["Intro" by Faith Richards playing]
♪ I trust where I'm going ♪
♪ Don't wanna be in the dark ♪
♪ I don't wanna be in the dark ♪
[sniffles]
- [exhales] You're beautiful. - [Shante] Thank you.
- I don't wanna get makeup on your shirt. - [Brion sniffs] Oh, forget my shirt.
- [Shante and Mark chuckle] - Forget my shirt.
[sniffs] Oh my goodness.
- [Shante sighs] - [sniffs] Oh shit.
Welcome to your final bonfire, both of you.
- [tense music playing] - Here's how this is gonna go.
I think it's important that everybody feels heard.
So the way we'll do it is
that each of you will have a chance to speak without being interrupted,
which is really difficult to do.
But I ask that you honor the other's chance,
and you'll have yours.
- And then you can have a conversation. - [Brion] Okay.
And it's in that time that you can ask whatever question you need answered
or share what you haven't shared, and then after that conversation,
I'll ask you both what decision you'd like to make
for the future moving forward.
Shante, I'm gonna give you the floor first.
So, Shante, whenever you're ready, talk to Brion,
and say what you need to say.
- Okay. - [music stops]
You brought me here because you wanted to prove
that you could have, like, Platonic friendships with women.
And then for you to do what you did…
[somber music playing]
Just for you to say you had no regrets just made me feel…
worthless,
like I don't matter, like our love never mattered,
and I don't deserve that.
And then again
to hear other women in your house say that you've been disrespectful,
it just makes me confused and worrisome for you.
I know that in your video, you want to be the man that I deserve,
but I don't see how those actions showed that.
Um, that's all I have to say right now, Mark.
Okay. Brion, when you're ready,
you get to speak and, Shante, same rules apply.
Do your best not to interject
and let him just say his truth, and then you'll have a chance.
[Brion clears throat]
Um…
First, I wanna apologize,
um, for hurting you.
- [voice breaking] I love you. - [poignant music playing]
[sniffs] They got me emotional as hell these days. I'm sorry.
Um… [sniffs]
…but the man I was before we got here,
in my opinion, was fake.
[scoffs]
I think I was so surface-level of a boyfriend, and, um…
[sniffs]
…you know… [sighs] …I guess coming here, I…
You know how I was raised. It was tough.
Um, abused, adopted,
abused some more, left the house at 17, and…
I guess I was… I used women as a way to try to find that love.
And I thought the wild sex and the threesomes,
you know, that was gonna fill that… that gap, and honestly, it doesn't.
But I just wanna show you that I'm a changed man,
and I'm honestly not worthy of you,
and that's a hard pill to swallow.
Because you deserve the best… the absolute best of a man.
If you give me the opportunity,
I want to show you that I can be a great boyfriend,
a great future husband,
and a great father to our kids.
I love you. I really do.
But I'm sorry.
[music swells, then fades]
Okay, both of you have had a chance to say your piece.
Now you get a chance to have a conversation.
- This is a great time to ask questions… - [tense music playing]
- [Brion grunts] - [Mark] …that are burning in your mind.
And also, maybe this is a chance to share
what growth or what you've learned about yourself as well.
So, we're gonna start with you, Shante.
Um…
I guess I just want you to be honest about everything that happened.
Obviously, the threesome video was disturbing,
and then you leaning back and saying that you don't have any regrets.
Amiah saying that you had been disrespectful to the women in your…
in the house and disrespectful to your relationship,
and she didn't wanna go on a date with you.
That hurt me, and I felt so bad for her
'cause I have no idea what's been going on at that house.
Nothing happened. There wasn't anything that happened.
The only time I crossed the boundary was the threesome, right, in the bathroom.
Me not regretting it was just deflection, scared to admit my truth that I fucked up.
Me being so prideful and egotistical,
you know, I just tried to act like, you know, it ain't no problem.
Um, I think I was just very humbled
after that… seeing your bon… like, seeing your bonfires and your videos.
Um, Amiah was actually my last date,
and she's helped me the whole way through.
That's a strong Christian woman.
You know, and she didn't stand for what I did and my actions,
but her last words to me was, you know, "You've really grown."
"This is a man that she can be proud of, and I hope she offers you some grace."
You… [sighs]
You gave me so much assurance coming into this.
For me to walk into this house and be just, like…
[voice breaking] …so enamored and so in love with you and then…
to have to sit here
and, like, watch you do that so nonchalantly, fucking hurt.
- [softly] I know. - And I didn't deserve that.
- Um… - You don't.
[music intensifies]
Um…
It's just…
[music fades]
Like, you don't do that to someone you love.
You shouldn't have done that to someone you love.
Can you share a little bit about what have you learned about you?
What growth do you have about you?
Because this conversation about "You did me wrong" and "I apologize,"
that ain't it yet.
- There's something deeper. - [pensive music playing]
Yeah, well, you know, last bonfire, what we talked about, um…
We just kinda went through what I've been through as a child, right,
so feeling left out and neglected.
I mean, 17 years of my life was probably the worst 17 years growing up.
When you feel alone for that long, you don't know what love is, you know?
Um,
I wanna be better, and I wanna address it.
Um…
A lot of things that I've put you through and things I've done even here, it's…
it's just shit from way before that I gotta deal with.
I guess this is the start.
Mm-hmm.
I think that
I put others before myself.
- [Brion] Mm-hmm. - Um…
[voice breaking] Every situation and, um…
I probably put you before myself in a lot of times. [sniffs]
And this experience kinda forced me
to put myself first.
[sniffs]
- So you're starting to put yourself first? - [Shante] Yeah.
- [suspenseful music playing] - So we come to this.
Each one of you
is gonna get an opportunity to declare what you've chosen.
You can say you wanna leave together.
You can say that you wanna leave with someone else that you've met here.
Or you can say that you wanna leave alone for now.
And I think I'm gonna let Brion declare first
what he'd like to do.
Well, my option is, um, pretty clear that I wanna leave this island with you,
um, and I want another opportunity
to have a lifetime of happiness together.
Just give me the opportunity.
All I'm asking.
If you still love me…
let me build the trust back.
[Mark] Okay.
So Brion has made the choice
that after all this and all he's learned, he wants to leave with you.
Now it's your turn to tell Brion what you've decided.
[suspenseful music intensifies]
Can I have a second?
- Absolutely. - [Shante] Okay.
[breathes heavily]
- [music grows somber] - [Shante sighs]
- [whispers] Are you okay? - [Shante crying] Yeah.
- [whispers] I don't know what to do. - Are you okay?
[crying] I want him to grow, I do, but…
I don't know what to do anymore.
[whispers] You gotta do what's best in your heart, babe.
What's gonna be good for you?
[Shante sniffs]
[Brion breathes deeply, sighs nervously]
Oh God.
[somber music continues]
[Shante sniffles]
[music crescendos, then fades]
- [Brion sighs deeply] - [suspenseful music plays]
[Shante] I think right now…
I have to…
I want to be respectful of myself, um,
but I want to know what you've learned.
At some point, I want to know that side of you,
and if that creates and then flourishes for us to be together down the road, okay.
But I think right now I have to choose myself.
[Brion] You have every right…
to…
choose that.
I… I… [scoffs]
I fucked up.
I crossed the boundary.
I understand, and… and as much as it sucks,
because I think we've had a lot of good times…
But I have to, you know,
lay in the bed I made.
[Shante sighs]
One of the things I wanted him to learn in this is to be emotionally in tune,
and he has all these emotions and things
that he wants to prove and show.
That's exactly what I wanted him to do.
But then, on the other end, he disrespected me
by crossing the boundary.
I didn't think you would do that to me.
I get I crossed that boundary,
but I think the reason you came in here so confident
is 'cause out… off this island,
I don't even come close to crossing that boundary.
It's Shante all day, every day.
I fucked up here. I really did.
But what you wanted to see, the growth,
and hopefully what I get to show you, that's what I'm truly proud of as myself
coming to this island.
Um, I'm really proud of, like, this side of you.
I've seen so many faces of you in this experience that I don't recognize,
but this one, I could get used to that one…
- Mm-hmm. - [Shante] …at some point.
I just know that I deserve someone that is going to love me.
I do love you.
- Because I love you so much. - I love you more.
And I want that for us. I do.
You'll have that. You gotta trust me.
[Mark] Okay.
Shante, what do you wanna do?
[music stops]
- I'll leave the island with him. - Oh my God. Oh goodness.
["Daybreak (feat. Katrina Stone)" by Benji Heard playing]
[Brion] Look at me.
I promise I'll build your trust.
- Okay? - Mm-hmm.
And I love you.
- Okay? - [quietly] Yeah.
I promise you.
Okay, you feel good?
- You feel good? - Yeah.
[Mark] Then your journey here
is complete,
and I, truly from the bottom of my heart,
wish you both all the happiness
that life can give you both.
- Okay? - [Brion] Mm-hmm.
[Mark] You're not out of the woods, but at least you're in the woods together.
It's time to go.
I'll go to therapy. I'll find a therapist.
♪ Don't give up on me now… ♪
- You're so beautiful. - ♪ We go way back ♪
♪ I've been fighting shadows… ♪
I know he knows I'm hurt, but I am giving him grace in this.
♪ Can we make it to the daybreak ♪
♪ Where the heartache fails to bloom? ♪
[Shante] It's not gonna be an easy road for him. That's for sure.
But I believe in our love.
I think that we can make this something special.
And I am happy with my decision.
♪ I can face it if I've got you… ♪
[fire roaring]
["Might Be Toxic" by Faith Richards playing]
[Tyler] Coming to Temptation Island,
I did not know me being undervalued
was one of the main issues we had in the relationship.
And it took an experience like this to really show that.
I'm finally trusting myself
that, in the moment, I will make the right decision.
♪ This might be toxic… ♪
[Tayler] In this final bonfire, I want Tyler to really understand
that I deserve better than he can give me.
Through this experience, I've been able to find my authentic self again,
and just I wanna convey that to him
and also let him know that he does not get a piece of this.
I don't necessarily feel like there's words that he can say
to lessen the blow of what has already happened.
His actions have spoken louder than any words he… he can say to me tonight.
♪ This might be toxic ♪
♪ 'Cause my drug is my oxygen… ♪
- Hi. - [Tayler] How are you?
[Mark] Thanks for asking. I'm great. How are you?
- I'm good. Thank you. - [Mark chuckles] Good.
Thank you. [sighs softly]
- How are you feeling? - I'm feeling pretty good.
I don't feel emotional.
I feel like I know what I would like to say,
and I'm confident in that.
I am sure that emotion will show up when you see one another
because it brings up old feelings and new feelings.
Yes.
But this is a good moment to remember what your journey has been
and what it is you wanna do.
- Yes. Yeah. - Whatever that is. You ready?
- [Tayler] Yeah. - Okay.
[poignant music playing]
- Hey, Mark. - Hey, Tyler. How are you, pal?
[Tyler] Good.
[softly] Hey, Tay.
- Hi. - [Tyler inhales]
Can I have a hug?
- No? - Mm-mm.
Welcome to your final bonfire, both of you.
Each one of you is gonna have a chance to speak,
but as a gift to the other person,
just listen.
After that is what I think is really important.
You'll just have an open conversation so that you don't leave anything unsaid.
Once you feel you've completed on that conversation,
I'm gonna ask you to declare what you'd like to do
moving forward in your life.
Leave as a couple, leave with someone new,
or you may choose that you wanna leave the island alone.
So, Tayler, I'm gonna invite you to speak first.
Okay.
And you'll talk to Tyler, of course.
[sighs deeply]
"Tyler, we came to this island
for you to prove to me that I could trust you
and that I'm your first and only choice."
"You asked me not to give up on you, and I didn't."
"Up until you crossed the boundaries that we set together,
every day I felt confident that you would make me proud
knowing what was on the line."
"Overall, you played me,
and more importantly, you played yourself."
"The nonchalant, jokey attitude that you upheld throughout this experience
is hurtful and extremely disrespectful
to the relationship that we both worked so hard to build."
"Overall, this experience has put into perspective
what I bring to the table and what I deserve."
"I want someone who is dependable, consistent, trustworthy,
and realizes just how special I truly am,
and I'm so sorry, Tyler, that you're not gonna get the opportunity
to know this new and improved version of me."
[music fades]
Tyler, your turn to speak.
I wish I prepared a… a note also,
but I do agree, you know, coming here to the island,
it was mainly me trying to prove
that I could be the man that you felt like you deserved,
but I've heard some things said through the bonfires
which were very telling on how you view me and how you portray me to other people.
And it was something I was not expecting, using my vulnerability over the years
to push whatever agenda you had by saying those things about me.
I definitely felt clowned,
and I feel like now I can sit here with a clear head.
[emotional music plays]
And I definitely was tempted in this process.
You know, mainly, I was tempted to pursue my value,
but I was tempted to pursue
a lot of new ideas, new growth, a lot of humility,
and I feel like I've successfully done that.
And I also was tempted by someone else on this island
who I feel sees my value,
and I also want you to know that I have waited to make sure
that I was not motivated in my decision with us
by sexual relations with another person.
My last thing is, at this point, you know, I do wanna be a thoughtful person,
so I apologize for what I've specifically put you through.
I'm sorry.
[music fades]
Okay. I'm sure you both have questions.
Now is a chance for you guys to talk directly to one another,
ask those questions.
- Whenever you're ready. - [tense music playing]
I don't even know what to say.
We came here on this premise,
and you had tears in your eyes walking away from me
asking me to not give up on you, that you wanted to prove all these things,
and you did the exact opposite.
You wasted no time. Literally.
This was, like, borderline first bonfire, you were touching.
You sat down and said, "No touching. No touching,"
and got up and started touching.
"Baby, baby, you're trouble. You're trouble."
That is the first thing you said to me when we had our very first kiss.
Um, I do feel something for Kay.
Within the first 72 hours?
- Hmm, I was starting to, yes. - Okay.
[Tyler] Mm-hmm.
And I was tempted,
and I did cross those boundaries with her, specifically at that lap dance.
- Yeah. - After that, it definitely continued.
Did you have me in the back of your mind at all during these experiences?
Of course.
I had been chasing you and trying to get my life up
and build my character enough to be where you're at in life,
and coming here and zooming out on our relationship,
I found out that I will never be that person
and never achieve that.
And within the first couple days,
my whole perspective on our relationship did crumble.
And so, yes, as soon as the first "72 hours" happened here,
boom, I began to crumble immediately, all right?
I mean, to be honest, I'm not surprised.
I said from day one you'd fold like a card table,
and you just proved me right time after time, so…
And if proving you right means we're both gonna go in the right direction,
I'll take that, okay?
We've had all these prior conversations,
the conversation at the goodbye and all that,
and then you, first day, second day, I'm not too sure,
you know, you leaning into a guy and saying I have bitch tendencies.
Mm-hmm.
And then, immediately after that, complimenting him and going in for a hug.
Like, what's your game there? Like, what are you trying to do?
Everything that I said and throughout the entire experience here
I have said to your face, and it has been 100% the truth.
How is that wrong?
I thought we were a team, and it was me and you.
We have never been a team.
The last six to nine months, there has been zero team.
I have felt so alone.
You are a man. I am not here to raise you.
I am here to encourage you and push you to make you better
because I want you to be the man that I know you have the potential to be.
I'm sorry you're not taking it that way,
but I think that's a you problem, not a me problem.
I'm sorry that I was too abrasive.
I may have been too assertive, whatever it may be.
- I'm not saying that. - I was trying my fucking hardest.
- I never-- - You have not had a job in almost a year.
A fucking year, Tyler.
So, let's get this job thing out of the way, okay?
I have never shown that I'm lacking or in a bad position,
and I've tried to shift my focus and pick myself up,
as you said I should as a man,
but I am seeing now that you think that I am the problem.
I am worried about you.
[Tyler] But I don't want that. I want you to trust me that I can see it through.
And I know that you think that's getting in the way,
but to me, that's what I want to pursue, and I am taking risks right now,
and you are in a situation where you don't wanna take a risk on me,
and that is what I saw.
I have taken such a risk this entire time.
I said, "Tyler, what will put my mind at ease is just an action plan."
"Let's make a three, five-year."
"I need a plan, and I will shut the fuck up."
Did you ever come to me with a plan?
[Tyler] That is not where I'm at right now.
I literally lived by a step-by-step routine,
all… from 18 to 25,
and I do just wanna venture out and just let go
and life has been blessing me for it.
I feel like I am actually finding my worth and benefit,
and it's at a point where I don't think you can see it
because it's not fitting the projection
of what you want the man to be in your life.
And you were asking for stability.
You were asking for a provider for someone who's very mature,
that knows where they're going in life, but I'm not going in that direction.
And stepping out and seeing other people and how other people live their lives
and being inspired by so many different ventures of life,
I was like, "No, I will not be happy,
and this relationship will not work out because it's not where I wanna go."
[Tayler] It's not working out either way,
and I don't know how the fuck you think
this relationship with Kay is going to work out.
You went from a five-year marriage,
no break in between, two and half years with me,
and now you're just gonna ride off into the sunset with a 25-year-old.
[somber music plays]
[Tayler] I think you need to be by yourself to figure out
whatever the fuck you need to figure out,
but I know you, and you won't.
I appreciate the advice, you know?
And I know that you think you know me so well.
My response to that is,
I'm not riding off into the sunset with Kay.
- We haven't even talked about that. - You said you're falling in love with her.
You said you are literally falling in love with Kay and made a joke,
"Oh, 'cuddling with Kay' just rolls off the tongue. Isn't that funny?"
That's extremely disrespectful.
[Tyler] I do agree that'd make you feel disrespected, okay?
I'm not disagreeing with that.
You're not taking responsibility either. You're not taking accountability either.
- Not even in the video you sent to me. - [Tyler] Let me… Let me say this, then.
I am falling in love with Kay.
"Cuddling with Kay" does roll off the tongue.
- So I just wanna-- - That was a fucking joke.
- [Mark] Can I-- - A fucking joke.
Can I jump in?
[music fades]
- Please. - Please do.
[pensive music plays]
The "I want for you to grow and be a better man and make money"
might be because you feel unsafe,
and you encouraging him to do that might make you feel less than.
So I know this is sort of Walberg doublespeak,
but can you talk about feelings for a moment,
Rather than "what you've done to me," "How it makes me feel when…,"
and try that for a second.
- Would you like to go first? - [Tyler] Sure.
I feel
very undervalued,
and I do feel pushed because of your agendas, where you wanna go in life
and how you want safety and security because of what you've been through.
So I feel, especially after, you know, my divorce and what happened there,
you know, that was a big hit on my ego
and feeling… feeling un… undervalued or just not enough.
So when you give me that encouragement,
it makes me feel, honestly,
I think it goes to a core emotion, very sad.
[voice breaking] I love the love for you wanting to push me,
but that is not the direction I wanna be pushed in,
and so it just makes me feel essentially worthless
for what you need in life.
[sad sentimental music playing]
I feel unsafe and unstable, and you hit the nail on the head
saying that this is from my past.
A lot of the times where I do try to encourage you,
it reflects on me negatively because I do things for survival.
I… And I wish I could get out of the fight-or-flight.
It makes me feel sad that I can't get out of it,
but I feel like through this experience
I've been able to get out of it.
And it just… I… I… I just feel kind of, like, hopeless with you
because I… I feel like I try to do so much
and figure out the way to say things and move and stuff like that,
and it's just not well-received,
and it makes you feel the way that you're feeling,
and I never wanna make you feel worthless.
And…
[voice breaking] …it just makes me feel so gutted because you were my home.
You were my safe place from the entire world.
[crying] I just want that with you so bad, Tyler. [inhales brokenly]
And that's why this experience is really gutting.
And to see you falling in love with someone else when all along,
I just wanted you to fall in love with me.
[sad sentimental music continues]
[Mark] Okay.
Now I'm just gonna redirect you to get to a decision.
Tayler, we'll start with you. You can leave together.
You can leave with someone new, or you can leave alone.
I feel like this experience has been a self journey.
Through my abandonment issues,
through therapy,
and then ending up in this relationship, all I've wanted to do is feel chosen.
And so I think that I need to be the person to choose myself.
So I will be leaving the island alone.
[Mark] Thank you, Tayler.
Tyler, you can leave together.
You can leave alone,
or you can leave with someone else.
It's… It's not working out, and I know that you just said that to me.
You're leaving here alone, and it's taken this experience for you to see that.
When it comes to me making a decision of leaving here,
I do feel like I've found an insane opportunity here.
And through this process, yes, I have been falling for Kay.
Tay, I would like to leave here with Kay.
I wish you the best.
[Mark] Okay.
Tayler, you are free to go. Your journey on this island is complete.
- Thank you, Mark. So nice to meet you. - Thank you. Nice to meet you too.
["Before You Met Me" by Christee Palace playing]
♪ That you'd come back for me ♪
♪ That you'd own everything ♪
♪ And tell me I'm enough Exactly as I was ♪
♪ That's what you should've done ♪
♪ I pray ♪
♪ Someday I'll go back in time Before you met me… ♪
[Tayler] I am walking away from not feeling wanted or heard or seen.
I am walking into a path
that I can continue getting to know my authentic self
and building on these new relationships and connections that I've built here.
And so I don't feel like I'm really losing anything.
[instrumentals continue]
[Mark] There's Tyler and Tayler as a unit.
Then there's Tayler, who she becomes to be
and Tyler, who you become to be as an individual.
Tell me what it is about Kay that makes you feel you wanna leave
and start exploring whatever that looks like.
[Tyler] Yeah.
What I've experienced so far from the connection with Kay is
just undoubtably something I feel like I've been lacking.
Her understanding of me as a person and also as a spiritual being.
And maybe it's just island fever and a honeymoon situation,
but it's just how I feel.
I… I'm glad you acknowledge that because that's a thing,
but if you have a new level of communicating
with a new person in your life,
there's a possibility to work through even that.
When that bubble bursts and it gets real, hopefully what you have is real.
So I'd like to bring her out here and let you tell her what you've decided.
- Please. - [Mark] All right.
Let's bring Kay out right now
and hopefully, she's on the same page you're on.
[exciting music playing]
[Kay giggles]
- Hi. [giggles] - [Mark] Hi, Kay.
- Hi, how are you? - I'm well, thank you.
- [Tyler] Long time no see. - [Kay] I missed you.
I missed you. You doing okay?
- [Kay] Yeah, how about you? - I'm doing all right.
- [Kay] Okay. - It's been a tough night, but look, sit.
So did you think you'd be sitting here at a bonfire?
I had a pretty good idea. [giggles]
We invited you here
because Tyler has something he would like to tell you
about what he's decided that he'd like for his future.
Thank you, Mark. [inhales]
Well, obviously, this has been pretty crazy and pretty wild.
- [tender music playing] - Agreed.
[Tyler] And I first wanna let you know that, you know, I just respect you so much
in how you've kind of stayed by my side
through, obviously, me being in a relationship coming here,
and I know that's been especially hard on you in a few areas.
I just wanna recognize your strength, you know, to see it through
and see something in me.
Because of your honesty and your vulnerability on our final night,
you know, it just really sold me on that, you know, I feel like you do care about me
and, obviously, you know, I really care about you.
And I would like to ask you to leave the island with me
even though that creates a thousand more question marks,
but at least starting that process seems amazing to me.
So would… would you like to leave the island with me?
Mmm, yeah, I think I'd like to do that.
- [laughs] - Thank you.
- Oof. - [Kay laughs]
Congratulations, you guys.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
I think that was really, really wise what you said
that you wanna leave the island together
even though that brings up a thousand new question marks.
My hope is that you've both found a new definition,
a level-up in what you think love is,
so that when these questions and these challenges
and these mountains show up,
you do something that's often overlooked, and you talk about it.
Yeah, absolutely.
Just walk instead of run.
If you wanna leave with Kay, and Kay, you wanna leave with Tyler,
then there's nothing left for me to say
except your journey is complete on this island.
- I wish you all the best. - Wow.
Travel safe.
- Thank you. [laughs gently] - [Mark] Yeah.
- You ready? - I'm ready.
- [Tyler kisses] Thank you. - [Kay] Thank you.
- [mellow music playing] - ♪ Do you think that this could be ♪
♪ A story that ends happily?… ♪
I'm not gonna lie, like, it's… it's still a rough night,
and there's so many mixed emotions,
but this experience has taught me the importance of being genuine
even though you don't really fit the mold of whatever situation you're in.
So tonight at the bonfire,
I showed up and, you know,
made the hard decisions in order for other things to grow
and for, you know, our relationship to grow, whatever that is,
and that's something I'm very happy about.
[Kay] It feels really good to have that official confirmation
that this is real, this is genuine.
And that's something I felt along this whole way,
so I'm glad to know that's reciprocated, and I got something great out of it.
- I couldn't be happier. - Me too.
♪ 'Cause all I've ever wanted is this ♪
♪ All I've ever wanted is this… ♪
And she's a great kisser.
[laughs]
I'm excited to tell you everything.
♪ Is, is this… ♪
[pensive music playing]
[exhales quietly]
[Ashley] Going into this final bonfire,
I am a little bit nervous to hear what he has to say
and if he is remorseful
or already moved on.
♪ Maybe we were built ♪
♪ Just to fall apart ♪
♪ Sometimes it's just not ♪
♪ Written in the stars… ♪
[exhales forcefully]
[Grant] It's gonna be hard to see Ashley tonight.
♪ Can't give you love… ♪
[Grant] I think she's probably expecting me to beg for her back
or… or, uh, apologize for the connections I've made.
- ♪ One moment in time ♪ - [sighs]
♪ You were the love of my whole life… ♪
[Grant] But what I'm not going to apologize for
is being who I am.
♪ I gave you what I had ♪
♪ I gave you all of me ♪
♪ I gave you All my ups and downs and between ♪
♪ I let you have your way ♪
♪ I let you call the shots ♪
♪ But, baby, now I know This isn't what I want ♪
♪ Sometimes it's just not ♪
♪ Written in the stars… ♪
- Hey, Mark. - Hi, Grant.
[Grant breathes deeply]
[exhales]
- How do you feel? - Scared shitless.
- [Mark] Okay, that's… - [laughs]
That's a legit response. You ready?
Okay. Let's bring Ashley out.
[exhales forcefully]
[foreboding music playing]
- [Mark] Hi, Ashley. - [Ashley] Hi, Mark.
No, that's okay.
[music fades]
[Mark] Okay.
I know you both have a lot of feelings. I know this is a long time coming.
This is your final bonfire.
[Grant sighs]
The way this is gonna go
is that I'm gonna give each of you an opportunity to just speak
without being interrupted, so one of you will listen and listen only.
After that,
then you can have an open conversation.
- Are you both prepared to do that? - [sighs]
Sure.
Okay, I'm gonna have Grant speak first.
All right, Grant.
[sighs briefly]
Ashley…
you are a woman that's worth chasing around the world for, and…
[sighs dismissively]
…I enjoyed chasing you for a really, really long time.
- [sad music playing] - [Grant] I don't regret a single bit…
[sighs] …but that's not our whole story.
I should've realized that what I was chasing in you
had become unobtainable.
[exhales] I love you so much,
and I hate that I'm the one that has hurt you so much.
I know that you've seen your worst nightmare come true
on that screen there here,
and I hate that.
I do wanna let you know that the connection that I made is real,
and it wasn't out of spite.
[sighs]
And through this experience, I really realized how disrespected
and belittled I feel in our relationship.
Through it all.
But I forgive you, and I finally… I… I forgive myself.
[music stops]
Okay. Ashley, thank you for not responding and just listening,
and now it's your turn to say what you need to say.
I truly do not have a lot to say to you.
You sit here and argue that you wanna be a good man.
Don't you think you could've come to the conclusion
that you could not be faithful or loyal to me
before I gave you the opportunity to come here?
The objective of us coming here was for you to prove that I could trust you,
and within a matter of days,
you were telling multiple girls in the house that it's not working.
We're not meant to be
and then railing some girl in the bathroom.
I truly don't know what goes through your head.
I have no idea what you're forgiving me for
because my actions were a reaction to your behavior.
You're a serial cheater.
You're gonna sit here and act like I don't know you cheated
in every relationship you've been in?
I've caught you in your own lies of your own timeline.
My gut instinct knew you were going to do what you did…
and the amount of relief I felt when I watched you do that on the screen
was overwhelming.
I cannot believe I held onto someone like you for that long.
[sighs] Okay.
You both had a chance to speak your mind,
and now is a chance for you to have a conversation.
Whatever you wanna talk about. Now is your chance to ask and discuss.
[pensive music playing]
Uh, first of all, I wanna start with the fact
that I feel like our relationship was over the moment we were separated here,
and I sat down and talked with all the guys in my villa,
and talked, like…
As I was saying things out loud,
it was like, "Why are we even in this relationship?"
- I felt the exact same way. And-- - Yeah.
And that's fine, but, like, your actions are your actions,
and your words don't match.
Because how are you sitting here hooking up with this girl
and then the next confessional, you're saying,
"I still want things to work with Ashley. I wanna marry her."
Because, Ashley, I have been going through an emotional roller coaster up and down.
Just ripping apart our relationship to figure out why I was in it.
Why was I forcing it for so fucking long?
You were never going to let go of the resentment,
and you knew it when you got here.
You had pre-decided that I was gonna fuck up,
but I guarantee you, it was so… every action that I made,
I was only thinking about what you would think.
All I've cared about has been your feelings, not mine.
I've neglected my own feelings for a long time.
So when you were in the shower with that girl,
you were thinking about my feelings?
No.
Not at that point, no.
And… [scoffs] …that took me a while to get to,
but I realized that I have been forcing this
for a long time, and I should've ended it, and I should've kept… kept it that way.
I appreciate every single thing
that you have done in our entire relationship.
I don't appreciate the disrespect. I do not appreciate the belittling.
I don't appreciate you emasculating me.
- All I saw-- - What exactly did you hear me say?
"The universe sent me a piece of shit."
- That was… That was one thing. - [sighs]
And then, you know the first clip I saw,
which really, like, sent me into high gear?
"I'm never gonna trust him. I don't want that guy."
"I'm never gonna let go of this."
That's what I heard. How do you think I feel?
I've held onto so much resentment,
and that has turned me into such a dark person,
and I've been mean to you.
I've belittled you. I'm not gonna act like I haven't.
And I'm not proud of that.
I was holding onto you so fucking hard.
And to finally let go,
I felt like I could breathe…
[Grant's breath shuddering]
…and, like, be happy.
[melancholy music playing]
[crying]
I want more than anything for you to be yourself.
I don't want you to feel hurt. I don't want you to feel…
[sniffs] I don't want you to hate me. I want you to be happy with me.
I want you to see my worth
without me feeling like I have to prove it.
I want you to be free. I want you to breathe.
When I met you, you were the m… most amazing,
wonderful person that I've met,
which is why I knew I fucked up.
[sniffles] I know your worth, Ashley.
You are an amazing, incredible…
[inhales, sniffles]
…smart woman that anyone would be
blessed to have.
Anyone.
I know you're a fucking catch. Come on. [chuckles sorrowfully]
I love you, Ashley. I… I want you to be happy.
[Ashley sniffs softly]
[sniffs once again]
[sighs painfully]
I hate that it doesn't work.
[Ashley sniffs]
- [eerie music plays] - [Grant sniffing and sighing]
Okay. I'm gonna ask each of you to declare what you wanna do.
So, Grant, we'll start with you.
You're pretty clear about where this is,
but I need to hear you say to Ashley one of three things.
That you wanna leave the island together. You wanna leave the island alone.
Or that you've met someone new
and you'd like to leave the island with her.
What's your decision?
[music fades]
Just know this kills me to fucking say.
I wanna go home alone.
- [tense music plays] - Not together.
[Mark] Okay.
Ashley,
look at Grant
and tell him what you want.
Do you wanna leave together? Do you wanna leave alone?
Or do you wanna leave with somebody that you've connected with here
and see what happens there?
[ominous tone plays]
[sighs, sniffs]
[exhales forcefully]
I'm gonna leave the island with the new connection I made.
- [ominous tones plays] - [Grant sniffs]
[exhales]
I'm sorry you're hurting, and I'm sorry that we got to this place.
I wanted you to be a good man for me…
- [sniffs] - [Ashley] …and it just wasn't working.
[exhales sharply, sniffs]
[Mark] What if
your next relationship
is the one where you feel the sense of relief all day, every day?
And what if when you look back on this relationship,
your only feeling is happiness
that the person you loved once and still hold some heart for
is happy and feels that relief every day
even if it's not with you?
Isn't that a better place to be?
[exhales]
[Mark] Okay, you've both said what you wanna do.
Grant, you've declared you're ready to go home alone.
Your journey is complete. I'm excited for your future.
Now you're free to leave the island.
[eerie music continues]
[both sniffling]
[Grant crying]
[sniffs]
[exhales, sniffs]
[sniffs]
[exhales deeply, then again sharply]
♪ Could've loved you for a million years ♪
♪ Instead, I'm crying 'Bout a million tears… ♪
God, I wish that it could be me.
I wish that we could make it work, but I know that it's not working.
♪ Good luck with your new life… ♪
She doesn't see my worth.
All I wanted was for her to let go of the resentment,
and she never did.
And coming here, I realized that that's not all I needed.
♪ Wish you the best ♪
- ♪ My heart's a mess ♪ - ♪ My heart's a mess… ♪
I think, coming out of this experience,
I know exactly who I am.
I know what I want. I know what I deserve as a man.
Natalie does have all of these things that I've been looking for in a partner,
but I need to just figure out how to be alone for a little bit.
- ♪ Wish you the best ♪ - ♪ Wish you the best ♪
- ♪ My heart's a mess ♪ - ♪ My heart's a mess ♪
♪ Good luck with your new life… ♪
Okay, so you declared that would like to go home with someone new.
Um, is it Danny?
It's Danny.
[Mark] Good. Then the right guy is walking down right now.
[uplifting music playing]
[Ashley laughs]
- [Mark] Hello, Danny. - [Danny] Hello, hello.
[chuckling] Welcome to your first bonfire.
Hello, beautiful. How are you?
- Good. How are you? - [Danny] Good.
- I missed you. - I missed you too.
[Danny inhales deeply]
All right. [sighs]
Danny, this is the bonfire we've been talking about.
This is… This is pretty neat. I like it.
[Mark] Um, I'm glad you do
because it's not often that one of the singles who comes here
to be part of Temptation Island ends up here.
That's a testament to what's grown between the two of you.
Um, and so Ashley kind of asked me to ask you to come join her
so she can tell you what she's decided about what she would like to do…
[laughs]
…which has something to do with you. Ashley.
I don't know what the feasibility of our relationship looks like
outside of this,
but I wasn't ready to say bye, so I chose to leave with you.
I'd love to. I'd love to leave with you.
It was honestly, like, I really did miss you though.
- So I'm happy you said that. - Me too.
- I didn't think you would see it coming. - [laughs]
[sighs]
- [Mark] Relief? - Yeah.
- [Mark] Excitement? - A lot of it. Yeah.
- [Mark] Anything else? - [laughs]
- [softly] Just you.
- I'm excited to leave with you. - Me too.
[Mark] All right, well,
there are parts of my job I don't like, and there are parts I like.
This is one I like.
So, um…
I wish you both the best.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
I know you're going to be kind to one another…
[Ashley chuckles]
…and, uh, I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes.
What I can tell you where it goes is that it goes away from here.
Your journey is 100% complete,
and you are free to leave the island together as a brand-new couple.
That's it.
- That's it. Wow. - Thank you.
- [Mark] Keep in touch.
- Oh, we will. We will. - I wish you the best.
["Patience" by Madilyn Paige playing]
♪ And wrong connections… ♪
I feel like Danny helped me see myself in a different light
that I haven't seen myself in in a long time.
I've just learned that I do deserve so much more,
and I can give that love to the right person
and stop putting all my energy into the wrong people.
And I don't know what the future brings for us or if our lives are gonna align,
but I'm excited to leave the island with you.
Me too.
♪ Thank you, patience ♪
♪ I'd wait all over again… ♪
[fire crackling]
- ["Bombs Away" by Katrina Stone playing] - ♪ Bombs away ♪
♪ I promise I can take it… ♪
[Lino] I'm feeling very nervous.
The stakes tonight are the biggest in my life.
This bonfire is one that I'm going into with no doubts, no resentment,
no trust issues,
and I'm hoping to see the same from Alexa.
Once I get through this tonight, I do hope to surprise her with a proposal.
I have been waiting for this moment my entire life.
She's my first love, and she'll be my last love.
♪ Bombs away ♪
♪ I promise I can take it… ♪
[Alexa] I'm like a mixture of excitement and anxiousness.
It's like my heart's telling me to trust, trust, trust,
but my head is like, "Doubt, doubt, doubt."
Our whole relationship is basically on this conversation.
Our whole future is on this, and I do have some questions.
I wanna know, did he truly explore to get the clarity that he needed,
and is that clarity us or something else?
We can't have a future together
and him always thinking he's second choice. It's just not gonna work.
That will always be the root of our fights and our problems.
♪ Away ♪
♪ So bombs away ♪
- [sighs deeply] - That's a big sigh.
- How are you? - I'm good. [chuckles]
- I'm nervous. - This place has that nervous energy.
Yeah.
[Mark] This is your final bonfire.
This is a chance for you to see the man you came to the island with,
see if he's still that man or somebody different.
Are you prepared to have this conversation?
[sighs] Yeah, I've been ready for this.
[Mark] Okay.
I'm gonna bring out a guy, uh, you may remember.
- ["Sleepless" by Flower Moon playing] - ♪ Do you feel me in the night? ♪
♪ Do you know that I have ceased ♪
♪ Searching between embers… ♪
[laughs joyously]
♪ And it feels so nice… ♪
[hums excitedly]
- Baby. - [laughing]
- I missed you so much. - [whispers] I missed you too. [gasps]
Oh my God.
[whispers] Oh my God.
- [Lino] I love you so much. - [Alexa whispers] I love you too.
- [Lino] I missed you. - [sighs, whispers] You're here.
- [whispers] You look so handsome. [laughs] - You look so beautiful.
[Alexa] Okay.
- Hi, Lino. - Hi, Mark. How are we?
- We're good. - [Lino laughs]
- Glad to hear. - Can I get closer?
Oh, you can do whatever you want.
- This is your bonfire. - [laughs]
So let me just say to you, welcome to your final bonfire.
It's been a long journey, and this bonfire is important,
not just because you're gonna say what you wanna do with your future,
but this is actually the time where you check in with one another
and get to express what you've learned.
Then after that's done and you feel complete,
I'm gonna ask each of you to declare what you'd like to do for your future.
Alexa, I'm gonna let you speak first.
Okay.
[nervously] Oh boy.
Okay. [clicks tongue]
[inhales]
[exhales sharply] Lino…
- [chuckles] - [sentimental music playing]
[Alexa] …my love for you has grown…
[voice breaking] …more than I can imagine
being here. [chuckles, sniffs]
When I first got here,
I was empty, very empty.
I blamed it on codependency,
but I quickly realized that I am an independent woman,
and that emptiness that I felt
was just because our love and our connection
is that deep and that special.
[chuckles, inhales]
Because of my nurturing nature,
I have brought a lot of guilt into our relationship
from my past divorce, what happened at the beginning of us.
And as I've been here,
I've honestly learned to take that guilt off my shoulders.
And by taking that load off,
I was able to love myself more and therefore, hopefully love you better.
I appreciate everything you've done for me the past four years.
Moving from city to city, changing your career path,
sacrificing your time.
But as I was here, I realized that was not forced but a choice,
and I do really, really appreciate it.
But it's not anything that you can hold over my head anymore.
I'm a driven woman
that has a really, really bright future ahead.
I don't need you in my life, but I want you in my life.
I need you to believe this deep down
that you are my first choice forever.
- I love you. - I love you.
[chuckles, laughs]
Are you complete?
- I think I'm complete. - [Mark] Okay.
All right, Lino.
Your turn to speak.
Coming to this island,
I thought I could just come,
learn a few lessons,
get a little wild, have some fun, and come back to you,
but this journey has been arduous.
I came in with resentment, trust issues, feelings of second choice,
and I quickly realized
that that was all from a deep-rooted insecurity of myself.
It was never anything that you were projecting onto me.
It was actually me projecting it onto you, and for that, I truly apologize.
And now, I feel like I am capable
of being that emotional support that you've always needed.
- I love you. - [whispers] I love you too.
[whispers] I love you.
[Mark] Really well said, you guys.
Now that you've both had a chance to speak your mind
without being interrupted,
I'm gonna let you have a conversation.
This is where you can ask specific questions
and share more about your growth.
Then, when you're complete, give me a look, and… we'll move on.
- Okay. - Sounds good.
It sounds like you answered one of my questions already,
and it was just if you got the clarity that you needed.
I found clarity. I found security.
And most of all…
I found what true love is.
- [heartfelt music playing] - I know.
Like I said,
those trust issues, that resentment is all left on this island.
I trust you wholeheartedly,
and I don't need to question anything about your time here,
but if you do have questions, feel free to ask.
I was scared that one time when I saw this girl flirting with you a lot
and that you felt like you were being tested, and…
Nothing happened?
- Nothing happened. - Okay.
I haven't done anything that I wouldn't tell you about
or feel… [inhales]
…unsafe telling you about.
I had this battle this whole time
with, like, my head and my heart.
Every time I'd watch a bonfire clip, my head was just going crazy.
It would spiral.
Mine too.
But deep down, like, I have this gut trust,
and I realized
what we have is so, so special.
[emotionally] None of that past stuff,
guilt… [breathes shakily]
…the arguments that don't really mean anything, like,
could never take away this because this is what everyone wants.
Of course.
Okay, you guys.
You came here with the question,
"Should we be together, or is there somebody better for me?"
So now you get to answer it.
Alexa, you'll go first.
Do you want to leave the island with him? Do you wanna leave alone?
Or have you connected with somebody new?
I wanna leave with you, the love of my life.
There's no one else I'd rather choose.
- I love you. - [quietly] I love you.
Lino.
Yes, Mark.
[Mark] You wanna leave alone?
Do you wanna leave with Alexa who just said she wants to leave with you?
Or is there somebody we haven't heard from?
- [laughs] - [inhales]
You're the only person on this earth that I would leave this island with.
You're the love of my life and the light of my life.
- I love you. - [Alexa whispers] I love you.
- [sentimental music continues] - [laughs]
Well, that's gonna make travel a little less awkward.
[both laugh]
A lot of things.
So, Lino would like to leave with Alexa.
Alexa wants to leave with Lino,
and the only thing standing in the way is me talking.
[both laugh]
So, let me be the first to say congratulations.
This journey is complete,
and it is time for you to leave the island.
- [on a breath] Okay. - ♪ Like lightning in a bottle… ♪
- You look so beautiful. - [Alexa] Thank you. [laughs]
Bye, you guys. Good luck.
- Bye, Mark. - [Lino] Thank you, Mark.
[Lino] After going through this, there's nothing that's gonna break us.
[Alexa] We have a really great love story.
[Lino] The best.
- [Alexa] This is only the beginning. - [Lino] Only the beginning.
♪ Now it strikes like Like lightning in a… ♪
[Alexa] This is all that matters.
Like, we… we did this.
- ♪ Like lightning in a bottle… ♪ - [Alexa murmurs softly]
- You know? - ♪ Hold my hands out to the sky and ask… ♪
[Alexa whispers] Wow.
[whispers] Really? Oh my God.
- ♪ Like lightning in a bottle… ♪ - [whispers] Okay, I'm freaking out.
[stifled squeal]
♪ Don't have to give it away… ♪
♪ This strikes like… ♪
- [Alexa cries with joy] - ♪ Like lightning in a ♪
♪ Like lightning in a ♪
- ♪ Like lightning in a bottle… ♪ - [cries with joy]
[music fades]
From the first moment I saw you all those years ago, I knew you would be mine.
[inhales] From strangers at the gym to inseparable lovers.
Who knew dropping a barbell on myself
would be the best thing that ever happened to me?
From moving across the country multiple times
to paving out a life together.
[sniffs] And now, coming back to each other after this experience.
[sniffs]
[voice breaking] You are the most beautiful and kind woman I've ever known.
[sniffs tearfully]
Your capacity for caring and compassion humbles me every day.
[sniffs] And, lastly,
your loving nature has shown me what true love is.
You are my first love and my last love.
[sniffles] There's no one on this earth that I'd rather commit myself to.
I will cherish you and never stop showing you how much I love you.
[tearfully laughs] Oh my God.
♪ I believe in us… ♪
- Alexa Santamaria… - [tearfully laughs] Oh!
…will you marry me?
[tearfully laughs] Yes!
[catches breath] Is this real?
[gasps in tears] Oh my God.
♪ I believe in you ♪
- ♪ I believe in us… ♪ - [Alexa, in awe] Oh my God.
[laughs breathlessly]
♪ Defenses down ♪
- [Alexa laughs and murmurs joyfully] - ♪ I'm ready now to find our adventure… ♪
- [Lino crying] I love you. - I love you.
- [Lino] I missed you so much. - [Alexa] I missed you too.
[laughing tearfully] I can't believe it. [catches breath, moans]
[kissing]
[Alexa] It's me and you forever.
- ♪ I believe in us… ♪ - I love you.
- Let's grab a bottle and get out of here. - Okay. [laughs]
- [Lino] Can you take this? - [Alexa] Yeah. [laughing]
- [uplifting music playing] - ♪ Soon we'll know… ♪
- [cork pops] - [shouts] Whoo! [laughing]
♪ We can face it all Let temptation come… ♪
Oh my gosh.
I have to thank Temptation Island for a fiancée.
Thank you, Temptation Island.
[laughs]
Love you.
[squeals during kiss]
[laughs]
- Happily ever after. - [kissing]
- [Lino] Let's go. - [Alexa laughs]
♪ I believe in you ♪
♪ I believe in us ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ Nothing can break this love ♪
♪ Soon we'll know ♪
♪ If we fly or fall ♪
♪ We can face it all Let temptation call ♪
♪ I believe in you ♪
♪ I believe in us… ♪