"The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" season 8 cast won't officially be hammered out for a while, but there are rumblings about who's returning and who's leaving in the meantime. The finale for season 7 was a few weeks ago and yet so many stories about which ladies may not come back are being speculated on.

De facto housewife, Lisa Vanderpump, manages to provide a lot of suspense regarding her status every year. Will she be on "RHOBH" for season 8?

Friend shares Vanderpump's decision

According to Radar Online, a source shares that Lisa Vanderpump has decided to return to "The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills" for season 8.

Her decision was swayed on a "very lucrative deal" that she "simply could not refuse." Lisa's friend adds that she's now the highest paid housewife.

Vanderpump's highly-rated spin-off show, "Vanderpump Rules," will have a sixth season as well. She keeps busy with not only her business ventures, but her reality TV shows. If there's one thing Lisa is pleased about from season 7 of "RHOBH," her charitable cause got plenty of air time. When the cast traveled to Hong Kong, Vanderpump and the rest of the cast turned their attention to the barbaric Yulin Dog Festival in China.

The horror of how dogs are treated was touched upon, with the ladies having emotional reactions to images they saw (blurred to television viewers).

Lisa's cause, Stop Yulin Forever, is a grassroots movement to end the senseless slaughter and torture of dogs in China.

Lisa's other projects were part of her season 7 story line, such as the opening of the Vanderpump Dog Foundation. It's a rescue center in Los Angeles that is a raging success. In fact, it may even get its own reality show!

Lisa Vanderpump is said to be "thrilled" over that prospect.

Other cast rumors

Lisa Rinna may or may not return to season 8 of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" due to rumors that she might have her own reality show on E!. It's already been confirmed that Eden Sassoon won't come back on the show. Both women had a rough season with the rest of the cast.

Rinna had selective amnesia and Sassoon questioned Kim Richards' sobriety. By the end of the season, the two made enemies out of Kim and got very little support from the rest of the cast -- especially Eden. She tweeted that it was "the best news EVER" when she learned she wasn't coming back to "RHOBH" and hashtagged it, "#freedom."

Bravo hasn't commented on the official status of Lisa Vanderpump, but it sounds like she'll be back on the show. She had a relatively drama-free story line in season 7, which was the issue for her hesitance in agreeing to return in the past. Are you happy to hear that Lisa Vanderpump is returning to "RHOBH" in season 8?