In 2014, after three seasons away from The Real

Housewives of New York, Bethenny Frankel returned. Since then, the Bravo

staple has seen ratings rise, but will Bethenny be back with her signature

snark for season nine? When I sat down with her on Aug. 12, Frankel said she’s been “distancing

herself from the show.”

“It was a long

year,” she said. “It's definitely work. … This is just a summer of freedom. … I'm glad that the audience is enjoying [the show], but I left it behind.”

Frankel says she's spent time with close pal and co-star Carole Radziwill this summer, but hasn't seen much of the other women. Her demeanor

when discussing RHONY seemed much more somber than it was just weeks before, when I spoke with her at

her New York City apartment in late June. In that interview, the Skinnygirl creator said she didn’t know for

sure if she’d return, but made it seem likely. “I think so,” she said at the time. “I'm really glad I came back. I'm really proud of the show

this season and I really do care about and respect most of the women that are

on this show.”

WATCH: Bethenny Frankel Explains Why Her Daughter is No Longer

Seen on Reality TV

Her hesitance now seems to be stemming largely from the

volatile RHONY reunion taping in July. Frankel told me it was the

most difficult reunion she’s ever filmed. “It was very, very negative and I

didn’t enjoy it at all,” she said. “Something very dramatic

happened … that questioned my integrity. If someone questions my business

or my integrity I take it really seriously.”

“I live my life honestly,” she said. “You

have 50 percent of the cast that has a whole taboo, police line, ‘do not cross’

section of their life that is not discussed on camera and never has been. For legal issues and liability issues, Bravo doesn't need to bring it up and it’s a difficult line to ride, and that may be why I don't come back.”

Frankel

said she’s plenty busy with her production company, radio show and, of course,

Skinnygirl brands. “I'm doing what I want to do and

definitely making some changes in my personal and professional life, and deciding kind of how to line up all the pieces on

the board in the fall,” she said. “I have a lot of different businesses and

business decisions to make.”

Her

latest Skinnygirl product is the Watermelon Lime Margarita. “It’s great for

parties,” she said. “I wanted to just come up with the next fun drink

and I think that watermelon is amazing.”

Additional good news came her way in mid-July, when Frankel

settled her nearly 4-year-long divorce battle with ex Jason Hoppy. “I am really

happy that I am on the other side of it, for sure,” she said. “But there are

still some obstacles.” Frankel still needs to sell the

apartment the pair once shared. “My summer of freedom is lighting me up,” she

said “I am in a really happy place.”

WATCH: Bethenny Frankel Reveals Whether She’ll Get Married

Again

But the drama is still playing out on TV. Wednesday night's episode of RHONY will show Bethenny as she considers dropping a bomb on Luann de Lesseps: an alleged photo of Luann’s fiancé, Tom, kissing another woman. The RHONY finale

airs August 24th, and the reunion will follow.

To hear Bethenny open about the health issues she struggled with this season, watch the video below.