Love Is Blind Season 7: Inside the Breakup of Monica Davis and Stephen Richardson

In a dramatic turn of events on Netflix‘s “Love is Blind” Season 7, Monica Davis and Stephen Richardson ended their relationship following the revelation of illicit text messages. The recent batch of episodes released this week detail the off-camera discovery that led to their breakup. Monica, 29, discovered texts of a “sexual” nature on Stephen’s phone, which he allegedly sent to another woman during a “drunken mistake.”

As reported by Netflix, Stephen, 34, attempted to explain that the texts were sent during a sleep test when he was inebriated. However, Monica was unconvinced and decided to end their relationship.To further solidify her stance, Monica expressed to EW her desire for their breakup to be on film, ensuring Stephen couldn’t later downplay the incident.

Monica told EW that she discovered the texts by coincidence and, though she doesn’t recall the specific details, she remembers them being “really very sexual.” One text in particular stood out: “No one’s ever been able to satisfy my kinks the way you do.”

Reflecting on the relationship’s termination, Monica revealed to EW that she requested Stephen reimburse her for shared expenses via Venmo, a practice she developed after previous boyfriends failed to pay her back. Items included in her request were groceries and dinners, amounting to “a couple hundred bucks.”

Despite the breakup, both Monica and Stephen expressed no regrets about their “Love is Blind” experience. Stephen shared on Instagram that the experience, both “on and off camera,” created beautiful memories he would never trade. Monica echoed these sentiments, valuing the lessons learned.

The couple’s journey on the show began with an emotional engagement proposal. “I’ve been waiting 36 years to find you,” Monica told Stephen in the pods before they traveled with other couples to Mexico. It was during this retreat that the surface tensions came to a head with the discovery of the incriminating texts.

Parallel to Monica and Stephen’s narrative, another couple, Brittany Wisniewski and Leo Braudy, also parted ways. Their breakup stemmed from a lack of chemistry discovered during a trip to Miami, where they concluded they were better off as friends, as stated by Leo to People magazine.

In this latest release, episodes one to nine are currently available, with episodes ten and eleven set to premiere on October 16. The remaining couples in the show include Taylor and Garrett, Nick and Hannah, Marissa and Ramses, Tim and Alex, and Ashley and Tyler.

Marissa and Ramses’s relationship also presented a new dynamic for “Love is Blind,” as it touched upon politics and worldview discussions, highlighting diverging perspectives on topics such as American imperialism and military culture.

Reality shows like “Love is Blind” continue to explore the interpersonal stories of their participants, revealing the complex dynamics and intimate conflicts that challenge modern relationships.