Bachelor Ben Higgins is not hiding the fact that he is engaged and recently dropped hints that a wedding is right around the corner. Spoilers indicate that Lauren Bushnell is the girl Ben proposes to at the final rose ceremony, but Ben reveals that what he tells her after he places a gorgeous Neil Lane ring on her finger got their new relationship off to a rocky start.
ABC ‘s extended preview video (below) shows Ben struggling to make a decision between two women he fell in love with — Lauren Bushnell and JoJo Fletcher . Judging from the emotional conversation Ben has with his parents, and his inability to stop saying “I love you” to both contestants, the final rose ceremony will finally make host Chris Harrison’s famous tag line come true — it will be the “most dramatic season finale” in the show’s history.
After taping the Women Tell All two weeks ago, Ben spoke with Us Weekly about his engagement and life after the proposal. While he couldn’t reveal who he is engaged to, the magazine’s sources point to Lauren as the recipient of his final rose.
After saying an emotional goodbye to JoJo Fletcher, Ben “got down on one knee” and proposed to a very “nervous” Lauren, who was — at the time — completely unaware that Ben was so deeply in love with JoJo.
After the proposal, the Ben and Lauren reportedly spent a week in Jamaica soaking up the sun and celebrating their engagement. That’s when Ben dropped a bombshell confession and told Lauren she wasn’t the only one he fell in love with during his time as the Bachelor .
While Lauren appreciated Ben’s honesty, it was “a lot for her to take in,” and Ben admits that the whole situation put her through hell that he’s now trying to make up for.
“I want to keep her safe emotionally… she’s seen a lot [of the show] and there’s moments that it’s like ‘that sucks,’ and of course it does.”
Three months later, Ben tells Us Weekly that it’s still “not easy” for Lauren and he has been trying to protect her from seeing the “I love you” moments he had with JoJo. Their ability to communicate has helped them get through a rough patch during a time that should have been filled with the joyful celebration that normally surrounds a newly engaged couple.
“She has been supportive and loving, and ultimately we’re going to get through it,” Ben states. “We have gotten through it.”
Despite the hurdles the couple faced after the season finale, the Season 20 Bachelor still maintains that he wouldn’t change a thing about saying “I love you” to both JoJo and Lauren because it ultimately put him in a place where he’s very happy.
Fans will see Ben and Lauren make their first public appearance on the live After the Final Rose special that airs right after the two-hour Bachelor season finale on March 21. Before he starts to enjoy real life with his fiancée, he will come face-t0-face with JoJo in a sit-down with Chris Harrison on the AFTR .
While there is plenty of tabloid gossip surrounding their meet-up, including rumors that Ben will pull a “Mesnick” and dump Lauren for JoJo, blogger Reality Steve states that his season finale spoilers will be 100 percent accurate. Steve is confident that fans will not see Ben waiver about his decision, and he is still happily engaged to Lauren Bushnell.
As for JoJo, show insiders state that she was upset but understanding about the outcome of the show. However, fans who are hoping that the 24-year-old Dallas real estate developer will find love as the next Bachelorette will be disappointed.
ABC has yet to confirm the rumors, but this season’s third runner-up, Caila Quinn has already been spotted filming her intro package for the upcoming season, so perhaps we’ll see JoJo on Bachelor in Paradise ?
Watch the Bachelor season finale at 8 p.m. ET on March 14, followed by the live one-hour After The Final Rose special at 10 p.m. ET.
[Image via ABC Television Network]