"The Bachelor" Finale Recap: Arie Luyendyk Dumps Becca After Engagement

On part one of "The Bachelor" finale on Monday, Arie Luyendyk proposed to Becca, only to dump her a couple of months into their engagement. Lauren B., he admitted, is who he really wants to be with. Get the full recap below.

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As Gossip Cop reported, Becca's ex-boyfriend surprised her in Peru on "The Bachelor" last week, hoping to steal her away from Arie. But she turned him down, feeling ready to commit to the race car driver following their overnight Fantasy Suite date. Meanwhile, Arie eliminated Kendall, leaving Becca and Lauren as his final two.

Tonight's three-hour episode began with host Chris Harrison live with a studio audience. "Tonight is going to be one of those nights," he teased. "Whether he knows it or not, Arie is going to become one of the most controversial Bachelors in history." The footage in Peru, shot back in November, then picked up with Arie reflecting on his journey and admitting he's "in love" with both Becca and Lauren. "At the end of all this, I have to break someone's heart," he said in a voiceover. He discussed how comfortable he is with Becca while calling Lauren a "risk."

Arie's family joined him in the city of Cusco, where his dad called it "crazy" that he was in love with both women. "Good luck, buddy," he said with a smirk. Lauren was the first to meet the group and told them how "nervous" she is, worrying Arie whether she'd "relax" enough "to be herself." He further admitted to his family that he was concerned he'd spend "forever" reassuring Lauren of his feelings, while she privately confessed to his father, "I'm afraid I'll get engaged and it won't work out again," referring to her previous broken engagement. Lauren also told his mom, "My biggest fear is losing him and I know that being here, there is someone else in the picture, too." At that point, she started to cry. When Lauren left, the family agreed she could be "the one."

The next day, Becca assured Arie her "heart is good," but she was feeling pressure meeting the group after Lauren already did. Arie reassured her by expressing his love once more. Her outgoing nature immediately caught his family's attention. Becca told his mom that she could see Arie as her "partner for life" and "father of my children," exceeding his mother's expectations. She was ultimately torn between the two women, as Becca admitted to Arie's dad that he and Lauren are "vastly different" to the point where it was "easier" to get to know some of the other contestants. She was disturbed when his father commented that he'd be fine if either of them ended up engaged to his son. "She is still a huge threat to me," Becca told the camera about Lauren, adding, "It makes me want to puke thinking of them together." But Arie once again told her, "I love you so much."

Arie debated the merits of both women with his family, saying it "makes more sense" with Becca, but that he has "undeniable love" with Lauren. His mom deemed Becca "better for your future," particularly since she's confident whereas Lauren needs reassurance. His father and other family members agreed, but Arie saw a "life with both of them." But with his family's comments, he felt there was now "pressure" on his final date with Lauren, whom he contemplated sending home.

Live in the studio, Harrison then interviewed former contestant Caroline, who vaguely said, "What he did is unforgiveable. There's no other way around it… I don't think he knows what he wants." The pre-taped footage resumed with Lauren and Arie's last date. Whereas she was "confident" going in, he had doubts. They went to Machu Picchu, where he felt boosted by the confidence she was now showing. "I thought I really had my feelings sorted out, but today Lauren's found her way into my heart," he told the camera. "I feel like I've fallen in love with her more and more every time I hang out with her… It's crazy to think I could say goodbye to someone like that."

Arie suspected he was "talking [himself] out of being" with Lauren, only to become reattached to her over and over. Over dinner, she told him "how much I really love you and why." After outlining her reasons, Lauren declared, "I'm ready to spend the rest of my life with you." He in turn called it "crazy how fast I fell in love with you," adding, "I love you so much." They pictured their lives together, and seemed to have the same vision, though he brought up his eagerness to have kids. The tears returned when Lauren told him, "The one thing that terrifies me is losing you." Still, she confidently told the camera that Arie wouldn't have let her discuss all that "if he knew he was picking Becca." And he admitted in a confessional that Lauren was finally giving him what he needed, and asserted, "If I had to propose this second, it would be her."

In the studio, Seinne said of the outcome, "If what I heard is true, it's going to be disappointing," while Bekah opined that "going forward with a proposal is absolutely the wrong thing to do" given how conflicted Arie appeared. He went into Becca's final date feeling "anxious" and hoping for "clarity." They went sightseeing, during which she said she didn't want to say "goodbye," and he promised to "always be honest with you." She even thanked him for telling her the "truth." Becca felt "uncertain" going into the night, wondering if Arie was "equally in love with two women."

She point-blank told him it was "scary" knowing he could love them both when she sees their future "so clearly." Becca insisted she has "faith" and "confidence," but asked if he had "hesitation." Arie admitted he was "conflicted" and "going back and forth on a couple of things." He urged her to stay focused on "us," and called it a "good thing" that he didn't have any "questions" for her. Arie assured her, "I love you very much." Becca felt they were ultimately "on the same page," and she gifted him with a scrapbook documenting their time together. The present made Arie "realize she could be my person for the rest of my life" and that Becca "could be my wife." He left feeling "overwhelmed" and "struggling." Arie lamented, "I don't want to be half-in with somebody because I'm thinking about somebody else."

In the studio, former Bachelor Ben Higgins said Arie would have to "deal with the consequences" of telling both women he loved them, while Jason Mesnick, who infamously broke up with Melissa Rycroft on "After The Final Rose" and asked runner-up Molly Melaney for a second chance before eventually marrying her, stressed how "hard" the experience is when trying to follow your heart. On proposal day in Peru, Arie admitted in a confessional that it was his "fault" for making the women feel so comfortable by saying "I love you" to both of them, and acknowledged how "guilty" he felt.

Becca offered, "Who knows if he's told her the same exact thing… To not end up together after all of this would be the worst heartbreak. If he were to get down on one knee, I would 100 percent say yes." And Lauren cried as she said, "There aren't even words to describe how in love with him I am… There's always a chance he has something stronger with Becca, but I'm hoping he tells me I'm the one." Finally achieving "clarity," Arie said he knew who he could "see growing old with," and that he "couldn't picture a better woman for me." He then met with Neil Lane to pick out an engagement ring. Still, Arie said in a voiceover, "On the one hand, this is the best day of my life. On the other hand, I have to say goodbye to someone I really care for… She's not gonna see this coming… I have no real reason to give her."

That person was Lauren. When it came time for the moment of truth, she told Arie she was "freaking out" and tearfully made one last pitch. He shook his head "no" and said that while he "wanted it so bad for us… I can't go through with it… It's not anything I can explain other that I gave it everything I had to see if it could work." Her response: "I don't even know what to say." Him: "I did fall in love with you." Her: "I'm extremely confused." Him: "I knew you would be." She wished him "the best," and he gave her a "so sorry."

"Why did you do that?" Lauren asked him. Arie said he was in love with both of them and apologized for "put[ing] you through this." She told him, "I still love you," to which he said, "I love you, too." But then off she went in the waiting car. Arie told the camera afterward, "I feel a little bit like a monster right now. All I wanted to tell Lauren was 'I love you,' but I'm saying goodbye." For her part, Lauren said, "I feel betrayed. Like, how can you do that to somebody? He just completely blindsided me." She even questioned how Arie could "get down on one knee" with Becca if he "wasn't sure til like three hours ago." "I really do think he made a mistake," she insisted. "I feel like he chose the easy route."

But Arie was all smiles as Becca approached the proposal spot, and as she gave her last pitch. He in turn called them a "team" and said his "love" for her is "unmeasurable," before getting on one knee and saying he spent the morning thinking about their kids and growing old. "I choose you today, but I choose you from every day from here on out. I love you so much. Becca, will you marry me?" he asked. She said "of course," of course. And then she accepted the final rose as they pledged their love over and over. They even joked about starting to make babies that night.

The episode went on to feature footage of Becca and Arie spending time together after production formally ended. But in a confessional taped in January, he admitted he was wondering how "these getaways" would be with Lauren, saying that he was thinking about her day and night. Arie said Becca could see his "struggle," and while he thought the "feelings of this breakup" with Lauren would "go away," they didn't. Despite his prior "commitment" to Becca, he had to "follow his heart for the "possibility of something with Lauren." He said he made a "mistake," and now had to "call off my engagement with Becca."

"I had a change of heart," Arie told Harrison in the footage. The episode then jumped to Becca arriving in L.A. for what she thought was a "happy couple weekend." She even told the cameras that she "couldn't wait til the show is done and we can finally start our life together." Then, in a scene that was trumpeted as "unedited," viewers saw Arie arriving to drop the bomb. He immediately asked to talk and she became "nervous." With a split-screen showing a camera on each of them, Arie said he had been "struggling" and "trying to grasp this whole thing."

He went on, "The reality of it is being with you, although it's been everything that I've wanted, I still think about her and I think you sense that, and I think for me, the more I hung out with you, the more I felt like I was losing the possibility of maybe reconciling things with Lauren." Becca asked, "So, what, you want to be back with her? His reply: "I want to see if there's that possibility." Hers: "Are you [expletive] kidding me?"