That’s the question West Wilson set out to answer during part one of the Summer House season-nine reunion on May 28. Look at Edward the Penitent over here. Again and again, West apologized to Ciara Miller for talking mess to the New York Times, handling their breakup poorly, and then clamming up all summer. It got to the point that Paige DeSorbo took his little note-to-self (it read “Talk”) and threw it on the ground.
The Ciara-West beef was just one of a few undercurrents of tension in Summer House season nine, and reheated beef at that. Compared to the other breakups in the house, Ciara and West are almost chill. Almost. Below, we break down the breakdown between the Summer House newbie and vet.
What do we know about the breakup?
West charmed his way through an incredible inaugural season on Summer House, only to fumble the bag immediately upon getting the slightest media attention. During his first summer (season eight), he pursued Ciara as she insisted she was only interested in something serious. By the fall they were “basically dating,” only for West to break it off in the New Year. According to DeSorbo, at last season’s reunion, West blew Ciara off “once the DMs started flooding and the cameras went down.” And he himself admitted to not knowing how to handle the watch parties and attention from Bravo fans. While Andy Cohen gave West the platform to address his alleged scumbaggery, the new guy was tongue-tied and stayed quiet instead.
Then, in June 2024, he had a lot to say to the New York Times. “Ultimately, I think I handled the reunion horribly and was nervous and said the wrong things,” West said. “But I still stand on the decision I made. I think our relationship ran its course. I hope that decision doesn’t haunt me forever, even though I still think it’s the right one.”
So … how’d the summer go?
After declining a hug from West in Summer House season nine, episode two, Ciara went off about the Times story. “What about sending a text of a warning that you’re going to drop another New York Times article, saying, like, ‘Oh, actually, I didn’t like her and I should’ve just said that at the reunion because that would’ve read better as opposed to what I said at the reunion.’ I think that was such a beta ass move,” she said in just one clip. Housemate Jesse Solomon said at the reunion that West left the dinner table for 20 minutes after Ciara called out the article, came back, and still said nothing. Heightening Ciara’s feelings of betrayal? She’d been in a media blackout shooting The Traitors when the story dropped.
Did the reunion help mend things?
It seems like Ciara and West are approaching a mutual understanding. He apologized for how he handled their breakup — to her face this time, not to a reporter. And Ciara explained it happened at a rough time for her, as she was processing family issues during the holidays. “Me and West did have a friendship, so we would talk about family dynamics and stuff like that,” she said of the end of their relationship. “But he was so totally in his own world and like one foot in the door, one foot out the door where, like, he wasn’t there for me.” She cried, Kyle Cooke cried, and West did his serious thinking face.
Will we get more Ciara and West in the reunion eps to follow, or are we doomed to Lexi and Jesse’s endless breakup? At least West didn’t have foot-stuck-in-mouth this season.
