An older man with gray hair and a light green shirt speaking directly to the camera outdoors.
Golden Bachelor Mel Owns was dumped by a fan-favorite contestant a week before hometownsCredit: ABC
 

A blonde woman in a gray top speaks to the camera.
Carol Freeman-Branstine decided not to pursue a romance with Mel after fearing that he didn’t have as strong of a connection with herCredit: ABC
Wednesday night’s episode showed that the competition is nearing its end as Mel and the remaining ladies tested their feelings for each other days before hometown visits.

However, halfway through the episode, Carol Freeman-Branstine, 63, a favorite of many, suddenly decided not to pursue the former NFL star.

Her decision was fueled by Mel not choosing her for a one-on-one date, which she expressed during their group date.

Mel opted to split his time between the ladies during a wellness retreat that included cold plunges, mud baths, and spiritual healing.

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The couple attended a Shamen-clearing in a yurt, but Carol struggled to stay focused, as she admitted to having mixed emotions about her connection with Mel.

Immediately following the session, the pair walked off for a private chat, where Carol voiced her concerns.

Carol noted that although she had strong feelings for Mel, she questioned whether he felt the same way after she was passed up for a one-on-one date.

“He’s just not my guy,” Carol said in a confessional interview before breaking the news to Mel that she was leaving.

Mel appeared hurt but understood Carol’s decision and escorted her to a black Escalade without alerting the other women.

Carol cried in the car, and Mel walked away looking disappointed, although the moment was never explained to the rest of the contestants

Instead, Cheryl spotted Carol quietly driving off and shared what she saw with the other women on the group date.

Viewers were devastated by the outcome, and some called for Carol to become the next Golden Bachelorette.

“Carol might be the next Bachelorette. She deserves better than this foolishness. Or she’s afraid Freddie Freeman might punch him,” one person wrote on X.

“Good for you Carol. Don’t chase a man that doesn’t care about you,” another applauded.

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The episode ended with Mel gifting three of the five remaining ladies with roses during the rose ceremony.

Cheryl and Nicolle did not receive a rose and were sent home, leaving Cindy, Peg, and Debbie vying for Mel’s heart.

Mel admitted earlier in the episode that a conversation with Nicolle sparked red flags in his mind after she revealed her goals for fame and career growth following the show, and not finding love with the bachelor.

The football star was warned by some of the other women last week that Nicolle might not be on the show for genuine reasons.

The yoga instructor also stirred up trouble earlier in the season after sharing an intimate moment with Mel in the pool for all to see.

During her car ride out of the mansion, a stone-faced Nicolle shared parting words to the camera and teased that she could wind up as the next Golden Bachelorette.

A blonde woman in a tank top talks to a man in a light blue shirt.
Carol revealed half-way through Wednesday’s episode that she was leaving the showCredit: ABC
 

A woman with long blonde hair and an ABC logo on a red pillow.
Mel immediately escorted Carol to a black Escalade that was waiting for her to drive her away from the mansionCredit: ABC
 

A man and a woman sitting outside talking, with the woman gesturing with her hand.
Mel later sent Nicolle packing after she raised red flags about her goals for fortune and fame and not finding loveCredit: ABC