Sister Wives' Christine and Kody Brown had to find a way to share their breakup news with the family.

In PEOPLE's exclusive sneak peek at Sunday's episode, the former couple meet to discuss how they plan to tell Kody's other wives Robyn Brown, Janelle Brown and Meri Brown about their separation. But Christine admits to Kody that she's "not looking forward" to having that conversation.

"I don't want to burn bridges at the end of this," she continues. "Some relationships are going to be fine, some are not going to be fine."

RELATED: Sister Wives Star Christine Brown Calls Out Kody Brown for Having a 'Favorite Wife'

Christine, 50, says that this will "definitely" be a "hard" conversation for them to have with the three women. When Kody, 53, hesitantly wonders if he should even be present during the women's chat, Christine insists she needs him to be there.

"I would like it to be me leaving is me leaving, but we have talked about it," she adds.

Addressing the issue further in a confessional, Christine says she's aware that Robyn, 43, Janelle, 53, and Meri, 51, will most likely be upset over by decision. But it's something she has to do for herself.

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"I know that they're going to be frustrated and mad and hurt and feel betrayed and [wonder], What does that mean to be a sister wife then? Am I still a sister wife?' And the answer is no," she says. "I can't be their sister wife anymore. I can be their friend."

RELATED: Christine Brown Says Sister Wives' Janelle Was 'Supportive from the Get-Go' of Her Choice to Leave Polygamy

Though Christine also acknowledges, "The relationship, like, how I have with Janelle is probably going to stay like that. How not very close I am with Robyn and Meri is gonna stay like that too."

Reacting to the situation in a separate confessional, Kody admits he's in a "state of denial." He also partly wants Christine to admit she's "leaving because of her" — and not because of him.

"She's leaving, and I want to put it all on her. She's leaving. You know, why aren't we working this out?" he adds. "I'm in a place of where I don't know what to way."

Gabe Ginsberg/FilmMagic Kody Brown and Christine Brown

Christine was the third wife to join Kody's polygamous marriage with Meri and Janelle. But Robyn later joined in 2010, eventually becoming Kody's only legal wife after he and Meri separated on paper.

After more than 21 years of marriage, Christine announced her separation from Kody in November 2021.

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Sister Wives season 17 airs Sunday nights at 10 p.m. ET on TLC.