Why didn’t Laura and Aladin’s relationship on 90 Day Fiancé The Other Way last? There were a number of tell-tale signs that pointed to an eventual split.
Before the latest installment in the 90 Day Fiancé franchise even hit the airwaves, TLC teased viewers with the May/December couple. Aladin is 29 and from Qatar; Laura, 51, is a retiree from Florida. The relationship had all the makings of good television. His exotic Middle Eastern good looks made him a standout among the other men on the show. By contrast, Laura looks and sounds like the nice lady down the street; the one who pays neighborhood kids in lemonade and cookies to mow her lawn.
Once news of their issues started to unfold on the tell-all episode, the couple’s respective fans instantly took sides on social media. Laura teased the possible demise of the marriage with her August 19 post: “How cute were we the day we got married with our matching outfits! See what happens tonight! Are we still together?” Laura received more than 9,000 likes for the post. Aladin’s Instagram page is replete with adoring female fans, applauding him for moving on from the relationship. One user, known as fang_soup consoled Aladin by writing, “You seem like a good person that just got mixed up with trash.”
Shortly after Laura and Aladin’s problems were brought into the light, there was a new revelation on the horizon; one that might have changed everything. In September 2019, Laura announced that she was pregnant with the couple’s first child. While geriatric pregnancies are not uncommon, the timing - to some - was suspect. Laura confirmed the pregnancy announcement with an Instagram user. However, she went on to confess that it was an ectopic pregnancy, so she wouldn’t be able to bring the baby to term. Laura also admitted that placing the news on social media was her way of getting her estranged husband’s attention. The announcement has since been deleted. Still, through it all, Aladin seemed unfazed. His reaction to hearing that his wife was pregnant was to joke that the baby must belong to her sex toy and not to him.
Laura is in good company as far as her taste in younger men. A number of prominent women in Hollywood have also flaunted their May/December romances. Take Joan Collins. The Dynasty star is married to Percy Gibson - a man 32 years her junior. In late 2018, the two were still having romantic date nights in Los Angeles. Also involved with a younger man is Ivana Trump. President Donald Trump’s ex-wife Ivana was married to Rossano Rubicondi from 2008 to 2009. She was 23-years older than he was at the time of their ceremony. Actress and beauty queen Priyanka Chopra made headlines in 2018 when she and Nick Jonas married in multiple ceremonies in India. There is a decade between the two, but they are happy in their union. Unfortunately, Laura and Aladin may have lacked the mutual respect that kept some of the aforementioned partnerships going.
For example, during the entire season that Laura and Aladin appeared on 90 Day Fiance, she spent a good deal of her time criticizing his sexual prowess and blaming him for her dissatisfaction in bed. Although she appears to have tried multiple tactics to receive the satisfaction she felt she deserved, it was a devastating blow to Aladin’s masculinity to have his wife speaking out against him in such a public way. Aladin has cited her disrespect of him numerous times as another reason he no longer wishes to stay married.
Laura also didn’t score any points with her younger man when it came to her son, Liam. Before the marriage and throughout the season, Liam was very competitive with Aladin. He wanted his mother’s attention and resented her bestowing money and support to her young husband. When the couple was set to wed in the Middle East, Liam flew in for the nuptials, but refused to participate in any of the festivities. This embarrassed Laura and caused tension between Aladin and Liam. In the end, Liam came around just enough not to burn a bridge with his mother. However, when Aladin and Laura began to fight on the 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way tell-all episode, Liam laughed at his mother as she cried over the demise of her marriage. Even as she pleaded with him to stop mocking her, he continued. Their unsympathetic family dynamic surely rubbed Aladin the wrong way, as well.
Laura was also portrayed on the series to be a bit of a free spirit. She devoted years and years in the service of her employer. She also attempted to rear her son in a happy and healthy household. When it was time to move forward into the next phase of her life, Florida seemed the logical choice. She still had wants and needs, and romance with the tall, dark, and handsome stranger was a nice diversion from everyday life.
In the days since the tell-all aired, Laura posted a picture of her smiling and in the company of another 90 Day Fiancé personality. Evelin and Corey’s third wheel, Raul, seems to be ushering Laura into newfound happiness. The two posed for photos in his native Ecuador, giving fans and haters a lot to talk about on social media. In terms of a reconciliation between Laura and Aladin, these photos make that an unlikely possibility.
In the end, it may have been hubris that drove them apart. Aladin, with his preconceived ideas about American women, may have used his good looks to prey on his wife’s heart. Laura… an older woman who, in our ageist culture may be seen as “past her prime,” rightfully wanted someone special to sweep her off her feet. Despite the protests of her son, she chose to throw aside conventional wisdom and chase after a new life in a fascinating country. Since Aladin clearly attracts female attention, he chose someone whom he felt would be less challenging than a younger girl with lots of expectations. Little did he know that Laura still sees herself as a viable, social being, even if he doesn’t. Moving forward, wherever they ultimately find forever love, it’s clear that this marriage did neither of them any favors.
Next: 90 Day Fiancé: Corey’s Fiancée Evelin Forgets to Wear Engagement Ring on Tell All Episode
Source: TLC
