The end ofJeff LewisandJenni Pulos‘ nearly 20-year professional and personal relationship finally played out for viewers on Tuesday’s season 11 finale ofFlipping Out. And though each has since expressed a difference of opinion about the circumstances of what went wrong, both Lewis and Pulos appeared to agree on one thing: that they were afraid of a future without the other.
“It’s scary,” Lewis, 49, confessed to cameras, as a montage of their best moments together over the years played. “I’m used to her being the one next to me for the last dozen years. The idea of changing that was scary to me. But I felt like I needed to do this for her and for me.”
“Some people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. I thought it was going to be a lifetime, but I’m grateful to him for so many things,” added Pulos, 45, separately. “So… it’s scary, the future, when you don’t know and you’ve had such a history.”
Jeff Lewis and Jenni Pulos.David Livingston/Getty
In September, PEOPLE broke the news thatLewis and Pulos had parted ways, with sources saying that a blowout fight had come to a head.
On the finale, viewers got to see the argument play out for the cameras. It happened after Pulos said she had sacrificed her acting career to work for Lewis, knowing that going on auditions would mean she wouldn’t be available to fulfill her obligations atJeff LewisDesign.
One of those opportunities included an offer to film a part in an unnamedNicolas Cagemovie.
“Last year I was asked to be on tape and it was a very final audition with an offer and I didn’t do it because it was going to be two weeks out,” Pulos said. “I believe I would have gotten that role. … I should have come to you and said, ‘Hey, I might need to leave for two weeks, is this cool?’ But instead I just said no to it.”
Lewis debated that, saying he always encouraged Pulos’ acting endeavors and would have given her time if she had asked. “I won’t buy into that somehow you turned down a career as an actress but this job is holding you back. I’m not subscribing to any of that,” he said. “I think you’re ashamed of being my assistant.”
“This is the first I’ve heard you say about [that movie], which is why I don’t believe you,” he added. “I believe you would have come to me and I think you would have tried to make it work… I absolutely, for the record, think you are lying.”
Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty
“I’m done. If that’s what you think I am, then don’t be around me,” she continued. “I’ll walk away. This will all continue without me. I don’t need to be here. I don’t want to be in this environment if that’s who somebody really thinks I am.”
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Days later, with tempers cooled, the two came face-to-face at a restaurant for a chat about their friendship.
After hugging, Lewis quickly apologized to Pulos. “I feel really bad about what I did, what I said, and how I acted,” he explained. “I was hurt… but… now, I understand where you were coming from. I certainly didn’t mean to embarrass you. I really am sorry.”
“I do want you to know that I do believe in you and I believe in your talent. I do think that you are going to accomplish everything you want to accomplish,” he added. “I don’t think you’re a liar.”
Pulos thanked Lewis for the apology. “My thing is, I just don’t want you to ever go there with anyone. Not just me, with anyone,” she said. “I felt minimized. I don’t know if you realize how many things you said that were so hurtful. And I want you, as a father, to not ever say that somebody’s dreams or what they have are stupid. Because they’re not.”
She also made it clear that she didn’t regret working with Lewis. “I think where I was most hurt is that you would think I would never care about your business,” she said. “That’s kind of what hurt me to my core. I don’t want you to ever think I didn’t want to be there. That’s not true and you have to believe me.”
Peter Kramer/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Lewis said he did believe her, and praised Pulos for being loyal, committed, and helping him build his business. But in the end, he told her that he couldn’t help but worry that he was holding her back from her acting dreams — stressing how important it was for him to have staff who were fully committed to helping him grow his company.
“I guess what I’m trying to say is I think it’s time to move on,” he said. “I think it’s time for you to move on and I’m eternally grateful to you because I would not be here if it were not for you. … I feel like you need to focus 100 percent on your career.”
To that, Pulos simply said, “Okay.”
Brian Putnam/FilmMagic; Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty
Since then, Lewis and Pulos haven’t spoken. In September, on his SiriusXM radio show, Lewis claimed that Pulos hadn’t worked for him for “years” and that their working relationship had been faked for the show. He also alleged thatPulos filed claims of wrongful termination, abuse and victimizationagainst him.
She vehemently denied that earlier this month whenspeaking out about the fight for the first timein a recent issue of PEOPLE. “Citing wrongful termination claim, wrong. Citing abuse claim, wrong. Citing victimization claim, wrong,” Pulos said. “[Our relationship] was very real. I was his employee and I worked for him. It was very authentic, and that’s important.”
The mother of two added that she was blindsided when he let her go fromJeff LewisDesign. “I had no idea it was coming,” Pulos said.
As of Tuesday,Flipping Outhad not yet been renewed for a twelfth season. Lewis said onJeff LewisLivethat hiscontract with Bravo was not renewedbefore an Oct. 15 deadline. He later clarified that his contract’s expiration doesn’t necessarily mean theshow had been canceled.
A rep for Bravo tells PEOPLE no official decision has been made.
source: people.com
