Remember last week when Ben Higgins interrupted the rose ceremony to confront Olivia Caridi, and the world collectively gasped? Well, Bachelor Nation’s resident villain was given one more chance to win Ben’s heart on the Monday, February 8, episode of ABC’s The Bachelor, and, um … it didn’t go well.
The good news is that Ben made some love connections during his group date, and by that we mean he frolicked with a fleet of murderous pigs while his girlfriends questioned the very meaning of life. Keep reading for a full recap, including details on which unlucky ladies Ben sent packing.
So What Really Happened Between Olivia and Ben?
Monday’s episode began with Ben confronting Olivia about her two-faced behavior, and she defended herself in the most flawless way ever. “Everybody here’s, like, really into, like, painting their nails and doing each other’s hair,” Olivia mused. “That’s great, but I’m just different. I like reading books in my room and thinking. I wanna talk smart things.”
Guess Ben also wants to “talk smart things” because he let Olivia keep her rose and sent Jen Saviano home instead.
Ben Explores Caila’s “Layers” (Read: Her Mouth)
Ben invited Caila Quinn to a one-on-one in the Bahamas, and they had a fabulous time deep sea fishing. However, Ben took things up a notch and decided to deep sea dive into Caila’s heart (you’re welcome).
“I’m looking for somebody to come back and cry with me because I’ll probably cry with them,” Ben said. “How exactly, in a relationship, would [you] react if somebody else was struggling?”
Caila proved just how vulnerable she was by dropping the L-word and getting a rose, though the sweet moment was somewhat confusing. “For me, right now, I feel like I love you,” Caila explained. “My greatest fear is that I can’t totally, completely fall in love with somebody. And part of me is afraid because your biggest fear is being unlovable. And my biggest fear might be breaking your heart.” Um, what?
Ben Goes on a Date With Some Deranged Pigs, Makes Everyone Uncomfortable
Ben’s group date consisted of him hanging out with a bunch of bikini-clad ladies, which would have been A+ if it hadn’t been for the swarm of swimming pigs cramping their style. But despite being attacked by Island Swine, Ben managed to carve out some time for Lauren B. Too bad their cute moment was very, very public.
“I feel very uncomfortable today,” Ben complained to JoJo Fletcher after eventually realizing that everyone was side-eyeing his PDA session. “I don’t know what the f–k is going on right now.”
Becca Tilley did Ben a solid by telling him the truth, explaining, “There’s a very obvious connection with you and Lauren B. I would never want to bring it up, but since you asked, that’s kinda what happened today.”
Amen to Becca for her honesty, but in a surprising twist Amanda Stanton was awarded the group date rose, presumably as an award for not being a Teen Mom.
Leah Out-Villains Olivia
Thought Ben’s day couldn’t get worse? You thought wrong, because Leah Block (a.k.a. that contestant you kinda forgot about) decided to confront him for not giving her a one-on-one. “I just don’t know why you would give somebody else a chance that has already had that time with you and not get to know me,” she tearfully said while some pigs eavesdropped. “I feel like I’m the group date groupie.”
Instead of getting to know Ben better, Leah decided it was a good idea to throw Lauren B. under the bus in a desperate attempt to save herself. “This person gets so much time with you, and then I see the type of person she is around us,” she told Ben. “I don’t think, if she were the person you end up with, that it would work out in the end.” Giiirl.
Leah denied betraying Lauren B. when confronted, but later snuck into Ben’s room to throw more shade. Fortunately, he was having none of it. “Something just doesn’t feel right,” Ben said. “I know this has been hard. But I think it’s best for us just to kinda say goodbye.” Welp, that plan backfired.
Olivia’s Heart Gets Broken Into a Million Ben-Shaped Pieces
Olivia was pretty cocky going into her two-on-one date with Ben and Emily Ferguson (favorite quote: “She’s like a bird. I don’t even give a s–t”), but it didn’t exactly go as planned. To sum it up, poor Olivia told Ben, “I’m in love with you,” and he was like, “LOL, deuces!”
“I don’t think I can reciprocate those feelings,” Ben told Olivia, while she looked completely and totally devastated. “It’s just not a place I can get to. … Today, I can’t give you this rose.”
So, how did Olivia react? Not well, friends. Not well at all. “What I thought Ben wanted was everything that I am. But I guess not,” she wept while staring off into the ocean. “He let go of a really good person today.”
Let’s observe a moment of silence and hope that Olivia joins the cast of Bachelor in Paradise.
Ben Breaks One More Heart
Ben canceled the cocktail party due to overwhelming drama, and went straight into the rose ceremony, where he eliminated Lauren H. “I don’t really get what he wants,” she said during the limo ride back to the airport. “I was starting to fall in love with him.”
Look, we’re all in love with Ben, but at the end of the day, there can only be one winner of The Hunger Games, mmmk?
Tell Us: Should Ben have given Olivia a second (er, third) chance?
The Bachelor airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. EST.
