The Real Housewives of Orange County season 18 episode 7: Recap and more details explored

The Real Housewives of Orange County (RHOC) has been a mainstay of reality TV since it aired its debut season in 2006. The show is famous for showing how lavishly the housewives from Orange County, California live and the constant drama that happens between them.

The current season (18) of The Real Housewives of Orange County season airs on Bravo. The ongoing installment has dropped its seventh episode, which is titled The Gloves Are Off. Released on August 22, its official synopsis reads:

"Episode 7 will highlight the emotional turmoil Shannon Beador is experiencing. The synopsis reveals that Shannon breaks down over an impending lawsuit with John, and tension between Gina Kirschenheiter and Emily Simpson finally bubbles over."

After the female cast members' trip to La Quinta last week, things have now gotten heated up. Gina is the one who gets in trouble with the rest of the group. The situation gets even more dramatic in episode 7.

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Episode 7 Recap: Drama in the house of The Real Housewives of Orange County

Shannon is at the center of all the trouble in episode 7 of The Real Housewives of Orange County because she tells everyone that John is going to sue her, which makes her cry. Shannon shows stacks of receipts as proof and says John has never paid for a meal or a plane ticket.

However, her castmate Heather doesn't believe Shannon's story (thinking that she's exaggerating), especially about the $75,000 lawsuit she says John filed against her. Heather doesn't believe Shannon when she says the money is meant to repay her for the expenses she has paid.

Heather's suspicion is clear as she points out the problems with Shannon's narrative. She argues that John's lawsuit may not be valid if he never promised to pay for even the smallest things. The other women agree with Heather, and they start to wonder if Shannon is telling the truth.

At the same time, Heather stirs things up which leads to a heated argument between friends - Gina and Emily. The duo's friendship hits a rough patch when Emily accuses Gina of being manipulated by Heather. Gina defends her loyalty to Heather, which makes the argument worse. This starts a tense exchange in which both women question how strong their bond is.

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Jen's emotional moment and the fallout from La Quinta in The Real Housewives of Orange County

The trip to Big Bear has its own emotional moments, but the tension between Shannon and John is what drives the latest episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County. Jen discusses her problems with her ex-husband Will. She has been pretty quiet throughout the season.

Jenny complains that Will and Alexis don't talk to each other enough when Alexis asks if Will has been picking up the kids on time. Tamra shows a video of Jen's old friend Laura, Will's new girlfriend, which further complicates the situation. After hearing this, Jen starts to cry as she thinks about how different Will is now from the person she knew.

The trip to Big Bear also brings the women closer together because they have both been through divorce. Katie, Alexis, and Tamra talk about how challenging it is to co-parent and move on after a divorce, which makes the group feel closer.

But the peace doesn't last long because Alexis gets a disturbing phone call that makes her lose her calm, which puts everyone on edge. After the episode ends, the women are left to deal with the effects of their trip to La Quinta and the unresolved problems that are still simmering below the surface.

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