Denise Richards Unveils Post-Sheen Rock Bottom: ‘Divorce Left Me a Hollow Shell’

Denise Richards is opening up about her tumultuous history with Charlie Sheen.

During the April 1 installment of her reality show Denise Richards & Her Wild Things, the actress met her ex-husband (married 2002-2006) for a lunch outing with their teenage daughter Lola.

While sharing the meal, the 54-year-old confessed their path to peaceful co-parenting hadn’t been smooth.

“Our marriage lasted four-and-a-half years before I initiated divorce,” she revealed. “He’d maintained sobriety for nearly four years initially. I never imagined someone so dedicated could relapse – I was inexperienced with addiction struggles at the time.”

“Things deteriorated rapidly after conceiving Lola,” Denise recalled, referencing their older daughter Sami born the previous year. “Following a terrible argument, I packed our belongings, contacted my housekeeper, and fled to Beverly Hills Hotel. I filed divorce papers between hotel check-in and a script reading.”

When Lola expressed anxiety about inheriting her parents’ fame, 59-year-old Charlie advised ignoring media coverage about herself.

This prompted Denise to reference his past harsh comments about her during his pre-2017 addiction struggles. “I consistently supported you ultimately,” she told him.

“Grateful for that,” he responded. “Without that foundation, we couldn’t share moments like this.”

In a solo interview segment, Denise clarified: “I never disparaged Charlie publicly – his self-destruction spoke for itself.”

The actress also addressed temporarily raising Charlie and Brooke Mueller’s twin boys in 2013 during their substance abuse battles.

“I never publicly acknowledged the guardianship,” she stressed. “Constant tabloid scrutiny forced me into emotional isolation. I instructed my publicist to filter all media – it was destroying me psychologically.”

Fighting tears, Denise emphasized her children’s wellbeing always came first.

“I told Charlie, ‘Hate me if you must,'” she recounted. “‘But at family events, let’s present united front so our kids feel secure and loved.'”

“Ultimately, my daughters and family are my entire world,” she concluded.

Despite past conflicts, Denise recently told PEOPLE: “Our history brought me Sami and Lola. We’ve learned to laugh about the chaos now. I’ll always support him and his sons.”

“Those were dark years,” she added. “But today, we can reflect and say, ‘We survived.’ Our family bond remains unbroken.”

Denise Richards & Her Wild Things airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.