Vanderpump Rules star Raquel Leviss revealed she was “concerned” about leaving ex-fiance James Kennedy once she realized their relationship was over.
Over his years with the show, James became infamous for his loud outbursts and continuous conflict with his Vanderpump Rules castmates.
Speaking with her co-star Scheana Shay, Raquel confessed that she created an exit strategy when she finally realized it was time for her to walk away.
Raquel Leviss worried James Kennedy wouldn’t take their break up well
While appearing on Scheana Shay’s Scheananigans podcast, Raquel openly discussed when she knew it was over between her and James.
“It was kind of at Thanksgiving where I realized that I didn’t want to be in this relationship anymore,” she said.
“And because James does have a history of acting out and being angry, my mom and I were both concerned that he wasn’t going to have a good reaction when I told him,” Raquel added. “So I wasn’t planning on saying anything until he went out of town.”
She then admitted that this was going to be news for James.
“He doesn’t even know this,” she said.
Raquel and James joined their fellow co-stars Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix to Disneyland in late November, and despite how she was feeling about their relationship, Raquel explained she felt the need to “put on an act.”
“I felt like I had to put on an act for that, just to make sure that I was safe. Disneyland just isn’t as fun when you aren’t in love with the person that you’re with anymore, so it wasn’t my favorite experience,” she noted.
“I’m so happy that Ariana and Tom came.”
Raquel says James ultimately understood why she ended their relationship
Thankfully, when it came time to pull the plug on their five-year relationship, James ultimately understood where Raquel was coming from — but not before one final argument about the situation.
According to Raquel, while re-watching Vanderpump Rules episodes in preparation for the Season 9 reunion, the two argued over Raquel’s feelings about James’ behavior.
When Raquel confided to James that she felt as though he “didn’t support [her] emotionally,” she said he was surprised.
“He was like, ‘Oh, I didn’t know that you felt this way.’ And the conversation just kept going…and it was like word vomit. ‘This is how I’ve been feeling, and I can’t keep it in any longer because I’m not being an honest person and I’m lying to you, and I don’t feel comfortable with this,'” Raquel recalled.
She added, “So I just told him that my heart isn’t in it anymore.”
Raquel also said a “piece of [her] dies inside” watching him “mistreat” others.
After hearing Raquel’s feelings, James allegedly asked what he could do to make it better and asked her for another chance, but it just wasn’t meant to be.
Eventually, James accepted Raquel’s decision to end their relationship.
“He respected my decision. ‘If your heart isn’t in it anymore, then I understand; we need to go our separate ways.'”
Ultimately, Raquel said she couldn’t imagine there would be a happy future for her and James, especially because of his ongoing tension with her family.
“The future of Thanksgivings and Christmases and holidays was looking like it was going to be either James’ or my family,” she said. “Foreseeing this future and what it was all coming down to, and I was like…I don’t want that.”
Vanderpump Rules airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on Bravo.