The rejected rose
Clayton took a chance before the grand limo entrances and offered a contestant a rose. For the first time in history, a contestant named Salley confronted the Bachelor before introductions and filming.
Salley quickly confessed to the cameras the internal battle she had been facing since her arrival to Los Angeles. The blonde competitor revealed that she was ‘previously engaged” but broke it off due to the “lack of trust” within the relationship. While Salley thought she was ready to give someone else a chance, an abundance of emotions suddenly consumed her – when she was notified that the first day of filming landed on the day she was supposed to get married.
After contemplating whether to stay or not, she decided to talk it out with Clayton. In true Bachelor fashion, Salley walked to his hotel room – leaving fans on the edge of their seats and hungry for drama. The two instantly had a romantic connection, as they had an honest and open conversation.
Get ready for an unprecedented season of #TheBachelor starting tonight on ABC. pic.twitter.com/Mca2a9SCRu
— The Bachelor (@BachelorABC) January 3, 2022
“I thought I was ready to do something like this, and I don’t know if my heart is ready,” Salley told Clayton while wiping the tears from under her eyes. As Clayton comforts his potential wife, he confesses that he went through a similar experience that made him “shut down for years.”
Following the transparent dialogue, Clayton offered her the first rose of the season. However, Salley followed her heart and rejected the rose. “My heart is just not in a place,” she stated before moving forward with the show. Once the self-worth queen made her decision, Clayton told the cameras that the early exit was “tough” and that being rejected was one of his “Biggest fears.”
