The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 18 has been one of the most shocking seasons in recent memory.
It has featured plenty of drama and promises to get even more dramatic in the final episodes of the season.
One of the most significant talking points on and off screen has been Alexis Bellino’s revelation that John Janssen has footage of the night of Shannon Beador’s DUI arrest.
There’s also been a lot of legal drama, with John going after Shannon for money he says she owes him.
Initially, Shannon instructed her lawyer to meet him halfway and offer half the $75,000, but she changed her tune when Gina Kirschenheiter slipped up about the videos.
Shannon offered to pay John the total amount with the caveat that they would both sign a non-disparagement clause, but John declined the request and opened up about his ex-girlfriend talking badly about him over the last five years.
Fans have had many questions about whether the videos Alexis keeps talking about are an attempt by John to extort Shannon.
Shannon explains the legal drama
In a new sneak peek for an upcoming episode, Shannon tells Gina that her lawyer sought clarification about the videos and was told that John is holding them for “blackmail purposes.”
“John needs some sort of insurance policy in case Shannon goes off the rails,” John’s lawyer said in response to the information request.
It’s certainly surprising to hear why John is keeping the footage to hold over Shannon, but it further raises questions about the legality of his actions.
Emily Simpson, a former lawyer, was curious about that, too, and said later in the clip that she believes the video threat will blow up in John’s face.
She then looked up whether it could be characterized as extortion, which we’re sure could lead to her explosive argument with Alexis that the teaser for Thursday’s new episode highlighted.
At the beginning of the season, Emily stayed in the middle of the two sides because of her friendships with both Shannon and Alexis.
Emily seems to be distancing herself from Alexis
But it seems that she’s slowly realizing that John and Alexis’s underhanded tactics are too much for her to condone.
With a handful of episodes left this season, we’re sure that Shannon and Alexis will be forced to share the screen again, which could result in another shouting match.
Alexis tried to get to a good place with Shannon on the Sonoma trip, but the latter told her nemesis that she was not interested in chatting with her.
The Real Housewives of Orange County airs on Bravo on Thursdays at 9/8c. Stream Seasons 1-18 on Peacock.