"I didn''t understand my relationship with him," UsMagazine.com quoted her as saying.
Though skeptics have labeled their 18-month marriage a sham, Presley, 42, insisted it was the real deal -- though she understands why Jackson''s behavior might cause people to question its validity.
"To some degree, he was a master at manipulating the media," she said.
"I understand that nobody really knew who I was. They just assumed I was going along with something he would be doing....I understand it better now. The manipulation was a survival tactic for him," she added.
