The 'Shahs of Sunset' star opens up about the Ali Ashouri drama and how it changed her friendships with Reza Farahan and Mercdes Javid.
Destiney Rose is nobody’s pawn.
On the current season of Shahs of Sunset, the reality star's castmates are accusing her of acting as an agent of Mercedes 'MJ' Javid, saying Destiney is stirring up drama on behalf of MJ. It all started when Ali Ashouri, a friend of MJ's, brought to Destiney's attention some suggestive texts that Reza Farahan's husband sent him, including sexts and stories from rumored "naked Jenga" parties. Destiney told Reza's close friend, Mike Shouhed, about it, who then alerted Reza, who in turn confronted Ali. Destiney has said she never had a conversation with MJ about any of this, but Golnesa 'GG' Gharachedaghi claims that Ali told her that MJ orchestrated the whole thing. MJ, so far, has denied being involved.
"There's layers and layers," Destiney tells ET of the situation. "I can't give too much away, but I will say this: it's unfortunate how things play out. People get hurt. And there's a lot of lessons. That a lot for us to learn through this process. And I will say, you just have to tune in, because it goes really deep."
"I can't trust everyone," she teases. "And so, I'm learning this as time goes, that I have to be extremely aware of my surroundings at all times. And that's what I'm learning right now."
While Destiney may not have been directly influenced by MJ to share the information Ali brought to her, she does suggest that MJ played a part in puppeteering the drama.
"The beautiful thing is history, OK?" she shares. "And if you really analyze the history and the whole pattern of certain things that have gone on in the past seasons of Shahs, there's a pattern, there's a repetitive pattern. I will say that I was oblivious to a lot of things."
"History is repeating itself," Destiney declares.
On a recent episode, GG noted that MJ has repeatedly orchestrated attacks against her over the years before a clip package played of various sneaky moments from the show’s past seasons. And, for what it's worth, Destiney now speaks of her relationship with MJ in the past tense, saying she "loved" her and admits that, when the season was all said and done, she was most "disappointed" in MJ.
"I am hurt," she confesses. "There are hurt feelings for sure. I do feel like there's a lot that hasn't been said. But as time goes on, it will all come to light."
"I loved MJ," Destiney goes on to say. "She literally was sister status, you know? So it breaks my heart. It sucks how everything is happening. It really does. And there's times where I'm like, oh my god. Is this serious right now? Is this really happening? Has it become this dark?"
The whole ordeal has led to what appears to be a friendship-ending feud between MJ and Reza, but Destiney cautions that the falling out can't be blamed solely on one person.
"Hurt people hurt people, plain and simple," she says. "And when you're hurting, what do you go to? You go and you want to make sure to hurt the person that is hurting you. Unfortunately, our emotions get the best of us. And so, when someone is doing something that is hurtful or malicious, or sometimes just dumb, sometimes you just don't know better, you know?"
Destiney says that the core of Reza and MJ's issue is communication, and really listening to what the other is saying. The season is building to an explosive confrontation between the two, where water goes flying and hurtful words are spewed back and forth. Destiney describes the moment as being full of "pain, betrayal, hurt, anger [and] sadness." Remember, this all unfolded just as MJ had her baby under dire circumstances; she had to recover in the ICU and undergo an emergency hysterectomy due to birth complications. MJ has been honest about feeling let down by her friends, who didn't show up at the hospital at such a difficult time.
"For us to not be there in her time of need, a lot of us regret some moments," Destiney admits. "And a lot of us wish some things were different. But again, we're human. We all go through these things a little differently."
Another part of this was Reza issuing Destiney an ultimatum, saying she could either be friends with Ali or friends with him, but not both. Destiney shares that she chose Reza and no longer speaks to Ali, whom she'll only refer to as "Mers' friend," adding more fuel to the fire of the rumor that Ali and MJ conspired to stir up drama.
"Listen, we live in a world where people take advantage of certain situations," Destiney offers, seemingly referencing Ali wanting to be not only a part of the friend group, but on the show, too.
"Hands down, Reza is my number one," she adds. "He will always be, with or without this show, in life. Look, our parents rocked with each other since the ‘70s, when they came to the States. So, there's a different bond here, you know? But, I pray to God that Mers and Reza get to a better place. I want to believe that."
While there's still more than half of the season left to play out, Destiney says she’s "excited" to get the reunion "over with," with hopes that it will either mend the group's relationships or, at the very least, provide some closure.
"There's a lot of things that I didn't say [while filming]," she admits. "And there's reasons why. Time will show all of that."
"The reunion is going to be one hell of a reunion, I'll tell you that for sure," she adds.
Destiney will likely have to hash things out at that reunion with Sara Jeihooni, a friend of Reza's who joined the world of Shahs for season eight. The two did not get off on the right foot, with things only getting worse when Destiney took a romantic interest in Sara's brother, Sam.
"From day one, her own brother told me, 'My sister's going to hate on you,'" Destiney recalls. "'My sister is going to do everything in her power to make sure that you and I don't speak.' And sure enough, she tried.”
Destiney says "stay tuned" to see how things with her and Sam unfold after their Las Vegas hookup, but once again speaks in the past tense when talking about Sam.
"It was fun and flirty," she says. "What happens in Vegas doesn't necessarily stay in Vegas. I will say that I'm a single, independent woman who doesn't owe anyone an explanation. No one pays my bills. I take care of everything. Therefore, I can do whatever I want, right? Without having to get anyone's 'permission.'"
"To be quite honest with you, Sara's not my friend," Destiney continues. "That's Reza's friend, you know what I'm saying? I don't owe her anything. The same way she doesn't owe me anything."
Shahs of Sunset moves to Friday nights at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo starting this Friday, March 6.
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