'The Bachelor' recap: Zach Shallcross ousts Ariel Frenkel, leaves Kaity Biggar "crushed" after sleeping with Gabi Elnicki and breaking her trust

The Bachelor featured Zach Shallcross eliminating Ariel Frenkel and "blindsiding" Gabi Elnicki, who felt Zach broke her trust when he shared their sex secret with Kaity Biggar during the Fantasy Suites episode that aired Monday night on ABC.


Zach denied Ariel, a 28-year-old marketing executive from New York City, NY, a rose in Krabi, Thailand following his week of overnight Fantasy Suite dates.

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"It hurts a lot. I'm hurt because I know how great of a person he is, and I know I felt this way for the first time in a while for a reason," Ariel said in her final words.

"That future, that life that you envisioned, is just, like, gone in a cloud, in a way. I just wonder when it will finally click and I'll finally find that person that wants me above anyone else, and everyone else, and all else."


Zach therefore picked Gabi, a 25-year-old account executive from Pittsford, VT, and Kaity, a 27-year-old ER nurse from Austin, TX, as his Final 2 bachelorettes.

The Bachelor Season 27 broadcast began with Zach and his Final 3 bachelorettes starting Fantasy Suite Week in Krabi, Thailand.

Zach said he pictured himself getting down on one knee and leaving Thailand engaged to one of the three women he really cared about and had developed extremely strong feelings for.

But Gabi had been in her head and feeling insecure. She said she was falling in love and finally planned on telling Zach that.

Ariel was also falling for Zach, and she said he made her feel validated and confident in their relationship, which progressed the most in Estonia.


When thinking about her "Fantasy Suite moment" with Zach, she gushed, "I'm very, very eager for that."

Kaity, meanwhile, said it felt great to open her heart to such an amazing man and she felt head over heels for him. Kaity said he's fun and goofy and they have a similar sense of humor, and she called uninterrupted time with Zach a "game changer."

Zach told Jesse that the idea of getting his heart broken again was "terrifying" but he wasn't really worried about that with his Final 3 women. He said something was off in the Fantasy Suite with Rachel Recchia on The Bachelorette and he learned to trust his heart and his gut and simply do what felt right.

"What's most important to me and to express to each and every single one of the women is no sex -- none, no sex of any kind for Fantasy Suites," Zach explained to Jesse

Zach said former The Bachelor star Sean Lowe had taken a similar approach and he thought it would be the best way to go about things for himself. Zach said he didn't want to "muddy" the situation and he had learned a lot from Rachel when they withheld from having sex during their overnight date.


Jesse asked Zach if he was really going to be able to pull that off because he was going to be tempted.

Zach said it was going to be "really damn hard" to abstain from sex but he didn't want his future fiancee upset about the fact he had slept with another woman before their engagement. Zach didn't think it would be a healthy way to start off an engagement.

Zach said he felt a sexual pull with each of his remaining three bachelorettes but he wasn't going to take sex lightly. He thought it would be fair to keep sex off the table since there were still three women in the picture.

Ariel said being physical with someone is a big part of loving someone and getting to know them, and so she looked forward to exploring that part of their relationship.

Zach said he was definitely open to a life with Ariel because she's stunning, intelligent, well traveled and adventurous.


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For their date, the couple explored a local marketplace and tried different delicacies such as crickets.

Zach noted that Ariel was a mystery at first, but he explained, "She's so different from everyone else, and I'm not going to off hold myself from possibly falling in love with someone who's maybe not who I imagined."

Zach gushed that when he kissed Ariel, his body got hot and he could get lost in the moment with her. He said she had this "stare" that made everything around them disappear, and Ariel noted how sparks were flying between them.

Meanwhile, Gabi was feeling stressed and nervous. She hadn't seen the Bachelor in 10 days, and she said being without Zach "sucked."


"Right now, I am feeling a lot of insecurity and doubt, which is probably more self-doubt. If I can't get out of my head, then it's not going to be good," Gabi lamented to the cameras.

After an amazing date, Ariel said she couldn't wait to spend the night with Zach and she predicted they'd probably stay up all night. Ariel told Zach that she didn't want to retreat out of fear and she was "definitely falling in love" with him.

"I'm all giddy. Hearing you say that, it means a lot and it's so special to me because I feel that. So for me, I take love very seriously," Zach told the bachelorette.

"There's only one person to love at the end of this, but I want you to know at this point and to make it abundantly clear that I can absolutely see a future with you. It's a huge leap of faith, and I can't thank you enough [for saying that]."

Before Ariel accepted the key to the Fantasy Suite, Zach pointed out how he wanted sex to be off the table. He said he inevitably felt a physical connection with her but he wanted to save that intimate moment for his final bachelorette and engagement.

Ariel said she wasn't expecting that but she didn't know what she was expecting.


"I don't like planning anything in advance. I don't like to go into any of our dates with such a plan or idea," Ariel responded, adding how people often rebel against standards when they're set.

Ariel admitted to the cameras she was a little disappointed because she had been looking forward to that sexy moment with Zach. But she said she could see where he was coming from and wanted him to feel supported and understood.

"I don't want to think about what he can and cannot do. I want to keep the romance alive, and who knows what's going to happen," Ariel said.

Ariel was clearly open to exploring their relationship.

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Once Ariel changed into her bikini, Zach appeared speechless. The pair kissed in a private pool, and Zach was totally into the bachelorette.


"I'm thinking, 'What did I set myself up for?'" Zach admitted.

The next morning, Ariel said she felt really good waking up next to Zach and the possibility of getting engaged felt more real. Zach said their relationship definitely progressed and got stronger during their night together off-camera.

Zach confirmed he and Ariel didn't sleep together, explaining that it was "more difficult than I ever could have imagined." But he said they had agreed on it and it was important to have necessary conversations without sex being involved.

The next day, Zach and Gabi took a pirate ship to their own private island. Zach said he felt so comfortable with her, but Gabi had feelings that were haunting her and worries creeping into her mind.

After taking a romantic swim, the couple sat in the sand and talked about their time apart. Gabi told Zach how she had been chosen second in prior relationships and it bothered her to have the second Fantasy Suite. Zach promised Gabi that the process wasn't a mind game and he was just doing what felt right to him.

Gabi then walked away from Zach. She started to cry and break down to producers.


"I feel very stupid and foolish: I hate this. I feel disgusting, I feel ugly. I feel all sorts of things. Why can't I just be happy? I don't even feel I can go back there," Gabi cried.

Once Gabi returned to Zach, she said that she was cheated on and never felt good enough in her precious relationship. Gabi said feeling second brought on a lot of emotions and she was just tired and emotional. She assured Zach that it wasn't his fault, and Zach comforted her.

"I don't look at it in any way like a priority," Zach explained of his Fantasy Suite order. "I'm just trying to figure this out with you, but I have your back."

Zach said this tough conversation made his relationship with Gabi stronger. Zach wanted to feel things with a woman and be able to express his feelings as an emotional man, and so he was glad Gabi was being real with him and wearing her heart on her sleeve.

Gabi thought she looked "gross" that day, but Zach told the bachelorette that she looked beautiful. Gabi said she and Zach had been waiting for this for so long and so she didn't anticipate any hiccups that night.

Over dinner, Zach opened up about how he had the worst self-confidence issue but he didn't feel alone when he was with Gabi. Gabi called him special, genuine and kind, and she added, "I am falling in love with you, so thank you."


Zach kissed Gabi and said in a confessional that it felt like a puzzle coming together.

Zach then gave Gabi the invitation to the Fantasy Suite. Zach handed her the key, but he warned her about his rule first.

Zach told Gabi that he wanted to grow and explore their relationship but he didn't want "sh-t to hit the fan." Zach said while it's viewed as "sex week," it can cause issues and pain and so he didn't want to have sex in the Fantasy Suite.

"I want this to work, and for me, it's probably the healthiest way to go about it," Zach announced.

Gabi didn't feel relief because she said sex is important in a relationship. Gabi said she never envisioned herself getting engaged without having sex with the man first.

"But I won't seduce you," Gabi noted with a laugh. "I can't wait for him to see my skincare routine... He's not test driving anything; he knows he wants the Porsche."


Gabi and Zach took a boat to their private home on the water, and a big bed -- with "lots of room for activities," according to Gabi -- awaited them. Gabi said she wanted that physical intimacy with Zach.

"Zach said he's not having sex. But I don't know, maybe he will," Gabi quipped in a confessional.

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The next day, Gabi woke up feeling really good and confident in her relationship with Zach. She said he opened up about his own insecurities and she could feel his love, especially during their cuddle sessions, without him having to say those three words.

Zach said being alone with Gabi was huge for their relationship and it was a very passionate and "special" night. He confirmed that something really special happened between them in the Fantasy Suite.

Zach then asked to speak with Jesse, and he said he had "an unreal night and unreal day" with Gabi and seeing a life with her was "pretty damn easy."


But then Zach admitted his decision about no sex changed with Gabi.

"We both agree and wanted to have sex together, and it was very special. It was important and it was what we both wanted and needed for the relationship. And I feel terrible because obviously I've gone against my word. I have fears... and I feel a guilt about the whole week -- not because it was with Gabi but because I said one thing and did another," Zach explained.

Jesse reminded Zach that he was well-intentioned, and Zach said things simply evolved in the Fantasy Suite with Gabi and he had "zero regret" about what they experienced.

"This was an act of love, not lust," Zach insisted.

But Zach knew he had to be honest with Ariel and Kaity, mainly because it wouldn't be right to have a secret with Gabi weighing on his shoulders. Zach acknowledged there were going to be repercussions of his decision, and he cried to the cameras, "It was a beautiful moment but it feels robbed."

The following day, Kaity forgot about her worries and fears, and she intended on having a wonderful day with Zach. But first, Zach surprised Gabi at her hotel suite to talk about how they had been physically intimate.


Zach told Gabi that he had the best time with her and it was so magical. Zach told Gabi that when he walked away, he was really in his head and nervous about how he had gone against his word. Zach told Gabi that she made him feel so special and he wanted to be fully transparent with everyone involved.

Gabi could tell Zach was bothered, but he reassured her that he wasn't bothered about her. Regardless, Gabi wished their encounter would remain private, and so she felt blindsided and caught off-guard.

"I feel like my trust has been broken," Gabi lamented to the cameras.

But Zach didn't want to have to keep a secret.

"I am definitely falling in love with you, and I want you to know that. I don't want anything to get in that way," Zach told Gabi. "I can see a future with you and you're f-cking special and I'm falling in love with you. You'd be someone awesome to spend life with."

Gabi kissed Zach and told him not to have too much fun on his date.


Zach then kicked off his overnight date with Kaity. The pair explored a Thai forest via kayak, but Zach wanted to break the news of his overnight date with Gabi sooner rather than later.

Zach said he had to be honest and transparent, and he had all the faith in the world Kaity would be able to handle this conversation maturely and gracefully.

Zach explained to Kaity how he had set a parameter of not wanting sex to be involved in the Fantasy Suites but then a lot changed and evolved.

Zach shared how he had been intimate earlier in the week, and he asked Kaity how she was feeling about it. Kaity said her heart was racing and she knew sex was something that could potentially happen.

"It sucks to think about it," Kaity said, choking back her tears. "I figured that was the case, but you telling me and confirming... honestly, I could've went without hearing that."

Zach apologized, but Kaity said he didn't have to. Kaity admitted she wasn't happy and so she couldn't pretend that she was happy.


Kaity then told the cameras that she was "crushed." Kaity said Zach said "sorry" but he obviously wasn't sorry for doing it. She questioned if he was just sorry for how she was feeling about the situation.

"I'm really not okay right now," Kaity admitted in a confessional.

Kaity said she felt "weird" and "very distant" from Zach. He hugged her and tried to console her. Kaity noted how she was so excited to have this day with Zach, suggesting that he put a damper on it.

Kaity said she knew Zach was following his heart and trying to find love but she didn't need to know the specifics about his relationships with other women. Kaity said he didn't owe her that and he should've kept his details about the other women private with them.

Kaity said she understood why Zach came clean but she didn't need to hear it. Zach admitted he was kicking himself, and Kaity said there was no sugarcoating this -- she wasn't pleased or excited to continue their date.

"I can really see it being us at the end of this," Zach told her. "Seeing you upset is [awful]... I didn't mean to hurt you this way."


The couple decided to quit the date and take a walk. Zach said Kaity's whole demeanor changed and things felt "off" between them.

"Did I f-ck up? All she's feeling is distant from me, and that's the hardest part about it... I don't know how she feels about us after that," Zach cried.

Kaity broke down, saying she felt so confused. She didn't know how she was supposed to spend the rest of her night with Zach when she wasn't happy and was going to keep thinking about his disclosure.

"Heartbreak doesn't feel good, but this doesn't feel good either. I really just want to go home," Kaity cried.

Kaity called it "the worst feeling in the world" and she wasn't in a good headspace. She didn't know if she'd be ready to move past this. Zach therefore entered the nighttime potion of his date with Kaity feeling anxious. He said all he knew was that he wanted to see her and be with her.

Kaity showed up in a beautiful pink dress, and Zach opened up to her about how he cared about her and wanted to figure it out.


Kaity confessed that she had considered standing Zach up, but after processing everything, she was genuinely falling in love with him. Zach explained how he didn't want to have a secret from her with a proposal coming up in about a week. Zach said it's in his DNA to not have secrets and the "Catholic guilt" had him.

Zach apologized again, and Kaity pointed out how a relationship isn't always rainbows and butterflies. Despite the setback, it meant something to Kaity that Zach was so upset to see her upset, and so she said it was going to be smiles from that point on.

Kaity shared how she still felt like the luckiest girl in the world to be in Zach's presence and she was ready to move forward. With that being said, she accepted the key to the Fantasy Suite.

"I'm extremely happy I stayed. All I want is to keep strengthening our relationship, but I'm cautious. I really want to feel comforted by him, and I hope we can gain that closeness with this intimate time we haven't had yet," Kaity said.

Zach told Kaity that he'd never take her for granted, and he felt immense relief. The pair then hopped into bed and began kissing. He didn't know where things were going to go from there, but he seemed open to the possibility of being intimate with Kaity as well.

It then became time for the Rose Ceremony, and Kaity wondered if her relationship with Zach was stronger than the others. And Gabi also had something heavy on her heart.


"It's great to hear he's falling in love with me, but in a way, it feels like he's cleared his conscience at the expense of my heart," Gabi admitted. "I can't deny the fact that I'm feeling blindsided by it and my trust was broken. I don't know. I don't know if I want this rose right now."

Zach just hoped he didn't "f-ck things up for good." Jesse insisted all he could do was be honest and truthful because everyone makes mistakes during this journey.

Zach announced to the three women that it shattered his heart to think about sending one of them home.

Zach then handed out a rose to Kaity, and the next rose went to Gabi, who accepted it.

Ariel said her goodbyes, and Zach walked her out. He said this was "easily the hardest thing" he had to do and he appreciated her.

Zach told Ariel that she's one of the most interesting, intriguing, beautiful, respectful, and intelligent women he's ever met and he felt "blessed" to know her and to have had her open up to him.


"I couldn't have done it with anyone else... Thank you for making it easy for me to open up," Ariel replied, adding how she enjoyed getting to know Zach and wished him the best in everything going forward.

Once Ariel departed the show, Kaity told Gabi that she knew Gabi was "the only one" who had slept with Zach.

"I feel like I'm wearing an 'A' on my chest. 'Scarlet Letter' over here," Gabi complained.

"Oh my God, stop. No," Kaity responded.

Kaity said she was extremely grateful to be in Zach's Final 2 but there were some steps they needed to get through before she could be 100 percent confident in having a ring on her finger, and Gabi lamented about how she thought she'd be a lot happier in that moment.

When the trio did a champagne toast, Gabi complained about how she felt "uncomfortable" and Zach was only making eye contact with Kaity.


"I feel like I've just been put through the wringer here. I have questions that are running through my mind that I need answered before I can confidently move forward with an engagement," Gabi told the cameras.

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski