Cynthia Bailey Begins Divorce Proceedings From Peter Thomas in 'RHOA' Premiere

Kandi Burruss, Phaedra Parks, Cynthia Bailey, Shereé Whitfield, Kenya Moore, and Porsha Williams returned for the premiere of the ninth season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta on Sunday.

And while a war was brewing between Whitfield and Moore over the completion of their homes (Château Shereee and Moore Manor, respectively) — Bailey was making the tough decision to begin divorce proceedings with husband Peter Thomas.

The couple’s marriage struggles have been no secret to audiences on the Bravo series. Since tying the knot in season 3 (January 2011), the have weathered cheating scandals, squabbles with Bailey’s pals and sexual lulls.

Last season, Thomas told Bailey: “We can’t continue like this. Somebody needs an escape route.”

And it seems like she’s found that escape route since. “Peter and I have been living apart for about 5 months now,” the 48-year-old model confessed to fans on Sunday’s premiere. “The last time we saw each other, I expressed my unhappiness in this marriage and my intentions to move forward in a different direction.”

“Peter and I never painted a picture that our marriage was perfect,” she continued. “My breaking point was last year. I just felt like, you know, this is it. There’s not going to be real change.”

Meeting with a divorce lawyer, Bailey discussed what steps she would have to do in order to “get through this with as much integrity and love as possible.” She explained there was no infidelity or desertion between the two — and that they had a prenup. She said that she would not be seeking alimony, but wanted to make sure she kept the house, which is in her name.

Bailey was advised to work out a separation agreement with Thomas first to address their financial assets. This would speed up the process when she filled to dissolve the marriage, her lawyer said.

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Afterwards, she paused in her car and appeared to tear up. “Not living together is one thing,” she said. “But actually sitting down with the lawyer to discuss permanent options to not really be together for real is scary. S— just got real.”

“It’s more me than him – I just want to move on,” Bailey added — explaining that if it were up to Thomas, the two of them would still be together.

“It took me a long time to get married because I was very independent,” she said. “When I got married to Peter, he knew I was not the type of woman to just stay in something to be in something. Peter is built a little differently. He will stay in the relationship just to be in the relationship. And that just doesn’t work for me.”

She FaceTimed with Thomas later in the episode, for a call she called “awkward” and “uncomfortable.”

According to Thomas, it was the first time he had seen his wife in three months.

“I remember saying that I don’t really want anything from you when the only thing I wanted from you was you,” he told her. “And I’m looking at your face and I haven’t seen it in a long time and I miss that face. It’s f—– up.”

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The Bailey Agency-owner added that Thomas “has good days and bad days.”

“Sometimes he can just be like, ‘Okay, I get it — let’s do this.’ And then another day it’s like, ‘You never tried — you just gave up.’ So it’s been a lot of ups and downs.”

But while that call may have been one of Thomas’ “bad days,” Bailey was determined to keep it a good one. She asked him if he knew where the prenup was, and quickly ended the call.

Here’s hoping things between the two remain as civilized all season.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta airs Sundays (8 p.m. ET) on Bravo.