Kim Richards admitted that she didn’t talk to or see Kyle Richards after news broke of her separation from Mauricio Umansky while attending Kathy Hilton‘s Christmas party on Tuesday night.
As Kim, 59, and Kyle, 54, seemingly reunited for the first time in months at their older sister’s event, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum spoke of her estrangement from Kyle, discussed a potential Bravo return, and gushed over Mauricio, 53, as Kyle reflected on her season 13 challenges.
“[I] was not looking forward to shooting this season,” Kyle revealed to PEOPLE. “It’s a storyline, but that storyline is my life. I don’t have a great poker face, so it was a challenge for me and I didn’t expect some of the women to come at me regarding my marriage.”
“I felt like they could have been more supportive,” she added of her co-stars. “It’s been difficult.”
As Kyle struggled to film the season amid her marital issues with Mauricio, Kim said the two of them did not interact due to Kyle keeping her distance — although she tried.
“I don’t know anything about what’s going on with her. I didn’t talk to Kyle,” Kim explained. “She didn’t call me at all really, but I called her every day or at least once a week and just said ‘I love you. I’m here for you.’ I was hurt because I’ve always been her go-to. When her friend Lorene died, I was the one she came to.”
After Kim signaled the 2022 death of Kyle’s close friend, Kathy, 64, noted, “She’s been through a lot this year,” and Kyle confessed to distancing herself.
“When I’m struggling, I keep to myself a lot. That’s how I kind of operate. I get quiet,” Kyle said.
“You didn’t used to be like that,” Kim replied.
“Well, I am now,” Kyle explained.
According to Kathy, no one knew what was going on between Kyle and Mauricio over the summer.
“Nobody knew if they were going to work it out. On the one hand you don’t really want to say anything because there are four children,” Kathy shared. “What I wanted to do was send her a lot of fun things to make her laugh, but also spiritual quotes. She really appreciated that.”
After Kathy then noted that her and Kyle’s season 12 falling out was short-lived and said she, Kyle, and Kim are “ride-or-die,” Kyle expressed excitement for the holiday season.
“It’s nice because the holidays are when you really want to be with your family and if you’re having issues you miss them the most during the holidays, so it’s nice to all be together,” she stated.
As Kim continues to “[work] on [herself]” away from the spotlight, she agreed that the holidays would be a time for their family to unite.
“I think tonight is a kick-off to the holidays because I haven’t seen Kyle and I miss her,” she shared. “I was worried about her, and I was hurt — just all kinds of little things that I felt because I didn’t hear from her. I just wanted to hear her voice to let me know she was OK.”
During another interview with E! News, Kim revealed if she is open to a comeback on RHOBH.
“For me, I will never say never but most likely not,” she admitted. “I would rather do something with the three of us away from that kind of negativity. It’s awful. Where do you find people that go to a party and throw a drink at your face? Or they try to choke you?”
She also shared her thoughts on Mauricio.
“I have never said a bad word about Mauricio, I don’t know anything bad about him,” Kim said. “He is an amazing dad, amazing father and that’s what I can say. The way his girls love him and the way he loves his girls.”
“[It’s] all about the children for them,” Kathy agreed of Kyle and Mauricio’s three daughters, Alexia Umansky, 27, Sophia Umansky, 23, and Portia Umansky, 15, and Kyle’s oldest, Farrah Aldjufrie, 35, who Mauricio helped raise.
As RHOBH fans may have seen, Kyle and Mauricio recently celebrated Thanksgiving as a family, which Kyle said came easy for the two of them.
“Mauricio and I get along very well. Obviously it is a difficult time, but we have never been a couple that fights,” she stated. “My kids have said they have literally never heard a fight between us in their entire lives.”
“It’s something I am very proud of,” Kyle added. “We live under the same roof. We had all our friends and kids, everybody seemed happy. Is it ideal? Probably not. It is traditional? No, but it’s working for us.”
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 13 airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on Bravo.