Although he told KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie O on Wednesday that he "didn't have complete clarity about what happened" and wasn't ready to send her home on hearsay, Monique was asked to leave the mansion last night, after the lying scandal took a toll on Matt's ability to make connections with the other ladies vying for his heart.
"At the end of the day, it's not what Mon said that I'm having trouble with, it's the lie," Matt explained of his decision to walk the 26-year-old. For me, trust is such an integral part of a relationship. But now, as far as I'm concerned, the trust is severely damaged, and I'm trying to understand how exactly we move past that.
"I felt feelings for you. I feel as though this was something pretty small that we could've addressed in a short conversation that snowballed into just lies and a lack of trust."
It's no secret that in recent weeks Monique and Abbie Chatfield— the contestant who informed Matt of Monique's foul attack— have butted heads. After making a big deal of Abbie's kiss with Matt during last Thursday night's cocktail party, she's since revealed she was "slut-shamed" for controversially pashing the astrophysicist.
"There have been other comments I’ve seen on my Instagram and on Facebook saying ‘Is she really that easy?’ [and] slut-shaming," the fan favourite property analyst told Mamamia. "I have a right to share a consensual kiss with a man I'm attracted to, to own my own sexuality and be confident and happy in myself."
The 23-year-old— who describes herself as a vocal feminist— said that despite receiving a "positive reaction from a lot of people", some took issue with Abbie owning her sexuality and openly admitting she was sexually attracted to Matt.
Re-live their steamy pash below
"People assume women can only be one thing; that because I was open with my sexuality and I was able to express that with Matt that I was only that one thing, that I couldn't be intelligent and sexual and strong and funny and have any other personality traits," she said.
After being slammed and gang up on by her Bachelor co-stars— particularly Sogand Mohtat and Monique Morley— Abbie said after the cocktail party incident she felt excluded and isolated, she sought help and guidance from the show.
"I didn't eat for three days. I just slept and cried. I really wasn't well," she told TV Week, adding that she was "an absolute mess".
