The Bachelor star Arie Luyendyk Jr. ended his journey to find love in a controversial and dramatic way -- and according to a source, he could have handled the outcome with more dignity and respect.
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Previous spoilers released by Reality Steve blogger Steve Carbone revealed that Arie selected Becca Kufrin at the end of the season in November 2017 and proposed marriage to her, only to split with her several weeks later.
"Arie didn't handle the situation well," a show insider told Us Weekly. "He wasn't sympathetic or even very nice."
Within days of the breakup, Arie then allegedly hopped on a plane to Virginia Beach to win back his runner-up, Lauren Burnham, and Carbone claims they are still together to this day.
"Arie had a change of heart," the insider told Us. "He began to think he'd picked the safer option."
RELATED LINK: ARIE LUYENDYK JR.: I MADE A MISTAKE ON 'THE BACHELOR' FINALE AND AM PREPARED FOR BACKLASH... BUT I HAD TO FOLLOW MY HEART
As shown on The Bachelor this season, Becca is head over heels for Arie and already made it known she'd move to Scottsdale, AZ, to be with him. She also expresses herself with no problem and has an outgoing and bubbly personality.
Lauren, on the other hand, is quiet and reserved. The guarded bachelorette waited all the way until Paris, France to open up to the 36-year-old pro racing driver, and while she admitted to Arie she's in love with him during their subsequent overnight Fantasy Suite date in Peru, she's definitely harder to read.
With Lauren, more risk was clearly involved.
And a second source told Us that Arie "really felt ready for marriage" in November when the final Rose Ceremony filmed, and so he picked out a Neil Lane diamond ring for Becca and "proposed and she said yes. They were super happy."
For roughly two months, Arie and Becca reportedly met up for several "happy couple" visits to spend time with each other.
But as the show's January 1 premiere crept closer, Arie was starting to doubt the choice he had made in Cusco, Peru.
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"He had second thoughts," the show insider told Us. "He realized who he really wanted to be with and really loved. He just couldn't stop thinking about the other woman."
Arie then reportedly decided to dump Becca in mid-January during one of their secret visits, and it was all caught on camera. The show insider told the magazine that the winner "was in shock."
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP WITH? (PHOTOS)
When Arie flew to Virginia to explain himself to Lauren and request a second chance, ABC's cameras tagged along as well.
"He begged her to take him back," the show insider revealed of Arie and his runner-up. "And she did."
Arie is now allegedly in a relationship with Lauren, and Us claims they are taking their romance slowly.
"They don't want to jump into anything," a third source told the magazine.
However, Carbone believes that Arie and Lauren actually got engaged this past weekend at the Monarch Bay Resort in Dana Point, which is the same California resort where Bachelor in Paradise couple Tanner Tolbert and Jade Roper got married in 2016.
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The Bachelor finale will air as a two-night event beginning on Monday, March 5 at 8PM ET/PT on ABC.
Host Chris Harrison has teased the season will have "a phenomenal" and mind-blowing finish and fans may never look at The Bachelor franchise the same way again after this.
"The finale is going to be very interesting for fans to watch. It's been an experience I'll remember forever," Arie shared with Us. It's going to be fun for me to watch back."
RELATED LINK: CHRIS HARRISON: ARIE LUYENDYK JR.'S TWO LOVE CONFESSIONS ARE "A BIG DEAL," BUT THE FINALE "WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT 'THE BACHELOR' FOREVER"
Arie reportedly said on The Bachelor: The Women Tell All special there was "a huge weight" on his shoulders to hopefully make the right choices and not come to regret them.
"I struggled with being logical. But, then again, it's like, you do have to follow your heart," Arie said on the special, according to Us. "If I could rewind time and redo things as the Bachelor, I would, honestly. I know people always say, 'No regrets.' But I have regrets."
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
