Tori Spelling Realized 'She's A Lot Stronger Than She Gives Herself Credit For' Amid Troubled Marriage To Dean McDermott

As rumors continue to mount that Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott's 15-year marriage is on the brink of collapse, an insider is shedding some insight into what brought the former lovebirds to this point.

For a while, the BH90210 star seemingly stayed with her husband for the sake of their five kids, Liam, 14, Stella, 13, Hattie, 10, Finn, 9, and Beau, 4.

"That’s the only reason they’ve lasted this long,” says an insider, noting the 90210 alum “has been miserable for ages, but didn’t have the fortitude to leave."

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But with McDermott having jetted off to Canada for a while to work on a project, it gave Spelling time to reflect on her marriage.

"During this time apart, she realized she’s a lot stronger than she gives herself credit for,” says the insider. “She learned to make decisions for herself and to love herself again.”

Spelling already seems to be embracing her newfound confidence. She hit the town on Halloween with bestie Laura Rugetti wearing matching, skimpy dead bride costumes. “It’s been nice for her to get out of the house and just have fun and let loose,” explains the insider.

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McDermott, for his part, "insists he’s not the bad guy that Tori’s made him out to be."

The insider notes he also wants equal access to the kids if the two decide to go their seperate ways: “Dean won’t let Tori take the children away from him. He’ll go to court for joint custody if it comes to that. They’re still his kids too.”

Still, the insider says when push comes to shove, the Mind Over Murder costars will ultimately put their children’s needs first. “They already have a good co-parenting system in place when one has to work, or one wants to do something socially,” says the insider. “No matter what, their kids will come first and will always be their No. 1 priority."