Moving on. While in the middle of a messy split from estranged husband James Berenger, Real Housewives of Orange County star Noella Bergener has found a new relationship.
“There’s somebody that I have known for years. He knew me married and knew my husband. That’s not weird at all, but we just have a lot of love and respect for each other,” Noella, 36, told Us Weekly on the Wednesday, January 5, episode of our “Getting Real with the Housewives” podcast. “He was one of those that just constantly checked in on me. Like, the moment James left, just like, ‘How are you? Did you need anything? Do the kids need anything?’ Like, one of those.”
She added of her beau of one month, “It’s just slow. It’s very, very fresh. So, who knows. At the end of the day, I have an amazing friend, but right now, we’re friends who kiss.”
Noella, who shares 2-year-old son James with her ex, has been documenting her split on the RHOC. On December 19, she posted a lengthy Instagram statement detailing the dissolution of her relationship.
“To this date James has not visited our son or given me any explanation for his departure. He has fled the state to evade service,” she said, addressing the news that the lawyer allegedly owes the IRS and the State of California around $5.8 million. “My cards are still shut off, he hasn’t paid a dime in support, he stopped paying for our home and is currently holding up our divorce unless I sign a statement saying that I lied about him, his business partner and his brand.”
The Housewives newcomer revealed that she is ready to put the marriage behind her, but that her ex, who she tied the knot to in June 2020, is holding up the divorce settlement because of ‘his ego.”
“At this point, we have a settlement, we both have ironed out all the details, like, it’s ready to go, we just need to sign. I’m ready to sign and he’s just not doing it, so here we are,” Noella explained to Us. “I’m hoping that eventually, maybe doing things like this, it will get through to him. Let’s just focus on coparenting let’s just finish this so we could just be done and put this in our rear view and just be.”
On December 21, James said in a statement to Us Weekly that he looked forward to addressing “all these false accusations in a courtroom.”
“A judge in Puerto Rico, where I am a resident, has already granted our divorce,” James told Us. “Ultimately, Noella is the mother of my child, and I will not publicly disparage her.”
The Real Housewives of Orange County airs on Bravo Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET.