Kyle Richards Would Never 'Torture Her Children' by 'Pretending She's Separated' From Estranged Husband Mauricio Umansky

Kyle Richards can't fathom why people would think she is over-dramatizing the truth behind her split from Mauricio Umansky after 27 years of marriage.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star shut down ongoing rumors she's "fabricating" her separation for publicity during a guest appearance on the premiere episode of the new "Bravo's Hot Mic" podcast, hosted by the show's executive producer Alex Baskin.

"What human being would create a story like this for, no offense, Alex. I love you and everybody with the show, but who would do that for ratings, put their family through this?" Richards questioned, seemingly confused about where the logic behind criticism is coming from.

"That is one of the dumbest things I’ve maybe ever heard in these 13 years," Richards, who shares three daughters, Alexia, 27, Sophia, 23, and Portia, 15, with Umansky, admitted. "I'm going to pretend that I’m separated and torture my children so that people tune in? I mean, it’s just the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard."

The 54-year-old continued: "And when people talk about, you know, oh, they do these things to be relevant, I mean like, I’m already on the show [for] 13 years. I mean, like I said, it goes back to people, the misconception. I care about being relevant to my friends and family. Yes, I’m on television and, you know, but I’m good. I’m not looking to be more relevant. I’m good. And I would never put my family through this ever."

Richards and Umansky announced they were shockingly calling it quits on their nearly three-decade marriage back in July, and it wasn't long before avid Bravo viewers became skeptical of the estranged spouses' intentions.

While dealing with what is likely a heartbreaking situation for her entire family, Richards confessed seeing the online theories about her real life struggles are "so annoying to me and so frustrating."

After the mom-of-four — who also shares her daughter Farrah, 35, with ex-husband Guraish Aldjufrie — finished debunking rumors, Baskin jumped in to defend the Housewives franchise as a whole.

"I think that’s where sometimes the cast could be a little bit dehumanized to the audience, where I think that, it’s, you know, these are real lives that are affected by this," he explained. "I think that’s where the audience can just sort of think about the cast as television personalities, and it’s not the case."

Despite announcing their separation roughly four months ago, neither Richards nor Umansky have filed for divorce.