Bachelorette Jenn Tran appreciated ex Matt Rossi’s romantic gesture as an attempt to win her back, but ultimately sent him packing.

During the Monday, August 5, episode of The Bachelorette, Jenn’s remaining contestants weren’t pleased to find out that her ex traveled to New Zealand for a chance to vie for her affections.

After Matt surprised Jenn during last week’s episode, he suited up and headed to the cocktail party. Several of her suitors, including one of her frontrunners Devin Strader, threatened to quit the show if she let Matt stay.

While talking with Matt, Jenn asked why he chose to come back into her life. “I mean, it’s severely now or never,” he replied. “You’re leaving this thing engaged. There’s no flexibility there.”

Jenn noted that she didn’t know Matt “felt that way” about her, which led him to explain how his feelings developed.

“I would say it did happen all at once, but over time, finding us coming back together, I just saw things in you that just made things so deep,” he said. “[When] we first really tried things out, we were much different people. We were not the adults that we are today. And I just feel like as we’ve grown into more adults over time, we’ve just found this bond growing stronger, and I hope that you can see how much that you mean to me. I’m just not ready to let it go.”

Jenn, who dated Matt on and off after their initial relationship began in 2020, replied, “This is hard for me, because you know how much I care about you.”

Jenn reflected on her romance with Matt and noted that the pair “had a lot of great times together” and are “just compatible in a lot of different ways.”

“At the same time, I’ve been dating these 11 guys, I feel torn,” she said in a confessional. “I’m fighting between this past versus this newness. I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I have to make a decision.”

After their talk, Matt proceeded to tell the men that he’s not staying on the show after Jenn told him to go home.

“I just wanted to take a second to let you guys know I did come here completely on my own volition, but she let me know her future’s in this room,” he said. “She feels confident that you guys can offer something I can’t, and I’m just here to apologize, I’m not here to take anything away from your experience. I wish you all the best. I wish her the best.”