>\n \u201cIt feels like we haven\u2019t been as connected. There\u2019s been a lot of things that have been bothering me<\/a> and stacking up and swept under the rug,\u201d the Schwartz & Sandy\u2019s owner confessed to Ariana during Wednesday\u2019s episode. \u201cMy very presence f\u2014king annoys you. \u2026 That\u2019s another thing, you snap at me and belittle me in front of people and that really f\u2014king hurts my feelings.\u201d<\/p>\n He added: \u201cI don\u2019t feel like we are connected the way that we should be. We didn\u2019t even take a picture together at Scheana [Shay]<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s wedding, like, that\u2019s f\u2014king crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n The Lifetime actress, for her part, denied ever saying \u201cyour presence\u201d during an argument with the Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras frontman before admitting that she always wants to \u201chang out\u201d with Tom but his schedule never aligns with hers<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI love you, I want us to be better,\u201d Tom tearfully added, explaining that he wished they were more intimate.<\/p>\n Later in the episode, Tom and bestie Tom Schwartz<\/strong><\/a> both turned up at Ariana and costar Katie Maloney<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s grand opening of their Something About Her sandwich shop. Sandoval even impressed his then-girlfriend when he showed up with a fresh bouquet of congratulatory flowers.<\/p>\n However, things quickly soured when Ariana broke down in tears over the group\u2019s heated screaming match amid her \u201cf\u2014king awful summer\u201d<\/a> following her grandmother\u2019s death. Sandoval, meanwhile, barely noticed Ariana\u2019s meltdown because he was preoccupied with defending Raquel<\/a> from Katie, 36, after the former pageant queen\u2019s August 2022 hookup with Schwartz<\/a>, 40. (The Utah native and Schwartz finalized their divorce in October 2022<\/a> after 12 years together.)<\/p>\n \u201cI would just love for you to take any accountability for doing anything wrong ever,\u201d Sandoval yelled at Katie, noting he was involved in the drama because he is \u201cin the middle of this.\u201d<\/p>\n The \u201cYou\u2019re Gonna Love Me\u201d podcaster, for her part, told the Missouri native to stay out of her and Raquel\u2019s business<\/a> and instead pay attention to Ariana, who was sobbing in the corner with SUR boss Lisa Vanderpump.<\/p>\n![\"Tom](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Tom-Sandoval-Called-His-Relationship-With-Ariana-Madix-the-Best-He-Has-Ever-Been-In-Amid-Raquel-Leviss-Affair-inline.jpg?w=700&quality=86&strip=all\")
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\n Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix<\/span> Chelsea Lauren\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n