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'I hope she can forgive me - for her sake': Marla Maples reveals she wants to make amends with Ivana Trump, 25 years after her affair with Donald ended his first marriage

Donald's publicized infidelity with Marla led to the break-up of his 14-year marriage to Ivana in 1991
The 69-year-old Republican candidate then wed Marla, 52, in 1993, two months after the birth of their only child Tiffany
More than two decades later, Marla says she loves Ivana's children Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric and hopes that she will let go of her resentment

Published: 18:17 GMT, 26 April 2016 | Updated: 20:03 GMT, 26 April 2016

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It has been two decades since Marla Maples married and subsequently divorced Donald Trump, but the 52-year-old is desperate to make amends with her ex-husband's first wife Ivana — for her sake.

Donald’s publicized infidelity with Marla led to his split from 67-year-old Ivana in 1991 after 14 years of marriage, causing a media frenzy over the scandal. Donald, now 69, said 'I do' to Marla just two years later, a few months after the birth of their first and only child together, Tiffany.

More than 20 years later, Marla told People that she hopes for Ivana's sake that she will one day be able to forgive her because she adores Ivana and Donald's children Donald Jr., 38, Ivanka, 34, and Eric, 32.

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Forgive me? Marla Maples (left), 52, wants to make amends with Ivana Trump (right), 67, more than two decades after her relationship with Donald led to his split from his first wife in 1991

New York society: Ivana and Donald, who are pictured in 1990, married in 1977 and have three children together, Donald Jr., 38, Ivanka, 34, and Eric, 32

In an interview with the New York Post earlier this month, Ivana admitted that she still blames Marla for the end of her marriage and isn't willing to let bygones be bygones.

'[Marla] asked to apologize to me in the Daily Mail in London. They asked if I accepted the apology and I said no. Why should I? She broke my marriage!' she said of her ex-husband's second wife.

'That makes me sad because I wish her nothing but love,' Marla told People of Ivana's comments. 'I love her kids, and if she's holding any kind of resentment toward me, I really hope, for her sake, that she can forgive me.'

Marla's relationship with Donald made her a tabloid fixture, and she recalled trying to flee the coverage in 1990 by going to work in the Peace Corps in Guatemala.

Barely an adult: Marla was 20 years old when she met Donald. The two are pictured in 1984. Ivana recently said she wouldn't accept Marla's apology because she 'broke her marriage'

Second wife: Marla and Donald wed at New York City's Plaza Hotel in December 1993, just two months after their first and only child, Tiffany, was born

Although media tried to find her, Marla noted that most outlets incorrectly deduced that she was at 'some luxurious spa'.

'It was awful. They wouldn't leave my family alone,' she said of the coverage. 'I wanted to fix everything. I like to fix things for people and suddenly here's all these stories out. I couldn't keep up.'

Marla said her father finally convinced her that the media wasn't going away, and she needed to face the scandal head on.

After continuing their relationship upon her return, Marla and Donald welcomed Tiffany into the world on October 13, 1993.

Seeing red: Donald and Ivana are pictured with Ivanka (bottom center) and Eric (bottom right) in the 1980s

All together: Marla and Donald, who were married for six years, are pictured with their daughter Tiffany in the mid-1990s

Two months later, the couple wed at New York City's Plaza Hotel. Their divorced was finalized in 1999, and Donald went on to marry his 46-year-old wife Melania, who is the mother of his 10-year-old son Barron.

Looking back, Marla said she wishes she spent more time laughing and less time worrying about about what other people thought about her.

The mother-of-one recently stepped back into the spotlight as a contestant on Dancing With the Stars, and before her elimination on April 11, she paid tribute to her 22-year-old daughter Tiffany by choosing 1993 as the year she will never forget on the ABC show's 'Most Memorable Year' night.

'My mom and I have the most amazing relationship,' Tiffany told the cameras during her visit to her mother's rehearsal. 'We have always had the strongest bond. She is just truly the most amazing mother.'

Former stepmom: Marla said she hopes Ivana will find a way to forgive her because she loves her children Donald Jr, Ivanka, and Eric, who are Tiffany's half-siblings. Marla is pictured with Donald Jr. in 1995

Looking back: Marla admitted that she wished she spent more time laughing than what others thought about her. Donald and Marla posed alongside a young Ivanka in 1995

During the episode, Marla spoke candidly about how her relationship with Donald evolved.

'I met Tiffany's dad when I was 20 years old. That is two years younger than my daughter is now, and it is kind of frightening now that I think about it,' Marla admitted on the competition series.

'That time he wasn't a world known name. I met him through a friend and thought: "Wow, what an interesting person."'

'I didn't feel at any quite prepared to be a mom at that point in my life but in October 1993 there we were bringing little Tiffany Ariana into the world. It was just amazing.'

Birth of little girl: The former Dancing With the Stars contestant paid tribute to her 22-year-old daughter Tiffany by choosing 1993 as the year she will never forget on the ABC show's 'Most Memorable Year' night in April

Blonde beauties: Marla shared this photo of herself posed with Tiffany at the Freedom Tower in New York City in January

Family portrait: Donald and his current wife Melania (third from right) posed with his children (from left to right) Tiffany, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric at the Today Show in New York City last week

After they divorced, Marla became a single mom and opted to raise her daughter in Los Angeles while the rest of Tiffany's half-siblings were in New York.

'It had it's challenges, but in a way I got to raise her doing our own thing There was never a man there pushing the buttons saying what we could and couldn't do,' Marla said of raising Tiffany.

'I think when you are a single mom you realize that there are things you can do that you never imagined you can do.

'Just having her there believing in me makes me all the stronger.'