Married at First Sight featured Jasmine Secrest having an outburst and saying she's "done" after Airris Williams danced with another woman, Shaquille Dillon admitting he felt no support in his marriage to Kirsten Grimes, and Nicole Lilienthal and Chris Thielk saying, "I love you," to each other during the Season 16 episode that aired Wednesday night on Lifetime.

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The remaining four Nashville-based couples on Married at First Sight for Season 16 are Airris and Jasmine, Kirsten and Shaquille, Nicole and Chris, and Gina Micheletti and Clint Webb.

Domynique Kloss and Mackinley Gilbert decided to get a divorce on Day 12 of the process and were not featured in the latest episode.

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Married at First Sight experts Pastor Calvin Roberson and Dr. Pepper Schwartz matched the five couples for matrimony in Tennessee.

The show features strangers meeting at the wedding altar and then spending the next eight weeks embarking on a honeymoon, moving in together, and navigating the joys and struggles of daily life together.

And at the end of the experiment, Married at First Sight's Season 16 couples will reach "Decision Day" and have to decide whether to remain married or decide to end their marriages and divorce.

According to Pastor Cal, this is the "most intense season of Married at First Sight yet."

The Married at First Sight broadcast began with 12 days remaining until Decision Day.

Since Jasmine and Airris had reached a breaking point in their marriage, Dr. Pepper and Pastor Cal invited guest expert, relationship advisor DeVon Franklin, to meet with them individually and provide a new perspective on how they could make their relationship work and also vocalize what they needed from their spouse before it was too late.

Jasmine explained how she had an emotionally breakdown after sweeping her problems under the rug. DeVon explained how a mess under a rug eventually builds and exposes itself, and Jasmine admitted she hadn't expressed herself fully to Airris yet.

Jasmine said she thought she was compatible with Airris and they had long-term potential, but she admitted, "I don't think he feels that way. But I don't know, because I haven't asked him."

Jasmine told the expert that she wanted to connect with her husband on all levels but she hadn't experienced much trauma in her life to open up about, unlike Airris, who had lost his father when he was younger and also his best friend to suicide.

DeVon, however, told Jasmine that being bullied in middle school and losing her self-esteem as a young woman was most certainly "deep" enough and "traumatic."

DeVon advised Jasmine to be confident, courageous and communicate what she wanted, regardless of how Airris was going to react or respond.

"If I say, 'How are you feeling about this marriage?'... I think he's going to say, 'Yeah, I'm really not in it,'" Jasmine shared.

But DeVon said that type of response wouldn't be an indictment on Jasmine.

"If he may have that response, that truth may actually be additive to you vs. living in a fantasy," DeVon explained. "Do you really want to live in a situation where you don't know where you are or where your spouse is?"

"No," Jasmine replied.

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Meanwhile, Chris asked Nicole if there was something he could do for her given she had endured an emotional and tough week.

Nicole admitted that when she asked Chris for space, she didn't want him to actually allow her that space. Chris thought that was confusing, but Nicole clarified how Chris could offer to help her process her feelings and emotions during difficult times.

Chris said he wasn't afraid of anything Nicole was going through, but she said a part of her still worried that she wasn't enough for him or he was going to leave her.

"The goal is to get to the point where I don't even think these thoughts. But until I get there, I'm going to need more validation and reassurance. And if this isn't something you are willing to do, there's the door. If you are interested, please stay," Nicole told her husband.

"The door isn't even in my eyesight... I don't want you to pull away in any way. Just know I'm here for the long haul. I'm not here for anything else but our marriage," Chris assured her.

Nicole promised that she would interpret his statement as a sincere one rather than something he felt he had to say in the moment in order to please her.

Kirsten was then shown FaceTiming with her mother. Kirsten shared how Shaquille seemed stressed out at the time, and her mother advised her to be more supportive because there had been some miscommunication and Shaquille was feeling hurt.

Kirsten revealed that she was sending Shaquille affirmation throughout the day, every day, but her mother said she had to do more.

With 11 days to go until Decision Day, Clint was whipping up fried catfish poboys for his wife. Clint said he put a lot of thoughtfulness into what he made for Gina, who admitted it was lonely and too expensive to cook for herself.

"I care about [Clint]. I feel he has a massive heart. We still have a little time left before Decision Day, so I'm hoping we can just use it wisely," Gina noted.

DeVon then sat down with Airris, who opened up about how his lack of attraction to Jasmine was the biggest issue they had in their marriage and Jasmine could feel his energy around her. Airris acknowledged that he was in "new territory" with this issue.

DeVon asked Airris what he found "appealing" about Jasmine, and Airris said she's a role model to young woman, has her own dog breed business, and exudes a calming presence at home.

DeVon pointed out how "appealing" is just another word for "attractive." With that being said, Airris said he wanted to become more attracted to his wife but "a person can't change."

DeVon made Airris realize that he wasn't putting as much effort into his marriage as he was putting into his job in software development. Airris thought losing his job would be detrimental to his lifestyle whereas losing his wife wouldn't ruin anything.

Airris insisted he'd be "fine" alone, and so DeVon asked, "But is that the way you want to live? 'Fine?'"

"No, I want to share this world with somebody else and uplift someone... who will have my back. And I want children. Something missing in my life is marriage," Airris explained.

DeVon said Airris already had a wife who had the potential to give him everything that he said he wanted.

"But you're not even putting in the effort to see if that potential can be realized," DeVon noted.

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Airris agreed that he could be putting more effort into his relationship, but he said Jasmine tended to shut down and answer his questions with brief answers. DeVon therefore encouraged Airris to ask follow-up questions and not make snap judgments about his wife.

Airris said he and Jasmine both allowed his lack of attraction to become a big deal, with awkward encounters here or there, and so DeVon asked him to verbalize his commitment to Jasmine.

DeVon also asked Airris not to let the attraction thing become "a crutch" or "an excuse" for the failure of his marriage. Airris agreed that he didn't want to have any regrets five years down the road and wish he had done more.

DeVon warned Airris that if he didn't do more over the next two weeks, he would definitely find himself in that place of regret.

That night, the entire cast -- except for Domynique and Mackinley -- went country line dancing as a fun activity.

Jasmine announced to the group how she got super emotional with the other women, and Airris seemed surprised by the revelation. Jasmine said she couldn't be strong anymore, and Nicole and Kirsten both said that the breakdown broke their hearts.

Nicole therefore begged Jasmine and Airris to both try harder because they weren't having conversations that they needed to have. Nicole and Gina both pointed out how being vulnerable is not a weakness, and Clint added that everybody struggles with something.

In fact, Clint revealed one of his friends, who had a mental health issue, had committed suicide. Chris said a friend in college went through the same situation, and then Shaquille spoke up with a surprising announcement.

"In full transparency, I was that person before. Yeah. Everything seems to be going good, but on the inside, you're fighting internal battles... It's like, 'Does anybody see me? I don't feel present in the moment.' So I decided to go to therapy and unlearn bad habits," Shaquille explained, adding how he had been suffering in silence.

But Shaquille ultimately realized life has a purpose and he wanted to live.

Nicole then thanked Shaquille for sharing and declared how Kirsten was an amazing wife who wanted to be there for him. Nicole admitted she was speaking for Kirsten but it was "the truth."

And then suddenly, Shaquille walked away from the conversation and Kirsten followed him outside.

Kirsten asked Shaquille what was wrong, and Shaquille pointed out how Kirsten had nothing to say after his vulnerable speech. Shaquille said another wife spoke on Kirsten's behalf, but Kirsten argued that she didn't even have a split second to say anything.

"I don't want you to ever feel like you're alone. You can always call me... and I'll be next to you," Kirsten said. "Just because I'm not right beside you doesn't mean that I'm not there for you."

Shaquille said he didn't just want Kirsten to be physically with him; he needed her to be.

When Shaquille was in Memphis, he found out he wouldn't be graduating in time, and so it upset him that Kirsten wasn't there for him and by his side in that moment.

Kirsten said Shaquille could've called her to talk about it, but Shaquille said, "If it's a phone call, hell, we're going to hang up and go our separate ways."

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Kirsten acknowledged Shaquille's feelings, but she asked him to come right out and demand her presence if he wanted her to join him somewhere. Kirsten essentially wanted Shaquille to say flat out that he wanted her with him and not make her guess or figure it out on her own.

Kirsten insisted that she was going to be there for Shaquille and wanted to make him happy, and then the couple hugged and pecked on the lips.

Once the couple rejoined the group, Airris joked that Shaquille should just tell Kirsten, "Pack up your sh-t and we're going." Kirsten said she needed a direct statement like that, and so Airris joked Shaquille should try that next time.

The group then hinted that all Shaquille needed to do was take initiative and set the mood and then Kirsten would be ready to go all the way in the bedroom.

Shaquille asked Kirsten out loud if he had taken initiative, and then Kirsten told him to be assertive.

"Kirsten and I have consummated our marriage," Shaquille announced, which made their fellow cast members cheer.

Clint happily told the cameras, "They went to Pound Town!"

"We wanted to keep it between us for as long as we could," Shaquille said.

"So it's been a while!" Jasmine pointed out.

After a couple of drinks, the cast took a dancing lesson with a pretty brunette instructor named Priya.

Clint got really into it, which Kirsten loved, and Kirsten and Shaquille had a sexy moment on the dance floor.

But suddenly, Airris was shown dancing with the instructor and not Jasmine, who vented about how she was "over it" and "done."

Jasmine stormed out of the studio and complained to the cameras, "Do you even care about this marriage?! I'm over it in general. I'm over everything. I'm tired of giving my all and putting forth effort for him to continue to do things that are basically just a slap in the face."

Jasmine said she needed her husband to think about her in that moment -- but he didn't.

Airris chased after Jasmine and explained how he didn't mean to hurt her. Airris thought the instructor was trying to teach him a move because he was clearly the worst dancer in the room.

"With the state of our relationship, I can totally understand why it looked bad to you... I'm not diminishing your feelings... but it wasn't like I was like, "Screw this, I'm just going to dance with this girl.' I was literally minding my own business," Airris explained.

Jasmine said Airris still didn't need to dance with the woman, and he agreed that she was right in the situation.

Jasmine and Airris took off from the dance party and went back to their apartment. That night, Airris apparently slept on the couch.

With 10 days to go until Decision Day, Dr. Pepper paid Jasmine and Airris a visit.

Jasmine explained how she wasn't cool with what happened the previous night, and Airris confessed that he felt bad about it. Airris, however, thought Jasmine's "storm out made it a scene" that he didn't think "was warranted."

Dr. Pepper asked Airris and Jasmine if they were "done" because she didn't want them to tread water and just go through with the motions.

When asked if they saw a possibility for their marriage, Airris responded, "I see a possibility. I understand why we were matched. We have moments when we're 'dating,' those are some of our best moments, and I want those moments to last longer."

Jasmine said she previously felt "lost" in the marriage but Airris finally reassured her that he was still in it.

To further the relationship's possibilities in the next couple of weeks, Airris promised to create a more nurturing and safe environment for Jasmine, who in turn hoped to feel more like a wife and not a friend.

"If I don't text him throughout the day, I don't hear from him. So it's like, 'Do you not think about me or do you not want to talk to me?'" Jasmine announced.

Dr. Pepper asked Airris to set an alarm as a reminder to text Jasmine and ask how she's doing. And the expert also pushed for small efforts, such as Airris giving Jasmine a little hug or kiss every time he leaves or returns to their apartment.

Meanwhile, Kirsten took Nicole shopping for lingerie so that Nicole could feel beautiful and also show a new side of herself to her husband. Nicole tried to view herself in a positive light, and Kirsten reminded Nicole that she's "an amazing woman" who deserved a man like Chris.

Kirsten taught Nicole how to walk and strip her lace robe to set the mood and set the tone for Chris, and it appeared to be a successful shopping experience for Nicole.

Later on, Dr. Pepper asked Gina and Clint during a counseling session to "up their game." The spouses still felt "friend-zoned," but Dr. Pepper pointed out how the deepest friendships are a form of love.

When asked what would make them feel cared for and bring on deeper feelings, Gina said positive affirmation and more praise, support and compliments. In turn, Clint said he'd appreciate Gina doing something special for him that would require thought and effort, and so  Dr. Pepper suggested Gina could make a dinner for Clint.

Dr. Pepper also wanted to stir up some romance by having Clint and Gina watch emotional, sweet movies together such as The Art of Racing in the Rain. The expert also asked the couple to hold hands.

Gina then thanked Clint for going above and beyond in helping her on a daily basis and trying to incorporate himself into her life, especially by being a "good dog dad" and feeding her, and Clint praised Gina for her character, bravery and entrepreneurial spirit.

"It sounds like if you two weren't married, you'd have a lot to miss," Dr. Pepper said.

"Mhmm, I would agree," Gina responded.

Afterward, Shaquille and Kirsten met with DeVon for a sitdown conversation. Shaquille said they never seemed to be on the same page and he didn't understand why.

Kirsten told the show's guest expert that they had both dropped the ball on communicating well.

When DeVon asked Shaquille if he felt supported in the marriage, he replied, "No."

But Kirsten thought she was supportive of her husband "in general."

DeVon called "unspoken expectations relationship killers" because they can build resentment and ultimately drive a wedge between spouses that can be very difficult to fix. DeVon told Kirsten that a lack of support in her marriage was a dealbreaker.

Shaquille asked Kirsten to observe him being in the zone of something he loved to do so that she could appreciate what he does at work. Shaquille said being at work was a part of him that Kirsten had yet to see.

Kirsten reminded Shaquille that she had already accompanied him on one work trip and asked many questions, but she didn't feel like it was ever enough. Shaquille tried to compare work trips by saying his latest one in Memphis was more important.

DeVon therefore told Shaquille not to diminish Kirsten's support because putting her down wouldn't help to motivate her to ask more questions or be around more. DeVon said Kirsten was also looking for validation and appreciation for showing up.

Kirsten shared how she's a supportive daughter, sister and girlfriend -- and so being supportive to Shaquille would come with time and "be as easy as clockwork."

The episode concluded with Nicole and Chris meeting with Pastor Cal for a chat.

Nicole admitted that she didn't feel "picked" by Chris and was self-sabotaging the relationship to some extent, but Pastor Cal said Chris did pick her because the experts had matched him with someone pretty perfect for him based on what he had asked for.

Chris gushed about how Nicole was there for him and had his back, and he told her to listen to the angel -- not the little devil -- on her shoulders.

Nicole promised to work on her negativity, and Chris told his wife that he'd help her and be there for her more.

Chris told Pastor Cal that he could trust Nicole, rely on her, and tell her anything, and so Pastor Cal asked, "Do you love her?"

"Honestly, I do," Chris said, while looking at Nicole. "I do love you."

Nicole melted in Chris' arms, and Chris shared with his wife how he had been feeling that for a little while.

"Why didn't you say it?!" Nicole asked.

"I don't know. I don't know. I don't know why I didn't say it," Chris admitted.

Chris assured Nicole that he was pledging his life to her and was choosing her, and then Nicole told her spouse, "I love you."

"I love you too," Chris reiterated.

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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