Last night’s Golden Bachelorette Fantasy Suite episode took an emotional turn when fan-favorite Pascal decided to self-eliminate, leaving Joan Vassos in tears. As the front-runner, Pascal’s sudden departure shocked both Joan and the audience.
The date began with Pascal confiding in host Jesse Palmer, revealing he’d been deeply in love recently and almost engaged. He admitted, “I want to move on, but I’m having a tough time.” During his dinner with Joan, Pascal opened up even more, explaining that he couldn’t reach the level of love Joan was hoping for. “I just don’t think I could get to the place you want me to be,” he said. “I know what love is. I’ve experienced it, you’ve experienced it. And I care about you as a friend. But I’m not in love, and I just can’t be there.”
Pascal’s honesty hit Joan hard. Though she remained composed, she later admitted to feeling unlovable, struggling with the pain of rejection. “He knew how to love, but he just couldn’t with me,” she said, tearing up. “It’s hard to be vulnerable again once you’ve been hurt. The walls are up again, and I feel like a failure.”
Despite this emotional setback, Joan’s journey isn’t over yet. With her final dates with Chock and Guy still on the horizon, fans are hopeful that her season will conclude on a positive note.
