This post contains spoilers from Tuesday’s finale ofThe Bachelor.
At Tuesday’sAfter the Final Rosespecial, the two women who Clayton, 28, dumped in Iceland sat down with hostJesse Palmerand opened up about how that breakup felt.
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“When you told me that you were going to leave Iceland with the woman you love the most and you saw my visceral reaction. And then the previous week you were telling Susie that you loved her the most, so you knew that that would be a deal-breaker for me,” she continued.
“It’s okay if I’m not going to be the one with you at the end,” she added. “I think that’s what the journey is about is to see if you and I are compatible with each other, if we’re the best match for each other. But not finding the best woman because who is making those decisions?”
In response, Clayton said he understood her points but he “also had love for you all and I felt that one conversation could change everything.”
“I felt betrayed, I felt hurt and I think it’s a totally appropriate emotion to feel at the time. it’s a natural human emotion,” she added. “Of course, I really was [in love with Clayton]. It took me a while to shed my layers and really open up. I don’t regret anything, that is who I am as a person and this has helped me learn so much.”
Rachel on After the Final Rose.abc
“I said this from the beginning, I told him, I told his family and my family, I’ve never felt the way I felt for him,” she continued. “For me when I’m truly in love I feel like you need to fight for that person. And I fought all the way to the end way past the point I thought I could go personally… I truly believed it was me.”
Then, Clayton appeared on stage, where Rachel confronted him for the very first time.
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Rachel and Clayton on After the Final Rose.abc
“I want you to know that like it does pain me to see this pain, to still watch it back, to realize that I should have taken a step back. I should have checked in with you. I should have made sure that just asking more questions instead of making assumptions,” he said. “And I did do that too many times. I made assumptions and I couldn’t have been more wrong. And I want you to know that I am incredibly sorry. I really am, you shouldn’t have had gone through any of that.”
In response, Rachel told Clayton, “I just don’t believe you. The fact that this is the first time I’m hearing any sort of apology on camera. We watched what you sent these last two episodes. And you told us you wanted to give us transparency, but you left out the most important things. You left out the part that you already knew who the one was who you love the most. We’re gonna see that back. So that’s why I just don’t believe you. I don’t believe you were in love with me at all.”
“I don’t even know what your version of love is now, since we’ve last talked about it. I know I loved you. I think that was really obvious,” she continued. “But you just completely disrespected me, not only as someone you love but as a human. The rose ceremony and then a group breakup? I wrapped my head around this for months, trying to wonder where it went wrong or what went wrong and watching it back. It was almost as if you cast us aside as quickly as you could to get to the person you love the most.”
Rachel’s parents also appeared on the episode and were asked if they had any words for Clayton. Both agreed they had things to say — but neglected to share because they weren’t “nice” sentiments.
Ricky Middlesworth/ABC via Getty; Pamela Littky/ABC via Getty; Ricky Middlesworth/ABC via Getty
“I’m pissed because I spent the last two days away from my family and my friends who actually give a s— about me and you don’t,” the ICU nurse told Clayton in the pre-taped portion of Tuesday’s episode.
“I can’t believe anything you say, not one thing,” she told him. “You asked me to stay because you were pissed and your pride was hurt.”
“I am wrong,” Clayton acknowledged. “I’m telling you I’m wrong.”
RELATED VIDEO: Clayton Echard On Why He Was Honest About Intimacy with Both Women and Forced Hard Conversations
Rachel, however, had a hard time believing Clayton actually sent her packing in Iceland.
“I thought it was us at the end,” the flight instructor, 25, told Clayton in the pre-taped footage before she departed. “I couldn’t imagine a way it wasn’t.”
Clayton apologized for his change of heart. “I’m sorry you feel that way but I did feel the connection, I did see a future with you,” he insisted. “I had those thoughts. I won’t take back anything we had.”
Once Rachel got in the car, she felt like Clayton gave up on their relationship. “He didn’t even cry. He didn’t even fight at all,” she told the cameras. “I was in love, but he was never in love with me.”
source: people.com
