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Real Housewives of Potomac star Mia Thornton has opened up about the trials and tribulations that led to her separation from her soon-to-be ex-husband, Gordon Thornton.
During the latest episode of RHOP on Dec. 3, the 39-year-old housewife revealed that “a financial change” caused marital strife in her union with the 71-year-old entrepreneur.
“We have recently gone through a financial change with our business, and having to downsize, and having to navigate a lot,” Mia confessed during an intense therapy session with Gordon.
“The relationship between Gordon and I has definitely changed. Ever since Gordon was voted out of the family business, he’s been working a lot more because we were expanding our portfolio with other partnership groups, so it is causing a lot of tension inside of our marriage,” she continued. “And, to me, spending time with the kids and having balance is so much better than us always working and then we look up and our kids are grown.”
At one point, Mia alleged that her marriage became so rocky, that she retained a divorce lawyer. Gordon, who was unaware of the star’s decision, was shocked by the confession.
“I had no idea it had gotten that bad with her; that’s why I’m focusing on really trying to listen,” the businessman, who runs the Joint Chiropractic company alongside his soon-to-be ex-wife, said.
Mia added, “Gordon was really so focused on work, and then we started to argue. I told myself I won’t allow my children to hear Mommy and Daddy arguing.”
The RHOP star, who shares two children with the business guru, told her therapist that she wasn’t happy Gordon was putting his busy work schedule over his family. She wanted her husband to “retire” so that he could spend more time with the family, but the matriarch claimed that Gordon never listened to her when she tried to talk things through.
Gordon explained that he was just trying to meet his financial “goals” so that he could take care of the family.
“I set goals, and then I don’t let anything get in the way. I go get it. I wanted to get to a certain economic level, so that [Mia] and the kids would be set no matter what happened to me,” he shared during the therapy session on Sunday’s episode of RHOP. “I was almost there, so I was really pushing hard to get those last few nuggets.”
Gordon wants to keep working as he ages, but Mia doesn’t agree with his decision.
“I honestly think that, despite my feelings and how I feel about it from a personal level that Gordon is going to go full force at it from a business level, no matter who they are, and I just don’t agree with it. And it’s, like, f-cking with me, because it’s not the guy that I married,” the housewife added.
In September, Mia announced that she and Gordon were separating after 11 years of marriage.
“Like all marriages, ours has had its ups and downs,” the RHOP star said in a statement to People. “At this time, Gordon and I are separated, but my family is my number one priority, and I am committed to doing whatever it takes to make sure we are okay.”
The couple, who were married in March 2012, share two children together: Jeremiah Carter, 8, and daughter Juliana, 6. They each also have one child from a previous relationship.
