The love triangle that sent shockwaves through Vanderpump Rules fans—Tom Sandoval cheating on Ariana Madix with her close friend Raquel Leviss—has remained one of the most controversial and talked-about events in reality TV history.
Dubbed “Scandoval,” the fallout from this affair dominated headlines for months, and left viewers wondering: did Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss break up after it all came crashing down?
The short answer? Yes. But as with most reality TV relationships, the full story is much more complicated. Sandoval recently opened up about the emotional rollercoaster of his relationship with Raquel, revealing how deeply he was invested and why the connection ultimately didn’t last. From public shame to personal transformation, here’s how things unraveled.
A Scandal Heard Around the World
When the news first broke in early 2023 that Tom Sandoval had been having an affair with Raquel Leviss behind Ariana Madix’s back, fans of Vanderpump Rules were stunned.
Sandoval and Madix had been together for nearly a decade, and Leviss was considered a close friend to both. The betrayal hit hard, and the scandal quickly went viral—earning the nickname “Scandoval.”
The affair, which played out on and off the show, didn’t just shake up the group dynamic on Vanderpump Rules—it became a major cultural talking point. But beyond the drama and headlines, there were two people at the center trying to figure out what their relationship actually meant.
Sandoval Says It Was “More Than Just an Affair”
In a candid December 7 appearance on the Two Ts in a Pod podcast, Tom Sandoval broke his silence about what happened after the scandal exploded. For the first time, he peeled back the layers of what his relationship with Raquel—who now goes by her birth name, Rachel—really meant to him.
“I fought so hard for Rachel,” he said emotionally. “I stopped drinking. I stopped smoking cigarettes because she went away to a facility. I’m like, ‘She can’t drink, she can’t smoke. I’m going to quit.’”
Sandoval went on to reveal that it had been eight months since he last drank alcohol—something he hadn’t done since he was 16. “And I stopped for her,” he explained. “And I was there in any way she needed me.”
His decision to give up alcohol and cigarettes wasn’t just about solidarity. It was a personal transformation that came from genuinely caring about Rachel’s well-being. The way he spoke about her painted a picture of a man who was more than just infatuated—he believed he was in love.
“We were best friends,” he continued. “It’s heartbreaking to go through. I was fully in love with her. This is not just some hot girl. Come on, I was a model for like 15 years, it’s deeper than that. It’s more than that.”
Raquel (Rachel) Leviss Steps Away
While Sandoval might have been ready to fight for their relationship, Rachel Leviss took a different path. In April, she made a public announcement that she would be stepping away from the spotlight to seek mental health treatment at a facility. It was a clear sign that she needed to focus on healing, both emotionally and psychologically.
In a statement to Entertainment Tonight, Rachel expressed remorse for her role in the scandal and acknowledged the patterns of behavior that had contributed to the affair.
“I have sought emotional validation through intimate connections that are not healthy without regard for my own well-being,” she wrote. “Sometimes negatively affecting others and often prioritizing the intimate connection over my friendships.”
Rachel went on to describe her behavior as stemming from “an addiction to being and feeling loved.” It was a raw and vulnerable admission—one that seemed to highlight why she and Sandoval might not have been in the healthiest place to sustain a real relationship in the wake of Scandoval.
Her decision to enter treatment ultimately put a pause, and then an end, to her connection with Sandoval. While he waited and hoped for reconciliation, she pulled away completely.
The Fallout and the Cut-Off
By the time Sandoval recorded his Two Ts in a Pod podcast appearance, the separation between him and Rachel seemed definitive. When asked if he still missed her, he responded, “Yes, of course, I do.” But any lingering hope he had for the relationship appeared to be one-sided.
He revealed that Rachel had “shooed” him away after the public fallout. Their communication ended, and the bond that once existed was severed. It wasn’t just a breakup—it was a hard stop.
“I hope she did [love me],” he said, clearly still holding on to some emotional residue. “I don’t know.”
Meanwhile, his relationship with Ariana Madix was, unsurprisingly, nonexistent. Sandoval confirmed he no longer speaks to his ex, who was deeply hurt by both the betrayal and the public exposure of their personal lives.
In hindsight, some fans have questioned whether Sandoval and Rachel’s relationship was built on real love or the thrill of secrecy. But if you ask Sandoval, the feelings were real—and serious.
He was quick to shut down the idea that Rachel was just another fling or someone chasing fame. “I hope she liked me for me and not for fame,” he said, though it was clear he still had doubts.
His comments reflect the complex nature of a romance that was born out of deception but, in his eyes, grew into something genuine. And maybe that’s the hardest part of the whole story—for both him and Rachel.
So, did Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss break up after Scandoval? Yes. Their relationship did not survive the scandal, the backlash, or the emotional toll it took on both of them.
Rachel chose to prioritize her mental health and step away from the spotlight, cutting ties with Sandoval in the process. Sandoval, on the other hand, seems to be left sorting through the emotional wreckage, still unsure of what was real and what was circumstantial.
Their story didn’t end with a dramatic TV confrontation or an explosive reunion—it ended quietly, with a retreat into self-reflection and silence.
And perhaps that’s fitting for a relationship that began in shadows and secrecy. After all the headlines, it turns out that the real heartbreak happened behind closed doors.
