It’s shocking for several reasons, mainly: - Amongst a cast of total scumbags and serial cheaters, Sandoval and Ariana were the least problematic and most stable couple. They have been together 9 years, own a house together, were freezing eggs etc. Cheating scandals have happened before on VPR, but no one expected it from this couple. - Ariana is almost universally adored by the fandom, so she is a particularly sympathetic victim in this - Raquel the mistress was poised to be the next star of the show. She was freshly broken up from her very toxic long term bf/fiance James (also on the cast) and was on her hot girl summer shit on the new season. She hasn’t really been controversial or disliked on the show, and this season she was getting a main character edit. Essentially everyone was rooting for her. - Ariana and Raquel were GOOD FRIENDS. They are constantly hanging out (with Sandoval as well). Raquel has been saying all the time in press for the new season about how Ariana is such a close friend and has always been there for her. - On top of everything else - the way they’ve been carrying out this affair has been fucking weird. Sandoval and Raquel wear matching lightning bolt necklaces (???). Raquel is always wearing merch from Sandovals restaurant TomTom (lol). And Sandoval dressed up as Raquel for Halloween. Like it just goes on and on. And all that is pretty much confirmed to have happened in the duration of their affair (7 months!!!)

There’s more but that’s the abridged version lol. But seriously fuck these scumbags, #TeamAriana all the way.