Teresa Giudice and sister-in-law Melissa Gorga have had one of the most tumultuous relationships on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and with the pair currently not speaking, Melissa said she has no regrets cutting Teresa off. Melissa married Teresa's brother Joe Gorga back in 2004, and 18 years and three kids later, the couple is still going strong--despite the fights between them on RHONJ. Even though Melissa and Joe always manage to make up, the same can't be said for Melissa and Teresa. The two have bickered on television for years since Melissa joined the RHONJ season 3 cast, though tensions slightly died in later seasons after the Giudices and Gorgas went head-to-head in seasons 3 and 4.
The feud between Teresa and Melissa quickly heated back up while the pair were filming RHONJ season 12, however. While Teresa was once friends with co-star Margaret Josephs, their friendship dissolved back during season 10 after Teresa encouraged Danielle Staub to pull Margaret's hair--which did not fly with Melissa, who has remained close friends with Margaret. Between Teresa's criticized engagement to Luis Ruelas and Joe's arguments with his 21-year-old niece Gia, Melissa confirmed in April that she has refused to speak to Teresa since the RHONJ season 12 reunion. With Bravo already airing the first two parts of the reunion, fans watched Joe storm off and threaten to quit the series after Teresa called her brother a "b**** boy."
Speaking more about her feud with Teresa, Melissa told Mention It All podcast host Dylan Hafer that she "truly has no guilt" about how things have gone down between them. While Melissa recognized her faults in their soured relationship and understood how some of her previous actions offended Teresa, Melissa ultimately said she continuously put her best foot forward to no avail. "I tried really hard, and I know that I tried hard," the Envy by Melissa Gorga owner reasoned. "I truly feel like I have hit every avenue...I've definitely tried. I've definitely reached out [to Teresa]."
After years of apologies and attempts to move forward on both sides, Melissa said that although the drama between her and Teresa is hard, she feels "a little free," being able to admit that they may never see completely eye-to-eye. "It's okay to say that we don't have the best relationship, and I don't feel guilty saying that." Revealing that she primarily tried to get along with Teresa for Joe and his parents--who were frequently featured in early seasons of RHONJ--the 42-year-old said that Joe and Teresa's parents' passing does make the situation between them worse. Luckily, Melissa said, "I have a huge family and [Joe's] very involved with my family."
Teresa and Joe have stated multiple times throughout their years on RHONJ that family is the most important thing to them, and while Teresa is completely dedicated to her four daughters, Joe has made several efforts to defend his sister. Most recently, fans may recall Joe having a hard time admitting Teresa's fault in spreading a rumor about Jackie Goldschneider's husband, Evan, during the RHONJ season 11 reunion. Joe and Melissa complained that Teresa has not reciprocated their loyalty several times, and it seems that the Gorgas have finally had enough. Teresa and Luis plan to wed later this year, but it's clearer than ever that her brother and sister-in-law will not be there.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey part 3 reunion airs May 17 at 8 p.m. EDT on Bravo.
Source: Mention It All/Apple Podcasts