Viewers could be gaining more understanding as to why Brittany Cartwright wasn’t part of Kristen Doute’s unexpected engagement featured in this week’s episode of The Valley.

In an exclusive video clip obtained by Decider, Doute addresses Cartwright regarding her strong friendship with Janet Caperna, with whom Doute has had a rivalry since the first season of The Valley. While Doute mentions she doesn’t need Cartwright to be her “bodyguard,” she wishes Cartwright would confront Caperna more frequently.

“You want me to stand up more?” Cartwright inquiries in the clip, and Doute responds, “Yes, Brittany! Because you always defend her to me,” before adding, “Are there any consequences for Janet being completely irrational and constantly stirring up drama?”

Cartwright, who was previously upset that Luke Broderick didn’t fill her in on his proposal plans before the group jetted off to Hawaii, apologized to Doute, telling her, “Listen, you mean the world to me and I’m so sorry if you feel like I’m not taking up for you enough. I just know you’re strong and you can take up for yourself. But I definitely should stand up for you more.”

While Caperna skipped the initial celebration of Doute and Broderick’s engagement, it sounds like she’ll be joining the cast for dinner in tonight’s episode.

“Janet’s a fucking miserable human being. I’m literally up to here. I can’t take it anymore,” Doute fumes, while simultaneously insisting that she doesn’t mind Caperna meeting them for dinner. “She’s nothing to me. She’s a piece of fucking cardboard.”

All the Vanderpump Rules alum cares about is her friendship with Cartwright.

“I just want [Caperna] to shut the fuck up and not come between me and you,” she tells the Kentucky native. “I don’t want you to fight Janet, but it’s exactly how Zack [Wickham] feels, too. She sucks.”

Find out what happens when The Valley airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo. New episodes are available to stream the next day on Peacock.