Kyle Richards Admits Cheating Rumors Did 'Chip Away' at Her Marriage and Make Her 'Insecure' (Exclusive)

In PEOPLE's exclusive sneak peek, 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' star holds back tears discussing the effect of 10 years of doubts that her costar Erika Girardi calls "a campaign of whispers"

Kyle Richards is sharing more about how the cheating rumors involving her husband Mauricio Umansky began to eat at her confidence and trust in their marriage.

In PEOPLE's exclusive sneak peek at the third installment of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 13 reunion, Kyle confesses to host Andy Cohen that after years of rumors about her husband’s alleged infidelity, it began to “chip away” at her.

Kyle confirms with Andy, 55, that the tabloids discussed on season 4 were about rumors about Mauricio's alleged infidelity.

“He would say to me, you know, we can't care. We know the truth and you know,” says Kyle, 55. “Of course, there's always that little voice in my head like, ‘What if this is true?’ People would say these things all the time —”

“Even if they’re not true,” interjects her sister Kathy Hilton, 64.

“The damage is done no matter what,” says castmate Erika Girardi, as Kathy adds, “It’s a shadow of doubt.”

Erika, 52, then explains, “It's a campaign of whispers. Whispers around, and then that's how it becomes ugly.”

Wanting clarification, Andy asks Kyle, "Did those rumors over the years cause you to chip away at your trust for him?'

“Yes,” she responds through her tears. “And they made me feel insecure.”

Kathy comes to her sister’s defense, noting, “You know what? People I know, when you're high profile, they're gonna say, ‘You're this, you're that.’ They're gonna make stories up....”

“They're trying to make you feel bad,” Kyle chimes in. “And it works.”

“And it does work,” Kathy and Erika both confirm.

Related: Kyle Richards Says Living with Daughters and Mauricio Umansky After Split Is 'Working for Now' But 'Can't Stay'

Kathy's proclamation comes after she said on last week's episode that she believed Kyle was considering the separation for “three or four years.”

"[Kyle's] not a compulsive person," Kathy said ahead of her appearance on stage. "She didn't decide this in three months. For sure, I bet she had been thinking — in my feeling — probably in the last three, four years."

Related: RHOBH: Kyle Refuses to Be Punished for Keeping Her 'Painful' Separation from Mauricio a Secret: 'I Wasn't Ready'

A source first reported to PEOPLE in July 2023 that the couple "have been separated for a while now but are still living under the same roof. They remain amicable as they figure out what’s next for them and their family."

Soon after the news of their separation went public, Kyle and Mauricio denied rumors they were getting divorced. Then, the couple confessed to having a "rough year" in a joint Instagram statement.

The pair first met in 1994 and married in January 1996. They share daughters Alexia, 27, Sophia, 24, and Portia, 16, as well as Kyle's eldest daughter Farrah Brittany, 35, (née Aldjufrie) from her first marriage to ex Guraish Aldjufrie.

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Part 3 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 13 reunion airs Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo and will be available to stream the next day on Peacock.

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