Ariana Madix Hits Back at Vanderpump Rules Finale Backlash: 'Read My Contract'

On Tuesday's finale, Sandoval attempted to speak with Madix at a party in San Francisco, but Ariana refused, before getting heated with the show's executive producer about her reluctance to talk to him on camera. She then walked out of the event with her boyfriend, Daniel Wai, before both Sandoval and Lala Kent went off on Ariana for her behavior.

Addressing some of the criticism she's received on the After Show, Madix doubled down on her reasons for avoiding any conversation whatsoever with her ex.

"There's only one person who would benefit from anything that would have happened in that moment and that's him," she explained. "There's not been one mention of anything the entire summer that sounded anywhere near what is remorse or kindness or anything coming in my direction form him, he knows that this is the last moment he'll have to redeem himself with the audience and I'm not here to facilitate that. Him crying and me looking like a bitch, I'm not here to facilitate that."

As proof he was only trying to talk to her for the cameras, Madix claimed that after the San Fran trip, they crossed paths inside their shared home and he didn't say a word to her.

"Apparently he didn't need to say anything that bad. He could have literally right then," she added. "He clearly knows how to email me nonsensical letters of intent. There's so many different ways to try and say something ... it actually had nothing to do with me."

After saying she has no desire or "purpose" to give Tom forgiveness, she was asked directly if she had any response to those criticizing her for walking out on the conversation.

"I would encourage that person to read my contract and find at any point in which I'm required to do anything I don't deem real or I don't want to do," she insisted. "That goes for every single cast member on the show, everyone has the right to exercise that and they do all the time. If you think I'm going a bad job as a reality star, I'm Reality star of the Year."

During the After Show, Sandoval continued to express some frustration that Ariana wasn't being totally real with the audience -- but also said he understood why she wouldn't speak with him in the moment.

"It's probably too soon and that's fine. I respect the fact that she doesn't want to speak to me," he said, before sharing why he believes he did put in the work this season. "I'm glad I showed up and I'm glad I had the conversations I had and I faced it. I'm gonna keep showing up and I'm gonna keep having those hard conversations," said Tom.

James Kennedy also understood Ariana's decision, saying that while he wished they would talk because he "loves the drama," he felt he knew why she didn't.

"Part of me also thinks she 100% stuck her foot down and didn't have that conversation with Sandoval because she knows she's gonna hate what he has to say, he's not going to say anything she wants to hear," he said. "Let's be real, he's going to say something egotistical, bulls--t. She's gonna hat eit and it's going to ruin her night."

Lala Kent, meanwhile, doubled down on her anger with the situation.

"I'm f--king offended," she exclaimed. "I'm gonna be real about Ariana, she's coasts through every single f--king season and we're asking you to have one conversation with Tom Sandoval, the guy you shoved down our throats for so many years, we're asking you to have one conversation and you can't do that? Every single person on this show have the tough conversations."

She also went on to say Madix is "not a great friend," adding, "If you're looking for someone to ask you how you're doing, make sure you're breathing still, she's not the one."

We'll see how the group hashes this all out together when Vanderpump Rules reunion kicks off next Tuesday on Bravo.