The Bachelor featured Zach Shallcross eliminating Kat Izzo, Brooklyn Willie, and Greer Blitzer before hometown dates and choosing Charity Lawson, Kaity Biggar, Gabi Elnicki and Ariel Frenkel as his Final 4 bachelorettes during the Season 27 episode that aired Monday night on ABC.

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Zach sent Greer, a 24-year-old medical sales representative from Houston, TX, home in Budapest, Hungary after she recovered from coronavirus and missed several weeks with The Bachelor star.

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Zach then denied Brooklyn, a 25-year-old rodeo racer from Stillwater, OK, a rose during their one-on-one date in Budapest.

And finally, Zach ousted Kat, a 26-year-old registered nurse from Tampa, FL, during the Rose Ceremony that preceded hometown dates.

Zach's Final 4 bachelorettes as a result are Ariel, a 28-year-old marketing executive from New York City, NY; Charity, a 26-year-old child and family therapist from Columbus, GA; Gabi, a 25-year-old account executive from Pittsford, VT; and Kaity, a 27-year-old ER nurse from Austin, TX.

The Bachelor broadcast began with Zach and his remaining bachelorettes touching down in Budapest, Hungary during their international travels.

The Bachelor host Jesse Palmer revealed to Zach that Greer had been quarantining back in Tallinn, Estonia and was on her way to Budapest. Zach smiled and said he was really excited to see her again, but they had missed some time together.

"It does jeopardize what Greer and I have," Zach admitted, before sharing how he had developed some strong connections with the other women.

Zach told Jesse that he felt "a passionate spark" and "a pull" with Kat whereas he felt comfortable, at ease and natural with the other bachelorettes.

Kaity then learned she'd be accompanying Zach on the first one-on-one in Budapest.

The Date Card mentioned "falling in love," and so Brooklyn said it felt unsettling to read that when the date had been picked for Kaity. Kat also didn't feel chosen and admitted being passed on for the next one-on-one date would be "painful."

For Kaity and Zach's one-on-one date, they took a funicular ride, explored the city, tasted new foods, and started discovering fun little things about each other.

"The fact that I still get butterflies with her -- and it's not, like, perfect; it just feels real," Zach gushed in a confessional. "I'm very much attached, it feels like a magnetic is pulling us together, and I love that."

Zach also said Kaity carried herself with kindness and treated other people with respect. Zach had been looking for a compassionate woman, and he said he saw that during their date, which was very special.

Kaity called Zach "the perfect man" and said he checked off all her boxes, such as his vulnerable side and also his goofy and silly nature.

Zach even typed Kaity a romantic letter on a typewriter during their date, saying he felt happy about the future. Kaity felt like the luckiest girl in the world when she was with Zach, but she was afraid to fall in love and then get her heartbroken.

"But if I don't open up, I run the risk of losing him," Kaity acknowledged.

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Meanwhile, the women received a Date Card while drinking champagne in their hotel suite.

The women asked on a group date were Ariel, Charity, Gabi, and Kat.

Brooklyn therefore got the last one-on-one date before hometowns, and so she was very excited to have uninterrupted time with the Bachelor before possibly introducing him to her family. The news made Kat cry but she wished Brooklyn well.

"It just doesn't make sense. Why didn't he choose me?" Kate lamented to the cameras.

"I don't want to shut down or close off, but because of everything that's happened, it's making me feel like I want to protect myself. I know that's not something I should be doing… but he doesn't miss me as much as I miss him."

That night during Zach and Kaity's dinner date, Zach asked her what she wanted. Kaity said she'd like to have a family and stability, which she never felt from a man before. She desired a man who's going to be there for her. Kaity said she could see those things with Zach and thought he'd made a great father and husband.

"You're an amazing guy inside and out, and I'll tell you that every day. But I want this more than anything," Kaity expressed.

"So if you were to potentially meet my family, you wouldn't meet my dad… He left at a very young age and moved to Florida. I didn't get to meet him fully until I was 16… when my grandmother, his mother, passed away."

Kaity said her father had attempted to get back into her life, as well as her brother's life, but he had missed so many milestones that it was difficult to embrace him. Kaity said her mother had dated a man when she was growing up who became a father figure to her but then he left when she entered eighth grade.

Kaity therefore lost two dads, and Zach said he couldn't fathom going through that. Kaity broke down into tears and Zach assured her that he cared for her and she only needed to share what she wanted to.

Zach said Kaity showed real strength that night, and he offered her a rose. Zach said he couldn't wait to see more of her and the people who helped create her.

Kaity told the cameras she was on Cloud 10, 11 or 12. She predicted her family was going to love Zach, and the pair ended the night with a warm pool swim.

"I am falling in love with him, and I just need a little more time to say that," Kaity shared.

The next day, Greer -- who had quarantined for six days and tested negative for COVID-19 -- traveled to Budapest feeling rejuvenated and optimistic. She thought her trip was going to be worth it, no matter what.

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Meanwhile, Zach embarked on an outing with four women, and they each wanted that rose on the date. The group walked into a dark theater, which Zach called "the birthplace of magic."

A magician and mentalist then drew a heart on Zach's hand and said it would transfer to the woman's palm with whom he had the strongest connection. Suddenly, the heart appeared on Gabi's hand, and the trick blew her mind. The mentalist proceeded to read the women's minds one at a time, and he warned them not to lie to her.

The mentalist told Gabi that people could see through her and got confused around her. He also guessed correctly -- by writing down her thoughts before she said them aloud -- that she desires "safety and comfort" out of a relationship the most, which really shocked and freaked Gabi out.

The mentalist told Ariel that she's a mystery and people don't get to know who she really is because she has so many layers and tries to protect her heart. He also guessed correctly that she put walls up in fear of "heartbreak." With that being said, Ariel told Zach that she was opening her heart to him and wouldn't shut down.

For Charity's part, she was asked to say the one word that made her previous relationship fail. She said "infidelity," and the mentalist had written that word down ahead of time.

Charity started to shake and cry, and she admitted that it was scary to trust her gut and instincts again. Charity may not have been 100 percent healed from that heartbreak, but she insisted she was ready for Zach and wanted their relationship to work.

The mentalist asked Kat if she was ready to introduce Zach to her family, and she replied, "Yes." Kat then hesitated and answered, "I think so." She also confessed she had considered walking away from the process and leaving Zach.

When asked if she believed she's the right person for Zach, however, Kat confirmed, "I do."

Kat's insecurities were coming to the surface, and she didn't want anything she had said to be taken the wrong way. Kat, who was clearly emotional, told the cameras that she really wanted to introduce Zach to her family.

Charity also said she wasn't okay because "sh-t was real" and someone was going to get engaged to Zach in four weeks. Charity was also worried how her comments to the mentalist had been interpreted. She cried to the other girls about how she was "terrified" -- even though she was ready to find her husband -- that Zach had picked up on her fear.

Ariel then spoke with Zach first at the Afterparty and shared how her entire Ukrainian-Jewish family is a window into her life. Ariel said there's so much love in her life, but very little love outside of her community.

Zach said Ariel never failed to crack him up and make him feel happy and confident. He said he could see something really special with her.

Charity then explained to Zach how she had stayed in a relationship longer than she should have and had yet to forgive herself; however, she let him know that she was 100 percent "in" and ready for a life with him.

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Charity said her uncertainty was just part of the process, worrying that her heart was going to get crushed. Zach told Charity that he didn't feel just a spark with her because he thought a future together was a real possibility.

Zach said their relationship was built on honesty and openness and he felt very confident in Charity.

But Gabi wasn't feeling confident in herself. She said she had to get out of her head or else Zach was probably going to send her home. Gabi said her mind was always confused and filled with thoughts, and so she worried her ADHD was going to be "too much" for Zach.

But Zach said Gabi's personality was "really fun to be around," and so Gabi came to the conclusion that he understood her and they're good for each other.

Zach talked to Kat next, and she planned to be honest about where her emotions were at. Zach brought up Kat's apparent uncertainty during the group date, and Kat explained how she had really wanted a solo date this week and she tends to escape and give up when times get rough.

Kat told Zach a part of her wanted to leave before the storm hit but she stayed for him. Kat insisted she was ready for an engagement and could see Zach as her fiance.

At the end of the date, Zach gave out a rose to Gabi, who said she was "pumped" to move forward with the Bachelor. The news left Charity, Kat and Ariel feeling deflated and nervous. Kat said while she wanted to get to a good place, this rose pushed her back down.

The next day, Greer visited the Bachelor in his hotel room. She was hoping to get their relationship back on track. It had been three weeks since the pair could hug.

Greer told Zach that she saw something between them, and Zach said he kept playing back the first night when they had a fast and hot connection. However, Zach said his other connections were able to grow and deepen during their time apart.

Greer confirmed that she'd be "more than happy" to introduce him to her family, but hometowns were only days away at this point, and so Zach said he had to do what felt right and follow his heart.

With that being said, Zach said in order to give out a hometown rose, he needed to feel 100 percent confident that he could see a future with that person.

"And I don't feel that," Zach admitted to Greer. "I would never want to string you along... I just want you to know how I feel about this, and I'm sorry."

Greer started to cry and said she completely understood where he was coming from and respected it. She could barely speak through her tears, and Zach reminded her that she's an incredible woman and it wasn't anything she had done.

"Time is really of the essence, and we didn't have much of it. We were robbed of it, and I just have to accept that," Greer said, referring to how they both had battled COVID-19 on their journey. "I really appreciate you being so honest and transparent with me, so thank you."

Greer added how she had enjoyed her time with Zach and grown a lot.

Greer said in her final words that she thought she was going to have a chance to "play catch up," but instead, it "was just a chance to say goodbye."

"I think the hardest part is... we had so much time that was robbed. I think maybe we could've gotten there, if we had the time, but I can't think that way because it's not what happened. It's out of my control," Greer said in her final words, sobbing.

"I'm just tired of putting myself out there and getting nothing in return."

Zach then embarked on his one-on-one date with Brooklyn. While they certainly had a strong connection, Zach said he needed to find out if he was confident in meeting her family, whom Brooklyn insisted would love and welcome Zach with open arms.

The couple spent the day "doing what the locals do" -- including riding bikes, enjoying a hot air balloon ride, and soaking in the hot waters of an iconic Hungarian bath house.

Brooklyn told Zach that she felt "so special" to have been asked on a second one-on-one date, and Zach said he liked what he felt with her. Brooklyn called it a "perfect" day and thought they were on the same page.

"He's someone I can see myself falling in love with and spending the rest of my life with, and I feel pretty confident," Brooklyn told the cameras, adding, "I haven't felt this way in a long time."

When she and Zach kissed in the giant hot tub, everyone cheered for them and applauded the sweet moment.

Meanwhile, Zach's other bachelorettes were pretty sure Brooklyn was going to return to the hotel with a rose.

That night, Brooklyn said she was planning to introduce Zach to her family not just as a boyfriend, but as man she hoped to marry. Brooklyn told Zach that he was going to meet her mother, a selfless woman who played mom and dad when she was growing up, as well as her beloved grandparents.

Brooklyn's father had apparently stepped out on her and so her grandfather stepped in.

Brooklyn gushed about how her family is so special to her and her grandfather had treated her and her sister like his own daughters. Brooklyn called her grandpa her "hero" and explained how he "means the world" to her.

"Them seeing me so hurt in the past, I told myself I didn't want to bring someone back into their lives until I knew it was someone I truly saw a future with," Brooklyn shared with Zach.

"And I truly think I'm at the point where I do see a future with you, so I am ready to introduce you to my family. I'm ready to take that next step and find that love, and I can't do that until someone sees how important my family is to me -- because it's big."

Zach really internalized Brooklyn's words and realized how special bringing him home would be to Brooklyn. Zach therefore excused himself from the dinner table and asked Brooklyn for a moment to think.

Zach asked himself if he felt that same confidence in their relationship, and he got a little emotional over the idea of meeting her mother and grandfather, who shifted her life, which was very tough at times.

"If I'm not feeling confident and if I'm not feeling sure, who am I to be in that house?" Zach said in tears.

Zach therefore returned to the table and gently let Brooklyn down and broke up with her. Zach said Brooklyn's family knows the love she deserves and there had been "a block" for him, "or something that just hasn't clicked."

Zach said he struggled to figure out why things weren't clicking in for him and he didn't want to force things with Brooklyn or mislead her in any way. Zach said it wouldn't be fair to her to meet her family when he wasn't feeling fully confident in their relationship and future together.

"You do deserve a love that I can't give you," Zach confessed. "I know it's hard."

Brooklyn started to cry and said she respected how Zach was able to be upfront and honest with her. Zach then walked Brooklyn out and the couple hugged each other goodbye.

"Every moment of this has been great, and it felt so good to feel so strongly about someone so great," Brooklyn told Zach.

Brooklyn told the cameras that she was ready to find love and coming into The Bachelor, she was afraid she had lost the ability to ever feel that way again.

"So coming in here and being able to feel those feelings again is refreshing, and hearing Zach say, 'You deserve a love I can't give you,' he does think I'm special and that I deserve a special love," Brooklyn cried. "But it doesn't make it easier right now."

When Brooklyn's suitcase was taken away from the hotel suite, her close pal Charity put her head in her lap and cried, and the other women looked very upset as well.

Zach said it broke his heart to see Brooklyn sad but he was hopeful he was going to find exactly what he was looking for, a best friend and fiancee. Zach believed in his heart all of these tough times would be worth it in the end.

It then became time for the seventh Rose Ceremony of The Bachelor season.

Zach announced how he had experienced heartbreak with Greer and Brooklyn, and so he apologized for how this decision was going to be a tough one.

Zach then handed out roses to Ariel and Charity, who admitted she was shocked to have received the final rose.

Kat said goodbye to her friends, and when Zach walked her out, she angrily asked, "Why?"

"I'm so sorry," Zach said.

"Why?" Kat repeated.

Zach said he and Kat had "the best and strongest connection" for a while and their date was incredible in The Bahamas; however, their dynamic changed in the past couple of weeks and he could no longer confidently see a future for them.

"I tried in any way I could to make sense of it, but I wouldn't ever lie to you," Zach said.

Kat recalled pushing very hard to make things work, and she noted it was difficult to hear that Zach didn't feel the same way about her in return. Kat said she had shared so much, things she had never shared before, thinking it would be worth it in the end.

Kat insisted she had tried very hard, and Zach insisted, "It was nothing you did... The feeling in my stomach, that's me -- and it's not you."

The pair hugged each other and said goodbye, and Zach was choking back tears as he watched the bachelorette drive away.

The Bachelor host Jesse Palmer even came over to comfort and hug Zach, who became increasingly more emotional as time passed.

Zach said he never expected his relationship with Kat to end so soon. In fact, during his time in The Bahamas, Zach told Jesse that he was certain he'd be meeting Kat's family weeks from that point.

Kat lamented in her final words, "This hurts... I gave this man my entire heart, and I never thought I'd be saying goodbye to him. Every time I put myself out there, this sh-t happens, and it's so exhausting and painful. I'm so sick of feeling that way. It's not fair. It's just not fair."

Kat said she just wanted to find her person and for that person to want her and love her.

"I know that's what I deserve, and he just wasn't that," Kat concluded.

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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