AceShowbiz - "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Teresa Giudice and her husband, Luis "Louie" Ruelas, recently faced a $3 million tax lien, placing their financial affairs under intense public scrutiny. Gia Giudice, Teresa's eldest daughter, has vocally defended her family against critics like Bethenny Frankel, who has not been shy in sharing her opinions on Teresa's financial decisions.

Bethenny criticized Teresa for not signing a prenup before her marriage to Ruelas, remarking on TikTok, "I cannot believe that Teresa is in another marriage with financial legal issues."

Bethenny added, "There's never been a worse picker in the history of pickers than myself besides Teresa," referring to her own misstep with ex-husband Jason Hoppy. Bethenny's lack of prenup with Hoppy led to a prolonged divorce battle.

She then singled out Gia, "One of the daughters did say that she didn't like that the father made the mother sign a prenup. She's just ill-advised and not educated on this topic. She just doesn't know. And hopefully she'll realize when she one day gets married, if that's something she wants, that it's about being financially literate."

Responding to Bethenny's critical remarks, Gia told PEOPLE, "At this point, her statement back, she was honestly trying to gaslight me. I didn't say half of the things that she made in her statement. I was never recommending financial advice or anything along those lines."

Gia declared her stance, "I was sticking up for my family, and you can love me or hate me for it, but I will do that all day, every day."

Emphasizing the emotional toll these comments have on her younger sisters, Gia added, "I have three younger sisters who I'm trying to protect as well, and they don't need to see all of this in the public eye either."

In addition to refuting Bethenny's claims, Gia asserted her family's responsibility and financial prudence. "Everything is getting taken care of ... [and] at the end of the day, I will always defend my family whether people like it or not, and you're either going to love me or hate me for it," she stated.

"I get it, it's what we signed up for, but if people could refrain from saying things, that's all I was saying," she addressed the critics. "Just treat people the way you would want to be treated. There was no need."

Embracing her own path, Gia has launched a new podcast, "Casual Chaos", and will feature in the show "Next Gen NYC" along with other celebrity offsprings. "I'm excited for people to get to know my fun, lighthearted self," she shared, aiming to discuss relatable topics and provide guidance based on her experiences.

As the drama unfolds, Gia Giudice remains resolute, balancing her public persona with the unwavering support for her family, despite the waves of financial and personal challenges they face.