Bachelor in Paradise alum Danielle Maltby has broken her silence on her breakup with Michael Allio and revealed neither the split or its announcement were her decision.
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"It's still incredibly fresh. I guess I'll just come out with it. We're not together anymore," Michael said. "It's not what we planned. We both threw a lot into this relationship and it's really awful when it doesn't work out."
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However, according to Danielle, Michael made the decision to announce the Bachelor in Paradise couple's split on Jason's podcast on him own without consulting her.
"Thank you for the kind messages this week," Danielle wrote in an series of Instagram Stories messages she posted Friday afternoon.
"I've been getting many notifications regarding Jason's podcast and while I was shocked to find out my breakup would be announced in this fashion, I feel I have to address it now."
In addition, Danielle claimed the decision to end their relationship was not mutual and Michael was the one who broke up with her.
"This breakup was not a mutual decision arriving at some perception of incompatibilities," she wrote. "However, I do hope the best for Michael and I will always have [his son] James in my heart as we move forward separately."
Danielle's "some perception of incompatibilities" comment also appears to be a shot at Michael's podcast comments in which he'd suggested the Bachelor in Paradise couple had eventually realized they just weren't compatible.
"You start working towards it, and then when things don't work out -- and you realize that love is there but you're not necessarily compatible -- you mourn the loss, not of just that person and that friend in your life, but also the future that you had envisioned," Michael had told Jason. "And it's to no fault of hers."
However, Danielle also insisted she doesn't regret her relationship with Michael or the sacrifices she made to pursue it -- which included moving from Tennessee to Ohio to be closer to Michael and his 7-year-old son.
"I know so many people were rooting for Michael and I, and I appreciate your support so much," the Bachelor in Paradise alum wrote. "I don't regret the love I gave for a second. While these last couple of months have been extremely difficult and painful for me, I am succeeding in finding moments of joy in building a new life in this city, regardless of how I came to it."
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW"I have been extremely invested in my job, which I love and I feel hopeful again to discover what the future holds for me."
Danielle ended her Instagram postings by stating she wouldn't be addressing the Bachelor in Paradise couple's breakup further with the exception of some comments she would be making on Friday's episode of her The WoMed podcast in which she would be discussing the egg freezing procedure she underwent shortly before Michael dumped her.
"I will be talking about this a little more on today's episode of The WoMed only because there was no way around it -- human emotions surrounding the egg retrieval process being what they are," she explained.
"Out of respect for the time we shared, love I have and honoring the fact there is a child involved, I won't be addressing this further."
"I would really appreciate the respect, time, and space to continue to heal and grieve what I believed was forever and hope you extend the same to Michael," the Bachelor in Paradise alum concluded. "I truly thank you all for the kindness and support you have shown me along the way."
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Prior to Michael's podcast appearance, fans had been speculating for nearly two months about whether Michael and Danielle were still together or had ended their relationship.
All signs appeared to point to a split when Danielle had wiped all photos and videos of Michael from her Instagram account in early September. Michael also fueled breakup rumors when he deleted images of Danielle on his Instagram account.
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"Rainbows have been my sign lately that everything will be OK. To keep looking up and finding the light around you," Danielle shared via Instagram Stories, along with a photo of country singer Brandi Carlile, who was singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" during her September 16 show in Cleveland.
"They've come in different forms," the neonatal nurse and model continued.
"A couple double rainbows in the sky, some being sent by friends after we're done talking about them... Dreams will come true."
Michael and Danielle ignored questions and comments about the status of their relationship for a while, but Michael was put on the spot about his relationship -- which began on Bachelor in Paradise's eighth season last summer -- during the August 2 episode of the "She's All Bach" podcast.
At the time, Michael dodged direct questions about whether he and Danielle were still an item.
The father reluctantly shared, "I'll say this. Being in a public relationship, it isn't fun. Danielle and I, like, both agree that the only people that should be in our relationship are us two."
"So we think just the healthiest way to have a relationship is to keep it private," he added last month.
Michael insisted, however, that he and Danielle "both love each other, like, very much."
"But we just kind of want to keep things private," Michael reiterated.
"I think when you start having a relationship and bringing people into it, people have opinions, you know, and it's just not the right way to run a relationship, so that's just something we've decided."
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In addition to Michael and Danielle's suspicious social-media activity this summer, the Instagram account @Deuxmoi also posted a blind in late July claiming two Paradise fan-favorites were in trouble.
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"Did her final pick struggle to be truthful about his journey for love? Seems that both have split as they have not been spotted together in over a month, have not interacted online with each other even though they live in the same city! She clearly deserves better."
Prior to the breakup rumors, Danielle and Michael had been posting about each other all the time. In fact, they were very lovey-dovey on social media, and Danielle even shared how she would be freezing her eggs.
Danielle -- who lost her late fiance Nick Haag to a drug overdose in 2011 -- moved to Cleveland for Michael in February. Prior to the move, the nurse had lived in Nashville for 12 years.
Michael, originally from Akron, OH, welcomed James during his marriage to his late wife Laura Ritter-Allio, who passed away from breast cancer in 2019.
After turning down a starring role on The Bachelor, Michael appeared on Bachelor in Paradise last summer.
On Paradise, Michael was romantically interested in Sierra Jackson, but he ultimately determined something was "missing" between them and he was unable to let his walls down due to grief.
But when Danielle stepped foot on the Paradise beach in Mexico, Michael seemed ecstatic and affectionately called her "Dani."
The pair had spoken via DMs on Instagram and become friends prior to filming the show, but Paradise marked the first time they were meeting in-person.
Michael and Danielle were able to connect quickly over their similar losses and traumas. The pair slowly got to know each other and never expressed interest in dating anyone else on the show.
Michael and Danielle chose to leave Bachelor in Paradise together as a couple before overnight Fantasy Suites. They both determined they weren't ready to get engaged, especially because Danielle had yet to meet James.
However, Michael revealed on the reunion show in November that James quickly came to adore Danielle and never wanted her to leave when she was visiting.
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Michael also announced on the reunion show that he was "in love" with Danielle and she had changed his life for the better. Danielle is only the second woman whom Michael ever said, "I love you," to.
While Danielle had no reservations about moving to Ohio in order to progress her relationship with Michael naturally, she explained how they didn't want to live under the same roof -- at least not yet -- as to not rush things or disrupt James' comfortable routine.
"I'm just so excited," Michael said on social media in December of Danielle's decision to uproot her life for him.
"Long distance is difficult, but we've made the best of it and this next chapter and upcoming year is one I am so looking forward to. She's the best!"
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About The Author: Steven Rogers
