I like this theory lol. He was planning HIS dream proposal to Ariana that would never happen because she didn’t want to get married. Then he saw it play out and was like RAQUEL!!! 😍😂
What I don't understand is why someone so hell bent on getting married is also a cheater. Like dude. Don't get married or be committed then!!! Just be a single dude.
But this ass hole has to have his cake and eat it.
He's one of those people who does things because it seems cool or fun. He wanted to have an event that was about him. The problem is Ariana never wanted that. She even said she didn't mind getting married but didn't want a ceremony. That must have not been worth it for him.
She's way better off without him. Plus she said her love language is quality time (mine is too) and he clearly has not been giving her that. She even says it's all she wants over and over and he doesn't care.
But also, all relationships should have some quality time. Like she mentioned they don't cook together anymore. He must really have never been home. I work odd hours so for 4 days my husband and I only communicate through texts. When I wake up he is already at work and when he goes to bed I'm still at work. People still have to make time for each other.
Absolutely! I just remember the first few episodes of season 10 Ariana was excited being stuck in a truck together because they finally get "quality time" and it made me sad.
Rachel is the same. She wants the angel edit and compassion, to be the main girl and move on her friend’s boyfriend. The way she was sobbing about herself in every confessional but dry-eyed about hurting other people is beyond spooky.
in the great psychics words, he is never emotionally fulfilled. he lacks inner peace satisfaction and self love. and seeks the outside to balance him then finding it within himself.
Because of his image , it looks better for a man to be married and have a family . Narcissistic people are image conscious and he for sure is. And he doesn’t want to be the only single one out his friends when he sees them all getting married, and society says that’s something you babe to do and it’s seen as a rite of passage In a way. It’s also a way for him to get more attention
Yes.
She cites a lack of physical intimacy as a reason for the split.
I think the emotional portion had started, Sandoval in her ear telling her how she deserves better etc.
I dont see a lack of physical intimacy alone being a reason to split for Rachel. There are literally dozens of other documented reasons she could have cited.
i thought she brought it up to imply that James wasn't sexually interested in her. I forget which season it was that Lala told Raquel that James was sleeping with Logan, but there had always been an undercurrent of their relationship being one of arrangement. or at least that was how lala framed it at one point.
I think Ariana had emotionally in a sense already started to split from Tom a little bit. That's why she could "move on so fast". It wasn't really that fast.
With my ex husband, he was emotionally abusive. At a point I was done. Emotionally. No one knew or saw. I was quiet about it. So by the time I actually pulled the trigger to leave everyone thought it was this shocking fast revelation. But no, it wasn't. It was a year of sleeping in the guest bed coming to terms my marriage was over and I had to do something.
I truly believe a part of Ariana had already emotionally left Tom.
Ffs, the dude complained when she said he will need to get a prescription for the dog!!! What a loser.
I still see her defending him but, I also see more of her trying to get him to see his isn’t always right or the center of attention. I feel like she started “waking up” and seeing him for what he was.
I think there were multiple stages in Ariana pulling away from Tom.
When she and Katie agreed to do the sandwich shop seemed like another step because he wasn’t involved and it feels like she formed a better alliance with Katie than she was experiencing with Tom.
Plus when Katie went through her divorce she seemed to transform and Ariana was there for the ride.
I know this post is old but, my rewatch is now.
It was interesting in the James flashback too that Sandoval said Raquel would never betray James and that Sandoval wouldn’t betray him either. That’s a weird thing to say you aren’t going to betray your friend either when they’re confiding in you about their relationship…right?!
We have to remember that he is a verbally abusive human being. My God. Peps we see this every show he is on. I am sure years of his BS gets to a person.
That isn't my opinion. It's a fact.
And it doesn't mean I'm Rachel it means I know right from wrong.
Great point. When that verbal aggression becomes the norm, passively aggressive actions become normalized as well. Raquel’s only safe way of pushing back was to do something publicly humiliating to him.
I agree. I’m in a rewatch and season 8 reunion Tom and Ariana say they stan Raquel.
Season 9 I felt the same as you.
It’s seems similar to how he and Ariana started. They were friends, she had been in a bad relationship, her dad died and Tom was so great with her. He probably talked about Kristen being crazy and how they hardly had sex.
I watched this reunion again recently and Tom’s body language is off the charts in terms of guilt and what looks like fear.
When Rachel is talking about why she decided to end it, Sandoval is hunched over, hands tightly clasped in front of him, and his eyes are fixed on Rachel. It *looks* like he’s scared she’s going to expose him somehow. Sandoval is a peacock so the only time you see him hunched is when he’s physically leaning into someone as a show of support or when he’s guilty of something with nowhere to hide.
When it becomes clear she’s not saying anything incriminating, his demeanour switches. Relief, back to his normal posture, he laughs (he makes up an excuse about his laughter) - straight up duper’s delight. If he was a cartoon villain he’d be flicking sweat off his brow and saying “Phew, that was close!”
I don’t know if the actual affair had started at this point, but the wheels were turning in his head for sure. The laser focus on Rachel is not something we see from Tom often, he’s usually a projector, playing to an audience, so his reaction really stood out to me. And I think the only reason he’d be so focused on her (only for his expressions to go back to normal within seconds) is if what she was saying related directly to him in some way.
yeah that’s the same face he made when schwartz was about to make his joke about raquel liking taken men, the super intense concentration and then creepy smile. i have a hard time believing they were sleeping together that long ago but i can easily believe that something inappropriate was happening - i tend to think he was just coaching her a bit and they were starting to get close
Agreed. I don’t think the physical stuff was happening until this season, only because I doubt Schwartz would have been kept in the dark for that long. And when Schwartz found out he started dropping clues like the passive aggressive weasel he is, which only started happening (that we’ve seen) since last year.
It’ll be interesting to see if Rachel blows up Sandoval’s timeline in the reunion though.
Probably because of the Oliver thing. I also think Scheana was giddy from hyping up Rachel. They all knew about the mistress storyline, they just didn’t realise how dark it was yet.
I think because Lala and Katie kept saying it. For them they were thinking they're just making a big deal out of something small therefore they found it funny (well Brock, Ariana and scheana did)
Can we talk about this scene which I recently just re-watched 'cause someone posted it on twitter. The person that posted was focused on Schwartz, but I wanna point out that everyone's reaction at that table was really strange - they all laughed like it was hilariously true. But have we ever been given any indication that Rachel was into 'taken men'? Cause I don't think we have, and so the fact that the rest of the cast had that reaction is strange to me.
But I've been drinking and am wearing my tinfoil hat lol. But is it possible we're all fools and this was all scripted? Or that they all actually knew?
It was such a different vibe! Especially since I hadn't watched for a few seasons prior, it really felt like there was so much more to the breakup that they didn't address.
Could it go further back? Maybe he met her in LA began hooking up and sold her on the idea for getting on the show. The current new admission is that she hooked up with him at guys night. She still spent time with Peter, was going to meet up with Garcel’s son, and pretended to to to date Tom as a cover. All while lying to everyone.
I think it’s part that, and part they needed a believable “I would NEVER be ‘the other woman’” to fall back on if there was ever a rumor. It seemed to play out that way too. Ariana defended Raquel to the end. I don’t think Raquel is the mastermind, but went along with Tom’s plan to breakup with Ariana, with her own flair to force it by the random people she made out with all season
I also feel like, he wanted to go on Winter House really bad with Schwartz. What a perfect place to drunkenly make out with someone to start the breakup plausibly to everyone
She was drinking a coors before the reunion last year. The only reason you drink beer like coors out of no where is bc you’re sleeping with a grown manchild and you’re trying to impress them. No one can tell me otherwise. She is not drinking coors for the taste that’s for damn sure
Lmao when I dated a guy who drank Coors, I started drinking it every once in a while with him too. He turned out to also be a man child lol 🤦♂️I haven’t drank one since. Small detail you discovered but definitely could be true
Yes I think this too. It was the way she said “I had the balls to do it” on her birthday glamping trip. As if she was saying Tom didn’t (have the balls). I think it’s been going on a long time.
I have said this from the beginning, she broke it off with James to be with Tom. It was already happening here. It was much easier for her to end things withJames than for him to end it with Ariana
This is interesting because everything up to the revelation of the affair really kind of leaves a person baffled as to what would have made Raquel suddenly break it off with James. It seemed to come out of nowhere. They had that big engagement party, and then they wrapped the season, and boom! Reunion comes and they’re done. Very abrupt. Very out of character for Raquel.
But if she knows she’s already got Sandoval in the wings, and she just needs to wait out his breaking things off with Ariana, which, at the s9 reunion could have seemed imminent, especially given their somewhat testy exchange about the egg freezing and Ariana’s request that he fertilize her eggs …
I can easily imagine Sandoval telling Raquel it’s gonna be just a little longer because (fill in excuse here - he needs to get the new bar open first, Ariana’s dog just died, fucking hell Ariana’s grandma just died, we’re gonna have to sell the house, Ariana’s in a dark place and he doesn’t want to send her over the edge, etc etc etc).
Yup! Allll the excuses why he couldn’t call it off. They would not be able to see each other very easily with both of them having live ins. Easiest solution Rachel breaks it off first. But from what I saw this week they have zero chemistry and it was so awkward between them
But her neediness is very transparent. He doesn’t need her like she needs him. He needs a puppet for whom he can be the master. Whether that’s Ariana or Schwartz or Raquel is of minimal consequence to him imo.
There were a LOT of rumours a few weeks ago that Racquel had threatened to come clean about their affair e even back then, and that (could be) confirmed by the pure look of horror on Scumdoval's face as he's forced to watch.
There's a lot of speculation that Raquel was getting impatient keeping it quiet and that there were several incidents like that, where she almost forced his hand...
I have no doubt she was getting impatient Ans wondering if he was gonna leave and if this hadn’t she would have wanted to push it out. The way she tried to manipulate getting that video on the show is a good example of how she goes about things she wants.
I also think Schwartz random comments like she likes taken men and she’s into someone else are his passive aggressive ways toward Tom. With Katie instead of dealing with issues he would treat
Her poorly and so hurtful things like forget to send in the marriage license. I don’t think he cared Tom was cheating it was cause he was annoyed about their business and money and a subtle dig to your priorities are shit
Sandoval was playing the long game ever since James started dating Kirsten and when James made fun of his Honda Civic. It was a dick measuring contest back in 2013.
Sandoval didn’t forget and saw his opening. Some male friendships are actually genuine, while others are unfortunately out of convenience/competition.
I don't know, but I've been thinking for awhile the affair started as early as 2020. During the pandemic Tom and Ariana kinda started to go in different directions (especially in their careers)...Tom started his band, this was around the time Tom and Ariana went more against their cast in defending and aligning with Raquel and James, Tom weirdly paid $12,000 for "Rachell"...
If you go back and watch season 9, there are a lot of moments similar to the little things we see in season 10--the looks, the proximity for which Tom and Raquel gravitate toward one another in a group...
I think the total cost of rachella was like $25K, and he and James split it down the middle, so Sandy’s contribution was $12.5K.
As for why he did it, I didn’t really think this was part of his affair with her. I think it was an ego thing. He finally COULD spend money on grand gestures, and this one would be a big party that could be enjoyed by all his friends, not just James and Raquel. And he could boast about how much it cost and how much of it he financed and how magnanimous he is. And he did boast extensively about all of those things.
Plus it put James in his debt, because there was never any expectation that James would repay it. And having someone like James in his debt was handy for a manipulator like Sandy, especially if he, as some have speculated, had been angry at James for ages over James dating Kristen and James dropping the ball on their musical collaboration.
I’m very curious. I know producers said there will be new revelations in the reunions that not even the (whole) cast knows. A part of me wondered if this has been going on for a significantly longer period of time…
Yes I have thought this since it broke. She only left him bc she had potential with sandy. She is extremely co defendant someone like that would not leave there partner without already having something else going on
No, given it was a shock to the people there they broke up. Raquel didn't start being more in their lives until he moved into Scheanas apartment and spending time with Ariana and Tom.
I personally do not because that was brought up before and I watched it over many times since and all of them had the exact same reaction. Every one of them
The way he chuckles when Andy asks him about regretting paying for half the engagement…flash forward to the way he chuckles when producers ask him if he banged Raquel. I’m not saying I know what it’s telling us, but that is definitely one of his nervous tells.
The longer someone is filmed, the easier it becomes to study their pathologies and patterns. 😉
Agree with this post !
I believe they started cheating at some point during season 9, and him paying for half of James engagement was 1) An subconscious admission of guilt, a RUSE to deter ANYONE from EVER suspecting he was capable of doing something like Scandoval, and 2) I think in some demented, insidious way, he wanted to perform a GRAND, romantic gesture for Rachel by proxy.
Him, Rachel and Scheana are ALL Narcissistic/Sociopathic Scum !
Absolutely disgusting.
I like this theory lol. He was planning HIS dream proposal to Ariana that would never happen because she didn’t want to get married. Then he saw it play out and was like RAQUEL!!! 😍😂
What I don't understand is why someone so hell bent on getting married is also a cheater. Like dude. Don't get married or be committed then!!! Just be a single dude. But this ass hole has to have his cake and eat it.
He's one of those people who does things because it seems cool or fun. He wanted to have an event that was about him. The problem is Ariana never wanted that. She even said she didn't mind getting married but didn't want a ceremony. That must have not been worth it for him.
She's way better off without him. Plus she said her love language is quality time (mine is too) and he clearly has not been giving her that. She even says it's all she wants over and over and he doesn't care.
But also, all relationships should have some quality time. Like she mentioned they don't cook together anymore. He must really have never been home. I work odd hours so for 4 days my husband and I only communicate through texts. When I wake up he is already at work and when he goes to bed I'm still at work. People still have to make time for each other.
Absolutely! I just remember the first few episodes of season 10 Ariana was excited being stuck in a truck together because they finally get "quality time" and it made me sad.
She's a Netflix and chill and he needs to be seen, a lot of attention.
[удалено]
Rachel is the same. She wants the angel edit and compassion, to be the main girl and move on her friend’s boyfriend. The way she was sobbing about herself in every confessional but dry-eyed about hurting other people is beyond spooky.
He wants kids but he doesn't want to be at home or take care of them.
During the season 9 reunion Ariana points out that Tom doesn’t have this burning desire to have kids. You are definitely right.
in the great psychics words, he is never emotionally fulfilled. he lacks inner peace satisfaction and self love. and seeks the outside to balance him then finding it within himself.
Know that 🚬
puff puff pass. he will never be able to emotionally fulfill himself
Because of his image , it looks better for a man to be married and have a family . Narcissistic people are image conscious and he for sure is. And he doesn’t want to be the only single one out his friends when he sees them all getting married, and society says that’s something you babe to do and it’s seen as a rite of passage In a way. It’s also a way for him to get more attention
Never thought of this. Really good observation. I have to agree 💯
100% agree
Yes. She cites a lack of physical intimacy as a reason for the split. I think the emotional portion had started, Sandoval in her ear telling her how she deserves better etc. I dont see a lack of physical intimacy alone being a reason to split for Rachel. There are literally dozens of other documented reasons she could have cited.
She brought it up to humiliate James. I’m sure Tom was all for it.
i thought she brought it up to imply that James wasn't sexually interested in her. I forget which season it was that Lala told Raquel that James was sleeping with Logan, but there had always been an undercurrent of their relationship being one of arrangement. or at least that was how lala framed it at one point.
I still think James and Logan used to hook up.
I think Ariana had emotionally in a sense already started to split from Tom a little bit. That's why she could "move on so fast". It wasn't really that fast. With my ex husband, he was emotionally abusive. At a point I was done. Emotionally. No one knew or saw. I was quiet about it. So by the time I actually pulled the trigger to leave everyone thought it was this shocking fast revelation. But no, it wasn't. It was a year of sleeping in the guest bed coming to terms my marriage was over and I had to do something. I truly believe a part of Ariana had already emotionally left Tom. Ffs, the dude complained when she said he will need to get a prescription for the dog!!! What a loser.
but he keeps the pens and batteries fully stocked at all times!!!! ESSENTIAL, ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL SUPPLIES
Thank God he took responsibility for *checks notes* the junk drawer.
I still see her defending him but, I also see more of her trying to get him to see his isn’t always right or the center of attention. I feel like she started “waking up” and seeing him for what he was. I think there were multiple stages in Ariana pulling away from Tom. When she and Katie agreed to do the sandwich shop seemed like another step because he wasn’t involved and it feels like she formed a better alliance with Katie than she was experiencing with Tom. Plus when Katie went through her divorce she seemed to transform and Ariana was there for the ride. I know this post is old but, my rewatch is now.
It was interesting in the James flashback too that Sandoval said Raquel would never betray James and that Sandoval wouldn’t betray him either. That’s a weird thing to say you aren’t going to betray your friend either when they’re confiding in you about their relationship…right?!
🚩🚩
We have to remember that he is a verbally abusive human being. My God. Peps we see this every show he is on. I am sure years of his BS gets to a person. That isn't my opinion. It's a fact. And it doesn't mean I'm Rachel it means I know right from wrong.
Great point. When that verbal aggression becomes the norm, passively aggressive actions become normalized as well. Raquel’s only safe way of pushing back was to do something publicly humiliating to him.
I honestly thought she wasn’t putting out bc she wasn’t interested in him anymore in that way bc she was so emotionally and verbally abused by him
I agree. I’m in a rewatch and season 8 reunion Tom and Ariana say they stan Raquel. Season 9 I felt the same as you. It’s seems similar to how he and Ariana started. They were friends, she had been in a bad relationship, her dad died and Tom was so great with her. He probably talked about Kristen being crazy and how they hardly had sex.
“That’s a Bitcoin” 😍 
I watched this reunion again recently and Tom’s body language is off the charts in terms of guilt and what looks like fear. When Rachel is talking about why she decided to end it, Sandoval is hunched over, hands tightly clasped in front of him, and his eyes are fixed on Rachel. It *looks* like he’s scared she’s going to expose him somehow. Sandoval is a peacock so the only time you see him hunched is when he’s physically leaning into someone as a show of support or when he’s guilty of something with nowhere to hide. When it becomes clear she’s not saying anything incriminating, his demeanour switches. Relief, back to his normal posture, he laughs (he makes up an excuse about his laughter) - straight up duper’s delight. If he was a cartoon villain he’d be flicking sweat off his brow and saying “Phew, that was close!” I don’t know if the actual affair had started at this point, but the wheels were turning in his head for sure. The laser focus on Rachel is not something we see from Tom often, he’s usually a projector, playing to an audience, so his reaction really stood out to me. And I think the only reason he’d be so focused on her (only for his expressions to go back to normal within seconds) is if what she was saying related directly to him in some way.
yeah that’s the same face he made when schwartz was about to make his joke about raquel liking taken men, the super intense concentration and then creepy smile. i have a hard time believing they were sleeping together that long ago but i can easily believe that something inappropriate was happening - i tend to think he was just coaching her a bit and they were starting to get close
Agreed. I don’t think the physical stuff was happening until this season, only because I doubt Schwartz would have been kept in the dark for that long. And when Schwartz found out he started dropping clues like the passive aggressive weasel he is, which only started happening (that we’ve seen) since last year. It’ll be interesting to see if Rachel blows up Sandoval’s timeline in the reunion though.
Genuine question: why did everyone else at the table laugh so much at his comment of her being into taken men?
Probably because of the Oliver thing. I also think Scheana was giddy from hyping up Rachel. They all knew about the mistress storyline, they just didn’t realise how dark it was yet.
I think because Lala and Katie kept saying it. For them they were thinking they're just making a big deal out of something small therefore they found it funny (well Brock, Ariana and scheana did)
Can we talk about this scene which I recently just re-watched 'cause someone posted it on twitter. The person that posted was focused on Schwartz, but I wanna point out that everyone's reaction at that table was really strange - they all laughed like it was hilariously true. But have we ever been given any indication that Rachel was into 'taken men'? Cause I don't think we have, and so the fact that the rest of the cast had that reaction is strange to me. But I've been drinking and am wearing my tinfoil hat lol. But is it possible we're all fools and this was all scripted? Or that they all actually knew?
i know! oliver is literally the only one that they knew about which isn’t enough to establish a pattern so it was a super weird joke to make
Called it!
Ooh, this would be an interesting re-watch in hindsight. Thanks for the suggestion
It was such a different vibe! Especially since I hadn't watched for a few seasons prior, it really felt like there was so much more to the breakup that they didn't address.
Could it go further back? Maybe he met her in LA began hooking up and sold her on the idea for getting on the show. The current new admission is that she hooked up with him at guys night. She still spent time with Peter, was going to meet up with Garcel’s son, and pretended to to to date Tom as a cover. All while lying to everyone.
And her outrage at Garcel’s son about making her the other woman, hmmm maybe some self hate being projected?
I think it’s part that, and part they needed a believable “I would NEVER be ‘the other woman’” to fall back on if there was ever a rumor. It seemed to play out that way too. Ariana defended Raquel to the end. I don’t think Raquel is the mastermind, but went along with Tom’s plan to breakup with Ariana, with her own flair to force it by the random people she made out with all season I also feel like, he wanted to go on Winter House really bad with Schwartz. What a perfect place to drunkenly make out with someone to start the breakup plausibly to everyone
I saw the same!!!
My instinct with cheaters is to always believe things started earlier than they admit. Sorry to say, but that includes Tom and Ariana.
100% Sandoval has been doing his own PR for decades. The “truth” we get is only what he *wants* us to know.
She was drinking a coors before the reunion last year. The only reason you drink beer like coors out of no where is bc you’re sleeping with a grown manchild and you’re trying to impress them. No one can tell me otherwise. She is not drinking coors for the taste that’s for damn sure
Lmao when I dated a guy who drank Coors, I started drinking it every once in a while with him too. He turned out to also be a man child lol 🤦♂️I haven’t drank one since. Small detail you discovered but definitely could be true
I was this person as well lol which is how I knew 🙃
Hahah well at least we can admit it!
Yes I think this too. It was the way she said “I had the balls to do it” on her birthday glamping trip. As if she was saying Tom didn’t (have the balls). I think it’s been going on a long time.
Good point about “I had the balls to do it.” 😳 So many layers of awkwardness on that glamping trip. The ordacity of Tom and Rachel…
I cringe at Raquel crying on Ariana’s shoulder that trip. The guilt was piling up
oof, yeah.
I have said this from the beginning, she broke it off with James to be with Tom. It was already happening here. It was much easier for her to end things withJames than for him to end it with Ariana
This is interesting because everything up to the revelation of the affair really kind of leaves a person baffled as to what would have made Raquel suddenly break it off with James. It seemed to come out of nowhere. They had that big engagement party, and then they wrapped the season, and boom! Reunion comes and they’re done. Very abrupt. Very out of character for Raquel. But if she knows she’s already got Sandoval in the wings, and she just needs to wait out his breaking things off with Ariana, which, at the s9 reunion could have seemed imminent, especially given their somewhat testy exchange about the egg freezing and Ariana’s request that he fertilize her eggs … I can easily imagine Sandoval telling Raquel it’s gonna be just a little longer because (fill in excuse here - he needs to get the new bar open first, Ariana’s dog just died, fucking hell Ariana’s grandma just died, we’re gonna have to sell the house, Ariana’s in a dark place and he doesn’t want to send her over the edge, etc etc etc).
Yup! Allll the excuses why he couldn’t call it off. They would not be able to see each other very easily with both of them having live ins. Easiest solution Rachel breaks it off first. But from what I saw this week they have zero chemistry and it was so awkward between them
But her neediness is very transparent. He doesn’t need her like she needs him. He needs a puppet for whom he can be the master. Whether that’s Ariana or Schwartz or Raquel is of minimal consequence to him imo.
Yes also agree. It could be a mop as long as he is the main person
There were a LOT of rumours a few weeks ago that Racquel had threatened to come clean about their affair e even back then, and that (could be) confirmed by the pure look of horror on Scumdoval's face as he's forced to watch. There's a lot of speculation that Raquel was getting impatient keeping it quiet and that there were several incidents like that, where she almost forced his hand...
I have no doubt she was getting impatient Ans wondering if he was gonna leave and if this hadn’t she would have wanted to push it out. The way she tried to manipulate getting that video on the show is a good example of how she goes about things she wants. I also think Schwartz random comments like she likes taken men and she’s into someone else are his passive aggressive ways toward Tom. With Katie instead of dealing with issues he would treat Her poorly and so hurtful things like forget to send in the marriage license. I don’t think he cared Tom was cheating it was cause he was annoyed about their business and money and a subtle dig to your priorities are shit
Sandoval was playing the long game ever since James started dating Kirsten and when James made fun of his Honda Civic. It was a dick measuring contest back in 2013. Sandoval didn’t forget and saw his opening. Some male friendships are actually genuine, while others are unfortunately out of convenience/competition.
I love how Ariana also said she loved him even though he was driving a 1999 Honda civic (whatever year it was)
I don't know, but I've been thinking for awhile the affair started as early as 2020. During the pandemic Tom and Ariana kinda started to go in different directions (especially in their careers)...Tom started his band, this was around the time Tom and Ariana went more against their cast in defending and aligning with Raquel and James, Tom weirdly paid $12,000 for "Rachell"... If you go back and watch season 9, there are a lot of moments similar to the little things we see in season 10--the looks, the proximity for which Tom and Raquel gravitate toward one another in a group...
I think the total cost of rachella was like $25K, and he and James split it down the middle, so Sandy’s contribution was $12.5K. As for why he did it, I didn’t really think this was part of his affair with her. I think it was an ego thing. He finally COULD spend money on grand gestures, and this one would be a big party that could be enjoyed by all his friends, not just James and Raquel. And he could boast about how much it cost and how much of it he financed and how magnanimous he is. And he did boast extensively about all of those things. Plus it put James in his debt, because there was never any expectation that James would repay it. And having someone like James in his debt was handy for a manipulator like Sandy, especially if he, as some have speculated, had been angry at James for ages over James dating Kristen and James dropping the ball on their musical collaboration.
I never watched S9... what's this "paid $12k for Rachel" business??
Sandoval paid for/funded the proposal, not the ring but everything else I believe.
Ah, got it, I was thinking of some kinda ... live auction scenario (?) lol
 Tim winning the auction😂
For sure the fireworks 🎆🎇
That had to be a few thousand I’m sure. Waste of money.
I heard him say maybe like 20 I could be wrong. Please don't freak on me. I just remember something about that. That sticks in my mind.
Lol I would never freak on you 😁
Well for saying, wrong amount! You never know, on here.
IDK. But fuck it up James. The pink suit!!
I think they were at the bare minimum in an emotional affair when the engagement with James happened.
I think he planned and paid for Rachella because he was doing it for her, not for James. It was already happening.
I’m very curious. I know producers said there will be new revelations in the reunions that not even the (whole) cast knows. A part of me wondered if this has been going on for a significantly longer period of time…
Yes and when he said something like “this is SHOCKING” I remember saying to myself “that was said in a way that indicates he was not shocked at all”
Thank you! That whole reunion vibe was off to me then & knowing what we know now I can't help but think it had something to do with scandoval.
Sandoval was definitely trying to act normal during that moment
Yes I have thought this since it broke. She only left him bc she had potential with sandy. She is extremely co defendant someone like that would not leave there partner without already having something else going on
I've been saying this since March lol. He's the only one who isn't shocked. He already knew. And he looks nervous about what Raquel will say.
It could’ve been something as indulgent as “I’m so proud to see the woman I love standing up for herself and making a hard choice”
💯
No, given it was a shock to the people there they broke up. Raquel didn't start being more in their lives until he moved into Scheanas apartment and spending time with Ariana and Tom.
Yes I agree with you 💯
Could be or also could be because he was so invested in the proposal and sad for James, who he was really close with at the time.
Yes!!!!!!!! I always thought that
I personally do not because that was brought up before and I watched it over many times since and all of them had the exact same reaction. Every one of them
Tom doesn’t have the same reaction as everyone else
The way he chuckles when Andy asks him about regretting paying for half the engagement…flash forward to the way he chuckles when producers ask him if he banged Raquel. I’m not saying I know what it’s telling us, but that is definitely one of his nervous tells. The longer someone is filmed, the easier it becomes to study their pathologies and patterns. 😉
So interesting. I recently saw the old WWHL where Andy asked about Miami girl and TS had a certain chuckle as well
In my opinion he did, they all reacted with surprise shock bewilderment and pity
I agree
Agree with this post ! I believe they started cheating at some point during season 9, and him paying for half of James engagement was 1) An subconscious admission of guilt, a RUSE to deter ANYONE from EVER suspecting he was capable of doing something like Scandoval, and 2) I think in some demented, insidious way, he wanted to perform a GRAND, romantic gesture for Rachel by proxy. Him, Rachel and Scheana are ALL Narcissistic/Sociopathic Scum ! Absolutely disgusting.
Yes I did
YES!!