Merissa Pence opens up to ET about why she decided to warn Peter about her former friend, Victoria Fuller.
Peter Weber's first one-on-one date with Victoria Fuller on The Bachelor was interrupted by drama concerning someone from her past, and on Monday night's episode, their hometown date was interrupted by someone from his.
The Delta pilot's ex-girlfriend, Merissa Pence, approached Peter outside a bar in Virginia Beach, Virginia, to warn him about Victoria, telling him that "there's been many relationships broken up because of her." Their unexpected conversation was filmed and played out Monday night, and Peter brought up her claim to Victoria, who refuted it. "For her to say that is very disappointing," Victoria said. "I haven't broken up any relationships, so what relationship did she say that I broke up?"
"She didn't give me details, but these are her words. And obviously you can see how that would put me in a bad headspace," Peter replied.
Peter seemingly trusted Merissa’s claim enough to consider it given their past; they dated for about six months in 2012, and according to her, ended their relationship on good terms. To that end, on Monday night’s episode Peter appeared happy to see her.
Merissa met Victoria in Virginia Beach after she moved there from Los Angeles; years after she and Weber had gone their separate ways. In an interview with ET, Merissa explains why she confronted Weber and is making these claims about Victoria.
Merissa describes being put off by their first encounter, claiming Victoria said she “was going to slash my tires because I was hanging out with one of her ex-boyfriends." However, the pair ran in the same social circles, she says, and often hung out together after that.
"I still had my complications with Victoria, and I always tried to get along with her, but the last night that her and I hung out before she left for The Bachelor was awful," Merissa tells ET. She alleges that Victoria boasted about being cast on the show, how she would become famous and how it was a "business decision." The experience was uncomfortable for Merissa, given her history with Peter. She says Victoria was aware of their past.
Merissa attended Peter and Victoria’s hometown date in Virginia Beach as a spectator, she says: "I went there with no intentions or knowing I was going to talk to Peter.”
Merissa decided to approach Peter with her warning as he headed to his car at the date’s end. "I took it upon myself to call out his name and have a conversation with him," she says.
"I just did this for the people who don't have a voice," Merissa tells ET of bringing up the relationships Victoria allegedly broke up. "I feel like I have been that voice for them, and that's kind of been my mindset on all of this.” Merissa claims the people involved in the relationships she says Victoria “broke up” don’t want to be named or come forward themselves.
Merissa says telling Peter to "be careful" was her way of saying, "You need to send her home."
"I just wanted him to end his relationship with Victoria. I kind of knew -- when I found out she was going on the show -- how this would play out,” she shares.
“I was there to warn him and present facts if he asked, but I wasn't there to slander her name or say bad words or call her names. I was not there for that. That's not me, that's not who I wanted to be portrayed as," she explains.
"But his reaction, I mean -- he was definitely shocked. And he had asked me, 'Why didn't you tell me sooner?' And I said, 'You don't have a phone. How am I supposed to contact you? There was no way for me to get to you sooner,'” Merissa says. "I think he was definitely shocked."
Merissa recalls Peter asking if she was sure about her claim. "He left our conversation definitely upset, but he gave me a hug after and told me that he trusted my word and would take it into consideration, which -- at the end of the day -- that's really all I needed to hear," she says.
The marketing coordinator has since reached out to Peter, but hasn't gotten a response. "I wasn't there to get Peter back or open up this new conversation," she proclaims. "I just really wanted him to know her as a person and [say], 'Please do not propose to her, because this is not going to work out for you.'"
Merissa says she has run into Victoria since that date in Virginia Beach. "We had a semi-confrontation at one of the local bars here a couple weekends after she got back from The Bachelor," she says, alleging that Victoria yelled at her, "You're a f**king loser!" from across the bar. "Those words do not hurt me, and I was confident in what I did... I don't take any offense to that. It is what it is, but I think that's just her way of expressing that she's upset, which is fine."
As for who Merissa thinks Peter should end up with, she believes Madison is "the most genuine and pure person" on the season. "I connect with her on a real level. I feel like she's a real girl, she's there for the right reasons and I just appreciate her not getting involved in the drama. I feel so bad for Peter, because I feel like there's been so much drama, whether it involves him or not.”
"I hope at the end of this show, he at least has found someone that is perfect for him. And if he didn't, I know he will," Merissa says.
The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. See more in the video below.
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