While some members of Bachelor Nation were confused when the season 25 contestants seemingly flipped the script on Katie Thurston during The Bachelor: The Women Tell All on Monday, March 1, Mari Pepin hinted that there’s more to the story.
During Monday’s episode, Mari, 24, was among the women who blamed the “toxicity” in the house on Katie, 30, because the bank marketing manager was the one who told Matt James about the drama.
“Genuine question: why did you and the other ladies feel like Katie was causing the toxicity?” a viewer commented on Mari’s Instagram on Monday. “Is there something we’re missing?”
Mari replied, “There is a lot that is missing that unfortunately will never come to light.”
Other social media users accused Mari of not coming down hard enough on “Queen” Victoria Larson and defending MJ Snyder during the special. The former Miss Maryland subsequently defended herself in the comments section.
“Locking this down because I’ve said what I have to say on the topic and I don’t have the energy to keep entertaining people who will find something negative to say no matter what. So, let me clarify once and for all: I wholeheartedly and without a doubt condemn bullying … I will not and did not defend anyone’s harmful words or actions,” she wrote. “Clarifying that someone isn’t fake or can have positive attributes is NOT the same as defending or excusing behavior.”
Mari also tried to clarify that she didn’t mean to slam Katie for bringing up the drama in the house to Matt, but rather to note that Katie was one of the ladies upset with Sarah Trott at the beginning of the season.
“My comments to Katie had nothing to do with her bringing things to Matt – I commend her for standing up. My comments WERE to do with her mistreatment of Sarah and subsequent switch up based on a discussion about their families (not altruism), and that only,” Mari wrote.
She concluded: “Please remember there is so much you don’t know and that you don’t get to see, so you will NEVER fully understand these situations. Lastly, do your part to be a better human being. Buenas noches♥️.”
MJ and Chelsea Vaughn sent Mari love in the comments section.
“You don’t owe anyone an explanation. We are the only ones who know what really happened. Love you babe,” Chelsea wrote.
MJ added, “Retweet. Amen. Love you both.”
Katie, for her part, has yet to comment on the Women Tell All. During the special, she told her costars that the social media backlash they received was “karma” for how they treated each other on the show.
The Bachelor airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.
