Fantasy Suites Meltdown! ‘The Bachelor’ Breaks Rule No. 1
Zach's final three women all shed tears in emotional penultimate episode.
Zach Shallcross broke his “no sex” fantasy suites vow and bedded one of his three finalists on Monday night’s episode of The Bachelor.
Worse, he decided to tell one of the women that he’d been intimate with her rival—in season 27’s most explosive show yet.
As the episode began, Kaity Biggar, Gabi Elnicki and Ariel Frenkel were the last ladies vying for Zach’s heart in romantic Thailand.
While Zach had sensibly decided not to confuse lust with love, things changed and resulted in his two finalists both melting down.
Read on to find out what happened!
What was Zach’s original fantasy suites plan?
As Parade.com previously reported, the hunk had decided not to have sex with any of his final three women.
On Monday night’s episode, Zach told host Jesse Palmer he would follow a “no sex of any kind for fantasy suites” rule.
Zach said, “When sex is involved, it can cause so many additional hurdles. Real feelings are at stake. It shouldn’t be taken lightly.
“Obviously I want to…there’s a lot of pent-up energy but I’m up for the challenge.”
What did Zach disclose about Rachel on The Bachelorette?
Last year, Zach had a horrible fantasy suite experience when he was trying to woo Rachel Recchia on ABC’s sister show.
No one knew what actually happened between the two with cameras off, but Zach told Jesse how that influenced his decision not to have sex on The Bachelor.
“I learned a lot on overnight and there was no sex” with Rachel, he revealed to Jesse.
As fans know, Zach didn’t like Rachel’s attitude behind closed doors. He eliminated himself from The Bachelorette and later went on to his own reality show starring role.
What happened between Zach and Ariel on The Bachelor tonight?
During a dinner date in Thailand, Zach explained about “sex being off the table” to Ariel.
Sharing that moment “should be saved for engagement,” he told her.
Ariel admitted to cameras that she was disappointed, but told the tech exec “I understand your position.”
She hoped for closeness anyway as they shared their fantasy suite.
The two made out in a hot tub and woke up together in bed.
But the brunette said in confessional that they’d only had conversations—with no sex involved.
How did Zach and Gabi’s date go?
Gabi was afflicted by “worry and anxiety” before seeing Zach.
They traveled by boat to a private island where she broke down, telling him in previous relationships she’d been chosen second.
She excused herself to go cry in the foliage, telling cameras, “I feel disgusting. I feel ugly. Why can’t I be happy?”
Zach joined Gabi to see what was wrong, and she explained that in her previous relationship, “I was cheated on.”
He comforted her.
Reassured, Gabi met Zach for dinner later and elaborated on her bad former relationship, saying “I found out I was cheated on. I chose to look the other way.”
Zach told her she deserved to be No. 1.
Gabi replied, “I am falling in love with you.”
Zach told Gabi his no sex stance, and she smirked to the cameras she felt “bummed out. He’s saving it for the right person.”
Before entering their fantasy suite, Gabi said in confessional, “Zach says he’s not having sex but I don’t know, maybe he will.”
What was revealed the next morning?
Zach told the cameras it had been “a passionate night with Gabi and I.”
Then he made a bombshell confession to Jesse: “We both agreed and wanted to have sex together.” And they did!
But after sleeping with Gabi, Zach said, “I feel terrible because I feel I’ve gone against my word. I said one thing and did another.”
Despite the guilt, he had “zero regret” about having sex with Gabi.
Viewers were surprised he had done so, though.
Although they knew Zach probably got busy with someone after last week's preview trailer, Twitter user, Carly, wrote, "Bachelor Nation realizing it was Gabi after thinking it was Ariel or Kaity all week."
What was Zach’s next move on The Bachelor tonight?
For full transparency, the bachelor told Jesse he wanted to tell Kaity that he’d slept with one of her rivals.
“It was a beautiful moment,” Zach sobbed to cameras. “It feels robbed.”
Before meeting Kaity, Zach visited Gabi, telling her “last night was so huge for us,” and “magical.”
But he also wanted Gabi to know he didn’t intend to keep secrets and would tell Kaity about their intimacy.
Gabi was outraged and told cameras she felt “blindsided. My trust was broken.”
What happened on Zach’s date with Kaity?
After a canoe ride and kisses in the rain, Zach told Kaity, without disclosing which woman it was, “I have been intimate this week.”
Kaity got emotional, paused, and finally told him, “It sucks, obviously, to think about it.”
The teary-eyed beauty said, “I just figured that was the case.”
She fumed to cameras, “I coulda went without hearing that.”
Kaity told Zach, “I’m not happy.”
That was an understatement, as in confessional, she admitted, “Well, I’m crushed.”
Fans were shocked and Twitter user Morgan Suzanne opined, "Ugh my heart this poor girl!"
Kaity then vented to the cameras about her beloved’s actions, “You’re not sorry you did it.”
The crying blonde also ranted directly to Zach, “I feel very distant from you. I don’t need to know….It was rubbing salt in a wound…There’s no sugar coating this.”
Kaity said in confessional, “You think I’m going to be, ‘Yay!’?”
Did Zach and Kaity kiss and make up?
Cameras showed a producer trying to comfort Kaity, who said, “I’m so f---ing confused,” and “I literally just want to go home” after Zach’s confession.
Incredibly, however, Kaity did join Zach later for the night portion of their date.
“I care about you. I want to figure this out,” Zach told her.
He said he hadn’t wanted to keep secrets ahead of a possible engagement.
“I’m sorry,” Zach added.
While still wary, Kaity concluded that relationships have their ups and downs!
“This is something we can get through,” she told Zach. “It is all worth it, sitting next to you.”
Elated Zach told Kaity, “You make me feel some special way” and kissed her.
She told cameras, “I have the clarity I needed and wanted from him.”
“I’m extremely happy I stayed but I’m cautious.”
Zach told cameras, he felt relieved because, “I could have lost Kaity.”
Viewers weren’t shown if anything more happened between the two in their fantasy suite.
What was Gabi’s reaction?
At the rose ceremony, where Ariel was eliminated, Gabi was stunned by Zach’s behavior and didn’t know if she wanted to stick around!
“I am wearing a big A on my chest,” Gabi complained to the cameras. “He’s only making eye contact with Kaity!”
Next week, fans will see the final two, Gabi and Kaity, await Zach’s final choice.