Artem Chigvintsev Questions 'Cold Feet' 1 Week Before Wedding to Nikki Bella: 'She Doubts My Ability'

"There's no having a reasonable conversation with her, at this point," Artem Chigvintsev said of his future bride on the latest episode of Nikki Bella Says I Do

Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella 9th Annual Variety Charity Poker & Casino Night, Paramount Studios, Los Angeles, USA - 24 Jul 2019
Photo: MediaPunch/Shutterstock

Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella hit a major rough patch in the days leading up to their wedding.

During Thursday's episode of the E! special Nikki Bella Says I Do, Nikki, 39, and Artem, 40, got into a heated argument days before their wedding in Paris — leaving both feeling uneasy about their future.

"Artem and I got into a pretty bad argument last night, and he and Matteo [the couple's 2-year-old son] leave for Turkey in a few hours," Nikki said. "Artem and I decided that Matteo will go to Turkey with Artem and our Nanny Mirium. I'm going to stay in Paris with Brie and we're just going to plan this wedding."

"They're going to be in Turkey for four days, which is giving me massive anxiety," she continued. "When I would ask about it or say things about it, Artem was taking it as I don't want him to go, I don't want him to see his parents, and I don't want any of that. It definitely caused a lot of tension and tension that is still there."

The Dancing With the Stars pro added, "It's not the best feeling that Nicole and I had an argument. My frustration came from, 'Are you asking me to say, 'No, we're not going to go. We're just going to be in Paris?' I do feel like she doubts my ability at being with Matteo and being his dad. I can handle the situation."

NIKKI BELLA SAYS I DO -- Pictured: "Nikki Bella Says I Do" Key Art
E! Entertainment

While Nikki and Brie remained in Paris to put the final touches on the couple's upcoming wedding, Brie called Artem to "check" in on him after the argument.

"I don't know if you know, but Nicole and I had a bit of an argument," Artem told his future sister-in-law. "It's hard on me."

Brie was aware of the disagreement, telling Artem, "I told her, 'Listen, you have to understand where Artem is coming from. He never thought he would see his family again because of the war. And he never thought his family would meet Matteo.'"

"There's no having a reasonable conversation with her at this point," Artem responded. "It worries me because if that's how it's going to be forever, that's a big deal."

In a confesional, Brie said she had recently noticed a major shift between her twin and Artem.

"Talking to Artem, it is very clear that the communication is so off with Artem and Nicole," she said. "I understand Artem's point, feeling a little disrespected because Nicole doesn't trust him. But then I understand Nicole. What they both need to say to each is, 'I respect how you feel. I'm just uncomfortable about…'"

After Brie asked if Artem was excited about the wedding, the dancer responded: "I'm not going to lie: I am nervous because that's a huge question that's on my mind. Obviously, I'm excited and I want to do this."

Brie Bella (L) and Nikki Bella attend SiriusXM's Town Hall With The Bella Twins at SiriusXM Studios on November 19, 2021 in New York City.
Mike Coppola/Getty

As the two Total Bellas stars continued to roam around Paris wedding planning, Brie finally admitted to Nikki that she spoke with Artem about the situation.

"I called Artem and wanted to call and check on him," she said. "I wanted to talk to him about your guys' argument ... He definitely wants to sit and talk to you, but he said he's scared because your arguments go from zero to 100 and that scares him. For the rest of his life, when he gets in an argument, it's going to always turn out really bad. He feels like sometimes you don't understand the things you say to him."

"Artem has said things that have made me distant towards him because they are over the line," Nikki responded.

"He was expressing what almost gives him cold feet to get married," Brie admitted. "These are important things you need to talk to him about."

"Where my frustration comes in is that I'm not going to sit back and not voice my opinion," Nikki said. "This is how I live life, this is what I believe in, this is what I want. It pisses me off — I'm not going to lie."

Brie continued to urge her sister to discuss the matter with Artem, pointing out how quickly their relationship has moved.

"You guys started dating, got engaged very quick, during your engagement you got pregnant," she said. "You guys haven't really been able to comb through your relationship… you have to talk about all this before you get married."

Artem Chigvintsev (L) and Nikki Bella attend FOX's Teen Choice Awards 2019 on August 11, 2019 in Hermosa Beach, California.
Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella. Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Previously on the E! special, viewers saw Artem and Nikki plan to marry in Napa Valley — only to abandon those plans and shift their wedding to Paris within a month, after realizing that it would allow for Artem's parents to attend.

Prior to making the decision, the pair expressed their individual concerns about location choice.

"My biggest issue is I'm not planning on getting married again and I want to make sure my parents can be there, and my family can be there and my brother," Artem explained. "They've never met Matteo and it'd be the perfect way of them meeting our son… I think the one thing on my mind all the time is my parents."

Artem added that with the current situation in Russia, there was "no way possible his parents could make" the wedding if it was held in the United States.

"When you actually say it out loud, it makes it even more real," he told cameras. "It's been challenging because you feel like you've been cut off from that world which has been really frustrating. Sometimes I feel helpless."

RELATED VIDEO: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev Are Married: 'We Said I DO'

Nikki was in agreement, telling her husband-to-be, "I just really want your parents to be there."

Speaking to cameras, she acknowledged how difficult the wedding situation was becoming for the pair, and that having it in Paris — where they got engaged in November 2019 — was the best option.

"The one thing I've realized in being a fiancée to him, Artem is definitely a realist," she told cameras. "Artem is so close to his family, but yet they're so far away. Artem doesn't have a lot of people here in America. It makes me so emotional because I'm all about family. Family is number one in my life. My son doesn't get to meet his grandparents. I'm starting to realize that getting married in Napa Valley is not going to work."

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Nikki Bella Says I Do airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on E!

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