'The Bachelor:' Is Alayah Really There For The Wrong Reasons?

Plus, Bachelor Nation Queen Demi Burnett returns to the mansion!

After last week and #champagnegate, Bachelor Nation could have used a break from the eyeroll-inducing drama that’s been dominating Peter’s season so far. Alas, on this week’s episode, that was not meant to be.

While the third episode of the season featured a one-on-one, a group date, and the return of Bachelor Nation’s queen, Demi Burnett, there were basically just three stars of the entire episode: Peter, of course; Victoria P., who got the one-on-one date to a country bar at the episode’s start; and Alayah, who was the winner of the pillow fight tournament at the group date (AKA one of the cringiest dates in the show’s history, and that is saying something).

But before all of that, there was Alayah seeming pretty drunk in the mansion kitchen, bragging about how people think she’s innocent and squeaky clean because she’s a pageant girl, but she’s actually “nasty.” Suffice it to say some of the other women didn’t love hearing that. Never mind that humans contain multitudes and can adjust their actions based on the environment and company they’re in. There were a fair amount of women who heard what Alayah said and assumed it meant she’s fake. This is The Bachelor, after all.

At the pool party before the rose ceremony, Peter pretty much spent his time making his way around and asking everyone about Alayah, and they didn’t have a lot of good to say after that wine-fueled kitchen incident that got their collective undies in a bunch. Even though when Peter previously asked if anyone thought Alayah was fake during the group date, the room stayed completely silent.

Just a sampling of the things the women said at the pool party: “Do I think she acts a different way in front of the cameras? Yes,” “I feel like you’re not getting a genuine version. You’re getting the version that’s the most perfect,” and “Alayah is manipulative, she’s fake, she thinks this is a game.” Oof.

But it was Victoria P., who was on her one-on-one during the kitchen incident and missed it, who dealt the death blow. During her alone time with Peter, she told him Alayah asked producers to lie to him about their past relationship. She also told Peter that Alayah has been talking about “all the opportunities that come after this, even if you’re not her husband,” AKA Instagram sponsorship deals and a career as an influencer — something many a Bachelor contestant is seeking when they come on the show.

What’s particularly strange about this backstabbing is that Alayah and Victoria P. competed together in Miss USA last year, and by all accounts seemed to be friends coming into the season. They even had some Instagram pics together (which have since been deleted, and after this episode, that’s not that surprising). Considering how willing Victoria P. was to shit talk her supposed friend to advance on the show, is it really Alayah who is there for the wrong reasons?

Only time will tell, because although Alayah didn’t receive a rose at tonight’s ceremony, the teaser for next week’s episode hints that we haven’t actually seen the last of her. Will Alayah return to the game somehow? Hopefully next week we’ll find out when the gang heads to Cleveland, Ohio, their first destination of the season.