Monica Garcia may have had an 18-month affair with her brother-in-law, but that's not the reason she and ex-husband Mike Garcia are divorcing for a second time.
"You guys are going to be shocked when you discover the real reasons why we're actually getting a divorce now," The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star exclusively told E! News, "because it's not because of the affair."
But rather, for the parents of four—who first divorced in 2013 before getting back together—the reason was much simpler: They just didn't work.
"My ex and I are great co-parents together," Monica noted. "He is a wonderful dad and provider and we just weren't good together and that's OK. He calls and checks on me. He'll see something in the news and he'll get defensive and be like, 'That's not even true!' I am the mother of his children and we'll always love and respect each other because of that."
On the Bravo series' Sept. 26 episode, the 39-year-old revealed to her costars that she was excommunicated from the Mormon Church over her past relationship with her sister-in-law's husband. And although some castmembers were shocked by the confession, Monica wasn't nervous to open up about the scandal.
"Hopefully I get the chance to clear things up and explain timelines, but the people in my life have already known about this," she explained. "They've already known about the affair, they've already known about the excommunication and we've all had the time to process this information already."
"It is something that I'm telling these women for the first time but it was not something that I was nervous sharing," she continued, "because, as you'll see throughout the season and hopefully at reunion, you'll be able to put pieces together and I understand more so why it's easier for me to discuss."
And even though she was expelled from the church, she's not opposed to her kids embracing religion.
"This is a very personal decision," she shared. "I had religion forced on me growing up as a child and young adult and I'm taking a different approach with my children in regards to that and just supporting their feelings and how they want to do it. If they want to participate and it's important to them, then I support that. If it's something that they disagree with or don't align with, then I support that as well."
See Monica's story unfold when The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Bravo. And keep reading to learn more about season four.
After an icy season, Lisa Barlow is making amends with Meredith, one of her oldest friends, but they still have a long way to go. Lisa is forced to evaluate her new-wave Mormon lifestyle when her oldest son, Jack, is ready to leave the nest to find his place in the Mormon church and starts exploring the traditional elements of the religion. While Lisa enjoys the finer things in life, her luxuries and expensive taste rub some of the women the wrong way, leading to a confrontation with newest housewife Monica.
Monica Garcia is introduced to the group through her friend Angie, but the women quickly realize they recognize her through another familiar face. An excommunicated ex-Mormon, Monica is raising her four children on her own and running her baby products business. To add to her plate, she's also dealing with divorcing her husband for the second time and navigating a volatile relationship with her mother. Blunt, opinionated and never afraid to speak her mind, Monica has no problem saying what she's thinking, even if it lands her in hot water with the other women.
Thriving after the success of her book, Heather Gay earned a spot on the New York Times bestseller's list and bought a new house for her family. After publicly denouncing the Mormon church, her daughters are struggling with the fallout in the Salt Lake City community. Heather and Lisa finally find some common ground and "Bad Weather" makes strides to rebuild their trust in one another, but their relationship is far from fully repaired.
From friend to housewife, Angie Katsanevas owns and operates multiple hair salons around Salt Lake City with her husband, Shawn. When rumors begin to swirl about their marriage, Angie looks to find the culprit before the hearsay can do any damage to their family. Lisa loyally stands by her side as Angie navigates the group's tumultuous and ever-changing dynamics.
Meredith Marks continues to expand her successful jewelry line and donate her time toward charitable causes close to her heart. At home, the kids are thriving and her marriage with Seth is stronger than ever as the pair start a podcast to share advice and anecdotes. Tensions with the women explode when Meredith is accused of dropping bombshells without getting her hands dirty ... yet again.
Whitney Rose focuses her energy on launching a new luxury jewelry line that highlights spirituality and healing. As Justin heads back to work and Whitney dives into the launch of her new brand, the couple struggles to find a balance between life as CEOs and caretakers for their children. Whitney and Heather work on forgiveness and trust, but her relationship with Meredith strays beyond repair after an accusation that rubs Meredith the wrong way.
After a year away from the women, Mary Cosby is back with her unique, unfiltered opinions. Her friendship with Meredith is as strong as ever, but she struggles to find her footing with the other ladies as she navigates old wounds and potential new friendships within the group.
(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family)