The highlight of this season’s Real Housewives of Orange County is arguably the sudden breakup of reality star Vicki Gunvalson and businessman Brooks Ayers. So much controversy hounded their relationship that one would think that this could be the best decision for both of them.

#RHOC‘s Brooks Ayers is finally telling his side of the story http://t.co/MIc4UGRrYV pic.twitter.com/s9yo4wSdPi

— People magazine (@people) October 19, 2015

Ayers sat down with Melanie Bromley of E! News and answered questions about the downfall of his romance with Gunvalson. The biggest issue of their relationship was his alleged battle with cancer, a storyline that many of Gunvalson’s friends on the show refuse to believe.

Ayers was adamant about his medical condition and insisted that he never faked it. He also shared that he and Gunvalson attended couple’s therapy in the hopes of saving their relationship.

When asked to set the record straight about these lying allegations, Ayers answered, “Absolutely I’m sticking by that.”

“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. The daily grind, the routines of reminding yourself that I’m sick and I need to do certain things and not do certain things,” he added.

Meanwhile, Gunvalson chatted with Andy Cohen on his show, Watch What Happens Live, where she was also grilled about the real reason behind her breakup with Ayers.

“There were a lot of things. I just think that the conflict with Briana, and him and I and him being from the South, he really wanted to go back to the South, and I just think the stress of the show, and he’s sick, and at the end of the day it just didn’t work anymore,” she answered.

She added that while a long-term relationship with Ayers did not seem likely, their short-term romance was “amazing.”

Vicki Gunvalson also commented about her friendships with her RHOC cast mates. She said that she felt like they were “not there for me” and that she didn’t feel the support she needed from them while she was going through her tumultuous relationship with Ayers.