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Eliza Isichei selected Rodney Mathews end Justin Glaze at the fourth rose ceremony in season 8 of Bachelor in Paradise, but her decision came after much back and forth. The original Eliza beat it with Rodney, but then Justin, who had previously been eliminated, returns to the beach just to pursue her. Justin admitted that it was difficult for him to revisit the love triangle because of how close he was to Rodney prior to filming.
“I got the impression that [Eliza] just got there [when I returned]but, all of a sudden, that’s not the case,” Justin said HollywoodLife ONLY. “I was even told that she was not one of my sons she was talking to, but, all of a sudden, it was. So when I got down there and I had a dating card and I saw her sitting next to Rodney, I had to put two and two together. Of course I hesitated because Rodney was my man. I was like, ‘What am I even doing in Paradise’? “
However, Justin realizes that he’s there “selfish to some extent.” He said he knew what he was back for and had “focused the laser” on Eliza. “It was awkward,” he admitted. “Fortunately, [Rodney] and I are both very mature and minded guys, that has helped me a lot. Looking back, I didn’t realize how powerful they were, which made it harder to watch because I just went with what I wanted. But at the same time, it hurt a friend, so it was very difficult.”
Even when Eliza gave Rodney her rose, she started having second thoughts the next day. She’s injured dumping Rodney and left the beach to fly to Justin’s house and pursue him. However, we won’t see the outcome of that conversation until next week’s episode.
Justin also opened up about why he wanted to pursue Eliza, although there was no connection prior to filming. “I saw her on Clayton [Echard]’S and honestly, I want to find people who don’t have a lot of time to watch movies because I can relate to that,” he explains. “Although I’ve come a long way, I haven’t shown that much. So I consider those people to be more reserved and not show up, they can be a lot more normal than people who are just excited about TV. So obviously, she’s beautiful, but what a lot of people don’t realize is, before I [was eliminated], I inquired about her. I was very interested in having her on my shortlist and waited for her to come down the steps. So when I heard she was coming, I was looking forward to getting to know and bond with her. I was intrigued by what was behind her beauty and discreet presence. “
Meanwhile, Eliza also expressed interest in getting to know Rodney and Justin before the show. “I’ve heard great things about both of you,” she told us. “So I wanted to see what that was like on the beach, and if that was true or not, what they would be like in person. I’ve heard great things from my friends, so I’m excited about it.”
