The Bachelorette: Jenn Tran REJECTS her ex-boyfriend before a shocking departure - as a preview teases that she REJECTS a proposal Have YOU got a story? Email [email protected] By Brian Gallagher For Dailymail.com Published: 07:12, 6 August 2024 | Updated: 07:23, 6 August 2024 e-mail View comments Jenn Tran turned away her ex Matthew after he showed up unannounced in Auckland on Monday's new episode of The Bachelor .
Towards the end of last week's episode, Matthew flew to Auckland, New Zealand to profess his love to the 26-year-old physician's assistant. While he told her he loved her for the first time - which she said no man has ever said to her - she sent him packing..
. along with three other contestants - Thomas Ngyuen, John Mitchell and Dylan Buckor, while Austin Ott surprisingly quit, which left Jenn stunned. That leaves just seven contestants remaining - Devin Strader, Grant Ellis, Jeremy Simon, Jonathon Johnson, Marcus Shoberg, Sam McKinney and Spencer Conley - though a preview for the remainder of the season teases that Jenn will REJECT a proposal from one of these men.
The episode begins with a cocktail party, with none of them aware than Jenn Tran’s ex Matthew traveled all the way to Auckland, New Zealand to try to join the show. Jenn Tran turned away her ex Matthew after he showed up unannounced in Auckland on Monday's new episode of The Bachelor Towards the end of last week's episode, Matthew flew to Auckland, New Zealand to profess his love to the 26-year-old physician's assistant The remaining bachelors were in good spirits, with Dylan Buckor told the group, ‘I will say another thing, though. I've never grown up with a brother.
And so lucky to be here with you guys and have that support.’ He added, ‘I think it's good right now. Dare I say it, I think this might be the first cocktail party where there is absolutely no drama,’ though that would change quickly.
Jenn says in confession, ‘This week, there's just a lot that's on my mind, you know? I have 11 guys here that I have been dating for the past few weeks, who I've grown a lot with. But then this morning, there was a big surprise. My ex-boyfriend Matt flew on his own from Boston to see me.
’ They show flashback footage of Matthew surprising Jenn, revealing he loves her - which he had never said before - and that he’s ready to get engaged. Jenn goes to meet with host Jesse Palmer, who says that what Matthew did was, ‘a pretty romantic gesture.’ She added, ‘I'm just in disbelief.
I couldn't believe it when I saw that he was here, and I was so confused. When he asked he she had any idea he felt that way, she said she didn’t, adding, ‘You know, we'd been friends for so long after the breakup that I just didn't know, like, that was how he felt. I don't know.
I mean, no one's ever told me that they're in love with me before, so...
’ When Palmer asked how it felt for her ex to be the first person to say they love her, she said, ‘I mean, it definitely has me even more confused now.’ The remaining bachelors were in good spirits, with Dylan Buckor told the group, ‘I will say another thing, though. I've never grown up with a brother.
And so lucky to be here with you guys and have that support' The remaining bachelors were in good spirits, with Dylan Buckor told the group, ‘I will say another thing, though. I've never grown up with a brother. And so lucky to be here with you guys and have that support' They show flashback footage of Matthew surprising Jenn, revealing he loves her - which he had never said before - and that he’s ready to get engaged Jenn goes to meet with host Jesse Palmer, who says that what Matthew did was, ‘a pretty romantic gesture' Palmer said he does think she should at least talk to Matt since he flew all this way, adding, ‘I think it really could change everything.
’ Jenn insists she can see ‘a future here’ with the 11 guys left, but she doesn’t know how they would react to Matt joining them. Jenn says in confession, ‘I just don't know how they're gonna react to it all. I can only hope that they trust me.
’ Jenn goes to see the guys, telling them, ‘I know I've talked to a lot of you about my past. And my past has started to impact me in a lot more ways than I imagined.’ ‘I do feel like I need to be honest with you guys.
I was in the city, and someone from my past interrupted me, and it was my ex-boyfriend Matt. And he flew all the way here to Auckland to basically profess his love for me. And he wants to be with me, and he wants to join this journey,’ she tells them, as the guys are all shocked.
‘There's a lot of feelings. There's a lot of things going on. So, Matt is here tonight, and I do need to talk to him.
So I will be right back,’ she says while leaving the room. Devin Strader says, ‘I need a drink,’ while Sam McKinney says in confession, ‘This sucks. That is a gut punch to everybody sitting in that room right there.
’ John Mitchell tells the group, ‘Like, did I expect this? Not even a little bit. Do I want this? Not even a little bit. But it seems like it's something we're just gonna have to deal with.
’ Palmer said he does think she should at least talk to Matt since he flew all this way, adding, ‘I think it really could change everything' Jenn insists she can see ‘a future here’ with the 11 guys left, but she doesn’t know how they would react to Matt joining them Jenn says in confession, ‘I just don't know how they're gonna react to it all. I can only hope that they trust me' ‘I do feel like I need to be honest with you guys. I was in the city, and someone from my past interrupted me, and it was my ex-boyfriend Matt.
And he flew all the way here to Auckland to basically profess his love for me. And he wants to be with me, and he wants to join this journey,’ she tells them, as the guys are all shocked Devin Strader says, ‘I need a drink,’ while Sam McKinney says in confession, ‘This sucks. That is a gut punch to everybody sitting in that room right there' Spencer Conley says in confession, ‘You know, it's easy to jump to conclusions that, you know, does he come and stay in the house? Does she leave with him?’ Grant Ellis tells the group, ‘Ultimately, it's her decision.
I just don't want to see her get hurt again. We all took that kind of personally. We're all putting our hearts on the line.
There's already some good men in the picture, so I'm not happy about it.’ Marcus Shoberg says to the group, ‘There's no blueprint for how to, like, behave or act or to navigate the situation, right?’ He adds in confession, ‘To think that someone has this, like, unfair advantage of, like, having a history with her, it's like, how do you even compete with that?’ Austin Ott tells the group, ‘You guys all know, bro, it hits a different with an ex when you know them,’ adding in confession, ‘That guy does have an unfair advantage, 100%. He knows Jenn more than any of us in this room.
And I think it's kind of wack and corny if he's able to come in here and, you know, stay. And I'm personally not cool with that. You didn't think something like that was going to happen tonight and then boom, s**t hit the fan once again.
So here we are.’ Sam McKinney tells the group, ‘That is a gut punch right now to hear that s**t. I can literally feel the blood boil inside of me.
’ They all wonder if he’s going to join the house and if Jenn would let him in and Austin says, ‘I think that's wack, honestly, if that guy's gonna come in here after all we've poured in. I think it's kind of wack. I personally don't want to be a part of that.
’ Jeremy Simon adds, ‘She's talked to at least a few of us about her past relationships. If he does come here, it's for a reason.’ He adds in confession, ‘Jenn tells us all that one of her ex-boyfriends flew to Auckland and surprised her and that he was here tonight and that she needed to go have a conversation with him and that she was going to hear him out.
I think all the guys are either shocked or upset. People are definitely in their emotions.’ Spencer Conley says in confession, ‘You know, it's easy to jump to conclusions that, you know, does he come and stay in the house? Does she leave with him?’ Austin Ott tells the group, ‘You guys all know, bro, it hits a different with an ex when you know them,’ adding in confession, ‘That guy does have an unfair advantage, 100%.
He knows Jenn more than any of us in this room. And I think it's kind of wack and corny if he's able to come in here and, you know, stay. And I'm personally not cool with that.
You didn't think something like that was going to happen tonight and then boom, s**t hit the fan once again. So here we are' Jenn goes out to talk to Matthew, who admits he’s, ‘a little nervous,’ but Jenn says, iit touches my heart. Like, it's not something that anyone's ever done for me.
And I guess, I mean, I'm still confused. Like, why now?’ Matt insists, ‘I mean, it's really now or never. You're leaving this thing engaged.
There's no flexibility there.’ Jenn says, ‘I just didn't know you felt that way,’ but Matt insists, ‘I would say it didn't happen all at once. But over time, finding us coming back together, we -- I just saw things in you that just made things so deep.
’ Jenn says, ‘I mean, like, thinking back to, like, our relationship and all the good times that we had, and, like, you're such an important person in my life. And, like, it does make me sentimental.’ Matt says, ‘When we first really tried things out, we were much different people.
We were not the adults that we are today. And I just feel like as we've grown into more adults over time, we've just found this bond growing stronger. And I hope that you can see how much that you mean to me.
I'm just not ready to let it go.’ Jenn tells Matt, ‘Like, this is hard for me, because you know how much I care about you. When I think about Matt and our relationship, you know, we had a lot of great times together, and we're just compatible in a lot of different ways.
At the same time, you know, I've been dating these 11 guys. I feel torn. I'm fighting between this past versus this newness.
You know, I don't want to hurt anyone, but I have to make a decision.’ Devin is talking to Grant, telling him, ‘I'm frustrated, bro,’ as Grant says, ‘You're hot right now. You know what I'm saying? I saw you had that glow on you, and now it's like getting hit by a bus.
’ Dylan adds, ‘She has cried about her past, bro. And now she's gonna let her past back into her life like that so easily? I've been there, bro. I ain't doing it again, bro.
I ain't doing it again.’ Jenn goes out to talk to Matthew, who admits he’s, ‘a little nervous,’ but Jenn says, iit touches my heart. Like, it's not something that anyone's ever done for me.
And I guess, I mean, I'm still confused. Like, why now?’ Matt insists, ‘I mean, it's really now or never. You're leaving this thing engaged.
There's no flexibility there' Devin is talking to Grant, telling him, ‘I'm frustrated, bro,’ as Grant says, ‘You're hot right now. You know what I'm saying? I saw you had that glow on you, and now it's like getting hit by a bus' Grant says, ‘She might tell him off,’ but Dylan says if she lets him on the show, he’s leaving. Dylan says in confession, ‘I'm livid, man.
I mean, the fact that this guy is even here is just a problem. For me, it's like my own past trauma., It's kind of been creeping up.
You know, I've been cheated on in the past. It's not a good feeling for me. And I know this isn't necessarily that, but it feels like it for sure.
’ Dylan tells Grant, ‘If she walks in here with this guy, this rose doesn't mean anything to me,’ as Matt comes in to address the group. ‘Just wanted to take a second to let you guys know I did come here completely on my own volition. But she let me know, you know, her future's in this room.
She feels confident that you guys can offer her something I can't. And I'm just here to, you know, apologize. I'm not here to take anything away from your experience.
I wish you all the best. I wish her the best,’ Matt tells them. Sam M.
tells Matt, ‘I do want to say something right here. Um, even if you did walk into this house, I think you can sit and look amongst this crowd. We got some good dudes right here, and, uh, yeah.
I'm glad that you gonna stay in the past, my boy.’ Matt tells the camera, ‘I think I feel a little defeated. All the growth that she's had and the journey that she's been on has changed her.
And I have to respect that. Good luck. At least we both get the closure that we didn't get, but it just wasn't what I had hoped for.
’ Sam M. tells the group, ‘We good. We good.
It's all done. It's all squashed. I think all of us, what we've seen in Jenn, she just proved to us.
So, uh, I'm happy for everybody. I'm happy that motherf***er Is gone and we good,’ as they all laugh. Devin says in confession, ‘It felt good.
It was the reassurance that I needed. I jumped to conclusions for the wrong reasons, and Jenn was smart enough in that moment to realize what she had. I got to trust her on that.
I got to trust her on that.’ Dylan tells Grant, ‘If she walks in here with this guy, this rose doesn't mean anything to me,’ as Matt comes in to address the group Sam M. tells Matt, ‘I do want to say something right here.
Um, even if you did walk into this house, I think you can sit and look amongst this crowd. We got some good dudes right here, and, uh, yeah. I'm glad that you gonna stay in the past, my boy' Sam M.
tells the group, ‘We good. We good. It's all done.
It's all squashed. I think all of us, what we've seen in Jenn, she just proved to us. So, uh, I'm happy for everybody.
I'm happy that motherf***er Is gone and we good,’ as they all laugh Jenn comes in and tells the guys, ‘Today has been an emotional roller coaster for me. You know, Matt told me today that he is in love with me, and that's not something that I've ever heard before. Um, hearing it from him, you know, it was all the right things, but said by the wrong guy.
Looking around this room, I know that the right guy is in here. And I've said it before, and I'll say it again, like, my future is in this room. Like, my husband is in this room.
But we do have a rose ceremony tonight, and I do have some difficult decisions to make, and that crushes me, as well. So I will see you guys there.’ Jonathon Johnson says in confession, ‘Hearing Jenn does see her future in this room, of course, there's a weight off your shoulders, you know? But there's still 10 amazing other guys.
We didn't get alone time tonight. I hope that what we have is strong enough that she sees me in a greater light than she sees some of the other guys in the house.’ Spencer says in confession, ‘Jenn made it clear that she's looking for her future husband, and that's the big thing I have to hold on to.
I know that I'm ready for an engagement, and I'm very hopeful that that's what this could be.’ They all file in for the rose ceremony as she hands them on to Grant, Spencer, Jeremy, Jonathon, Spencer, Dylan and Austin, with Thomas Nguyen and John Mitchell eliminated, as they say their goodbyes to the group and Jenn. Jenn says in confession, ‘Tonight was hard.
It's not easy sending people home at this point because of how strongly I feel for them. But I have to do what's right for me and put myself first, which I haven't always done.’ Austin toasts to the group, ‘Cheers to realizing this present group of guys right here is much better than anything in your past.
’ Jenn says in confession, ‘Tonight was a monumental night. It's like we're really, truly putting the past in the past. We are fully embracing this bright future that I know I have ahead of me because of the guys that are here,’ as they all toast to ‘love.
’ The next day, Jesse meets with Jenn and tells her that the ‘coffee culture’ in Auckland is ‘absolutely amazing.’ They all file in for the rose ceremony as she hands them on to Grant, Spencer, Jeremy, Jonathon, Spencer, Dylan and Austin, with Thomas Nguyen and John Mitchell eliminated, as they say their goodbyes to the group and Jenn Jenn says in confession, ‘Tonight was a monumental night. It's like we're really, truly putting the past in the past.
We are fully embracing this bright future that I know I have ahead of me because of the guys that are here,’ as they all toast to ‘love' Jenn says, ‘I finally closed the door on that chapter and closed the door on the woman that I used to be. And I want to focus on digging deeper with these guys, because I do think this is a crucial week to continue building momentum in all of these relationships.’ Jesse asks, ‘What do you feel like you still want to see from the guys here moving forward?’ Jenn says, ‘Um, obviously there's something there.
There's banter. There's chemistry. But with each week, I can feel that I get a better sense of what I want in a future.
The more and more I'm building these relationships, I'm seeing the things that I do want. Both Austin and Grant haven’t had a one-on-one with Jenn yet, though when the date card arrives, it’s for Jonathan. ‘Jonathon, It's time for our love to take flight.
Love, Jenn,’ the date card reads as Jonathan says he is, ‘over the moon right now.’ They wonder if ‘take flight’ means a hot air balloon but Jonathan says, ‘I hope not,’ because he is afraid of heights. Jonathan says in confession, ‘Ever since I got here, you crave that one on one time just to really dive a little bit deeper into your emotions.
And every week, you sit there, and your name's not called, and then it's called, and you're like, "Did you guys hear that, too?" The date card said, "It's time for our love to take flight." I don't like heights, so I'm like, what in the hell could there be that involves flight?’ Jonathan arrives and finds Jenn standing next to a helicopter and he’s not pleased, saying in the car, ‘Oh, man, I hate f***ing helicopters.’ ‘Jonathon, It's time for our love to take flight.
Love, Jenn,’ the date card reads as Jonathan says he is, ‘over the moon right now' Jonathan arrives and finds Jenn standing next to a helicopter and he’s not pleased, saying in the car, ‘Oh, man, I hate f***ing helicopters' Jonathan says, ‘The goal here is to get over the fear with Jenn and just get lost in the moment with her. She jumped out of a plane. She's jumped off the building.
She's gone on helicopter rides now before. So I'm going to make her feel very needed' She says they will take a ride in a helicopter, asking if he’s been in one before and he admits, ‘I have. I hate helicopters.
That is literally the last thing I wanted to do today. If we go down, at least we go down together.’ Jonathan says, ‘The goal here is to get over the fear with Jenn and just get lost in the moment with her.
She jumped out of a plane. She's jumped off the building. She's gone on helicopter rides now before.
So I'm going to make her feel very needed.’ They take off in the helicopter as Jenn does what she can to calm his nerves, though he marvels at the view as they pass their hotel. Jenn says in confession, ‘My relationship with Jonathon, you know, there's something there.
There's a spark. There's chemistry. But for some reason, it hasn't really taken off the ground yet.
’ She adds, ‘He and I just have this giggly, goofy energy, which I love, but we haven't really gotten to where we're just open and vulnerable, and I think that's really what we need to get to the next level.’ They get to a vineyard and start goofing around, doing cartwheels, playing Marco Polo and parodying the rose ceremony with a grape. They get into a hot tub as Jenn asks if she had, ‘any fears going into today with me specifically?’ He says, ‘Only one fear.
’ ‘My biggest fear for -- for us is breaking past the fun and friendly phase. You know what I mean? Do we connect on that deeper emotional level? 'Cause it's huge. It's hugely important.
And it's something I'm bad at.’ They take off in the helicopter as Jenn does what she can to calm his nerves, though he marvels at the view as they pass their hotel Jenn says in confession, ‘My relationship with Jonathon, you know, there's something there. There's a spark.
There's chemistry. But for some reason, it hasn't really taken off the ground yet.’ They get to a vineyard and start goofing around, doing cartwheels, playing Marco Polo and parodying the rose ceremony with a grape They get into a hot tub as Jenn asks if she had, ‘any fears going into today with me specifically?’ He says, ‘Only one fear' Jenn says, ‘Like, we are both very intuitive people, and I think today was all about having fun.
But I know that you have layers to peel back.’ Jenn adds in confession, ‘You know, the fun is there. The physical is there with Jonathon.
And what's missing is really just being able to emotionally connect. And I hope that we'll be able to do that. A rose means a lot more than previous roses have meant.
And for me to be able to give out a rose to Jonathon, I have to feel like we can break past that fun barrier.’ They get changed and head to a private dinner as Jonathan says in confession, ‘Jenn and I's relationship has been nothing but, like, fun, good -- good vibes. There's never a dull moment when we're hanging out.
She brings light to every situation. The glow and the energy and the fun around us throughout the day was amazing.’ Jenn toasts, ‘I'd like to make a toast to an incredible day with an incredible man, and to getting to know each other a lot deeper.
’ Jonathon adds in confession, ‘There's a shared bond over, like, how fun and how light we look at life. But Jenn doesn't know the emotional distress or the life-changing qualities that happened to me from my past relationship, and it's something that I want to make sure she's aware of. But, you know, I'm scared.
’ Jonathan tells her at dinner, ‘Today was amazing, seriously. - Yeah. - Like, I haven't had the immediate banter and fun and laughs with somebody like that I think ever.
’ Jenn adds, ‘One thing that I really love about each other and about today is, like, you allow me to fully be myself. And that's not something that I've had in previous relationships before. And that's why, like, today was so fun for me, is like we were fully able to just be ourselves.
And that's important to me, you know?’ Jonathan adds, ‘And with that, obviously there's topics I want to cover and things I want you to know about me and things I want to know about you. I know it's been kind of on repeat that I've told you like I'm bad at emoting, and I think it's more that I'm bad at opening all the way up. So for me, it's like I have a very hard time fully trusting that somebody is exactly what they say they are.
And I don't want to give somebody my all when I don't know what all is inside of them. And I think that's a problem a lot of people have, but everybody has it for different reasons. And I think from mine, I met a girl and just fell really hard, really fast.
And we lived together for two years, looked at rings, looked into the future, talked about kids, and then it all kind of turned south. She was going through a very hard time, and she would start to, like, self-medicate or, like, abuse alcohol to cover up some of the pain like she was going through. And this went on for like months until like one day, it just like got out of hand.
And we started just like getting into it a little bit, and she would question my character and say that I was abusive and controlling and manipulative for questioning what she was doing, words that kind of haunt me still to this day. And it just it reached a breaking point for -- for her words. She just snapped and get the f**k out.
Like, I don't want to see you again. And it tore me down. And it took this kid who grew up as a hopeless romantic, wanting that Rom com kind of love, and it absolutely destroyed me to my core.
’ Jenn says, ‘Like, we are both very intuitive people, and I think today was all about having fun. But I know that you have layers to peel back' Jenn adds, ‘One thing that I really love about each other and about today is, like, you allow me to fully be myself. And that's not something that I've had in previous relationships before.
And that's why, like, today was so fun for me, is like we were fully able to just be ourselves. And that's important to me, you know?' Jenn says in confession, ‘I feel for him for going through that, and I know how detrimental that can be to one's self-worth. I mean, I've been through the same thing.
’ Jenn tells him, ‘I can relate to you more than you know. I did have a toxic ex-boyfriend who, in the same way, gaslit me all the time and was manipulative. And I think when you're in like an emotionally abusive relationship, it really takes a toll on you, and you carry that with you for a long time.
I can see exactly like where you're coming from, and the fears of emoting and the fears of fully trusting someone again, because they can use it against you, if that makes any sense.’ Jonathan says, ‘Complete sense. It's a hard pill to swallow, and not many people have the ability to, like, make me understand in the way that you are.
It's refreshing. It means the world. Thank you.
’ Jonathan says in confession, ‘Listening to her, we share a lot of commonalities when it comes to emotional distress in the past. And she makes me feel heard. And I'm happy that I got to open up about these things.
’ Back in the hotel, Devin tells the group, ‘I think we can all agree that Jonathon is a stand-up dude, but I hate the idea of thinking of mans having fun with my girl.’ Austin says, ‘All I know is Jonathon is with me wife right now,’ as they laugh. Austin says, ‘Jonathon has had his one on one today.
He is getting that quality time with Jenn, and I want that, too.’ Sam M. comes in with a date card revealing it’s a group date with Devin, Sam, Marcus, Spencer, Jeremy and Dylan, with the card reading, ‘Love is messy.
Jenn.’ Jenn tells him, ‘I can relate to you more than you know. I did have a toxic ex-boyfriend who, in the same way, gaslit me all the time and was manipulative Sam M.
comes in with a date card revealing it’s a group date with Devin, Sam, Marcus, Spencer, Jeremy and Dylan, with the card reading, ‘Love is messy. Jenn' That leaves Grant with the one-on-one date, his first, telling the group, ‘I'm happy. I'm happy I'm getting the one on one.
You know, try to dig a little deeper emotionally. And, uh, I'm-a lay my cards out there and see how it falls.’ He adds in confession, ‘I'm happy I finally got a one on one date with Jenn.
I've been anticipating. I've been wanting it. I'm super excited.
I want to see her. I want to dive deeper into our relationship. And I want to get to know her better, and I want her to know me better.
’ Dylan says, ‘I have no thoughts at the moment,’ while Austin says in confession, ‘It sucks, because I feel like most of the guys are not even just one step ahead of me. They're like a few steps ahead of me, and I'm a little jealous, because I still need to know if Jenn's the right girl for me, you know? I need some more time to get to that point. Back on their date, Jonathan says, ‘I know you're a glass half full kind of girl.
And I've looked at my whole life that way. Growing up, like, I wasn't handed anything on a silver platter. Like, I watched my immediate family go through a ton of turmoil.
My mom was a young, single mom. She had me at 27. She had my sister at 17, my brother at 20.
And I would see the sadness or the turmoil, and all I would want to do is make them smile.’ Jenn asks, ‘Do you feel like you kind of had to put on a stronger front for your family? And do you feel like that's why it's harder for you to emote, because you don't want to show that side of you, because you feel like it's a weakness?’ Jonathan says, ‘Yeah, probably,’ as Jenn adds, ‘I'm only saying that because I've been through very similar, not the same. But, you know, my parents are divorced, and growing up, they fought a lot.
It was very toxic. And seeing everything that was going on in the house, I felt like growing up, I had to put on a stronger front, because if I broke down, like, who was going to take care of me? Like, my parents were too busy fighting. So it was almost like this mask that I had to put on.
And I do feel like it's harder for me to emote. It's harder for me to be vulnerable, because I feel as if, if I show weakness in any kind of way, like being vulnerable, then everything falls apart. I mean, that's why a lot of my relationships failed or were toxic is because I didn't have a voice.
’ Jonathan says, ‘It's a two-way street, though. Like, you deserve somebody to make sure they get that out of you, like, and be able to read between the lines and be like, "Hey, I know you're putting on a front right now. What the hell is wrong? Talk to me.
"’ Jenn says, ‘I agree. But at the same time, I think over the years and especially in the past few weeks, I've understood that it's important to be able to let your guard down and show your weakness sometimes, because that is what allows someone to be there for you. So we're on the same page,’ as Jonathan agrees.
That leaves Grant with the one-on-one date, his first, telling the group, ‘I'm happy. I'm happy I'm getting the one on one. You know, try to dig a little deeper emotionally.
And, uh, I'm-a lay my cards out there and see how it falls' Back on their date, Jonathan says, ‘I know you're a glass half full kind of girl. And I've looked at my whole life that way. Growing up, like, I wasn't handed anything on a silver platter.
Like, I watched my immediate family go through a ton of turmoil. My mom was a young, single mom. She had me at 27.
She had my sister at 17, my brother at 20. And I would see the sadness or the turmoil, and all I would want to do is make them smile' Jonathan says in confession, ‘Sitting here with Jenn right now, I just feel heard. It feels great to be able to open up about something like that and let her know where I stand.
She happens to be on the same ladder that I'm on. And she just helped me get to the next step, and it felt amazing.’ Jenn says, ‘So, I have one more thing for you,’ adding in confession, ‘Jonathon and I are growing a lot tonight.
We've been through very similar experiences, and now I feel that we can really build a great future together.’ She tells him, ‘I just feel like I can understand you a lot better now and that we can both relate on so much about how we grew up and the relationships that we were in and what we learned from it, you know? With that said, Jonathon, will you accept this rose?’ He says, ‘Of course,’ adding in confession, ‘I'm so excited. That rose means that we're on the right path.
I want to be the man that she is looking for and see if that ferocious love she's been chasing is something that I'm capable of giving to her.’ They start kissing as it starts raining and they keep making out, as Jonathan says in confession, ‘Today was like a romantic movie. And I couldn't be happier that she is the one to do it with.
The right person will make that Rom com love stay alive as long as you can. The next day Jenn talks about her group date, stating, ‘Today I have a group date with seven guys. Four of these guys, I've already had a one on one date with, so it'll be a really good test to see if those connections still shine.
I mean, it's all about who's going to make an effort today, right, and who I'm going to be noticing.’ Dylan says in confession, ‘The date card said love is messy or something like that, which my original thought is, oh, we're doing something in the mud. And, you know, I just got some fresh new kicks, man.
I'm not trying to get them all muddy.’ Austin adds in confession, ‘I've only had group dates up to this point, and I see the way these guys are talking about her, how they've really gotten deep with Jenn, and I just have not. But I'm just going to make the most of the opportunity that I'm given.
And, you know, that opportunity is this group date.’ Jenn meets with them in a field, introducing them to some of her ‘new friends,’ as a slew of sheep rush past them. She tells him, ‘I just feel like I can understand you a lot better now and that we can both relate on so much about how we grew up and the relationships that we were in and what we learned from it, you know? With that said, Jonathon, will you accept this rose?’ He says, ‘Of course,’ adding in confession, ‘I'm so excited.
That rose means that we're on the right path. I want to be the man that she is looking for and see if that ferocious love she's been chasing is something that I'm capable of giving to her.’ Jenn says, ‘So, I have one more thing for you,’ adding in confession, ‘Jonathon and I are growing a lot tonight.
We've been through very similar experiences, and now I feel that we can really build a great future together' They start kissing as it starts raining and they keep making out, as Jonathan says in confession, ‘Today was like a romantic movie. And I couldn't be happier that she is the one to do it with. The right person will make that Rom com love stay alive as long as you can The next day Jenn talks about her group date, stating, ‘Today I have a group date with seven guys.
Four of these guys, I've already had a one on one date with, so it'll be a really good test to see if those connections still shine. I mean, it's all about who's going to make an effort today, right, and who I'm going to be noticing' Jenn meets with them in a field, introducing them to some of her ‘new friends,’ as a slew of sheep rush past them Jenn explains, ‘So, we are on a sheep farm, and this is Dianne and Richard. And not only do they own the sheep farm, but they've also been married for over 45 years.
Their teamwork on the farm is a true example of their strong bond. And they're going to show us how it's done today.’ Richard tells them, ‘Today we're looking for the most valuable farmer.
And at the end of the day, one of you blokes is going to be able to spend a little bit of extra time with the Bachelorette.’ Sam M. says in confession, ‘Growing up on a farm, I've been around animals my whole life, whether it's cattle, whether it's horses.
Um, there's not really much that I feel like I can't do. So I'm in a win-win situation right here.’ Richard explains, ‘So we're going to bring the sheep up.
I'm going to get you guys to herd them through the gate. So I'm going to say go in a moment. But I'm telling you, you're going to put them through that wooden gate in the right hand corner.
Okay? Ready? Go.’ They all spread out to try and corral the sheep..
. but it doesn’t work for long as the sheep all go crazy. Sam says, ‘You have 500 sheep just running everywhere, and you're not corralling them into anything.
It was, uh, chaotic.’ Richard says in confession, ‘Well, the first thing I would have done was open the gate, and that was sort of seriously a disappointment that they didn't. If they'd opened that gate, I'm sure the sheep would have streamed through.
’ Richard tells them, ‘Not a lot of collective intelligence that you didn't think to open the gate. But, um, these are our cattle yards. We've had stock through, and there's a lot of muck and everything here.
And we want you to grab a shovel and a bucket each.’ Jenn explains, ‘So, we are on a sheep farm, and this is Dianne and Richard. And not only do they own the sheep farm, but they've also been married for over 45 years.
Their teamwork on the farm is a true example of their strong bond. And they're going to show us how it's done today.’ They all spread out to try and corral the sheep.
.. but it doesn’t work for long as the sheep all go crazy Richard says in confession, ‘Well, the first thing I would have done was open the gate, and that was sort of seriously a disappointment that they didn't.
If they'd opened that gate, I'm sure the sheep would have streamed through' None of the guys are thrilled as they grab their shovels and buckets...
while Devin sneaks over and steals some time with Jenn. Sam M. says in confession, ‘Me and all the guys were shoveling s**t.
And, uh, yeah, we all look up and see that Devin has stole our girlfriend.’ None of them are shocked, though Sam M. said in confession, ‘I've learned not to be surprised.
I think it shows a huge sign of disrespect, and I don't think that's a quality that Jenn is really looking for, as well. But I really don't care. Lions don't concern themselves with the opinions of sheep.
’ Richard tells them, ‘Now, you've got some implements in here to get the dirt off the back of the sheep. I believe you call it dingleberries,’ as Richard adds, ‘Just to think, the guy who's done the best out of this gets to spend a little bit of time with you later today.’ Austin says in confession, ‘You know, I thought I did pretty well at farming.
We had to cut some dingleberries out of the sheep's, you know...
bottom. Getting the wool and putting it in the little bins and even drinking all these different kinds of milk. I would love to hear my name, you know, uh, when it comes to the best farmer award.
I feel like I put in that work today. I did it all for Jenn, and, you know, hopefully she sees that.’ Richard announces that Devin was the ‘best farmer,’ but that annoys the rest of the guys because he wasn’t putting in the work as much as the rest.
Austin says in confession, ‘Doesn't make sense to me. It really doesn't, you know? Every time I looked at Devin, he was kind of off, you know, trying to talk to Jenn. And so I think he won the best talker award today.
But best farmer award, I don't know about that one.’ Marcus says in confession, ‘Today was interesting, because it kind of showed that, you know, life's not always going to be jumping out of airplanes and riding helicopters and going on beautiful dates. The inevitable truth of life is you're going to have days of shoveling s**t.
I think that we had a lighthearted day today, day full of laughs, and I hope that we can kind of carry that energy into the after party. None of the guys are thrilled as they grab their shovels and buckets..
. while Devin sneaks over and steals some time with Jenn Austin says in confession, ‘You know, I thought I did pretty well at farming. We had to cut some dingleberries out of the sheep's, you know.
..bottom.
Getting the wool and putting it in the little bins and even drinking all these different kinds of milk. I would love to hear my name, you know, uh, when it comes to the best farmer award. I feel like I put in that work today.
I did it all for Jenn, and, you know, hopefully she sees that.’ Richard announces that Devin was the ‘best farmer,’ but that annoys the rest of the guys because he wasn’t putting in the work as much as the rest Back at the party, Jeremy asks, ‘Devin, you think you deserved farmer of the day? Honest answer.’ Devin answers, ‘For me, I think it was more about initiative, of doing what I've always been doing,’ as Jeremy says, ‘That's really insightful.
’ Devin adds in confession, ‘Few of the guys are a little bit jealous that I got picked as farmer of the day, but I've had conversations with Jenn that I think other people haven't had. So tonight I hope I get the rose, just because these roses mean something at this point. She's feeling a certain type of way about me more than she's feeling a certain type of way about you.
And you can no longer deny that.’ Jenn meets with the guys and thanks them, ‘for such a memorable day in the countryside. That being said, I really want to make tonight all about why we're choosing each other and to furthering our connection,’ as they all toast.
Austin admits in confession, ‘Today has been a really tough day for me. You know, I'm one of two guys that haven't got a one on one. I'm the only guy in the house that has not received either a one on one or a group date rose.
There's so many guys here that have such a strong connection with Jenn, and I just don't have that. And, you know, it sucks. It's not easy at all.
’ Jeremy gets some alone time with Jenn and tells her, ‘I don't think I've had a mimosa since college,’ as she asks, ‘Were you in a frat?’ He says he was, AEPi (Alpha Epsilon Pi), as he keeps awkwardly ‘petting’ her hair as Jenn asks, ‘Why are you petting me right now? What is going on? What is going on here?’ Jeremy laughs and says, ‘I don't even know what I was doing. Jenn asks, ‘What was your college experience like?’ Jeremy says, ‘It was actually so transformative, 'cause I went from, like, the fat kid end of high school to..
.’ but Jenn doesn’t believe he was fat. He says he was, AEPi (Alpha Epsilon Pi), as he keeps awkwardly ‘petting’ her hair as Jenn asks, ‘Why are you petting me right now? What is going on? What is going on here?’ Jeremy laughs and says, ‘I don't even know what I was doing Jenn asks, ‘What was your college experience like?’ Jeremy says, ‘It was actually so transformative, 'cause I went from, like, the fat kid end of high school to.
..’ but Jenn doesn’t believe he was fat Jeremy says, ‘No, I promise you, I was.
I'm not saying like I was obese, but I was definitely overweight. Like, there's just, like, an insecurity. And like, uh, like a loneliness, even though, like, you have friends.
’ When Jenn asks if he still feels lonely, Jeremy says he has never told anybody this but, ‘I think I'm, like, low-key afraid of being lonely. Like..
. I feel like I give a lot in relationships, and I feel like I'm scared of, like, that not being reciprocated and then, like, ending up alone.’ Jeremy asks, ‘What are you afraid of in relationships?’ Jenn answers, ‘Giving too much to the wrong person.
I've been burned in the past for giving too much. And then when you really put everything into a relationship, and then they're not giving it back, it's like over time, it makes you want to close up, I think.’ Jeremy says in confession, ‘Genuinely, I feel great when I'm with Jenn.
And I guess it was like, a bit more of a serious convo than -- than we normally have. But it's not a bad thing. I'm so comfortable around her, and it's a lot of fun, and we make each other smile and laugh.
And, like, I can't ask for anything more than that.’ They start kissing as Jeremy asks, ‘For the sake of being on the same wavelength, like..
.’ but Jenn laughs and says, ‘You're petting me again.’ Devin tells the group, ‘It's like reality sets back in when the rose is, like, right in front of you.
You know, like the day goes by. Everybody's having a great time. Then.
.. rose.
’ Sam M. says, ‘We're down to nine guys, and we know that she has connections with every single one of them. And that means everybody's kind of on the chopping block.
- It's a different -- It's a different ballgame now.’ Devin tells the group, ‘It's like reality sets back in when the rose is, like, right in front of you. You know, like the day goes by.
Everybody's having a great time. Then..
. rose.’ Austin walks in to get some one-on-one time with Jenn and says cryptically in confession, ‘I have a decision to make.
’ Austin says in confession, ‘They were talking about the group date rose, you know, sitting there on the table tonight. And, uh, whoever gets that rose tonight is getting a piece of Jenn's heart, you know? That's a lot of validation and reassurance that, you know, they can feel very confident moving forward into next week and, you know, to hopefully hometowns.’ Austin walks in to get some one-on-one time with Jenn and says cryptically in confession, ‘I have a decision to make.
’ Austin tells her, ‘You know, obviously, coming into this, I told you I was always going to be honest and up-front with you, you know, at every moment I can. And, um, you know, just, I feel like I've been playing catch-up this whole time. I really do.
Um, you have some amazing guys here that are ready to give you absolutely everything that you deserve. And with the way that things have gone for me in this journey, I don't think that I can do that.’ Jenn asks what he’s saying and he says, ‘I'm saying I don't think it's fair to you, and I don't think it's fair to the other guys that I continue this journey with you.
’ Jenn gets choked up for a bit before saying, ‘Okay. I mean, it is a bit of a shock. Um, it's not what I was expecting.
It's not what I wanted to hear. But I can understand if this is what you want to do, and I can accept that, and I will respect that.’ Austin asks for a hug as Jenn says in confession, ‘I didn't know that Austin was going to leave tonight.
I didn't know that he was at such a low place that he thought he was going to leave. And for me, it's like, am I just doing a bad job? I want to be enough for somebody. And it seems like I wasn't enough for Austin.
’ Jenn walks Austin outside and he tells her, ‘Every time you say your husband is in that room, he really is. I wish you nothing but the best, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Thank you so much.
’ Jenn says in confession, ‘Does the whole situation make me scared? Yeah. It's like, how many of these other guys are feeling this way that I don't know about? Is the next one just going to walk out the door, too? Maybe I'm not enough for Marcus. Maybe I'm not enough for Sam M.
Maybe I'm not enough for Devin.’ Austin tells her, ‘You know, obviously, coming into this, I told you I was always going to be honest and up-front with you, you know, at every moment I can. And, um, you know, just, I feel like I've been playing catch-up this whole time.
I really do. Um, you have some amazing guys here that are ready to give you absolutely everything that you deserve. And with the way that things have gone for me in this journey, I don't think that I can do that.
’ Jenn asks what he’s saying and he says, ‘I'm saying I don't think it's fair to you, and I don't think it's fair to the other guys that I continue this journey with you' Austin asks for a hug as Jenn says in confession, ‘I didn't know that Austin was going to leave tonight. I didn't know that he was at such a low place that he thought he was going to leave. And for me, it's like, am I just doing a bad job? I want to be enough for somebody.
And it seems like I wasn't enough for Austin.’ A producer asks Jenn if she’s shared with them that she feels this way and she says, ‘Probably not, cause I think it breaks the little wall that I put up. It breaks the little mask that I put up that I'm so confident.
And that's what they love, you know, is a confident woman. And I think it breaks the facade of what an amazing person I am. And if I tell them, then they see how worthless I am,’ as she starts to cry.
She adds, ‘I guess today, I just don't feel good enough. I don't feel..
.worthy enough. And as much as I can say that I can see a future at the end of this, I also see a future where I end up alone because nobody chooses me.
’ Back at the house, someone asks about the ‘Austin situation,’ as Dylan says, ‘I room with the dude. He's expressed his doubts. You know, I think the fact that he hasn't really had the chance to explore that connection, I know.
He's kind of been having those doubts.’ Jenn says in confession, ‘Austin going home leaves me feeling like I failed and that maybe I'm not the right woman for these men. I'm scared and I'm nervous to tell the guys.
I definitely think a lot of my relationships in the past haven't worked out because I haven't been able to really let my guard down and show the guy, like, how I'm feeling. But I just don't like being vulnerable. I don't like showing a part of myself that is weak and insecure.
’ Jenn enters and tells the guys, ‘Today has been a crazy day for me, and I want to just really be honest about how I'm feeling. I just think it's important for you all to know this, because I had a chat with Austin, and he just didn't feel like it was right for him to stay, so he left tonight. Yeah.
I just...
I'm going to be honest. It was like..
. It brought up a lot of feelings today of just not being good enough. And you tell me all the time, like, how amazing I'm doing and all this stuff, and I just don't feel it sometimes,’ while getting choked up a bit.
Jenn continues, ‘And I don't -- I don't know. I think it just brought up a lot of feelings today of me not feeling good enough. And I can sit here and -- and tell you how much I can see a future in this room, and I believe in that.
But I also see a future in which I end up alone.’ Jeremy says, ‘As someone also that I have a really hard time being vulnerable, when you open up, and you don't just show the happy, positive, whatever, it's brave to be able to do that. Like, I couldn't do what you've done, so.
..’ as Jenn thanks him.
Sam M. says, ‘You've preached for the last couple weeks about you seeing your husband in this group. And I'm going to speak for me.
I'm going to speak for everybody else here, as well. We see our wife, as well.’ A producer asks Jenn if she’s shared with them that she feels this way and she says, ‘Probably not, cause I think it breaks the little wall that I put up.
It breaks the little mask that I put up that I'm so confident. And that's what they love, you know, is a confident woman. And I think it breaks the facade of what an amazing person I am.
And if I tell them, then they see how worthless I am,’ as she starts to cry She adds, ‘I guess today, I just don't feel good enough. I don't feel..
.worthy enough. And as much as I can say that I can see a future at the end of this, I also see a future where I end up alone because nobody chooses me' Sam M.
says in confession, ‘I care about Jenn a lot. I don't just want pieces of her. You know, I want all of her.
I want the good. I want the bad. I want the ugly.
I wanted to be able to express to her, it's alright to not be your best self. It's alright to be a little vulnerable.’ Sam M.
and Jenn go into another room and she asks, ‘You don't think it makes you look at me differently?’ ‘What would I look at you differently for?’ he asks. She says, ‘ I don't know. I always have this strong, confident, daredevil side to me, and I think letting it down makes people see a different side of me that I don't love.
’ Sam M. says, ‘I could ask you the exact same question. If I let my guard down, would you still be able to love me? So my answer is the same.
’ Sam M. says in confession, ‘I think she heard all of it, and it's a hell of a good feeling to watch her respond the way that she did.’ Marcus tells Jenn during their alone time, ‘As long as I'm here, if I can be a bit of a mirror for you and show you how incredible you are, because the person that we see is just, I think, way more incredible than what you get to see.
’ Jenn tells him, ‘When I think of someone I can rely on, it's always you. And I always look forward to every conversation that we have and every moment we have together. And I just want you to know that.
’ Marcus says in confession, ‘When she says that I can make her feel better or she, like, wants me around when she's down, like, I know that's true because I can -- I can feel that. I know it's tough to watch someone that you, like, care about kind of going through a hard time, but the fact that I get to be a part of the reason why some of those negative emotions turn back into positive emotions is, like..
. that's an awesome feeling. Sam M.
and Jenn go into another room and she asks, ‘You don't think it makes you look at me differently?’ Sam M. says, ‘I could ask you the exact same question. If I let my guard down, would you still be able to love me? So my answer is the same' Devin tells Jenn during their alone time, ‘I don't know what you've been through in your life to make you feel like you aren't worthy of being chosen, but I think you are worthy and more.
And if it's not me that shows you, someone here will show you that.’ Jenn tells him, ‘Thank you for being here for me,’ as Devin says, ‘I couldn't be anywhere else.’ Devin says in confession, ‘I've been waiting to tell her these words.
She is deserving of everything that she talks about. Thankfully, you know, I got a smile out of her. And to watch the light go back into somebody's eyes just after being, you know, kind of dark, felt great.
’ Jenn says in confession, ‘The night didn't go the way I expected it to go, but in a way it kind of went better than any night could have gone.’ She tells the group, ‘Today, in probably one of my hardest moments, each and every one of you guys have showed up and accepted me for who I am, and that's not something I've ever had before. So because of that, I don't think it's fair to give out a rose tonight.
That being said, thank you so much for an amazing, amazing day and turning it around for me. Um, yeah. I hope you guys have a good night.
’ Jenn says in confession, ‘Opening up about how I feel and showing the guys a part of me that I don't like to show, and to have them accept that with open arms, I feel like a burden has been taken off of me.' The next morning, Jenn is walking around in Auckland as she says in confession, ‘Waking up this morning, I am feeling so much better. Austin leaving affected me more than I thought that it would.
But to be able to just kind of lay all the cards out on the table last night with the guys and for them to accept me for who I really am, you know, it's just a liberating feeling. I just feel this is gonna propel me forward in this journey. So I am very excited about my date today with Grant.
’ Jenn meets up with Grant as she admits in confession, ‘I'm very attracted to Grant. Grant is very hot.’ Devin tells Jenn during their alone time, ‘I don't know what you've been through in your life to make you feel like you aren't worthy of being chosen, but I think you are worthy and more.
And if it's not me that shows you, someone here will show you that' Jenn says in confession, ‘Opening up about how I feel and showing the guys a part of me that I don't like to show, and to have them accept that with open arms, I feel like a burden has been taken off of me.' Jenn meets up with Grant as she admits in confession, ‘I'm very attracted to Grant. Grant is very hot' She tells him, ‘Yes.
I'm just excited to finally get outside of the city, and so I have a surprise for you.’ She adds in confession, ‘I have so much more to learn about Grant. And today I really want to just be able to know, like, what makes him him and to see if he is someone who can really see me for me.
’ They go up to some horses and Grant asks about the group date and she says, ‘I think yesterday was just like a moment of me needing to, um, just, like, get something off my chest that I've been feeling for a while, and it was good to have it received so well. But thank you for checking in.’ Grant says in confession, ‘I found out last night that Jenn didn't have the best day yesterday.
So I'm gonna go into today and just make her feel special, you know, and that's giving her a piece of my heart and letting her know that I'm intentional with what I'm saying and how I feel, and letting her know that I'm here, I'm all the way in.’ Grant admits to her that the was, ‘a little nervous’ because of the, ‘anticipation,’ but he added, ‘then you get here and everything is smooth, you know?’ Grant tells her how good she looks on the horse and she tells him she wants to own a farm some day. Grant says in confession, ‘She knows how to carry herself in any situation.
You know, she's cool. Smooth.’ Jenn says in confession, ‘I'm in a movie right now.
This is the perfect place to fall in love. But the reality is, there is a lot of pressure on this date because last night made me realize how strong some of my relationships are, and I'm hoping that Grant and I can get there too.’ She tells him, ‘Yes.
I'm just excited to finally get outside of the city, and so I have a surprise for you' They go up to some horses and Grant asks about the group date and she says, ‘I think yesterday was just like a moment of me needing to, um, just, like, get something off my chest that I've been feeling for a while, and it was good to have it received so well. But thank you for checking in' Grant tells her how good she looks on the horse and she tells him she wants to own a farm some day They start chatting at their little picnic as it starts raining as they get close and get under an umbrella. Grant says in confession, ‘I've been waiting for this moment to just get close to Jenn, to talk to her, and it starts raining on this perfect day.
It makes the date even better, in my opinion. It's not always gonna be perfect. Sometimes it's gonna rain, sometimes it's gonna be sunny.
But you got to make it through. That's something that you have to do in a relationship.’ Grant asks her, ‘After last night, you feel better?’ She says she does, adding, ‘I think it was a really nice moment for me to be able to really, like, let my guard down and -- and let the guys know how I was really feeling and let you know that last night, like, yeah, I'm not perfect.
I have bad days. Grant tells her, ‘You don't have to be perfect with me, like..
. I'm not perfect, you're not perfect. But that's when -- that's when you know that it's love is when you can accept somebody for their imperfections.
So it's, like, you don't have to be perfect at all. You know what I'm saying? I'mma rock with you,’ as they start kissing. Grant says in confession, ‘So.
.. My feelings for Jenn are definitely deeper than they were, like, a lot deeper.
Since the beginning, every time I see her, my feelings are growing, and I think that there's another level that could be unlocked. Hopefully she feels the same. I'm just gonna continue putting everything out there.
And you know, hopefully, she sees that my sincerity and the way I feel is real. So we’re gonna see. Hopefully it continues into tonight.
’ They head to dinner and they both said they had a ‘lovely’ time as Grant adds in confession, ‘It was a great day. Jenn is amazing. And it's literally everything I expected it to be.
But Jenn knows basically the surface-level stuff. But, like, she doesn't know what makes me me. She doesn't know my relationship with my family.
I need to know if I can be able to open up to her and we can be able to trust each other and she's able to understand me, and I'm able to understand her.’ Grant says, ‘It was perfectly imperfect today. It was a great day,’ as Jenn says, ‘I agree.
Perfectly imperfect. Like all relationships, you know, like nothing's ever gonna be 100%. Grant says he wants to tell her more about him and reveals that his father was an addict.
Grant says in confession, ‘I've been waiting for this moment to just get close to Jenn, to talk to her, and it starts raining on this perfect day. It makes the date even better, in my opinion. It's not always gonna be perfect.
Sometimes it's gonna rain, sometimes it's gonna be sunny. But you got to make it through. That's something that you have to do in a relationship' Grant tells her, ‘You don't have to be perfect with me, like.
.. I'm not perfect, you're not perfect.
But that's when -- that's when you know that it's love is when you can accept somebody for their imperfections. So it's, like, you don't have to be perfect at all. You know what I'm saying? I'mma rock with you,’ as they start kissing.
They head to dinner and they both said they had a ‘lovely’ time as Grant adds in confession, ‘It was a great day. Jenn is amazing. And it's literally everything I expected it to be.
But Jenn knows basically the surface-level stuff. But, like, she doesn't know what makes me me. She doesn't know my relationship with my family.
I need to know if I can be able to open up to her and we can be able to trust each other and she's able to understand me, and I'm able to understand her' ‘You know, my father has been an addict for like 30 years. Addiction is a hard thing because, you know, growing up, my pops was everything, like, he was my superhero, you know, he used to take me to the park, and he always used to be inebriated or, like, intoxicated, under, you know, the substance. And the worst thing is, I didn't know.
When you're a child, you believe everything, you know what I'm saying, and the one person I trusted the most was, like, always lying, you know?’ he says. She asks, ‘So you felt lied to a lot growing up?’ He says, ‘Yeah. Of course.
In my eyes, I'm like, "You're a man. Why can't you do what you have to do?" But before I came here, you know, he had gotten fired from his job. And you know, sometimes addicts, they blame.
So he was blaming everybody. "Oh, my boss this, my boss that." And I was like, "Listen, Dad, like, I don't f***ing care.
" This is like the proudest I've ever been on my dad. He called me the next day, and he said, "I'm checking into rehab." Checked into rehab.
And ever since that, we had a talk, and he was like, "Listen, son, like, this is the first time that you know the real me when I'm not intoxicated." So I'm, like, really leaning into that. So now he's like a little under two months sober.
So you know, I hope he -- I hope he holds strong, and, like, it's his first time living too, you know, so...
’ Jenn says, ‘You know, I've worked in the E.R. And I've seen a lot of patients come in with substance abuse, and addiction is a sickness.
And for you to be willing to stick it through and be by your dad's side, I can only imagine how much that means to him. And that speaks volumes to who you are as a person, and I can't imagine the weight that you had to bear with all of that going on growing up. And my heart goes out to you.
’ He thanks her and says, ‘That means a lot to me, you know? My mission in life is to be the man that my father wasn't. Jenn says in confession, ‘I feel a lot closer to Grant after having this conversation, because there was a lot of troubled times growing up for him. I think there was a lot of frustrations growing up, and I can relate to that so much because I saw my parents' relationship deteriorate in front of my eyes.
’ She tells him, ‘I didn't have a male role model in my life, really. Like, my dad, he decided to take off and, um, like, basically lose contact. So my mom, she took on that two-parent role.
So I can understand, like, not having a father figure and wanting to have that father figure in a way.’ He asks, ‘Do you feel like that negatively affected you, or do you feel like it made you stronger?’ She says, ‘For a while, I was kind of going through life not knowing what to make of not having a father figure, and there were certain things in my life that had happened or certain ways that I would act, and I didn't really know the root of the problem. And I was searching for love in all the wrong places and dating the wrong people.
And before I knew it, I was in a relationship that completely was just toxic and an emotionally abusive one, and it just was not good.’ She goes even deeper and says, ‘I felt like I was silenced and I didn't have a voice. And sensitive topics would be brought up -- racism, Asian hate, like, sexism, whatever it was.
He would shut me down immediately and tell me that I was wrong and gaslight me and tell me that racism was fake and -- and that it's all in people's heads and that I wasn't being open enough to the world, and -- and that just goes against everything that I believe in. But I was so chained up in this relationship and I didn't know how to stand up for myself. But that is why now, like, it is so important for me to be in a relationship where I feel like I do have a voice and I feel like I can stand up for myself, and I can tell my partner when something is bothering me.
’ ‘You know, my father has been an addict for like 30 years. Addiction is a hard thing because, you know, growing up, my pops was everything, like, he was my superhero, you know, he used to take me to the park, and he always used to be inebriated or, like, intoxicated, under, you know, the substance. And the worst thing is, I didn't know.
When you're a child, you believe everything, you know what I'm saying, and the one person I trusted the most was, like, always lying, you know?’ he says Grant says, ‘That's powerful. And I feel like we have a lot in common. And I appreciate the fact that you speak up.
I encourage you to always speak your mind, you know, because, especially for what you're willing to fight for, racism or equality, things like that. Like, you need somebody that's on your same wavelength and that could encourage you and pour into you. see that, so I'm in your corner, you know?’ Jenn says in confession, ‘For Grant and I to be having such an emotional conversation and to be talking about really heavy topics and for Grant to understand where I'm coming from, it .
