Thomas and Paula’s upcoming wedding faces uncertainty after the couple had a major argument over perfume and deodorant on the latest episode of “90 Day Fiancé” Season 12.
Paula, 41, moved from São Paulo, Brazil, to Long Beach, California, to be with Thomas, 31, after the pair met while she was visiting Los Angeles. However, their relationship has been strained by Thomas’ strong sensitivity to artificial scents.
The disagreement intensified during a cake-tasting outing ahead of their wedding, when Paula joked about Thomas’ detailed thoughts on choosing a cake. He said: “You should be a writer. You describe it with so much emotions and feeling. You go deep. Like, it’s just a cake.”
Later, Paula apologised for wearing deodorant, explaining that the weather was hot and they would be outside for most of the day. Thomas, however, said he was upset because he considers artificial scents a serious issue. He described her deodorant as: “The most pungent and obscene thing I’ve ever smelled.”
Thomas said he needed Paula to understand that avoiding artificial scents was a relationship boundary. He said: “I really need Paula to come up to speed on this and just accept that this is a boundary that I need in a relationship for us to be together.”
He also refused to accept her apology, saying she was not taking his concerns seriously. He said: “Everything you just said, you’re saying to be funny, and news flash, I’m not laughing.” The couple’s disagreement continued after Paula revealed that she planned to invite eight members of her family to their wedding, with the relatives staying at their apartment.
Thomas objected to the arrangement and suggested they stay in a hotel instead. He said the apartment was too small and criticised Paula’s closeness with her family. She said: “Paula never cut the umbilical cord from her parents.”
The argument escalated when Thomas said he would throw away her mother’s deodorant if she used it in their home. He explained: “I need my apartment to be my safe place where I don’t have to be worried about invasive smells that give me an allergic reaction.”
Thomas also criticised Paula’s choice of fragrances. He said: “You don’t need to have a perfume on to feel normal. And you pick some of the worst artificial smells of all time. Like, I don’t know where you find this stuff. Like, it’s bottom of the barrel — worst I’ve ever smelled in my life.”
He questioned why she did not consult him before using scented products. He said: “Why don’t you ask my opinion and say, ‘Hey, before I spray this, maybe I should consult my fiancé, who I’m going to be living with for the rest of my life about spraying this to see if he’s going to be sensitive to this?’”
Paula accused Thomas of being controlling and said his behaviour made her question their future together. She said: “Thomas never lets anything go. Like, he’s trying to control every little thing that I do. He’s micromanaged me like a kid and I’m not happy at all.” She also compared him to a cockroach during the argument.
Thomas maintained that the issue was a dealbreaker and told Paula she could choose not to marry him if she could not respect his boundaries. He said: “You have the option to not get married with me. You have that option.”
Paula later told cameras she felt trapped by the relationship dynamics. She said: “The way he’s managing our relationship and the way he’s trying to control every single step that I do, I really don’t know if I can commit with this for the rest of my life.”