The former reality star, who is in a custody battle over her daughter with her ex-husband Hoppy, recounts some words he allegedly said after she told him she wanted to get divorced.
- May 29, 2014
AceShowbiz - Bethenny Frankel is fighting her estranged husband Jason Hoppy over the custody of their 4-year-old daughter Bryn. The former star of "The Real Housewives of New York City" and the father of her daughter showed up in court in New York City on Wednesday, May 28. Frenkel is seeking primary custody of the little girl while Hoppy wants joint custody.
During the court session, Frenkel claimed that Hoppy threatened to "destroy" her when she wanted to go separate ways. "If you don't want to be with me and you're ending this marriage, I want nothing to do with you ever again. I'm going to destroy you," Hoppy allegedly told her, as reported by New York Daily News. "You're already losing fans. I'm going to ruin you."
The couple announced their separation in 2013 after three years of marriage. Frankel alleged that Hoppy became "brutal, horrendous, excruciating" after she said she wanted to get divorced.
"The person I knew before that letter vanished. Every action during the day, it felt like, was being done to torture me. He would leave the house in shambles - dishes piled everywhere, garbage piled everywhere. He'd pee and poop and leave it in the toilet ... He would turn the television on as loud as he could and then put the remote in his backpack and leave with it," she was quoted as saying. Frenkel told the court that she finally moved out of their apartment earlier this year.
Hoppy's lawyer Bernard Clair, meanwhile, argued in the court that Frenkel only cared about herself. "Bethenny Frankel's priority is Bethenny Frankel. In pursuit of career success, she has used the child as a prop." Clair alleged that Frankel's character in her upcoming children's book was modeled after Bryn and that the former reality star arranged them to be photographed with a product from her Skinnygirl line. According to Clair, Frankel took Bryn's favorite clothes and toys when she left their home.
Clair later told PEOPLE that the battle probably would take place for a while, saying, "What happened in court speaks for itself. It's the first mile of a marathon." The next court session is scheduled for June 11.
