'Married at First Sight' recap: Chris buys Mercedes a new luxury car, Haley cries, Clara wonders if Ryan's a virgin, and Erik and Virginia dive into their big issues!

Married at First Sight featured Chris Williams shocking Paige Banks with news of an expensive gift he'd purchased for his pregnant ex-fiancee, Haley Harris crying over her total lack of connection with Jacob Harder, Clara Berghaus questioning if Ryan Oubre was a virgin, and Erik Lake and Virginia Coombs addressing tension in their marriage during the Season 12 episode Wednesday night on Lifetime.


At this point in Season 12, four of the five Married at First Sight couples had lived together for about two weeks: Haley and Jacob, Clara and Ryan, Vincent Morales and Briana Myles, and Erik Lake and Virginia Coombs.

Paige and Chris, however, were not living together and decided to try to be friends before romantic partners.

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The five couples were matched for matrimony by the show's experts Pastor Calvin Roberson, Dr. Pepper Schwartz, and Dr. Viviana Coles.

Married at First Sight  Season 12 Episode 10

The Married at First Sight broadcast began on Day 24, with the couples hoping to unlock new levels of trust and intimacy in attempt to strengthen and deepen their marriages.

Erik and Virginia said they were in love but they both agreed there are "levels of love" and they had more levels to go.

"The main thing is me and Erik are really bad about talking about topics that we know are going to be trigger points and arguments for us, so we need to have these conversations and not be emotional about them," Virginia explained in a confessional.

While checking her emails, Virginia shared with Erik that Rockie is her password for everything, and Erik said in turn his dog Tex is also a part of his passwords.

Virginia asked if they should be open about their passwords for everything, and Erik seemed okay with that and told his wife that she could look through his phone whenever she wanted.


Virginia then brought up the topic of her guy friends and revealed she texts more than two guy friends, which Erik admitted he didn't like since he had only met and trusted her two best guy friends, including Cole.

"If you had pasts with them and were more than friends at some point, that's not cool to me," Erik said.

"So I can't text anyone?" Virginia questioned.

"I mean, it depends on who they are and how you know them," Erik pointed out.

Erik also told Virginia that he didn't approve of her liking ex-boyfriends pictures on social media because it didn't make any sense and she "shouldn't be friends with them anyway."


Virginia seemed taken aback by Erik's opposition to her communicating with guy friends, and she said, "I can't decide if I'm going to be annoyed about this or just get over it."

"You do get annoyed," Erik gently complained.

Virginia told the cameras she and Erik avoided heated topics because they never wanted to ruin a good moment or take themselves out of the good place they were usually in. Virginia knew, however, the conversations must be had eventually.

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Dr. Viviana then paid a visit to every couple for a conversation, and Vincent and Briana were first.


Vincent gushed about his wife being silly and goofy, but Briana's tone in the relationship had been an issue and Vincent had previously taken Briana words the wrong way.

Viviana advised Vincent, when bothered or upset by a remark, to ask Briana, "Hey, what did you mean by that?" Viviana said it would diffuse the situation and stop an argument in its tracks because he would immediately understand Briana's intent.

Vincent said he didn't want Briana to walk on eggshells with him because he's not delicate, and he also admitted to trying to impress Briana all the time, like at the salsa-dancing class.

Of his bad attitude at the salsa class, Vincent confessed it was "not cool at all" and he had "reacted the wrong way" and "dropped the ball."

Vincent said his actions were "unacceptable" and apologized to Briana, who in turn encouraged Vincent to just be himself because he didn't need to do much more to impress her.


"I like your quirks... The small things are impressing me, so you don't have to try so hard," Briana said, before Viviana added that "perfect is boring."

Meanwhile, Paige and Chris had made a commitment to start over with the hope of being cordial and amicable with one another. However, Paige said she hadn't heard from Chris and he never answered her phone calls.

"What are we doing?" Paige asked the cameras.

That night, Chris did show up at Paige's apartment for a chat with Dr. Viviana.

"I have paused my thoughts of divorce -- for now," Chris said in a confessional.

Viviana dove right in when she sat down the couple and directed her focus on Chris and his bad pattern of behavior.


"I feel like I hardly know you," Viviana told Chris. "The person who we met and got to know that we matched and the person literally once you got married and since are SO different."

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Chris insisted pre-wedding Chris was who he's always been and post-wedding Chris -- who found out his ex-fiancee Mercedes was pregnant -- had been in a "depressive state." Chris admitted he had lost his bearings and didn't know how to make a right decision.

Viviana acknowledged Chris' situation would be a lot for anyone to handle, and Paige admitted she felt like she was living in a nightmare and was devastated upon hearing the news about Chris' ex.

Paige said she felt "secondary" in her marriage, and so when Viviana asked why she was sticking with it, Paige said God had intended for her to be a supportive wife "in spite of everything that was going on."

Paige told Chris that she desired more contact and really only hoped for a phone call once or twice a day, "the basics," like she's "in middle school."


"I don't want to feel pressure... It kind of feels forced, like, slightly," Chris acknowledged.

Viviana told Chris that Paige wasn't asking for much -- the bare minimum, actually -- and if Chris wasn't willing to do that, it was probably time to have a different conversation, like about parting ways or divorcing.

Chris said he needs to be passionate in everything that he does and have his heart in it, and he admitted, "I don't feel like my heart is 100 percent in this."

Viviana told Chris to change his idea of what motivated him, and Paige complained in a confessional, "This is bullsh-t."

"I never thought I'd have to pressure someone to call me or be consistent," Paige lamented.

"I'm not in the business of wasting anybody's time, and I don't want my time wasted either. So I'm just at a place where I'm frustrated because you literally made a step forward and now we're taking three steps back."


Paige asked Chris what he wanted to do or would be comfortable with, and Chris said he'd prefer to have in-person hangout sessions -- like going for walks or having dinner together -- rather than texting or talking on the phone.

Chris said the situation was "so confusing," which prompted Paige to question, "What are we doing?"

Viviana then sent each couple an exercise in which two spouses had to ask each other questions in attempt to improve intimacy. Jacob asked Haley how they could make their sex life even better, and he joked, "When it exists, maybe it will be better, right?"

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And Ryan and Clara's questions seemed to be all about sex since Clara was sexually frustrated and the pair had yet to consummate their marriage.

Ryan told Clara that he needed trust and a feeling of comfortability in order to be intimate with his partner, but Clara was not used to taking things so slow in a relationship.


"I'm learning that patience is not my forte. It's his world and I'm just living in it. I'm just along for the ride, or lack thereof," Clara noted in a confessional.

Ryan asked Clara how she'd like him to initiate romance, and she replied, "Just do it."

Clara read the question, "How do we make our sex life even better," to which she answered herself, "Have it."

But Ryan was harping on having trust and commitment, and when asked to reveal his favorite sexual position, he became very nervous and stumbled over his words.

"I just take it as it comes," Ryan said with a laugh. "You know, normal -- medium [position]."

Clara admitted she never in a million years thought sex in her marriage would be the area of struggle.


Clara then opened up to Ryan about how she was "wildly unhappy" in her last relationship and was proud of herself for leaving the guy and walking away, even though it was "a really, really rough breakup" that led to her doing a 180 in her life.

Clara and her ex were together for three years and apparently only had sex three times a year.

"Having been in a relationship where I wasn't desired sexually or appreciated sexually or wanted in any way, it worries me that this is something that is happening once again," Clara shared with the cameras.

Meanwhile, Paige tried to explore the boundaries of her new friendship with Chris, so she made a schedule of when the couple could get together and wanted to know the activity for that day and their "desired outcome."

Chris rejected Paige's recommendations of playing card games or watching a movie, and he instead suggested playing basketball -- which Paige didn't know how to play -- and bringing over dinner for them to eat followed by a Bible study.

Chris said he thought it was important to include God in their relationship, adding, "It might be exactly what we need, to be honest with you."


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On Day 25, Viviana met with Jacob and Haley, who was desperate to connect "on some level."

Haley said she and Jacob were finally communicating since they previously seemed to have an argument every two days, and Jacob pointed out they were just trying to have one "good day" after the next.

Viviana expressed concern over Haley and Jacob entered and not leaving the friendzone, and Jacob recalled how they had sex but only because Haley thought she should in her marriage and then she determined something was missing between them.

Haley was choked up and trying to hold back her tears. She said she never wanted to hurt Jacob's feelings and had been holding a lot in, which made her feel really bad.

Haley said Jacob changed his clothes for her, got rid of the 80's stuff and was doing everything she had asked of him.


"But it's not the superficial stuff. I just connect with people so easily and I do not [with Jacob]," Haley cried.

When asked if there was physical attraction, Haley explained she wasn't super attracted to Jacob when they met on their wedding day and she was "middle of the road" about him but then she started "doing all the work" in their relationship which apparently turned her off.

Viviana acknowledged Haley was not attracted to how much she had to work in the relationship rather than not being attracted to Jacob's looks, and Haley agreed her effort was "draining."

Both Haley and Jacob agreed they were lost but desperate to attain some type of connection, and Haley said she didn't want to give up too quickly because there was a reason why they had been matched by the experts.

Viviana asked the pair to continue their conversation in the bedroom. Viviana requested that Haley and Jacob kiss good morning and goodnight and start sleeping in the same bed.

Viviana told Haley and Jacob to start doing things a normal married couple would do.


Erik and Virginia's conversation with Viviana was up next, and Virginia hoped to find compromise with Erik and talk through some issues without being so delicate and trying to spare each other's feelings.

Erik gushed about the couple's instant attraction and chemistry, but Virginia said she and her husband pushed problems aside so they wouldn't fight and could continue riding the wave.

Viviana wanted Erik and Virginia to work through one of their "mountains," and then Erik brought up how they have different views about the country and "social issues."

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Erik was very careful not to reveal the spouses' actual beliefs or political standpoints, but he pointed out that being in the military left him with opinions that oppose Virginia's views and what she's passionate about.

When trying to read between the lines, it seems Erik may be a conservative Republican and Virginia is a liberal Democrat. Virginia previously said on the show she fights for gay rights and wholeheartedly supports her lesbian sister, who is in a committed relationship with another woman.


Erik insisted he supported and respected Virginia's beliefs "100 percent," but Virginia seemed bothered by the fact Erik could even hold different opinions or not be as passionate about certain things as she is.

"I really don't know how we're going to be able to compromise on that. These things are less concerning to me than they are to her. She has the problem," Erik told Viviana.

"It's just learning to [accept it]," Virginia said.

Viviana suggested one could gain a lot from opening his or her mind and being more accepting to something, but Erik said, "I know what I believe, and that's it."

Viviana asked if the couple planned to share their belief systems with their children and then allow their children to believe whatever they want -- and that was another point of contention between the spouses.

"I don't even know if she wants kids. That's one thing she's half and half on. If she doesn't want them, I'm done," Erik snapped.


Virginia said she and Erik could talk about having kids but she'd want to settle down at age 30 and Erik didn't want to wait until he's age 40 or older to be a new dad. Erik acknowledged that's a problem, adding, "I'm not waiting 10 years."

Afterward, Briana and Vincent played a blindfolded Dare game with food as the reward, and Briana gushed about trusting her husband and feeling 100 percent herself around him.

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On Day 26 of marriage, Viviana met with Clara and Ryan, who gushed about how their relationship was very natural and they probably would have dated outside of the show.

Clara revealed they're both affectionate but weren't on the same page physically. Clara said she's more sexually motivated in a relationship, but Ryan explained he wanted to build a foundation before concentrating on the physical.

Clara said Ryan "put the brakes on" when they hooked up -- and participated in activities other than sex -- "100 percent of the time."


Ryan didn't want to feel pressure and hoped to have sex organically, but Clara admitted, "I need a physical relationship to make a relationship work. He's been taking things much slower than I'm used to. It's hard on me."

Clara then spoke to Viviana alone and explained that she was confused because she and Ryan were doing "everything but" intercourse, and she didn't think there was a real difference.

"He's waiting for the butterflies and rainbows and unicorns feelings-wise to take things more physical, and I need the physical before I can get to the rainbows and unicorns," Clara explained.

Clara said sex didn't need to be put on a pedestal yet Ryan put it on a very high pedestal.

Viviana then suggested, "I'm starting to wonder, do you think he has maybe been dishonest about whether or not he's a virgin?"

"Oh! I would assume that's not the case, because he's so blatantly honest about everything else. He said he's had sex, so that would surprise me," Clara noted.


"He's religious and I am not, so I understand he's more conservative about things like that. But it means a lot to me to have a good physical relationship. I never want him to feel pressure from me, so I pretty much let him take the reins."

Clara saw a distinction between the physical and emotional act of intimacy while Ryan needed to feel like he can trust the person he's with before he engages in it.

Viviana could tell that Ryan wanted sex to be meaningful and enhance his life and their connection, which made Clara get a little choked up.

"I have no experience with sex meaning anything, so I don't know," Clara revealed. "I have never had a sexual relationship that was anything other than sex... I don't genuinely know if [the act] will ever mean anything to me."

Clara said while she loved partners in the past, sex was still just sex in their relationship.

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Clara said she was afraid to hurt Ryan if she could never develop an emotional connection through sex, but Viviana told Clara that sex might probably mean more to her if she and Ryan are deeply bonded when they have their first encounter.

"It would make me very sad if he's looking for that connection and I can never provide that for him," Clara lamented.

Viviana later met with Haley again, and Haley admitted she tends to be picky with men and also didn't feel a connection with Jacob, which made things even harder for them.

Haley said she desired a fun man and someone who can complement her lifestyle, but she worried Jacob was trying to change himself too much to make her happy.

Viviana asked Haley to keep in mind there could be a change or a-ha moment, especially as Haley and Jacob continued to change and get to know one another better. Viviana essentially asked Haley to not give up and have a marriage-funeral just yet.

Later on, Erik opened up to Virginia about how every ex-girlfriend had cheated on him in the past -- every single one -- which apparently gave him trust issues.


"It made me think, 'What did I do?' And when it happens, it absolutely breaks my heart because I don't understand that," Erik said.

Erik told Virginia that he didn't think she would do that to him, and the idea of Erik having been hurt so many times upset Virginia.

Virginia in turn explained how her parents' tumultuous divorce affected her and there was a time when she didn't speak to her father and lived with her aunt. Because of the adversity she had faced, she worried about having kids.

"I would just never want to put my kid through that, and I think that's part of the reason
I'm scared -- for lack of a better term -- to have kids," Virginia shared.

Erik told the cameras he'd always be there for his children and hoped he could change Virginia's mind about that in certain aspects.

It then became time for Paige and Chris' night together in which he brought Harold's chicken from Chicago over to her apartment. Chris hoped to bond based on their spiritual backgrounds.


Chris, however, came unprepared and just asked Paige to share what she had come up with for scripture. She read Isaiah:55 and even took notes on what Chris was saying, and Paige and Chris discussed how they should trust someone they're in covenant with.

Paige explained to Chris that she didn't force a conversation about his ex-fiancee Mercedes in fear it would elevate the situation and push him off the ledge.

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But Paige said because she had given Chris space, she had been "negligent" and left him feeling alone in the matter, which she apparently regretted.

Speaking of Mercedes and his baby, Chris then shared with Paige how he had purchased his pregnant ex-fiancee a brand new Mercedes Benz.

"Six years, Mercedes got in a car accident and it was bad. The car was totaled and she probably should have lost her life... So she hasn't driven since then or owned a vehicle in six years," Chris began.


Chris explained Mercedes had therefore been using Rideshare to get around and he wanted to make sure she'd have transportation to her doctor appointments and such.

Chris said he wanted Mercedes to feel comfortable driving by the time she welcomed their child into the world and he felt a need to be straightforward with Paige about that.

"I mean, brand new car!" Paige responded. "I get the transportation aspect. No honest man would want the mother of their child riding in a Rideshare train bus with a newborn baby, but a brand new car?"

Chris replied, "Why shouldn't it be brand new? I'm bringing a king or queen into the world and so they need to ride in a chariot."

Paige rolled her eyes in a confessional and didn't appear to be happy about the news.

That night, Haley was prepared to sleep in the same bed as Jacob and insisted she didn't want to get a divorce. However, she said she was not ready for any kissing or spooning.


The episode concluded with Virginia treating Erik to a romantic evening in which she put some rose petals on the bed and surprised him with some desserts and treats. Virginia was glad she and Erik were finally being vulnerable with each other.

Erik said a gesture like this really showed him how much Virginia cared about him, and he seemed to really appreciate it.

Virginia told Erik that she loved how he was "so into" her and she just hoped that would never fade or go away. Virginia liked her relationship staying in the honeymoon phase.

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski