LAMH: Destiny Payton Thought She Was Martell Holt's Exception to the Rule

Katt Williams famously said during his interview with Shannon Sharpe on his Club Shay Shay podcast: “You having an unnatural allegiance to losers is not like you.” These are the words I consider when I think about Love & Marriage: Huntsville’s Destiny Patyon.

Destiny’s entry onto the show was controversial, and until last season, she largely had an unfavorable view in the eyes of the audience. Viewers were first introduced to her during Martell Holt and his ex-wife Melody Shari’s baby shower special, where she and her then-husband LeBerrick Williams served as the event’s hosts. At the time, it was presented that while Martell and Destiny had been friends since high school, the two couples were also close friends. Fans of the show would later learn from Melody that this was untrue, and it was actually Martell and Destiny who had the real friendship, with their spouses being included intermittently. 

Destiny’s relationships with the core women of the show were rocky from the start. She immediately clashed with Kimmi Scott over Kimmi’s comments about LeBerrick’s fried chicken business. LaTisha Scott’s issues with Destiny started not too long after. And Destiny had negative interactions with former co-stars Stormi Steele and Tiffany Whitlow upon first interaction. For several seasons, she had Melody as an ally, until that ship also sailed.

As Melody and Martell finalized their divorce, Destiny found herself caught in the middle, often playing referee between the battling exes. Eventually, Melody admitted to distancing herself from Destiny as she found Destiny’s close friendship with Martell to be uncomfortable, basically implying that Destiny was breaking girl code by staying associated with a man Melody says Destiny witnessed abuse and harass her. 

Destiny took Melody’s distance as abandonment, claiming Melody never communicated her issues about her friendship with Martell and missed the bond they once shared as friends navigating a difficult divorce and rebuilding personally and professionally as single moms. Their rift would go from bad to worse when Destiny seemingly aligned herself with the Scott sisters, Melody’s nemesis, out of spite. The “Melometers” didn’t take kindly to Destiny’s truce with the Scott sisters, and she was on the receiving end of much criticism.

Since then, we’ve watched how Destiny’s “friendships” with the Scott sisters have unraveled, and it looks eerily similar to what Melody experienced. Simultaneously, the Destiny who was seen as aggressive in her spats with others, accused of being too needy within her friend group, a flighty businesswoman, and emotionally guarded has done a 180 in the eyes of the audience. In recent seasons, Destiny has emerged as a fan favorite. 

Viewers love a good redemption story, and the way that she’s flourished after an obvious period of struggle in her personal and professional life is a reason to clap for her. She’s bounced back professionally, diving into real estate alongside her co-stars. Her finances seem to be in order, or at least more stable. Regarding the Scotts, Destiny isn’t afraid to hold them to the fire but still maintain a level of cordiality to make filming possible. And as a single woman, she has autonomy over her dating life, not allowing the married woman in her circle to police how she spends her time with the opposite sex without getting tied down. Moreover, Destiny has invited viewers into her complex familial dynamic, trying to reunite with a drug addicted mother and estranged siblings. In her case, the underdog has risen. But her continued friendship with Martell may be the downfall she doesn’t recover from, and that isn’t something I personally want to see after she’s done so much work.

It’s no secret that Martell possesses traits of narcissism, and he’s overall a petty man, and nothing is worse than the latter. He uses the women in his orbit  - whether romantic partners or platonic friends  - to beef with one another, creating triangulation between them so that he’s able to continue to move in a snake-like fashion. He did so between his ex-wife and mistress-turned “main queen,” Arionne “Coleslaw” Curry; between Melody and Destiny by growing “closer” with Destiny during their respective divorces; and now with Coleslaw and Destiny. Martell knows that having a woman in close proximity to him is beneficial in the games he plays. It’s a shame that Destiny does not see that she’s part of the game.

With Coleslaw now in the fold on the show, she’s targeting Destiny. Coleslaw claims Destiny is not to be trusted, revealing that she’s privy to Destiny “running back” intel on Melody to Martell amid their split and since. There’s no reason for Coleslaw to lie, and of course, her motive is to get any woman out of Martell’s circle because she knows how her “man” operates, and she views Destiny as a potential threat. Destiny definitely broke all forms of girl code if what Coleslaw is saying about her playing telephone with Martell is true. Coleslaw is demanding Martell kiss his friendship with Destiny goodbye, and he sever all business ties they have from doing real estate deals together.

All of this is new news to Destiny, who is learning how Coleslaw feels as the season unravels. What’s annoying is that Martell and his Grinch-like smile are basking in having two women “fight” over him. Instead of standing firm with Coleslaw that he won't end his friendship with Destiny, he tells his once-side chick to sit down with Destiny and air her grievances. What an idiotic plan. When others in the group, even his own mama, ask or suggest that he and Destiny have crossed an inappropriate line, he laughs it off instead of answering directly, adding to speculation that their loyalty to one another runs deeper than they’d like for all to believe.

He has yet to tell Destiny how Coleslaw feels, and has instead gone distant toward Destiny when Coleslaw is on his arm. Destiny, on the other hand, is confused by all of it, and confided in her father that she’d be hurt if Martell ruins a decades-long friendship over Coleslaw. Previews show that she will crash out on Coleslaw (as she should) when confronted with the nonsense, and look to Martell to intervene. Though the episode has yet to air, one can guess Martell will do anything but, considering he allowed Coleslaw to disrespect his wife personally and publicly for so many years. 

Destiny seems genuinely blindsided by the scheme this season, but anyone with good sense saw this coming. This scenario is not new for Martell, and considering Destiny has had a front-row seat to his antics, she should have been prepared in case he used her as bait. While any curse out Destiny gives Coleslaw this season is warranted, the one who should get all of the heat is Martell. He’s the puppet master holding the strings. 

I don’t see what world Destiny thought she should have continued an ongoing friendship with Martell after experiencing what he did to his ex-wife, coupled with what she experienced with her own ex-husband who engaged in similar behavior to destroy her afterward. Martell’s allegiance is and has always been to himself. He jeopardized his marriage, family, and million-dollar generating business for a side chick he’s embarrassed to claim and won’t marry. Angry that his life blew up, he tried his hardest to unlock secrets that could lead to the Scott brothers’ divorces. And he’s now using and allowing Coleslaw to do his dirty work on the show. He is a classic misogynist and lives by a bros before hoes and them before me mentality. Why Destiny ever thought she’d be exempt from his fire is unknown to me and the majority of people watching. 

There’s a saying that it’s important to watch how someone treats others, because at some point, you’ll be the next on the list. This season of LAMH is showing that it’s simply Destiny’s turn to be a pawn on Martell’s chessboard. Hopefully she figures out a checkmate move before it’s too late.