Lara Sophia 
RHOP star Candiace Dillard admits she feels “vindicated” after her husband Chris Bassett’s alleged mistress admits she lied about the affair.
“Is it nice be vindicated? I guess,” Candiace Dillard admitted on Page Six’s “Virtual Reali-Tea” podcast.
However, the 37-year-old says the rumors have left scars on her relationship with Real Housewives of Potomac co-star Robyn Dixon, who perpetuated the painful gossip on her Reasonably Shady podcast with Gizelle Bryant.
“At the end of the day, I don’t like that this was someone who I considered a big sister and we have fallen apart. That to me is the loss,” the budding songstress explains.
Last month, Ayanna Williams, the woman behind the cheating allegations against Candiace Dillard‘s husband, Chris Bassett, revealed that she lied about their alleged affair.
“I lied. I never met Chris Bassett. I never talked to him. I made up the whole thing. I’m sorry that my actions hurt people,” Ayanna shared on her Instagram Story.
It’s unclear what sparked this retraction/apology, but it’s nice that Chris’ name is cleared, as most of the Bravoverse never believed the claims against him.
In October, Ayanna publicly declared that she had a six-month-long affair with Chris. She claimed the two said ‘I love you” to each other and that she had an “abortion by him.”
While Candiace and Chris never directly addressed Ayanna’s claims, the RHOP star did call out Gizelle and Robyn for plotting against her family instead of focusing on their own “pay-for-hire boyfriends” and “cheating husbands.”
On October 28th, Candiace tweeted:
“If you would just shut the fuck up and worry about your boyfriends for hire and cheating husbands, you wouldn’t have to post “proof“ that you weren’t behind yet another plot against someone’s family. Once again, the people of God are tired.”
The clapback came after Robyn and Gizelle discussed the rumors about Chris on their Reasonably Shady podcast.
Both Robyn and Gizelle said that they believe there is no doubt that “something happened” between Chris and his alleged mistress because of the receipts provided.
“I’ve seen enough,” Robyn quipped.“I know people are probably gonna try to say, ‘Oh, we need more proof. You know we need more proof.’ I’ve seen an, I’ve seen enough to kind of know that something was done that wasn’t supposed to happen.”
She then called out these “stupid men,” including her own husband, Juan Dixon, for “entertaining these thirsty women.”
“I mean, these guys are so stupid. Like, why do they even entertain these women? And when I say guys, I’m speaking for my own as well. Why do they entertain these thirsty women who are fans?”
Gizelle agreed, noting that she believes some of these men, minus Juan, are “miserable” and “need attention.”
“I’m not gonna talk about Juan, but I’m just gonna say, some of these guys are miserable. Unhappy at home. They need attention.”
This latest allegation against Chris popped up months after the chef was the subject of unsubstantiated gossip perpetuated on season 7 of RHOP.
If you recall, Gizelle claimed that Chris made her “completely uncomfortable” during a one-on-one conversation at the RHOP season 6 reunion. Ashley Darby then pilled on by claiming that Chris sent her an inappropriate Instagram message late at night. Then Ashley’s friend Deborah Williams subsequently claimed that Chris hit on her at Karen Huger‘s Spring Fling party.
Chris and Candiace both denied the allegations. Instead, they accused their RHOP cast members of painting a negative picture of Chris for the sake of a storyline on the show. Candiace also said her RHOP co-stars were jealous of her happy marriage and that they were doing anything and everything to remain relevant on the show.
In August 2018, Chris and Candiace tied the knot in Washington, D.C. The RHOP couple met in 2015 while working at a D.C.-based restaurant where Chris was her manager. By 2016, the two were attached at the hip and ready to build a life together.
After almost two years of dating, the 44-year-old chef proposed to the future RHOP star in May 2017. In November 2020, the RHOP couple purchased a $1.1 million six-bedroom, seven-bathroom home in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
Since then, Chris and Candiace have worked on growing their blended family. Candiace has frozen her eggs in order to ensure she and Chris can have their own children in the future. Candiace is a step-mom to Chris’ two kids from a previous relationship.
RHOP airs on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.
