RHOSLC: Inside Jen Shah And Heather Gay's Complicated Friendship

Jen Shah and Heather Gay had one of the closest friendships on "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City," but the two bickered so often, it was hard to keep up with their complicated relationship. Shah was not just Gay's BFF, but also a devoted client of the latter's med spa, Beauty Lab + Laser. While the two were tight in Season 1, fans found Shah and Gay at odds at the start of "RHOSLC" Season 2.

Gay confronted Shah about trashing her on social media and allegedly calling her a racist, amongst other hurtful things, via ET. Shah admitted that she had posted those barbs but told Gay that she "took it down in five minutes." Although the housewives started out on shaky ground, Shah's arrest, which happened during the filming of Season 2, caused Gay to stick loyally by her friend. "I wasn't supporting Jen and her innocence as much as I was just supporting Jen in her journey ... I'm going to be her friend she's down, pleading guilty and facing sentencing. I will never shut the door on Jen Shah," Gay later told Today.

Since Shah's legal issues, Gay has stood by her friend loyally. However, an incident in "RHOSLC" Season 3 has fans questioning just how far Gay would go to protect Shah.

The "RHOSLC" trailer ahead of Season 3 showed a shocking clip of Heather Gay revealing a black eye, completely swollen shut. Fans have been waiting to find out how she got the shiner but now that episode has aired, viewers are no closer to finding out the truth. After Gay showed her castmates the black eye, she refused to divulge how she got it. via E! News. However, many fingers pointed at Shah, and cast member Whitney Rose believed Gay was keeping quiet to protect her friend.

"RHOSLC" fans also believe Shah is to blame for Gay's black eye. "Let Heather deflect and dodge all she wants. The only person in this friend group that would physically beat the crap out of her is Jen Shah, and until she unequivocally denies it, then it's Jen Shah!" a Twitter user proclaimed. "I think we all know Jen Shah clocked Heather Gay — and she doesn't want to say bc she already a damn felon. Case closed," another wrote.

Others think Gay needs to take a step back from her friendship with Shah. "Jen Shah has Heather Gay in an invisible chokehold somehow...their relationship is toxic as ever and yet somehow Heather always defends Jen in the name of "friendship"...it's not friendship, it's blackmail...or should I say black eye," a fan tweeted. Now that Shah has received her sentence, "RHOSLC" fans are wondering about the future of the show.

A month before her sentencing, Jen Shah informed "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" fans that she was not invited to the Season 3 reunion by Bravo executives. "I was clear with Bravo that out of respect for the courts and a standing judicial order, I would not be in a position to discuss anything related to my legal case or sentencing. Bravo found this unsatisfactory and said they expected to discuss this 'storyline,'" she wrote. She added that "under legal advice," she will not be at the reunion.

On January 7, Shah received her sentencing of 6.5 years in prison for her telemarketing fraud scheme, per TMZ. However, her prison time will not deter Heather Gay from standing by her friend. "Listen, I've had prison boyfriends before. I know the whole routine! I'm not worried about that. I was born for this," she joked months prior, per Page Six. She later told E! News that "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" wouldn't be the same without Shah. "That is the great big question mark: is there a show without Jen Shah?" she pondered.

Now that Shah is expected to surrender to the authorities on February 17, Season 4 will be filmed without her. Rumors swirled that the show could be canceled, but an exclusive source told Radar that "RHOSLC" will most likely continue without Shah, and Gay will have to go on without her frenemy.