Bethenny Frankel opens up about breakup with fiancé Paul Bernon: 'I wasn't happy'
Following a highly publicized breakup, Bethenny Frankel is getting candid about her split from fiancé Paul Bernon.
"The Real Housewives of New York City" alum opened up about the former couple's relationship during Sunday's episode of the "Just B with Bethenny Frankel" podcast. Frankel and Bernon reportedly broke up around March after six years of dating.
"I went through a breakup. It was something that I kept to myself," Frankel said. "It was something that I mourned on my own, and I did therapy, and I did the work and I just didn't feel like it needed to be shared.
"It was a breakup that I wanted to process alone privately, and I didn't feel that I owed anybody any explanation."
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Frankel also detailed her experience of revisiting the breakup when media coverage of Bernon's new relationship with Aurora Culpo surfaced.
Bethenny Frankel says she 'initiated' breakup with Paul Bernon
While Frankel's breakup with Bernon was "certainly mutual," the TV personality said she "initiated" the split.
"I wasn't happy. Something needed to change," Frankel said. "The relationship had its challenges, and nobody dumped anybody. But I went through it. I was scared because of my past and my abandonment issues."
She continued: "I get very scared when there's any sort of change in someone you depend on and someone that you love, but I knew that it was ultimately the right thing. And I really made peace with it, and I was happy. I was thriving, and I was surviving."
However, three months after their breakup, Bernon was reportedly spotted "making out" with Culpo, sister of actress and model Olivia Culpo.
Bethenny Frankel says it was 'gutting' to learn Paul Bernon was dating Aurora Culpo
Frankel said it was "gutting" to come across extensive media coverage of Bernon's relationship with Culpo, which she said felt like being "inside someone else's relationship."
Frankel said while she initially chose not to address Bernon's new relationship because she was "focusing on myself," she said she struggled to see herself depicted as "some sort of spinster that's just home crying, suffering a breakup, and watching this new transition."
"I started to see my name in headlines being portrayed as the jilted ex who had been upgraded from, that my ex had moved on from me with a younger woman," Frankel said. "It regurgitated the continuous narrative that he is a very under-the-radar person who had now gotten serious with someone, had a girlfriend, met her family, met her kids."
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Despite their whirlwind romance, Bernon and Culpo reportedly broke up after two months of dating.
"I just want to say that I'm OK," Frankel said. "I mean, it was rough because I had to experience the same breakup twice, but way worse the second time because I had to hear about all these details."
Bethenny Frankel reveals she messaged Olivia Culpo amid Paul Bernon breakup
Frankel said she reached out to Culpo's sister Olivia before the "media spectacle" of Bernon and Culpo’s relationship "got out of hand."
The former "RHONY" star said the actress's "sweet" response gave her some emotional solace.
"She was really nice and said she's a fan and (that) she has all my books and she really looks up to me," Frankel said. "That was really kind, and it was actually a nice warm blanket during this whole crazy thing."
Frankel remained optimistic about her healing journey following her breakup with Bernon.
"I am in therapy. I am working on myself,” Frankel said. “I am confident. I am single. I am independent. I am happy, and I will survive this."