David Beador is making his new relationship public almost immediately after announcing he was splitting with his wife of nearly two decades, Real Housewives of Orange County personality Shannon Beador.
The couple announced they were separating in October, and filed officially in December. On Jan. 14, David’s new girlfriend, 34-year-old Lesley Cook, posted a photo of the couple on Instagram.
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“I’m the lucky one,” David said in the comment section of the photo.
On Shannon’s first Valentine’s Day without her husband, Cook showed off their romantic date on Instagram.
“Happy Valentine’s Day to the most kind, funny, motivated, loving man! The sky is more blue & my coffee tastes better with you in my life,” she gushed in a caption for a photo of red balloons.
David responded, “Happy Valentine’s Day. And away we go!” and added the hashtag “not discreet anymore.”
Though David seems happy in his relationship, his daughters Sophie, 16, and twins Stella and Adeline, 13, were “really upset” to see Cook’s posts, a source told Radar.
Shannon, meanwhile, is “hurt and confused” that David moved on so quickly and publicly, the source added.
“It’s heartbreaking for me and my daughters that this is the road that had to be taken but it’s the only way,” said 53-year-old Shannon, who revealed the news to her castmates while filming the season 12 reunion in October. “I felt alone in my marriage. You can do what you can to keep your family together, but you have to have willing parties. You need two people to make a marriage work, and that just wasn’t happening in our relationship.”
Months before Shannon separated from David, she told fans on Real Housewives of Orange County that David had “checked out” of their marriage.
“The truth about the state of my marriage is that it’s not good,” Shannon said. “I just want to know how David feels because living in this limbo, it’s kind of a form of torture. I just want to know.”
“David’s checked out,” she continued. “There’s no doubt, my husband is checked out. If you’re done with me, then say it and go.”
Since their separation, the two have been working to co-parent their children, even attending sporting events together with their kids.
“We are doing our best to be amicable for our children,” Shannon said. “That’s our primary concern, to act in the best interest of our daughters.”
Photo credit: Instagram / @lovinglifeinnewport
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