Jed Wyatt's ex-girlfriend, Haley Stevens, had mixed feelings when watching him deny many aspects of their relationship on The Bachelorette finale. During the dramatic two-part special, Wyatt and Bachelorette Hannah Brown ended their engagement after she found out the truth about his past relationship.
Fans thought things were going well for Brown at the end of the latest season of The Bachelorette when she accepted Wyatt's musical proposal (the aspiring country star performed an original song before popping the question). That was, however, before she found out Wyatt had been seriously dating someone before going on the show. While Wyatt originally told her that he and Stevens were only casually seeing each other, Stevens provided proof that they'd exchanged "I love yous" and that her family treated Wyatt to a birthday trip to the Bahamas before he left for The Bachelorette. According to Brown, that's seriously dating, and so she decided to end things with the singer. Their engagement was messy even before Brown found out the truth about Stevens, but his lies were the final nail in the coffin.
During the Bachelorette finale, Wyatt attempted to downplay his feelings for Stevens and how serious the two were. For instance, he told Brown the first time he said "I love you" to his ex was when he was drunk. Stevens later told Vulture that, while the drunk comment was hurtful, she was most offended by the fact that she and Wyatt had gotten to know each other's families very well, despite him insisting they were never that close. Stevens claimed she'd developed very close relationships with his family members, even while he was away filming the show. She also expressed sympathy for what they were going through after the series aired, saying, "I can’t imagine the hurt they’ve been feeling."
Judging by Stevens' interview with Vulture, it sounds like she's ready to move on from her relationship with the reality TV star. She said she hopes his proposal to Brown was genuine and that he really did have feelings for her - and wasn't just trying to gain notoriety as a country music singer (something he's been accused of by her and Bachelor Nation). Stevens also hopes his apology to Brown was genuine, even if it didn't salvage the engagement. While Wyatt hasn't attempted to reach out to Stevens after her People interview was published in June - and she said she doesn't expect him to - she's decided the best thing to do is move forward, adding that she doesn't think an apology or explanation would help anyway. The best thing for her, she said, is to hold herself to a higher standard in her next relationship.
Bachelor Nation is hoping Brown does the same. Following the finale, she said she was trying to reconnect with runner-up Tyler Cameron, a fan favorite who is also rumored to be the next star of The Bachelor. The two claim to be taking things slow, but are open to the idea of dating again. Meanwhile, Wyatt is laying low, and fans probably shouldn't expect a new single from him any time soon.
Source: Vulture