It was a relationship which began with affection and a shared sense of humour, but it has quickly taken a dark turn for the Married At First Sight Australia 2023 couple Caitlin and Shannon.
Confessions week was where Caitlin began to notice all the red flags her new husband showed, particularly during the photo ranking challenge where Shannon revealed she had the “potential to level up”.
He ranked Caitlin third in the photo challenge.
(Image: Nine)After ranking her second, he then changed his mind and moved her further down the rankings!
“If I went and put [Caitlin] in second, I would have been lying to myself,” he said. “Their natural beauty shines more than yours.”
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Later on, Shannon returned to the apartment crying after talking on the phone to his ex-girlfriend, who he was in a relationship with for seven years and had a child with.
“I still love her,” he told Caitlin before breaking down into tears.
While she remained composed in front of Shannon, Caitlin couldn’t hold in her tears as she spoke to the camera crew.
“I’ve done nothing but support him.”
(Image: Nine)“I’m always in this position, it’s not new. I was just hoping that this time maybe that I would be with someone who could love me,” she said.
Shannon confessed he was hoping to get over his ex-girlfriend via the experiment but kept his ex “on the fence” in case MAFS didn’t work in his favour.
The commitment ceremony was where Shannon was faced with some harsh truths as the relationship experts didn’t hold back, telling Shannon he would not been here had the experts been aware that he was still in love with his ex.
Although Caitlin admitted her new husband’s situation had felt like she been “slapped with all [her] traumas at once” she wanted to give the relationship a chance and so did Shannon.
That’s despite him revealing that had their roles been reversed, he would be a “hypocrite” and abandoned the experiment.
Shannon organised a lovely candle-lit dinner at home with Caitlin’s favourite dish, a classic chicken schnitzel. But his ‘grateful for another chance at love’ attitude didn’t stick around too long.
“That physical attraction, I don’t know if it’s there.”
Caitlin noticed the significant energy shift between them. While confronting their feelings, Shannon revealed had his wife “wowed” him during the wedding ceremony, he would have cut all ties with his ex.
“What are you my teacher?”
(Image: Nine)“You are a good-looking girl, just not in my eyes,” he told Caitlin.
An emotional Caitlin told the camera: “That whole conversation was about that I wasn’t good enough… I’ve done nothing but support him.”
Despite his attempts to interrupt Caitlin as she voiced her feelings, she stayed strong despite him saying “what are you, my teacher? Alright dad.” And she continued this mentality as she walked into the dinner party alone.
The next commitment ceremony was the pairs final. Despite the hurtful words thrown around and admitting everything was said to “hurt her”, Shannon wanted to stay in the experiment. Meanwhile, Caitlin desperately wanted to leave.
“I deserve to be treated like a human being.”
(Image: Nine)While the relationship experts asked Shannon what he would do differently in order to save the relationship, vague answers like “buy her flowers” or “reflection [on his] attitude” weren’t enough proof the relationship could survive.
John offered Caitlin an out, she responded: “I deserve to be respected; I deserve to feel wanted; I deserve to be treated like a human being. You don’t deserve me.”
“I came in here really hoping to meet someone who I could love and who could love me.
“This isn’t what I wanted… I deserve that chance, but this man does not deserve me.”
In her choice to leave, all the girls hugged Caitlin while Shannon walked out without saying goodbye.
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