Summary
- Charity’s Fantasy Suite dates in Fiji took an unexpected turn when Xavier admitted to being unfaithful to his ex-girlfriend, leaving Charity shocked and uncertain about their relationship.
- Charity had experienced infidelity in the past, so Xavier’s confession was very triggering for her. She had to collect herself and decide if she could trust Xavier and move forward with him.
- Xavier’s doubts about his own ability to remain loyal made Charity realize that he wasn’t fully ready for a committed relationship. She made the tough decision to say goodbye to him, despite seeing potential in their connection.
On The Bachelorette season 20, episode 7, Charity Lawson had her Fantasy Suite dates in Fiji, but not everything went as planned, as she experienced an unexpected goodbye and a shocking return. Charity entered week 7 with three remaining men: Dotun Olubeko, Joey Graziadei, and Xavier Bonner. She said goodbye to Aaron Bryant after his hometown date, even though she wasn’t sure if she was making the right decision.
Charity’s The Bachelorette season 20 hometown dates went very well for the most part. She connected with all the families, but was concerned when Joey’s uncle expressed that he didn’t know if Joey was being his true self with her. However, Charity decided to continue with him, Dotun, and Xavier, even though she also connected deeply with Aaron and his family on the date. After this, Charity’s Fantasy Suite dates were full of beautiful romance, I love yous, and some big surprises.
Xavier Admits To Being Unfaithful To His Ex-Girlfriend
Before their Fantasy Suite date, Xavier shared that he knew how he felt about Charity, but he still had that doubt if he could get down on one knee and be certain about it. For the daytime portion of their date, Charity brought Xavier to a private island. The Fijian cultural leaders spoke about how love was deeply rooted into their culture. They learned about Fijian rituals and ceremonial procedures that come before marriage. In his confessional, Xavier said that he was having fun, but thought it was also very serious and intense. He still had a bit of fear because he knew that getting married is a huge responsibility.
During their Fantasy Suite dinner, Xavier admitted to Charity that he was unfaithful to his past girlfriend. He wanted to tell Charity about it because he knew that it was very triggering for her. Xavier acknowledged that it was disrespectful, and that’s not the man he is today. He insisted that he knew that in a marriage, people can’t cheat. In her confessional, Charity said that she was shocked. Infidelity was her biggest fear, and now the date was completely derailed. She worried, with just a week or two before the proposal, what the next surprise would be.
Charity asked Xavier to give her a second, and left the table to cry. She explained in her confessional that she had experienced infidelity on and off for about six years. Charity said that it broke her, and there’s nothing worse than betrayal from a person she loves. However, she felt that she owed it to herself and Xavier to hear him out. She went back to the table and apologized because she had to collect herself. Charity explained that infidelity was a sensitive spot for her life because she endured it for six years. Xavier told her that he didn’t ever want to be unfaithful to her.
Charity asked Xavier if he cheated multiple times and how long ago it was. Xavier explained that it was multiple times in the span of five days. It happened two years into their relationship. Prior to that, there was a long period of time when he just wanted his ex-girlfriend to be who he wanted her to be, and that was wrong. Xavier confessed that he chose himself instead of choosing her. In her confessional, Charity shared that it was exactly what her ex-boyfriend did. In her past, she overlooked all these concerns, but now she thought, “absolutely not.”
Charity Says Goodbye To Xavier
Charity thanked Xavier for feeling like she was deserving to know about his past infidelity, but she was curious to know what work he did to become a better person or to learn and grow from that. She said that if he didn’t do anything, then he was capable of making the mistake again. Xavier told her that the main thing that he did to grow from it was to “just be more introspective.” He questioned why he did it, as well as his own character, and didn’t want it to define him. Charity assured him that it didn’t.
Xavier then confessed that sometimes he questioned himself and how he’d handle it if he were put in that position again, such as if he were on vacation with his boys. He said that he knew it made Charity uncomfortable, but she quickly responded that it didn’t. She explained that she didn’t ever want it to happen to her again. That’s why Charity’s standards are “ridiculously high,” and she never apologizes for them. She refused to ever go back there. Charity wanted to know if it could happen again, and Xavier assured her that it wasn’t a possibility if he chose to be with her.
However, Xavier then admitted that it would be hard for him to do that because he’d never been in a position where he had to choose one woman for the rest of his life, and that freedom is gone. In her confessional, Charity couldn’t believe that they were two weeks away from a proposal, and he couldn’t tell her that he trusted himself to not make a mistake of loyalty again. Charity then told asked Xavier if he was good, and he said he was, but it was scary.
Charity then asked Xavier if he could be someone that could show up for her at the end of this if they both felt like it was right in their hearts. She wanted it to work between them and didn’t have any doubts about what she was capable of giving to him. Charity needed to know that he would put in the work. Xavier told her that there had to be no doubt in his mind. In his heart, there was no doubt, but, in his mind, there was. Xavier said that for him to get to that point, “that has to happen tonight. I need to see more.”
In her confessional, Charity said, “That makes no sense to me. What do you need to see? Nothing. This is me. That is what you get. Us in the bedroom is not going to determine whether or not you can see longevity in a relationship. No, f— this. I’m so mad. I’m so mad.” She added that Xavier couldn’t give her an answer about what he learned or how he bettered himself after cheating on his girlfriend. That let her know that he hadn’t done anything.
Charity then told Xavier that she thought he had too much doubt and wasn’t fully ready. She then said that she had to be selfish in that moment. Xavier responded that he didn’t expect it to end like that. Charity told him that she wasn’t sad, but disappointed and frustrated that it wasn’t him, and walked him out. In her confessional, she said that sending him home was the absolute last thing she expected. Charity saw the potential, but Xavier didn’t see it enough.
Xavier told Charity, “I love you,” as they hugged goodbye and she cried. In her confessional, she called it the most disappointing goodbye yet. In the limousine, Xavier said that he knew he hurt her so much, and he shouldn’t have doubted their relationship. In Charity’s confessional, she said that it was heartbreaking, but she’d be a fool to keep someone who she knew wasn’t ready. She hated that what happened was making her lose hope. However, the next morning, she said that she wasn’t there to “fix anybody” or “to build a man.” Charity prayed and hoped that her relationship with Dotun or Joey would work out.
For the daytime part of their Fantasy Suite date, Charity and Joey were supposed to ride an ATV. However, shortly into the activity, the vehicle got stuck, so they went on a walk instead. Joey told her that he had a really tough week after hometowns because he didn’t understand why she was upset when she left him. He thought it might be goodbye. Charity confessed that Uncle Joe’s conversation rattled her when he told her that he didn’t think she was getting the real Joey.
Joey admitted that he did feel uncomfortable on the tennis court, but it had nothing to do with her. He said that he was so worried about how he was going to look, and he wanted her to have a good time. Joey explained that Charity had done so much for him, and that was the first time he was doing something for her. He just felt a lot of pressure. Joey added that when Uncle Joe showed up, he didn’t know he was going to be there, and he was uncomfortable.
Joey Opens Up To Charity About His Insecurities
At their Fantasy Suite dinner, Joey explained to Charity that he believed sometimes people fell in love with the idea of him and the person that is a great guy. Charity told him that he was preaching to the choir. Joey continued that when people get to know him a little bit better, they maybe don’t think it’s who he truthfully is anymore, and they start to question. He explained that if he and Charity had more time together, she would see more moments like he had last week. Joey told her that he calls it when he gets in “a funk.”
Joey went on to say that he gives off “a very confident persona, a great energy. I’ve been told that my entire life.” While he’s grateful that people say that and it’s something he always strives to be, he’s human. Joey said that it’s taxing to push to be the person that everyone sees him to be. He admitted that it can be tough to be in a relationship with him because it can sometimes feel like a rollercoaster.
Charity responded that she related to Joey because she struggles a lot with people pleasing. She acknowledged that it’s an unrealistic expectation to place on anyone to be consistent every single day with their emotions. Joey told Charity that it was refreshing to hear her say that.
Charity & Joey Say They’re In Love With Each Other
Joey told Charity that he wanted her to understand that side of him. This was because he said in New Orleans that he was falling in love with her, and he told her at hometowns that he was falling deeper and deeper in love with her. Now Joey realized that he was in love with her, and had been wanting to tell her that for a while. Charity responded that it made her so happy. She said, “after the day that we spent, it’s not even a matter of if I’m falling in love with you. I am in love with you. And it is the best feeling.”
In her confessional, Charity shared that she hadn’t said “I love you” to someone in a long time. She said that she felt like she was “floating” and “actually levitating.” It made Charity so happy on the inside to know that they were both in the same place. They were so in sync with each other, and she was “the happiest girl.”
Charity & Joey Spend The Night In The Fantasy Suite
Charity invited Joey to the Fantasy Suite. In his confessional, he said that all he was feeling was happiness and validation because, for him, it was extremely hard to be insecure. The fact that Joey knew there was love there now gave him so much more confidence. He said that it was everything he could’ve asked for. Charity shared that, when she looked at Joey, she was incredibly grateful because he was the definition of “the perfect person” she’d prayed for.
The next morning, Charity shared that she felt blissful and so at peace. In her confessional, she said, “A love with Joey feels eternal.” They didn’t want to leave the Fantasy Suite, but they knew they had to. Joey told the cameras that waking up next to Charity felt right, and he could do that for the rest of his life. They told each other that they loved each other again. In his confessional, Joey expressed that he had zero doubts, but he worried that one of the other guys would get in the way. However, he was going to focus on trying to be okay.
Dotun Admits To Charity That He Didn’t Know The Bachelorette Ended In An Engagement
For the daytime portion of their date, Charity and Dotun went jet skiing and had a great time, then went to a private island to talk. They marveled that everything felt like a fairytale, and they hadn’t had a bad moment. Charity told Dotun that his family was “so incredible.” She said that his mom prayed with her, and it reminded her of her own mom. Charity mentioned that she loved his family so much, and he replied that they loved her too.
Dotun then confessed to Charity that he really didn’t know much about The Bachelorette, so he didn’t understand what happened at the end of it until about three or four weeks ago. He asked one of the guys what happened at the end, and he said an engagement. Dotun said that “for maybe a millisecond” he was taken aback, but then he thought about Charity, and was actually fine with it. He said it was just a testament. Charity responded that it was the definition of truly trusting the process because he didn’t know what happened in the end, which excited her.
Charity & Dotun Say They’re In Love With Each Other
At dinner, Dotun told Charity that he felt at peace and at home. He never felt that fairytales were meant for him, but now he did. Charity said that he was going to make her cry. She told him that she never had easy or effortless relationships, and they actually were the root of her developing anxiety. Charity said that nothing felt scary or wrong with their relationship. Dotun told her that his heart and brain were in line with each other, and the scary part was that he wasn’t scared. He said, “It’s scary how easy it is to say that I’m genuinely in love with you, Charity.”
Charity responded, “I am one hundred percent in love with you. And being able to say I love you, that is where I’m at. And I don’t want to hold that in, and I’m not going to hold it in anymore. And it feels so freaking good to say.” Dotun replied, “I’m totally in love with you.” Dotun said that he felt free, like a weight was off of his shoulders, and he could just move forward.
Charity & Dotun Spend The Night In The Fantasy Suite
Dotun accepted Charity’s invitation to the Fantasy Suite. In his confessional, he expressed that it was nice to be in love again and to feel loved. Charity told the cameras that it was like watching a favorite prince and princess fall in love, but she didn’t want to call it a fairytale because it was real life. She said that it felt like they were as free as two birds who were in love and flying.
The next morning, as Charity and Dotun said goodbye, and said that they loved each other. Dotun admitted in his confessional that while he respected her decision to make sure that all options were exhausted, it didn’t feel good. He said that if he didn’t get what he wanted at the end of this, which was Charity, he would be heartbroken.
Aaron Returns to Win Charity Back
Although Aaron had gone home to San Diego, he kept replaying how Charity told him that she wasn’t sure if she made the right decision. He decided to go to Fiji to go after the woman he was falling in love with. Aaron thought that Charity was worth fighting for, and hoped she would accept him back.
Charity was shocked to see Aaron. He gave her time to process that he was there. She said in her confessional that she was excited to see him. Aaron told her how he felt, and he wanted to know if she’d been thinking about it as well. Charity responded that she understood how he felt because she’d been there before on The Bachelor. She told him that she had been thinking about their relationship and what it meant every day. Charity was trying to make sense of saying goodbye, and still didn’t know if she made the right choice.
Charity Tells Aaron She Was Falling In Love With Him
Charity then told Aaron that she had been falling in love with him, which was something that she hadn’t verbalized to him before. She added that she still cared so much about him. Aaron responded, “Wow.” He told her that he was very happy to hear her say that she was falling in love with him. Aaron still felt the same way too. Charity then asked him for a moment. She said in her confessional that she couldn’t believe what was happening.
Charity went on to say that seeing Aaron in the flesh took her back to the Rose Ceremony after hometown dates when she was losing her mind because she didn’t want to say goodbye to him. It was the hardest thing she ever had to do. However, Charity accepted that she did send him home, and she was going to live with that forever. But then she added that she just told him that she was falling in love with him.
Charity admitted that she still cared for Aaron and she couldn’t shut it off, but the reality was that it wasn’t just them. She was in love with Joey and Dotun as well. Charity acknowledged that it was already “a crazy concept” that she was feeling that way about several people, and she didn’t know what she was going to do. Aaron was shown in the previews for the finale, so it’ll be intriguing to see if she takes him back.
The Bachelorette airs Mondays at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
