Brianna LaPaglia Says She ‘Took Control’ by Turning Down $12.9 Million from Ex Zach Bryan

Warning: This story contains spoilers from the Oct. 9 episode of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.

Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia is reflecting on her decision to turn down $12.9 million that her ex Zach Bryan allegedly offered her.

On Thursday’s, Oct. 9, episode of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, the BFFs Podcast co-host, 26, opened up about how the breakup with Bryan led her to join the grueling Fox reality show.

“I’m doing the course because I’ve had a really tough year,” she shared. “I was in a very public relationship. It ended really badly. I don’t really know exactly who I am, and it will teach me a lot about myself.”

“Over the past couple years, I wasn’t allowed to be me,” LaPaglia said in a confessional. “From what I’ve experienced, I think women get steamrolled a lot, and they get put in corners, I used to be very strong. I don’t want to give anyone power over me. I really want to take control, and if I make it, it’s because I did it.” 

After her team failed the challenge, LaPaglia continued to open up about her relationship with Bryan.

“I met my ex-boyfriend through Instagram DMs, like any regular person nowadays would. It was a very fast-moving relationship where I should have seen a lot of red flags, but I was blinded by a lot of things,” LaPaglia shared.

She then told her teammates, “My ex is a super musician. He was awful towards me … He got famous on TikTok and thinks he’s God.”

During a conversation with the Directing Staff (DS), LaPaglia revealed, “I lost sight of myself and I just didn’t want to be here anymore” amid the relationship.”

She then brought up the financial offer that Bryan allegedly made when their relationship came to an end in October 2024.

“He offered me $12.9 million to sign away my voice,” she claimed.

“To silence you,” the DS said, to which she responded, “He tried to, I think.”

“I was that strong girl making videos for girls of what not to do and who to stay away from, and how to just be strong, and then I don’t know what the f— happened because it happened to me,” she said.

She added in a confessional, “The people that followed me through this relationship watched me turn into just like a shell of a human. I just couldn’t let someone control how I feel and how I act anymore. In me not taking that money, I took control of myself back.”

Bryan announced his split from LaPaglia on Instagram in October 2024. After the split, LaPaglia claimed she was emotionally abused by her ex during an episode of the BFFs Podcast.

“The last year of my life has been the hardest year of my life dealing with the abuse from this dude,” she claimed. “I’m still scared right now because I’m scared of him. My brain’s rewired and I’m scared to make him mad, and last week, I didn’t want to talk about it ’cause I was scared.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Speaking about the alleged abuse, she said that it was a constant cycle of like “build you up, beat you down, apologize over and over.”

LaPaglia also claimed that Bryan asked her to sign an NDA, offering her $12 million and a New York apartment to “not talk about the relationship.”

Reps for LaPaglia and Bryan did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment at the time. Bryan has never addressed the abuse allegations publicly.

Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Fox.