Sara Al Madani Says She's Over Former Friend Caroline Stanbury's "Gaslighting" (EXCLUSIVE)

When Dr. Sara Al Madani rejoined her The Real Housewives of Dubai castmates for Season 2, the self-appointed spiritual gangster was ready to start fresh after a tumultuous first season. During her sophomore run on the show, Sara navigated dating as a single mom, growing in her spiritual and professional life, and being the obligatory monkey in the middle of the feud between the "Carolines" of the group — Caroline Brooks and Caroline Stanbury.

In Season 2, Ep. 7, "Deserted Friendships," Stanbury tells Sara to "shut up" and calls her a "hypocrite" for remaining friends with Brooks. The “walking Instagram meme” was willing to maintain her friendship with both Carolines until recently.

Sara exclusively told Distractify that her friendship with Stanbury is still as dry as the UAE deserts. So, what caused them to be on the outs? Here’s what the Bravolebrity told us!

Sara and Stanbury had a close bond, evident when RHODubai began. The co-stars have a special connection through Stanbury’s husband, Sergio Carallo, as Sara and Sergio consider one another siblings.

Their dynamic changes in Season 2 when Sara continues talking to Brooks, causing Stanbury to be visibly annoyed. At one point, Stanbury calls Sara a “hypocrite” and tells her to “shut up.” By episode 7, Sara isn’t sure what’s happening with their friendship.

Sara told Distractify there was unspoken “tension” between her and Stanbury before their desert blowup. She said their issues came when she discovered Stanbury was keeping her from making things right with Chanel Ayan while secretly becoming Chanel’s friend behind her and Brooks’s back.

“We went through something with Stanbury before filming Season 2, where Stanbury played a little game with us,” Sara said. “She told us she wasn't talking to Chanel, and we shouldn't be fixing things with her while behind our back. But she was fixing things with Chanel.”

“We found out from Chanel while we were filming that she was in touch with her,” she explained. “She was talking to her the whole time."

Sara said Stanbury’s treacherous behavior caused “tension” in their relationship, and she avoided telling the other ladies the entire tea. She stated that once Stanbury noticed Sara was keeping her distance, she began “gaslighting” her and felt she was taking Brooks’s side instead of hers.

“There's so much gaslighting when she attacks me all the time because she's the one that did us wrong,” Sara said of Stanbury. “Now that I'm a little bit distant from her, she's gaslighting me to make it look like I'm with Brooks against her.”

“But I'm not her minion,” she continued. “I'm not gonna leave people just because she left them. And I don't walk away from my friends just because they make mistakes.”

Sara and Stanbury’s friction will play out as Season 2 RHODubai progresses. While the mother of one couldn’t spill any tea from the finale and upcoming reunion, she confirmed she and Stanbury’s relationship changed for good after the desert lunch. Sara said she realized the friendship was one-sided when Stanbury got mad at her for not “backing” her up but didn’t do the same for her during the Season 1 reunion.

“If you watch last year's reunion, I stood up for her and Sergio all the time,” Sara recalled. “She never stood up for me, not even once in reunion.”

While the UAE native is done being Stanbury’s “puppy,” she explained why there’s no love lost between them. Due to their history, Sara said she can never relinquish the “love” they shared, though she admits her love has boundaries.

“I still have love for her, and love comes in different layers,” she said of Stanbury. “So I have love for her.”

“I ate at the same table [as Stanbury],” Sara added. “I drank from the same cup as her and her family. I love her kids. So I have love for her. But I don't think our friendship is going to be the same. But it's OK. You don't have to be best friends with everybody as long as you can coexist and enjoy each other.”

The Real Housewives of Dubai airs new episodes on Bravo on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EST.