Ariana Madix Explains Why She Still Lives with Ex Tom Sandoval After Breakup & Cheating Scandal

While appearing on Friday's episode of her costar Scheana Shay's Scheananigans podcast, the Vanderpump Rules star explained why she still lives under the same roof as her ex Tom Sandoval five months after their breakup following his cheating scandal.

Ariana, 38, addressed the topic while sharing her thoughts on Rachel Leviss' recent tell-all interview with Bethenny Frankel. Rachel and Bethenny criticized Ariana's living situation, with Ariana slamming their comments as "so hurtful."

"Listen, I pay a mortgage, right? It's expensive," Ariana told Scheana. "I think a lot of people on the internet seem to think I'm rolling in money right now. I have a lot of places [where] that money has to go before I get [it]."

"I am not rich," she stressed. "I do not have millions of dollars and I'm also not going to squander my financial future and stability by putting myself in a position to f--k myself over for the rest of my life because somebody else f--ked up."

The reality star said that she has a team of people who are making sure she's making the "best decisions" for her future.

"I have financial advisers. I have a lawyer. I have an accountant," Ariana shared. "I have all kinds of people [who] are helping me make the best decisions so that whatever money I'm making now or whatever money I have or could potentially get in the future goes to the right places to set me up for not being in the position that I was years ago before I was making money on this show at all, which was not good."

"I have never been someone who came from money, and I don't intend to f--k myself over when it comes to money because I know how quickly that s--t goes away," she added.

"I'm not f--king around with my life, and I'm not letting someone else's horrible decisions ruin my future," Ariana reiterated, adding, "I'm taking care of myself."

Meanwhile, the Something About Her co-founder said she has a "pretty decent little setup" at her home, noting that her bedroom is "like a little apartment."

"I don't see him. I don't interact with him," Ariana said. "I stay in my own little zone."

Ultimately, the Bravo star suggested that she's comfortable in her living situation -- but she still takes some safety precautions.

"I sleep a lot easier at night not giving a f---k about when he's coming in that door," Ariana said. "... Yes, we're in the same house, but I don't have to think about [if] he's coming in my bedroom because he's not. I sleep with my door locked just in case."

During her conversation with Scheana, Ariana blasted Rachel's appearance on Bethenny's podcast, Just B with Bethenny Frankel, in which Rachel shared her side of the story about Scandoval -- her now-infamous affair with Sandoval while he was still in a relationship with Ariana.

Although Ariana noted that she took issue with some of Rachel's claims, she shared that she was more "upset" about how Bethenny approached the interview. See what she said here, and check out Ariana and Scheana's conversation in full, below.