Paul also questioned whether the relationship had been genuine on both sides. She said she believed she loved him without trying to gain anything from it, but now doubts whether his feelings were authentic.
She added:
“I wish he had been the person he pretended to be ... The mask fell off, and not only with me. We’re both in the wrong. What I can say is I didn’t want to ruin his life, call cops on him, take his child away or claim complete innocence ... that’s the difference between us.”
Why is Mikayla Matthews part of the drama?
Paul’s post also took aim at Mikayla Matthews, her co-star and former close friend, who has distanced herself amid the legal drama involving Mortensen.
Paul made her frustration blunt, writing that Matthews “can go kick rocks instead of kicking me right now.” Subtle it was not.
In the caption, Paul said she wanted to show the uglier side of healing, even though people had warned her to stay offline. That choice fits a familiar pattern for reality TV figures whose personal lives are also their public currency: the court case is in one lane, the Instagram statement is in another, and the audience is watching both.
Paul had shared a similar emotional message on Mother’s Day, saying she felt misunderstood and betrayed by friends while trying to focus on her children.
Where does the custody situation stand?
A judge recently awarded Paul nearly 12 hours of “parent-time” on Mother’s Day with Ever, the son she shares with Mortensen.
Paul had temporarily lost custody of Ever after video surfaced showing her accidentally hitting another one of her children with a barstool during an argument with Mortensen. After that, she was granted 8 hours a week with Ever. The latest ruling increased that time to 12 hours for Mother’s Day.
Paul is also mother to Indy and Ocean, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Tate. In her recent posts, she has said she is trying to focus on her children while navigating the legal and personal fallout.
What is happening with the show?
While Paul’s personal life continues to play out publicly, viewers are also waiting to see when Secret Lives of Mormon Wives resumes filming.
The show is expected to go back into production, but there is reportedly a separate problem: some of the husbands involved in the series are refusing to return unless they receive more money.
Paul’s canceled Bachelorette season is also not listed on ABC’s summer schedule. So, for anyone keeping track, that leaves a custody dispute, fractured friendships, stalled production negotiations and an absent network dating show. Reality television may be chaotic by design, but this is a lot even by its usual standards.
