The Golden Bachelor: 1 Woman Removes Herself from the Show Leaving Mel ‘Shocked’

Warning: This post contains spoilers for The Golden Bachelor week 5

The heart wants what it wants — and it also knows what it doesn’t want.

On the Wednesday, Oct. 15 episode of The Golden Bachelor, lead Mel Owens, 66, and the six remaining women evaluated their relationships ahead of next week’s hometown visits. With Cindy, 60, receiving the only solo date, Carol, 63, who hadn’t yet been on a one-on-one, began to question her status with Mel.

“I don’t feel like I’ve had enough time with him,” she admitted. “I need to connect more.”

During the group date to the Butterfly Mountain sanctuary in Los Angeles, Carol and Mel spent some quality time with a shaman to tap into their spiritual side.

“My relationship with Carol is expanding,” Mel said of his perspective. “That’s why, on the last group date, I gave her the rose. With Carol, you can see there’s a lot in there, and slowly but surely it’s coming out. Maybe this is the place where she can open up.”

When going through a chakra clearing practice and breathing exercises, Mel felt “everything is going great,” but Carol wasn’t on the same page.

“I’m thinking the whole time, ‘He has no idea that I have to talk to him,’” she said in her confessional. “I’m at a crossroads. I am. I mean, my headspace is like, ‘Do I stay? Do I go?’”

She then decided to share her concerns and “doubt” with Mel, who appeared to be caught off guard.

“I need to talk to you about something a little serious,” she told him. “There’s a couple things. I mean, I wanted to connect with you. I’m very interested in you. I really am. But I feel like we haven’t had a lot of conversation. I just feel like I’ve got my family at home, and then maybe not getting the one-on-one, I thought, ‘You know what? I don’t feel like you have that connection with me.’”

“I think I need to be honest with him,” she declared to the cameras. “I don’t think he’s my guy.”

Carol then explained to Mel that she decided to go home, which she noted was “hard because I really care about you.”

“I respect that,” he replied. “I know you have to be true to yourself, yeah, and your feelings come first and your well being.”

Mel later revealed that he didn’t see this coming and thought he and Carol “were finally” developing a stronger relationship: “I was shocked.”

Arm-in-arm, Mel walked Carol to a car and gave her a long hug. She then rode off as the other women watched in confusion.

“I’m sad,” Carol acknowledged. “I mean, it’s hard. I just knew it wasn’t right. He’s a great catch, but he just wasn’t my catch. After going on this journey and meeting Mel, I’m hopeful now. I’m hopeful that I’ll find love. I really am. It’s gonna be okay.”

Despite Carol’s self-elimination, Mel still had to send home two women at the week 5 rose ceremony. 

“Choosing the three is gonna be tough,” he said. “But, I’m looking for love. I’m looking for that special feeling.”

“This is a difficult part of the journey,” he added. “What is the best fit for me? I even have reservations this second. I have to make a decision.”

In the end, Mel said goodbye to Nicolle 64, and Cheryl, 66, and chose to keep Peg, 62, Debbie, 65, and Cindy for hometowns.

“Cheers to your families,” Mel declared to the three remaining ladies. “Tell them we’re coming!”

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The Golden Bachelor airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC, and can be streamed the next day on Hulu.