Alexia Nepola addressed rumors that Teresa Giudice’s husband, Luis Ruelas, previously tried to date her.
“Absolutely not, we [first met] each other in Barcelona — but I was with Todd — before [Luis] was with Teresa,” the “Real Housewives of Miami” star told host Andy Cohen on Wednesday’s episode of “Watch What Happens Live.”
Nepola, 56, said she didn’t know who Ruelas, 48, was at the time, however, “he knew” who she was, and she believes he only approached her because he was a fan of “RHOM.”
“We were just talking, we were staying in the same hotel, and he was just being nice and friendly,” the reality star added. “I get a lot of attention because of my kids.”
Nepola — who has been married to husband Todd since 2021 — said after meeting Ruelas, they bonded over their kids, as they both have a child who has been diagnosed with autism.
“He has an autistic son … he could relate to my journey,” she explained.
Interestingly, Nepola then divulged that she ran into Ruelas a second time — but, it was in another country.
“For whatever reason, we saw each other again in some other country that we were traveling [to],” the Bravolebrity revealed. “I was with Todd the entire time, so Todd saw the whole thing.”
“Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Garcelle Beavais said Ruelas’ actions seemed “suspect.” Even Cohen, 55, appeared confused.
Still, Nepola defended Ruelas and said she doesn’t understand “why anybody thinks anything of it,” as she meets “a lot of nice people and fans.”
At the time, she saw Ruelas as nothing more than a fan who admired her.
“Why does anybody wanna make it more than what it is?” she asked Cohen.
“People are suspecting like, he had an agenda and he knew who [Teresa] was.”
After the video from Nepola’s appearance on “WWHL” surfaced online, several fans leaned towards the theory that Ruelas might’ve been actively trying to date a “Real Housewife” — any “Real Housewife.”
“Alexia is not being honest about something you can tell in her face when she first answered the question and the answer is too long winded,” wrote one user.
“Alexia is not a good liar but she worked through it nicely,” added another.
“Alexis, it sounds suspicious!!! Louie couldn’t get Alexis, so he ends up with Teresa and randomly shows up at her spots and connects with her, who was next if Teresa blew him off!!!” commented a third fan.
“Lmao at Alexia playing stupid, he was straight up hitting on her!!!” said a fourth person.
Whatever Ruelas’ intentions were when he met Nepola, he got his “Housewife” when he and Giudice, 51, wed in August 2022 after two years of dating.
