Who would date Chris Brown, 25, after watching Saturday night’s episode of OWN’s “Iyanla: Fix My Life” special with Karrueche Tran, Brown’s latest jilted lover? Your heart aches for both Tran, 26, and even Rihanna, 27, who just three years ago declared, “We love each other and probably always will,” on the very same network, when she too spoke of her relationship and subsequent very public breakup with the award-winning singer and dancer.
During an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Rihanna shared after she and Brown’s 2009 domestic violence incident became tabloid fodder, she sought to mend her relationship with her father who also was an abuser. Rihanna had to learn to separate her dad’s bad behavior as a husband from his role as a father. She learned the two are different. She witnessed his abuse toward her mother as a child and held onto the pain into adulthood. Once she was able to forgive her dad, Rihanna says she was also able to forgive Brown.
Tran learned a little over a month ago, that Brown, with whom she had a four-year-relationship, fathered a daughter with model Nia Amey. Now they’ve either broken up or the relationship is on hold? It is unclear because during her interview with life coach Iyanla Vanzant, it didn’t appear Tran is ready to move on. She’s humiliated and she’s heartbroken, but it doesn’t mean she won’t continue the relationship. She has both Gabrielle Union Wade and Eudoxie Agnan Bridges to seek as examples of how to forgive and continue life as usual after a baby is born outside the relationship.
Here are seven things we learned about Tran, who agreed to this interview for the world to her as a woman who is “only human” and “makes mistakes.”
Iyanla: Was it the penis, pleasure, promise or just the person?
Karrueche: The person. He’s a good-hearted person. Big kid with a big heart that’s been through some things and damaged.
What makes you think everyone else doesn’t see that?
I don’t know. I know what I saw and how I wanted to treat the relationship, treat him. I wanted to love him. That’s what he needs.
How do you know what he needs?
After four years, I know.
While you were taking care of his needs, he was not taking care of yours. That’s another classic mistake women in general make going into relationships, believing we are strong enough and it’s our responsibility to heal a man’s wound and damage when we don’t know how to take care of our own wounds and damage. I am a strong believer in like draws like. What is about you Karrueche Tran that would draw a damaged man into your life?
Maybe we want both want love. Maybe that’s what it is.
Do you feel embarrassed?
One hundred percent, that embarrassment is for the world to see. Most definitely, I am embarrassed. It’s like what was I thinking? How did I let certain things happen? Then I look at it and it’s like I am human.
Is there a part of you that still wants him and loves a man who betrayed her?
Yes. I still love him. He is damaged. I am damaged too. I go to church … I go to yoga. Because I do that, I feel like I am a much better person. I am like OK, I want you to do this too so you can feel the same way.
What is it you want me to know about the woman Karrueche Tran who was in a relationship with CB?
I want you to know she is a loving, caring person and she’s human. I am very relatable … the drama, the heartache and even down to situation of my boyfriend at the time going back to the ex. I think it’s why people tuned in so much because they can relate and they can understand.
After the jump, check out clips of Rihanna’s interview on “Oprah: The Next Chapter” from 2012.
