It’s a twist like nothing Bachelor Nation has ever seen before as Colton Underwood ended The Bachelor early, declaring with three women left that Cassie was “the one” for him. There was just one problem—she wasn’t ready to get engaged to him.
In Monday’s all-new episode of the ABC reality show, Colton traveled to Portugal with the final three women vying for his heart—Tayshia, Hannah G. and Cassie—where they were to each spend a night alone with the espoused virgin for the first time.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Colton told host Chris Harrison that he could “100 percent” see himself losing his virginity during the Fantasy Suite dates if he felt like he was “in love,” but things went off the rails quickly after date number two, which he spent with Cassie. (The first date went to Tayshia, with whom he also spent the night in the Fantasy Suite, but didn’t engaged in “physical intimacy” with).
They couple’s PDA-filled date around town quickly turned on its head when Colton explained to Cassie that he had been denied her father’s blessing if he were to ask her to marry him during last week’s hometown dates.
“I think spending forever with someone is a really big commitment that is happening so quick here,” she told Colton, adding of the blessing, “I wish you told me then. It makes sense, but it kind of makes me frustrated.”
“That’s really important that my dad approves or gives his blessing. I don’t get it,” she continued in tears to the camera. “I know that they want the best for me, so the fact that they weren’t 100 percent sold on Colton and I together kind of freaks me out. And then it makes me confused that he’s the right person—do we need more time? I don’t think I’ve ever been so confused over something so big.”
Cassie’s father turning up to voice his concern directly to her about getting engaged at the end of the season twisted the knife even more for the confused lovebird, who admitted she wasn’t ready to call things off with Colton, but was also unsure about accepting a proposal.
While Cassie was dealing with her inner turmoil, Colton had decided that Cassie was absolutely the one for him at the end of The Bachelor and beyond.
“Cass is the one,” he confessed to the cameras. “Outside of all of this I can definitely see us working forever. I feel like my whole life has been leading to tonight. Because I love Cassie. I want to be with Cassie. My heart is complete with Cassie.”
So when she told the lovesick lead she wouldn’t be able to accept a proposal from him so soon and would be heading back to California that night, Colton understandably spiraled, admitting he wanted no one but her at the end of this.
“It’s not easy going through and going on dates with other women when all I do is think about you, but this is the rest of my life and it’s bigger than anything I’ve got going on,” he confessed to Cassie before she left. “The last thing I’m gonna do is give up and the last thing I’m gonna do is walk away from this relationship.”
“At the end of this, I want to be with you,” he continued, adding that he would give up his desire to get engaged if that’s what she wanted. “I love you.”
When Cassie left despite his declaration of love, Colton broke down completely, running away from the camera crews, famous fence jump included, into the woods.
“He just jumped the f—ing fence,” Harrison said, shocked. “I have no idea where he went. He hopped the fence and took off, I didn’t see where he went. We’re out in the middle of nowhere.”
The scene faded to black as the crew searched for the missing Bachelor, which will be resolved in next week’s two-day finale.
The Bachelor‘s Women Tell All special airs Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Photo credit: ABC/Josh Vertucci
