What we thought was a sweet dream was actually a beautiful nightmare for Beyoncé. A source exclusively tells Life & Style that the superstar, 35, only used to hang out with Kim Kardashian because she wanted to keep the peace between her husband, JAY-Z, and his former pal Kanye West.

“The only reason Beyoncé ever gave Kim the time of day was for JAY-Z. A real friendship never materialized,” says the insider, adding that the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star, 36, wanted to associate herself with Bey “to up her cred.”

MORE: Kanye West Can Easily Make $1.5 Million in One Day — Yet Is Still Massively in Debt (EXCLUSIVE)

As fans are well aware, Kim and Beyoncé have attended multiple public events together. They last hung out at an afterparty for the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards last August. Prior to that, they sat front row at Kanye’s February 2015 Yeezy Season 1 fashion show. They’ve also posed together at the 2015 Grammys and at the 2012 BET Awards.

beyonce jay z kim kanye - getty

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Despite their friendly front, the source tells Life & Style that Beyoncé was never interested in getting close with Kim from the get-go. “Beyoncé never wanted it,” the insider explains. “She respects Kim’s drive — but that doesn’t mean she respects her.”

MORE: How Much Does Kim Kardashian Weigh in 2017? See Her Most Recent Slim Down!

As Life & Style previously reported, Bey and Kim’s husbands — who were previously best friends — are also at odds. According to an insider, Kanye, 40, is planning to sue JAY-Z, 47, over a money dispute. Yeezy pulled out of his contract with the “99 Problems” rapper’s music streaming service, Tidal, in July, claiming they owed him a $3 million bonus for bringing in 1.5 million new subscribers with his 2016 album, The Life of Pablo.

“Kanye believes he’s owed by Tidal and he will fight for it,” said the source, adding that Kanye is willing to drag JAY-Z to court because he doesn’t believe their relationship will ever be the same. “There’s no salvaging the friendship, so Kanye’s going full force. He could reveal secrets about JAY-Z that may not be pretty.”