In a stunning change of heart, Arie Luyendyk Jr. proposed to Becca K. in the season finale of “The Bachelor,” only to change his mind and seek a second chance with runner-up Lauren.
It is unclear whether he and Lauren reconciled.
“Being with you, although it’s been everything that I wanted, I still think about her and I think you sense that,” he told Becca during a getaway after filming ended. “And I think for me, the more I hung out with you the more I felt like I was losing the possibility of maybe reconciling things with Lauren.”
In last week’s episode, 36-year-old Arie eliminated Kendall after they spent the night in the fantasy suite, thus leaving Becca, 27, and Lauren, 25, as the final two. Throughout the finale, he remained largely conflicted over who to choose, even though his family intimated that they thought he and Becca may have made a better fit. Though he and Lauren enjoyed a romantic final date at Machu Picchu filled with loving words of affirmation, Arie ultimately told her that “there was something that was holding me back,” and ended the relationship. He later proposed to Becca.
“When I met you I was taken aback. You are beautiful and elegant and that first conversation I knew you were an incredible woman and I needed to know more,” he told her before getting down on one knee. “I think back on all the moments that we shared and the thing that stands out is that we’re a team and I am very lucky that you’ve been on this journey with me and through all of it, you’ve given me so much confidence along the way. Because of that, my love for you is unmeasurable [sic].
“This morning I woke up and I thought about you and I thought about you and our kids together. I thought about us when we’re old. And I choose you today but I choose you every day from here on out,” he continued. “I love you so much.”
Though the couple seemed to enjoy their time together after the proposal, Arie admitted that he’d never gotten over Lauren. The possibility of being with her, he added, is why he ultimately decided to end his relationship with Becca.
“We left Peru and I didn’t want to be as honest with you as I could’ve been about how conflicted I was. And I tried to deal with that emotion and I leaned on everybody that I could about how to get over that heartbreak and I thought that heartbreak would go away and it just never went away,” he told her. “I don’t think it’s fair to be half-in with you.”
Stunned, Becca told Arie that he never should have proposed and said she hoped he found what he was looking for. Then, she started to cry.
“I feel like my future was ripped away,” she told him. “I love you and I obviously want you to be happy and it’s not me, but I can’t imagine my life without you.”
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