‘Love & Marriage’: Hunstville: Martell Says He Cheated on Melody After She Ignored His Continuous Complaints

Season 3 of Love & Marriage: Huntsville is documenting the new dynamic between Martell and Melody Holt now that their divorce is final. The OWN reality stars are trying to co-parent as best they can amid Martell having a child outside of their marriage and both parties are trying to move past the hurt. Martell’s cheating is no secret, but he says he warned Melody that he was unhappy before stepping out on her. 

Martell says he was vocal with Melody about what made him unhappy

Melody insists she was blindsided by Martell’s affair. Despite such, she says she was willing to work on their marriage. She ultimately decided to file for divorce when she says Martell’s cheating continued despite her doing what he asked.

But according to Martell, he was very vocal about what he was not happy with long before stepping out on his ex-wife. Though he says cheating isn’t the answer, he says Melody should have made more of an effort to keep him happy at home.

“If you’re married to someone, or if you’re in a relationship or anything like that, you’re going to need that person to fulfill whatever they’re supposed to fulfill when it comes to you,” he tells Jazzy B during a recent interview. “If you’re married, you’re supposed to be cooking for your significant other – you do that. It’s no reason that your husband should come home and have to go out and get food for you and the children often. And then if he voices that, you know, correct it. Sexually, if he voices that, correct it. And if he voices anything, and it’s multiple times…if he voices anything, let’s try to find a solution.”

Martell says his biggest complaints in his marriage to Melody was that she was verbally abrasive, didn’t satisfy him sexually, and slacked in the cooking area. He also says he has been the dominant parent to their four children while Melody focused on her career.

Per Martell, Melody didn’t listen to his grievances until after he cheated

Martell says after continuous conversations, nothing changed on Melody’s end. Per Martell, it wasn’t until after she discovered he was unfaithful that she began correcting her behavior.

“Let’s talk about it…I’m going to correct it and if it doesn’t happen and now it’s like, ‘Wow,’ now I want that attention,” he continues. “Now I went elsewhere to get that attention. Then, you find out that I went somewhere else to get that attention and now you want to start doing right.”

He says it’s unfair for men to have to work to make their women happy and not the other way around, noting: “It always comes down to ‘Happy wife, happy life,’ no, men have to be happy too. If not, that’s when the cheating comes in.”

The now-divorced father says he’s no longer in love with Melody

Martell does regret his actions, especially the way in which its impacted the four children he shares with Melody. Melody alleges that Martell requests often to reconcile, but Martell says that’s not true.

“No, I’m not in love but I definitely love her a lot,” he tells one fan during the interview. “I wish the best for her and things like that, I care for her deeply. We share four kids together so I’d be a fool not to love her and wish the best for her.”

As for what he’s learned, Martell says in his next relationship, he’ll ensure he remains vocal about his dissatisfactions so that his lady is on her a-game and he will be on point as well.

Love & Marriage: Huntsville airs every Saturday on OWN at 9 pm EST.