Signs HGTV Stars Tarek El Moussa & Heather Rae's Marriage Is On The Rocks

It took quite a while before we finally learned why Christina Haack and her "Flip or Flop" co-star Tarek El Moussa got divorced. But if Tarek and his current wife Heather Rae El Moussa end up splitting, too, it won't take nearly as long to pinpoint where it all went wrong. Sadly, the El Moussas have already shown several signs that their relationship won't last. For instance, welcoming their son Tristan in January 2023 reawakened Heather's latent desire for more children, but Tarek already has two other kids that he shares with Haack. As such, it seems that the real-estate tycoon has reached his limit. Tarek's and Heather's clashing views on children ultimately led to them attending couple's therapy, which has been a significant help, but the fact that they might now rely on counseling to maintain their connection could be a troubling omen for the El Moussas. 

Relationship expert Susan Winter, the bestselling author of "Breakup Triage; The Cure for Heartache," theorized how likely the pair is to divorce as a result. "Deciding on the number of children is less of a dealbreaker than deciding to have no children at all. When one partner's idea of marriage is to create a family and the other partner is opposed to that concept, that's where the real deal breakers occur," she confirmed in an exclusive interview with The List. Winter continued by noting, "Tarek and Heather already have one child together. Therefore, there's far more incentive to come to a negotiated agreement than to break up the family system." As the expert succinctly put it, "Couples will always need to find their mutual positions of compromise in order to sustain their relationship. It becomes a question of knowing your 'must haves' from your preferences." 

Apart from apparently refusing to have more kids with Heather Rae El Moussa, at least for the foreseeable future, Tarek El Moussa also disrupted their marriage when he mistakenly called his new wife by Christina Haack's name. "I'm lucky to be alive," Tarek quipped after confessing to the crime on Instagram. Although the HGTV star laughed about the memory in hindsight, relationship expert Susan Winter shared how Tarek's awkward slip-up hints that Haack is still on his mind. 

"Calling your new partner by your ex's name is easy to do. I've done it myself, and there was no hidden meaning behind it," Winter told The List. "When you've spent years with someone, the name becomes automatic. But in the early days of a new relationship, a slip like that can trigger fear and hurt — especially in sensitive moments, like in the bedroom." Additionally, the bestselling author also cautioned that Tarek's error could have a much more worrying interpretation.

She noted, "If someone is coming out of a difficult breakup with a partner they deeply loved, it could be a red flag. In that case, the mistake might point to unresolved feelings and a lingering wish for the past relationship to somehow work out." As such, a minor misstep on Tarek's part may also indicate that it's time to worry about his relationship with Heather.