RHOC’s Alexis Bellino Accuses Shannon of Lying About Finances When Dating John, Shares Real Reason John Turned Down Settlement, and Jim’s Reaction to Engagement, Plus Her “Villain” Edit and John’s Upcoming Cameo

Alexis Bellino is defending John Janssen over his refusal to settle his lawsuit against Shannon Beador.

Days after John, 61, appeared on Watch What Happens Live, where he explained why he turned down Shannon’s offer, the 47-year-old Real Housewives of Orange County star shared what she knows about the situation while also slamming Shannon, 60, for lying about her finances, revealing ex-husband Jim Bellino‘s reaction to her engagement, and more.

“Once again, the truth wasn’t told in that moment. I’ll clear up the truth right now: [Shannon] wanted to not pay him the full amount. It was, I believe, a small down payment and then monthly installments, which he’s not gonna do,” Alexis revealed to Us Weekly. “He doesn’t want to have to get a monthly installment from his ex.”

John also doesn’t want to sign a non-disparagement clause because, as Alexis shared, he’s “not gonna put a muzzle on himself when she’s been disparaging him for four years.”

“He just wants to be able to speak the truth,” she stated. “[And] what a lot of people don’t consider is we’ve been filming at this point for three or four months, and by the time the show airs, it would’ve been another seven or eight months. So any new lies that she wanted to concoct or bring out, he would’ve had a muzzle and never been able to speak the truth. So there’s a lot more to it.”

“He would very willingly just take the money and go. And he tried,” Alexis added.

Alexis also shut down the claim that John’s lawsuit against Shannon was “convenient.”

“She knew that he wanted his money back. John had two days before the statute of limitations was going to expire and then he wouldn’t have ever been able to get his money back,” she explained of why he filed his lawsuit when he did.

“The other part that’s really frustrating is everyone’s like, ‘Just walk away.’ And I don’t know any wealthy person that’s going to walk away from $75,000. I wouldn’t,” she noted. “He’s not gonna spend as much money as he did on her and then also let $75,000 go away when she has defamed him for the last four years.”

According to Alexis, Shannon lied when she suggested that she had spent money on John throughout their relationship — and proof of that will soon be revealed.

“That’s not true,” she confirmed. “That’s gonna come out.”

As for what will end the case, Alexis said, “For her to pay the money; pay the money she owes him.”

Also speaking to Us Weekly, Alexis revealed how Jim, 62, reacted to her and John’s August engagement.

“Jim did text me right after he found out and just said, ‘Congratulations,'” she shared. “John had been around a few times to family events, like James’ graduation, another party that we threw for James, [and] a track meet. So, they [have] been in the same vicinity and met.”

While Alexis and John have continued to get heat over their controversial romance, Alexis said they are “stronger than ever” since getting engaged.

“I think, in part, it’s due to the negativity. It’s just brought us closer and it’s also shown us that we can pretty much make it through anything if we can make it through everything we’ve been through already in nine months,” she explained. “It has been really difficult and I didn’t expect it so much. I knew I was going to be the villain and I was strong enough and felt OK doing that because it’s like, ‘How can the younger new girl [and] new girlfriend, come into a group where the ex is there and has been there for 10 years in that group and not be the bad guy?’”

Although Alexis may have gotten the “villain” edit on season 18, she said she was comfortable with that and knew she and John could handle it.

“We’re adults and we’re strong,” she declared.

For now, Alexis and John are enjoying time with their blended family, including her three children with Jim and his adult children from a previous relationship.

“We’ve taken several family trips together,” she revealed. “I feel like John and I are with one of our children [all the time] ‘cause there’s six, and a few of them have significant others that are pretty much like they are part of our family, too. So there’s nine, and we are always together. The family’s already blended [and] we’re either on the boat or we’re doing a family dinner or we’re going to his parents’ house. We’re just one big Brady Bunch.”

Also during the interview, Alexis confirmed that John will be briefly seen later this season on RHOC.

“I can’t give away anything, but he does not film this season. There’s one little cameo he makes for me, but he’s not ‘filming,’” she revealed. “And I honestly don’t think that’d be good for any of us. I wouldn’t [want that and Shannon] wouldn’t want it. He wouldn’t want it [either.]”

The Real Housewives of Orange County season 18 airs Thursdays at 9/8c on Bravo.