It's because she isn't Carly / Sonny directly, and let's be real. The writer(s) are going to prop those two no matter what, and it's disgusting to see. If the roles were reversed and Carly leaked the tape, no one would be threatening to take Donna from her. Not even Sonny. It's disgusting, and it's a tired form of story-telling. Sonny has been active in the mob scene for years (even recently), and Ava has been out of it (aside from living with Sonny) and Carly ran the organization, and yet Ava is still not what's best for Avery... because she leaked a conversation to a tabloid and lives in a hotel?! Gimme a fücking break.
This is why a lot of us are enjoying international soaps, Errol. They don't play their audiences as dumb like American soaps.
Giovanni Mazza is a decent actor. Nothing special. And Gio (character) is giving a Cameron-Spencer hybrid replacement. And that's not what any kind of character should be giving in 2024.