1 of 4 | Rihanna arrives for the RiRi by Rihanna fragrance unveiling at Macy's Downtown Brooklyn in New York City on Aug. 31, 2015. The singer and songwriter explained why she returned to ex-boyfriend Chris Brown after being domestically abused by the artist in 2009. File Photo by Dennis Van Tine/UPI |
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HAVANA, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- Appearing on the cover of Vanity Fair's November issue, singer Rihanna said she returned to her relationship with Chris Brown after falling victim to his domestic violence because she felt "strong enough" to deal with the situation.
"I was that girl," she told the magazine, "that girl who felt that as much pain as this relationship is, maybe some people are built stronger than others. Maybe I'm one of those people built to handle [expletive] like this. Maybe I'm the person who's almost the guardian angel to this person, to be there when they're not strong enough, when they're not understanding the world, when they just need someone to encourage them in a positive way and say the right thing."
Alongside an editorial spread featuring photos of the "BBHM" singer, 27, posing in various scenic spots in the recently opened Caribbean island of Cuba, Rihanna -- full name Robyn Rihanna Fenty -- discusses how things turned out when she finally decided to leave Brown. The Barbados-born beauty felt that she could change him for the better.
"I was very protective of him," she explained. "I felt that people didn't understand him. Even after...But you know, you realize after a while that in that situation you're the enemy. You want the best for them, but if you remind them of their failures, or if you remind them of bad moments in their life, or even if you say I'm willing to put up with something, they think less of you -- because they know you don't deserve what they're going to give."
In 2009, Chris Brown physically assaulted his then-girlfriend inside a Lamborghini after a night of partying. Rihanna was left with a bloodied and battered face that was soon after plastered all over tabloids and magazines. In 2012, Rihanna and Brown reunited for a short time before splitting again the following year.
"I don't hate him," she said. "I will care about him until the day I die. We're not friends, but it's not like we're enemies. We don't have much of a relationship now."
