Nikki Bella is sick of the judgment when it comes to her relationship with Dancing With the Stars pro Artem Chigvintsev, especially when it comes to twin sister Brie Bella.
In Sunday’s all-new episode of Total Bellas Sunday, Nikki was excited to have reunited with her former DWTS pro as part of a plan to get back in shape for Evolution, but sister Brie didn’t think it was such a good idea for the two to be seen together, especially after calling off her engagement to John Cena last year.
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“I don’t know if I would use him,” she told her confused sister. “I just think how you guys’ chemistry was, it would cause rumors.”
When Nikki pointed out that “chemistry is not just romantic,” Brie countered by pointing out how physical the two are when they’re performing.
“Brie, that’s dancing,” Nikki replied. “I have amazing chemistry with people in the ring and people don’t call me a lesbian. I’m just trying to prove a point!”
That didn’t change Brie’s mind, however, as she told her twin, “You don’t think the media’s gonna blow it out of proportion and make up all this B.S.?”
“I just think that’s crazy,” Nikki told the camera. “I grew a huge passion for dancing [during Dancing With the Stars], that’s my dancing pro who I’m so comfortable dancing with and one of my good friends.”
Brie asked, “What if all the sudden they make you out as a cheater or, ‘Why her relationship came to an end is because of this guy’?”
Nikki was not happy with her sister shutting the idea down, saying, “It just sucks because I’m in a situation where I feel like everyone’s telling me how to live my life.”
“Unfortunately, that’s the position we’re in,” Brie responded.
“My sister right now is under a microscope,” she continued to the camera. “She was so upset when her break-up happened, and when she was dancing with Artem on Dancing With the Stars, people would always make these comments. They would write all this stuff on John’s page and then on her page and Artem.”
She continued, “Right now, I’m just thinking about the future. I want all our brands to be set…everything we’ve built for the last decade.”
Later, when recalling the conversation to her mom, Nikki started to break down in tears.
“He’s a good friend, and I can’t be seen with that person because of the timing of everything?” she said. “I’m so f—ing sick of hiding. I’m just so f—ing exhausted from it all. I’m just sick of being judged for everything I do or I can’t do things because of what people assume.”
She continued, “I just feel like right now, I’m having such a break down, and it’s really hard to handle because everyone is telling me how to live, and I’m not living how I want to live.”
The Bella twins’ mom was less conservative in her advice to her daughter: “People who judge you should f—ing judge themselves,” she told her. “All you have to do is be OK with yourself and protect yourself.”
“I’m just a girl who’s trying to live the life she wants to live and be happy,” Nikki said. “I’m sorry if you don’t approve of that.”
Total Bellas airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on E!
Photo credit: Getty / Tibrina Hobson
