Kumari Shreya
Since the start of TLC’s ‘90 Day Fiancé,’ the various journeys undertaken by the featured couples have been quite successful in captivating our interest. The tenth season of the reality series has been no different as the cast members try to navigate their far-from-conventional situations. Consider Nicole “Nikki” Sanders (AKA Nikki Exotika) and Igor “Justin” Shutencov, who have had to overcome a lot of hurdles in their relationship, with the latest developments leaving the world curious about whether or not they are still together. The question has become even more pressing, given Nikki’s reluctance to forgive Justin completely.
Nikki and Justin’s 90 Day Fiancé Journey
In season 10 of the TLC series, we get to see the unfolding of the love story of Nikki Sanders and her partner, Justin Shutencov. While the former hails from Hoboken, New Jersey, the latter calls Chişinău, Moldova, his home. The couple’s journey actually started all the way back in 2006, and everything did seem to be going well for the then 30-year-old Nikki and 20-year-old Justin. However, two years into their relationship, Nikki revealed to Justin that she was transgender in a fit of anger. Now out in the open, the fact apparently “traumatized” Justin, who had a hard time accepting the truth.
Though Nikki and Justin ended up separating in 2007, they remained in touch for the most part. In 2022, the two were reunited in Mexico, where Justin ended up claiming that Nikki was the “love of his life” and that he wanted to marry her. With no hidden truths between them and Nikki herself being open about her past, the couple’s journey took a turn for marriage, with the US resident starting the process for a K1 visa for Justin for a second time.
However, the post-engagement ride for Nikki and Justin was not smooth. The two often disagreed over Nikki’s fashion sense, while the woman in question could not help but wonder if her partner was not as comfortable with her gender identity as he claimed to be. That said, there were several positive moments that the couple could not help but cherish. Nikki’s own mother expressed her own regret about not supporting her daughter in the past and seemed happy that Justin was being open about Nikki’s identity to his friends and family.
Indeed, during Nikki and Justin’s post-engagement Moldova trip, the latter’s loved ones seemed genuinely accepting of Nikki, even if some of them were a little bit surprised. However, the trip also led the way to new revelations. Nikki initially accused Justin of not being physically attracted to her anymore, which he seemed to accept, but claimed that his love for her was more about their souls and that he needed some time to completely get over his reservations.
The bigger bombshell regarding Nikki and Justin’s past dropped when the former asked her partner about his sexual past. At this, Justin admitted that he had slept with other women up until he and Nikki got engaged, as that was when he apparently realized that this was a serious relationship. This infuriated Nikki, who could not believe that Justin had been so unfaithful to her and that he only realized the seriousness of their connection so late, especially when she had often sent him money to help him in his time of need. Nikki then walked out and declared that she needed some space to understand how to go about the situation.
When Justin ended up suggesting the idea of a threesome, Nikki was quite upset. However, Justin then insisted that they should put it behind them as he did not want Nikki’s trip to be ruined further. He even helped throw an engagement party involving his family, in which Nikki showcased her skills as a singer. With even Justin’s family being open to Nikki, the couple seemed on cloud nine and reluctantly parted ways, with Nikki traveling back to the US.
Nikki and Justin Have Separated
Only two weeks after Nikki Sanders returned to the US, she received the news she had not expected. While she was giving an interview for the TLC show, she got a text from Justin that broke her heart. After collecting herself, Nikki explained that she and Justin Shutencov had fought over the logistics of their relationship, with Nikki claiming that she had been bearing the brunt of their financial expenditure.
Nikki confessed that she had been under the impression that this fight was not much different from their other arguments. This is why, when Justin messaged her, saying that he felt it best that the two should break up, she could not help but be shocked. In the message, he wished Nikki the best, hoping that she would find someone who would love and appreciate her. Blindsided by the development, Nikki remained trapped between anger and hurt. That said, the two reality TV stars continue to follow each other on Instagram, indicating that they might now be on amicable terms.
Read More: Jovi and Yara: Is the 90 Day Fiancé Couple Still Together?
