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LOS ANGELES – Denise Richards claimed her tumultuous marriage to ex Charlie Sheen was easier than the life she had built with estranged husband Aaron Phypers.
On Tuesday, the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star – who was granted a temporary restraining order against Phypers on July 17 and broke down in tears while testifying against him during Monday’s court proceedings – took the stand again to detail Phypers’ alleged “manic” behavior throughout their relationship.
Weeks after Phypers filed for divorce from the reality TV star, the 53-year-old allegedly leaked photos of Richards showing up at the couple’s shared home.
DENISE RICHARDS BREAKS DOWN IN COURT AS SHE RECOUNTS SHOCKING ALLEGED ABUSE
In response, the mom-of-three sent Phypers a video – a part of which was played in court – referring to Phypers as a “narcissist” and detailing multiple instances of alleged physical abuse.
“You were the last person I thought would do that to me,” Richards told Phypers, via the audio recording that was presented in court. “I don’t know why I’m having a hard time with this. Things were bad with Charlie and I, but he never hit below the belt.”
“I told my dad, I just don’t know why I believed you and I loved you and I really thought you were my soulmate,” she continued. “I never in a million years thought we were getting divorced.”
Richards denied taking part in any infidelity, but accused Phypers of stepping out on their marriage.
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“You can claim I cheated, but I didn’t,” she said. “You did do stuff. And I don’t care how long ago it was. The fights were so f—ing bad, especially after your family moved [into their shared home]. I tried my best to not have it be as bad as it was. I tried my hardest. I just could not do that s—show anymore.”
“Aside from hitting me as much as you did and filing a police report … claiming that I hit you in the chest three times and scratched your eye. Like come on,” she continued. “Low blow. And I get you’re upset that I filed the restraining order, but you hit me one too many f—ing times. Each time was getting worse and worse it was. You were manic,” she alleged.
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“You were the one person that I always thought I could trust and that would protect me, and you were the f—ing opposite,” she added. “I think I’m having such a hard time because I was married to someone I never f—ing knew.”
Richards went on to accuse Phypers of failing to have her back towards the end of their marriage.
“The last six months when you didn’t stand up for me, I was like ‘OK,’” she said. “You filed, I didn’t. I told your mom, but they don’t even give a s—. They’re still [living in our home]. Of course, they are. Anyway, you f—ing hurt my heart.”
“One day you’re going to look back and say, “Yeah, she was a Bond girl. I was married to her, and she supported my business and everything else.’ In your heart you know, or maybe you won’t. Maybe you’re too much of a narcissist.”
“I don’t know you, maybe that’s why I’m having such a hard time. Charlie – I knew,” said Richards, who divorced Sheen in 2005 after three years of marriage. “Every other ex – I knew. That’s what’s been really hard. I don’t even know who the f— you are.”
DENISE RICHARDS’ ESTRANGED HUSBAND FIRES BACK AT VIOLENT ABUSE ALLEGATIONS
Phypers filed for divorce from Richards on July 7. He cited irreconcilable differences and is seeking spousal support from the “Real Housewives” star.
A judge granted Richards’ request for a temporary restraining order against Phypers amid their ongoing divorce on July 17.
“Throughout our relationship, Aaron would frequently violently choke me, violently squeeze my head with both hands, tightly squeeze my arms, violently slap me in my face and head, aggressively slam my head into the bathroom towel rack, threaten to kill me, hold me down with his knee on my back to the point where I would have to plead with him to get off me so that he would not kill me and hack into my laptop and phone and download all of my text messages,” Richards claimed in the documents, filed on July 16.
Phypers denied all allegations of mental or physical abuse in a statement at the time.
“I want to address recent rumors and speculation that have surfaced regarding my relationship with my wife, Denise Richards,” he told People. “Let me be unequivocally clear: I have never physically or emotionally abused Denise – or anyone. These accusations are completely false and deeply hurtful. Denise and I, like many couples, have faced our share of challenges, but any suggestion of abuse is categorically untrue. I have always tried to approach our marriage with love, patience, and respect.”
During Monday’s proceedings, Richards described multiple allegations of physical and emotional abuse as she detailed terrifying incidents that left the mom-of-three fearful for her life.
At one point during the hearing, Richards pleaded for a tissue and began crying while recalling a particularly abusive event in May.
Richards claimed Phypers got “very volatile” with her at the Four Seasons hotel just hours after the reality TV star had undergone multiple cosmetic surgeries – including a face lift.
Phypers allegedly tried to search through Richards’ devices while she was sleeping. He allegedly hit her face and damaged a drain in the process.
“That is when I really, really knew that our marriage was over because there’s been physical abuse, but it kept getting worse and worse,” Richards testified. “But the fact that he did that to me five hours after coming out of a seven-hour surgery … made me feel a lot of things. Scared and vulnerable. I couldn’t walk by myself.”
Richards continued, “And the person I looked to as my husband to protect me, wasn’t anymore. That’s when I really, really knew there wasn’t going back. To do that to your wife coming out of surgery?”
“I felt broken and defeated and so alone and just so vulnerable because I just had an extensive surgery. Him knowing the body and wellness and working on people … and to do that to your wife?”
In court documents filed on Sept. 29 and obtained by Fox News Digital, Phypers’ lawyers named Richards’ ex Charlie Sheen and “RHOBH” alum Brandi Glanville as witnesses.
In the filing, Phypers’ attorneys stated that Sheen could testify regarding “Denise’s history of not being truthful and of drug and alcohol abuse.”
Richards and Sheen tied the knot in 2002 and were married for just under three years before Richards filed for divorce in March 2005, when she was pregnant with their second daughter, Lola. They welcomed their first daughter, Sami, one year prior.
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