The Bachelorette host Jesse Palmer promised a dramatic conclusion to Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey’s season, and much of that shocking drama was due to Tino Franco.
Tino had been a front runner from night one with Rachel, even receiving her first impression rose.
At the end of the season, viewers weren’t surprised to see Rachel had chosen Tino as her last man standing.
Rachel and Tino appeared to have found their fairytale ending as they professed their love for one another and got engaged.
However, after riding on horseback off into the sunset, Rachel and Tino’s honeymoon phase came to a screeching halt.
Cameras captured a heated confrontation between Rachel and Tino as The Bachelorette co-lead confronted her fiance for cheating.
Tino Franco admits to cheating on fiancee Rachel Recchia
After their season wrapped and they got engaged, Tino Franco and Rachel Recchia privately navigated their relationship, having to keep their union under wraps while the show aired.
Both Tino and Rachel admitted to having ups and downs and sometimes some distance and disconnect.
The couple allegedly agreed they needed some space but never officially decided to take a break or call off the engagement.
Despite still being with Rachel, Tino kissed a girl that he had been talking to before coming on the show.
Rachel was devastated as Tino admitted, “I messed up and I kissed another girl. The second I did, I knew I belonged with you, and this was the tiniest thing ever, so I just tried to…get past it.”
While Tino aimed to dismiss his kiss as a small mistake, Rachel felt she deserved far better than Tino’s dishonesty.
Tino brought out a book of reasons why Rachel’s comments may have led him to cheat, which Rachel also found incredibly offensive and unfair as the quotes were allegedly out of context.
At the end of their filmed conversation, Rachel decided she was done with Tino and broke up with him.
Tino and Rachel continued to have a tense discussion in front of the live studio audience on After the Final Rose, with Rachel declaring that Tino broke her heart.
Aven Jones makes surprise appearance on After the Final Rose
After Tino and Rachel’s back and forth during the finale, Jesse declared that a surprise guest was insistent on talking to Rachel.
Rachel’s runner-up Aven Jones then walked onto the stage and was greeted with lots of applause from the audience.
Aven asked Rachel if she wanted to get out of the studio and leave with him and Rachel said she’d love nothing more.
Rachel and Aven exited the stage, leaving Tino awkwardly standing around with Jesse Palmer.
While Rachel and Tino don’t seem to be reconciling anytime soon, it remains to be seen if Rachel and Aven will continue to explore a romantic relationship.
The Bachelorette is currently on hiatus on ABC.