FANS have accused Zach Shallcross of gaslighting Jess Girod after a tearful conversation played out on screen.
The Bachelor episode six saw the season’s frontrunner reunite with several girls after being forced to quarantine with Covid the week prior.
ABCFans accused Zach of ‘gaslighting’ Jess[/caption]
GettyThe season lead has yet to win over the hearts of many fans[/caption]
But after sitting down with contestant Jess Girod, fans slammed Zach as they felt his behavior toward her signaled a “red flag.”
During an evening party, the reality star pulled the brunette away so they could have a private conversation, where she explained her lack of confidence in comparison to the other girls.
Zach told Jess she had no reason to feel that way, as he felt “confident” in their relationship.
Jess then became tearful on screen as she explained that she felt slighted after Zach didn’t choose her for a one-on-one date the week before.
The TV personality became defensive as he shot back: “I was feeling so comfortable about us, and now it’s about a one-on-one?”
“What am I missing?” he asked, as Jess laughed uncomfortably through her tears.
“To not get a one-on-one, when in my position that’s a big deal, I just don’t know where your head is at. Like I’m confused,” she admitted.
The pair sat in awkward silence until Zach replied: “To be honest, I feel like there’s that disconnect.
“I don’t feel any more sure about this and I feel nervous. I don’t know how you feel, but I’m not feeling that confident,” he claimed, completely changing his tune from the beginning of the conversation.
“As hard as it is, and it pains me to say,” he added.
“I told you from the start that I’m not gonna fight for someone. I told you that all I wanted was for someone to fight for me,” Jess replied, as tears streamed down her face.
“So I’m not doing that. I’m not gonna beg for you, I’m not doing that.”
The contestant then got up from the couch and Zach followed her to the door and out of the villa.
Later, he told cameras that his mind was going a “million miles an hour” and that he was “at a loss.”
In a confessional, he broke down in tears saying it was the “last thing” he expected with Jess.
Zach helped the brunette into her car where he told her he “wished it was different.”
They hugged and she drove away, leaving him standing in front of the house.
The pair then both had a meltdown on their own, with Jess saying she was “so confused” why she was unable to spend quality time with a man that she was hoping to “marry.”
FAN BACKLASH
Fans were also confused, as they took to Twitter to accuse Zach of flipping a switch on Jess after she expressed her feelings about not having a one-on-one date.
“The start of the convo he said ‘I’m feeling so confident’ then the end of the convo..he wasn’t? Because she was addressing her concerns.
“Did he sabotage that? Is that what gaslighting is? #TheBachelor #bachelorabc,” one asked.
“Zach is the villain this season prove me wrong #TheBachelor,” a second agreed.
A third confessed: “That was the most pure form of gaslighting I’ve ever seen just happened with Zach and Jess.”
“Not Zach gaslighting the crap out of Jess #TheBachelor,” another complained.
ABCJess told Zach she didn’t feel as ‘confident’ as the other girls after not getting a one-on-one[/caption]
ABCAfter she shared her feelings, he claimed there was a disconnect between them[/caption]
ABCZach escorted Jess off the property[/caption]
