SLOMW's Demi Explains Why She Tried To "Control" The Marciano Narrative
"I was like, 'Sh*t, I need to control how this plays out.'"
As anyone who watched Season 3 of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives could have predicted, the intense reunion quickly became everyone versus Demi Engemann. During the season, Demi found herself at odds with the other women after she was accused of getting Marciano Brunette to lie about having sex with Jessi Ngatikaura. But at the reunion, it was her own relations with Marciano that caused her to break down in front of everyone.
During the Dec. 4 get-together, Demi was thrown off when her former friend Jessi said she has “a huge guard up” when it comes to her now. Demi explained her reason for getting involved in the story of Jessi and Marciano’s affair was only to try to help. “My intention from start to finish was that this never f*cking came to light,” Demi told Jessi. “In placating and being nice to Marciano, he was going to go on a podcast, and i was like 'Sh*t, I need to control how this plays out.'"
Demi went on to reiterate that keeping in touch with Marciano was difficult, since she alleged he sexually assaulted her. In Season 3, Demi described this assault as “unwanted touch” in the form of “two ass grabs.” However, her castmate Jen Affleck believed Demi and Marciano’s romantic relationship was consensual. At the reunion, Jen claimed that Demi and Marciano kissed while the cameras were off on Vanderpump Villa, although she admitted she didn’t see this happen. This prompted Demi to start yelling at Jen: “What the f*ck is wrong with you!?”
The whole debacle finally ended in tears backstage, where Demi broke down over the still unresolved situation.
“It's more painful to not be believed, and to have to sit here and go over it over and over and feel the pain of this past things, than to just say ‘F*ck, yeah, we kissed. F*ck, yeah, something happened,’” Demi said. “I'd rather something happened at this point. It's excruciating and it's ruining my reputation.”
Though Demi considered leaving the reunion at that point, she ended up staying, although she remained silent for the rest of the special.
