Brooks Ayers and Vicki Gunvalson split two months ago, but the drama surrounding their relationship is far from over. Ayers is still fending off accusations from his ex's Real Housewives of Orange County costars, some of whom believe he faked his cancer battle on the most recent season of the Bravo show.
"I don't fight like those ladies fight," Ayers told E! in a new interview. "They fight below the belt."
The reality star added that he "absolutely" sticks by his story about being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, despite Meghan King Edmonds' repeated questions and doubts.
"Unfortunately, I wish it wasn't true. It would be a lot easier if I didn't have cancer, just to be honest with you," he said, noting the difficulties of "the daily grind, the routines of reminding yourself that I'm sick and I need to do certain things and not do certain things."
Ayers also opened up about his breakup with Gunvalson, 53, telling E! that tension with the Housewife's daughter Briana contributed to their split. He went on to note that they saw a "reality TV couples counselor" in an attempt to save the relationship — to no avail, ultimately.
"We made the decision that we probably weren't going to be forever," he told E! of the Bravo-lebrity. "Given the fact that Tamra [Judge] made the comments that she did after Season 9 that this was going to be Vicki's year in the 'box' so to speak, it made me an easy target."
Indeed, Ayers found himself on the receiving end of a lot of vitriol this season, and he likely would have faced more if he'd attended the RHOC reunion, part one of which aired on Monday, Oct. 19. Asked if he planned to watch the special, he joked, "With one eye open and both ears closed."
To make up for his absence at the reunion, Ayers sat down with Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen for a pre-taped hourlong chat. "I was worried that we weren't going to get anywhere with the Brooks conversation. But I think we did," Cohen said of the interview. "It's interesting to hear his side of everything. There's nothing that I didn't address with him, and he has an answer for everything."
