Married at First Sight Australia brides Ines Basic and Martha Kalifatidis became firm friends when they met at the very first dinner party, but the pair are now getting a little too close for Martha’s husband Michael Brunelli’s comfort.
The brunette duo enjoyed a wild night out at a Melbourne bar on February 25, which culminated in the party-loving pair locking lips.
“Ines seemed to be instigating the kiss, but it’s not like Martha refused,” claims one onlooker. “They didn’t care who saw them and were acting very flirty the entire night.”
Shaking off her controversial affair with Sam Ball, Ines was in the Victorian capital as she prepared to celebrate her 29th birthday.
Barely leaving Martha’s side as they enjoyed free-flowing bottle service, the Brisbane-based legal assistant also debuted a shock new look, which included a fresh ‘do, blue contact lenses and very plumped-up lips.
As rumours of a surprise romance swirl around the friends, we’re told Martha’s groom Michael isn’t too happy with the kiss.
Speaking exclusively to Woman’s Day, a source close to the hunky PE teacher alleges, “Simply put, Michael thinks Ines is a bad influence on Martha. He’d prefer it if they didn’t hang out as much as they do.
“Their friendship is definitely causing a bit of a rift between them. He’s a pretty quiet guy, but Martha loves the limelight and loves going out. As well-matched as they appear on screen, underneath, they’re actually quite different to one another.”
However, clashing over Ines is just the latest bump in the road for Michael, 27, and Martha, 30. During a recent outing to a Sydney café, the Melbourne-born pair appeared to get into a heated exchange.
“Martha was furious and people at the café were staring at them,” claims an eyewitness. “At one stage, Michael got out of his seat to walk away. He was rather embarrassed.”
What’s more, Woman’s Day can reveal Michael has liked several Instagram photos of professional dancer Siobhan Power, who’s partnering cricket great Sir Curtly Ambrose on the Aussie series of Dancing with the Stars.
While both Michael and Martha insist they’re still enjoying each other’s company despite a few relationship woes, our source alleges, “All the signs seem to indicate there’s trouble in paradise.”