Khloé Kardashian Felt 'Relief' When Tristan Thompson Moved to Cleveland After Always Being 'on Guard' with Giving False Hope

After sharing her plans to take "time for me" in Tristan's absence, Khloé confessed on the season 5 premiere of 'The Kardashians' that she was relieved to see her ex relocate because "I need space"

When Tristan Thompson revealed he was returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Khloé Kardashian was admittedly relived.

During the season 5 premiere of The Kardashians, which dropped on May 23, Khloé met up with her ex as he packed up for his return to Cleveland, Ohio.

In a conversation with cameras, she compared the NBA player to a "bird leaving the nest" and joked that she was hoping he wouldn't come back to Los Angeles "anytime soon."

"I feel like the past couple years have been — I don't know if traumatic is too big of a word — but I feel like the past couple years, or maybe the past decade, has really been a very heavy time in my life," the Good American founder, 39, explained. "And I don't necessarily get a lot of time to just like, heal."

With time away from Tristan, 33, Khloé shared that she was looking forward to "taking time for me."

Related: Khloé Kardashian Gives an Update on Her Relationship with Tristan Thompson Now: 'We Get Along'

"I'm not doing anything special. I'm not doing anything different," she continued. "But I just want to be in the moment more, I want to put my energy into things that make me happy."

When Khloé asked Tristan how he felt about his move, he confessed that his departure felt "bittersweet" as he'd have to leave his younger brother Amari behind. (As fans may recall, Khloé is helping Tristan care for Amari, now that he's Amari's legal guardian, after their mom Andrea died from a heart attack in January 2023.)

As they discussed the transitions he'd have to make, Khloé reflected on when Tristan temporarily moved in with her amid his home renovation last season.

"The move in and all of these changes was still just so overwhelming for me," she told cameras. "Now that he's going to Cleveland, I can imagine I'll just feel a relief. I don't care who it is, I need space."

Related: Kris Jenner's Tumor News Rocks Family as Kourtney Recalls 'Terrifying' Fetal Surgery in Kardashians Season 5 Trailer

The exes took a stroll into daughter True's room and Tristan joked that they should connect their houses with a tunnel. Not amused by his suggestions, Khloé rolled her eyes and told cameras, "Come on, you know where I stand."

"Sometimes I hate how much I have to think and be on guard to not do anything that might ever give a glimmer that there's hope," she said, telling producers, "They just don't leave even when you ask them to. They just keep staying!"

Khloé and Tristan began dating on and off in 2016. He cheated on her multiple times, including once just days before their daughter, True, was born and another time with Jordyn Woods in 2019 while he and Khloé were still together.

Years later, they gave their romance another shot. But it was later revealed in December 2021 that Tristan had fathered a child with Maralee Nichols around the same time he and Khloé were secretly expecting their second child via surrogate.

Khloé officially ended their relationship months before the birth of their son, Tatum, in August 2022 and has since emphasized repeatedly, both on episodes of The Kardashians and in interviews, that she has no intention of getting back together.

"These boundaries are so important to put into place with Tristan because we’ve done this song and dance a handful of times already," she said during a June 2023 episode of the Hulu show. "I've gotten back with him after a cheating scandal so I don't know if Tristan is under the impression, ‘Oh wow, OK, let's just ride this out and eventually she’ll get back with me.’"

"I get why he would think that, so it's my job to set boundaries that my actions show otherwise," she continued. "I keep it very short and sweet and make sure he knows it's always about the kids because it's so easy to fall back into [habits]. I can't let those old habits easily come into my life. It's just not what I want."

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