Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Mikayla Matthews there is a lot to say about it Taylor Frankie Paul calling him “friend of the serpent.”
“I could probably write a book on everything I’ve said about this. Nothing I’ve said is denying that you’ve been through pain, trauma, or difficult things, there’s no question about that,” Matthews, 26, wrote in the comments section of a fan video discussing the drama between her and Paul, which was shared via Instagram on Sunday, May 10.
Matthews added that he “never” wants to see Paul “fail, suffer, or be withdrawn.”
“It was about not wanting to participate in public anymore or getting used to a cycle that affected everyone around them, especially when children and repeated violence were involved,” he replied.
Matthews also called out Paul because someone had been a bad friend to him.
“One thing that will not go with me is the story of bad friends and friends who are snakes.” Especially when so many of us spent years putting real care, time, energy, and emotional effort into trying to support her in incredibly toxic situations,” she wrote. “Like the weeks we removed from our newborn stage, not even months after giving birth, but weeks after giving birth To check in on her and support her journey on The Bachelorette, even though we knew she wasn’t taking it seriously and wasn’t ready to continue.”
Matthews also revealed that she’s been battling her own issues lately, as she confirmed her split from husband Jace Terry on season 4 of Mormon Wives earlier this year. He then moved to Hawaii to seek treatment for his chronic illness. (She and Terry, 30, share four children.)
“To take years out of our lives, time away from our families, our minds, our healing, our many ‘Mother’s Day’ moments, putting a friend and her trauma first because of friendship and genuine care, only to have it diminish and continue while being instilled in the attitude of ‘I can do what I want and hurt people,’ when I say it hurts whatever I want to people. Matthews argued. “Compassion can only exist if it helps one person.”
Although Matthews and Paul aren’t on the best of terms right now, he made it clear that he still wishes his former friend the best.
“I have never once attacked his character or tried to tear him down the way everyone wants people to believe,” he explained. “If anything, I have always agreed that he loves his children and that he has a good heart and I want nothing more than for him to be happy and get well.”
The Mormon Wives cast has been going back and forth since earlier this month when fans accused Matthews of not supporting Paul and costar Jessi Draper through their tough times.
Paul has been dealing with a number of legal issues over the past few years stemming from domestic disputes with ex-wife Dakota Mortensen. Both suspects were granted protective orders by a judge last month and Paul currently does not have custody of their son Ever, 2. Draper, meanwhile, is in the midst of a divorce from her husband, Jordan Ngatikaura. Ngatikaura, 31, filed for divorce from Draper in March. (Paul is also mother to daughter Indy and son Ocean, with ex-husband Tate Paul. Draper and Ngatikaura share children Jagger and Jovi.)
While Paul and Draper continue to make headlines with their ups and downs, Matthews addressed the allegations that he doesn’t support them or a supportive friend on Saturday, May 9.
“I feel sick to my stomach and feel bad for what everyone involved must be feeling and going through,” Matthews wrote on Instagram in his defense. “However, it’s not my job to enable bad or dangerous behavior in any group, especially when children are involved. That doesn’t mean I don’t love them or don’t want the best for their individual futures. It just means I can’t sit here and act like it’s okay that years of harmful behavior is now being discussed more than ever online and turned into a game of ‘picking sides’.”
The next day, Paul waded into the conversation by calling Matthews a “snake friend” on social media.
“It’s Mother’s Day so I’ll say whatever I want, as if it’s not too late. [sic] STILL the ‘friends’ who kick me when I’m down and call me ‘setting a boundary’ BLAMES ME for being upset and responding,” he wrote on Instagram on Sunday.
Paul continued, “I have never once.” [I] I called myself a ‘victim’ but I AM HUMAN and I have strong points. What a snake friend he just did to me in front of people after everything he saw…
