montagpratt230wm.jpgAfter an exhausting few weeks of faking out the press with their split, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are forging ahead with their producing plans. The recent relationship drama was all part of their master plan to keep themselves in the headlines. A source close to the couple tells X17online exclusively:

    "They know exactly what they're doing. The funny thing is, Spencer, of all people, knows how to make money ... and if it means trashing his marriage in the process, he'll do it. Now that The Hills is just about over they're afraid no one is going to care about them anymore. They didn't expect this breakup story to come out when it did. They were hoping it wouldn't leak until The Hills was over so that they could sell the story for a ton of money."


Money is certainly on Spencer's mind these days. We learned that Mr. Pratt threw a fit earlier in the week when X17 photographer's captured these exclusive images of him grabbing an early bite to eat in Malibu ... because he didn't receive a dime for them!

According to our source, the blonde twosome are contractually not allowed to promote any projects until this season of The Hills has wrapped. Montag and Pratt have been offered up to $50 thousand by various news outlets and gossip magazines to talk about their relationship and future plans ... but they've been holding out hoping to up their price, says our source.

So far, Pratt Productions is still filming episodes of Fist Pump of Love starring Snooki's ex, Emilio Masella. Another project in the works is The 909 featuring a group of wild and crazy girls from the Inland Empire. We're told producers have already met with several studios, including CBS and NBC. Studio heads have asked for additional material to decide if they're ultimately interested in giving the projects a greenlight. These two reality shows are part of a production deal of about five shows that Spencer and Heidi are hoping to sell to a major network.

Their recent brainchild, the yet untitled Heidi Show, is said to be part of Pratt Productions. Jen Bunney, who plans to star alongside Heidi in the upcoming Heidi Show this summer, confirms to X17online that the plan has been all along to include the fake split into the first episode. Again ... proof that Spencer has been involved since the get-go.

We have a feeling the public may not put up with their BS for much longer.