“I tried to talk to Bret” — The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives reunion features Jordan Ngatikaura addressing Demi’s husband amid Marciano rumors

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives returned with its first-ever reunion special on July 1, 2025, and focused heavily on the ongoing drama involving Demi Engemann, her husband Bret Engemann, and former Vanderpump Villa cast member Marciano Brunette.

Although Demi did not attend in person due to a family trip, her absence did not stop the conversation, especially after cast member Jessi Ngatikaura brought alleged NSFW texts between Demi and Marciano into the spotlight.

Host Nick Viall guided the discussion as several cast members, including Jessi, Mikayla Matthews, Layla Taylor, and Jordan Ngatikaura, addressed how the rumors impacted their relationships. In particular, Jordan commented on Bret’s reaction to the allegations, saying during the reunion,

“I tried to talk to Bret. It’s a really tough place to be.”

Jordan added that while they still see each other at the gym, “outside of that we don’t talk.” The reunion featured audio clips, unseen texts, and emotional conversations, with several cast members questioning whether Bret knew about Demi’s alleged messages with Marciano.

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Text messages raise questions about Bret’s awareness in The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives reunion

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives reunion turned its focus to Bret Engemann after Jessi Ngatikaura shared alleged text messages exchanged between Demi and Marciano. In one of the texts, Demi appeared to joke with Marciano about oysters, using emojis with suggestive meaning.

When Nick Viall asked where Bret was during those exchanges, Layla Taylor said Demi claimed he was “in the room,” but others cast doubt on whether Bret actually saw the texts.

Jessi’s husband Jordan added, “I already tried to tell him,” referring to Bret, “but he doesn’t want to hear it.” This led to a wider discussion about communication in Demi and Bret’s marriage, with several cast members wondering if Bret chose not to confront the situation or was simply unaware.

Later, Zac Affleck played a recording where Demi seemed to guide him and Jen on what to say about her connection with Marciano. In the clip, Bret also seemed to join in, talking about the use of the word “victim.” This brought more attention to the topic, as the cast wasn’t sure how much Bret really knew or believed.

Even though Demi wasn’t there, her actions were still a main focus of the reunion, and Bret’s silence stood out.

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Jordan reflects on his own marriage and interactions with Bret in The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives reunion

As the focus moved to Marciano’s claims about Jessi, Jordan Ngatikaura talked about how it affected their relationship inThe Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. He said, “Jordan and I are working through a lot of hard things at the moment,” and added that being part of a public conversation like this made things harder.

Jessi said that whatever happened with Marciano took place “after” the messages between him and Demi. Jordan also shared that it was difficult to handle the rumors while still seeing Bret regularly.

“I see him a couple times a week. We wave at each other at the gym, but outside of that we don’t talk,” he said.

His remarks highlighted the strained connection between the husbands, especially as the drama played out across multiple relationships. Jessi also spoke about how they were choosing to be open about their struggles, hoping that sharing their story might help others.

“There’s no secrets. Like, we are exposing it all,” she said.

Jordan mentioned that both he and Jessi had been “very vulnerable throughout season 3.” The reunion ended by previewing more conflict in the upcoming season, including Jessi confronting Marciano and Jordan setting boundaries if new information surfaced.

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Watch the reunion episode of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives currently streaming on Hulu.