Bachelor in Paradise star Jacob Rapini has admitted he made a big mistake on the show -- letting Jill Chin go.
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Jill, who had been loyal to Jacob during their separation and longed to reunite with him, left Paradise immediately after their breakup.
"I truly do wish I had," Jacob told Us Weekly on its "Here For the Right Reasons" podcast when asked if he wishes he had given his relationship with Jill more time.
"Obviously, at that point, Kate and I were no longer, and I was perfectly fine with that. Yeah, I wish I had tried to pursue us as just a couple."
Jacob continued, "Getting engaged at the end, probably not, but us as an actual relationship where we could be, you know, just talking and having fun with each other like we were before, I kind of do wish that I at least continued things."
Jacob said he dumped Jill on the beach after the twist trying to be fair to her.
"What I did there was I said, 'Okay, look, I don't want to lead you on anymore. I want you to see if you can find your soul mate here.' I didn't want her to leave right away," Jacob insisted.
"I didn't think she would leave right away. But after what happened with her and [Romeo Alexander] and then having a relationship with her and I, Jill just said, 'You know what? Enough is enough. I gotta go.'"
The self-declared Tarzan on the beach added, "I still wish I had just said, 'Let's just see what you and I have.' Maybe things would've gone better."
Jill slammed Jacob in her final words by saying she cried over a Lyft driver who had sold his couch for cash.
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Jacob laughed and said, "Oh my god, she's an extremely emotional being, and to be honest, Jill and I still have a great relationship to this day. We still talk a lot. That's just who she is."
The former mortgage broker from Scottsdale, AZ, said Jill loves to tease him and joke around.
"But that's why Jill is an amazing person. She really is a sweet individual. I just wish she wasn't as emotional over me in that particular case, just because I am a fun, goofy person and just like to have some fun," Jacob noted.
"Ultimately, I am there for a proposal. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. But again, it is sad to see her leave like that."
Jacob also admitted it was hard watching Jill struggle so much at the hotel during the surprise twist this season.
Jill seemed to cry every day and hold onto crystals in bed that reminded her of her first date with Jacob in Paradise.
Jacob told Us it's "amazing" how emotional Jill is, adding, "But I didn't want her to react like that, because we had only known each other for a few days prior to this. We went on a date after talking for just two days, so we were still fresh in each other's minds. We were still a very fresh couple."
Jacob suggested Jill probably would've had a better mindset during their separation had they spoken before splitting up.
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Jacob said producers wouldn't let him have any time with Jill before saying goodbye.
"It probably would've gone a little bit better for both of us, in terms of me being a little less cautious," Jacob noted.
"Also, I let every girl know... I was also talking with Jill, so that may have made things a little bit more difficult... because they didn't know if I had something stronger with Jill."
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When Jacob broke up with Jill, he confessed to the bachelorette he had kissed Kate.
"I thought that something was there and I pursued it. That connection was a little bit stronger... but [it] didn't go through and she's actually with somebody else right now," Jacob explained.
"But the fact I felt a stronger pull to Kate, that right there was a signal for me to say that I don't have that thing I'm looking for with you. You have a unique personality I love and enjoy, but I don't think it's personally right for me. We are here to find happiness and our person."
Jacob is still on Bachelor in Paradise's eighth season, which is heading into the third Rose Ceremony, but he's not in a relationship with anyone.
Prior to Jill, Jacob had sparked connections with Lace Morris, Kira Mengistu and Hailey Malles -- but none of them lasted.
"I never wanted to lead anybody on. I never wanted that to happen whatsoever," Jacob said.
"I did what I could to see who I meshed with the most. You know, like, you're gonna go into this world and say, 'Well, who do I like the most?' Well, I gotta talk to you first. I gotta get to know you mentally, physically, emotionally."
Jacob confirmed he had "a really great relationship" with all three of those women.
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"I don't think so. But again, nothing against Lace. She's an amazing person."
Jacob said he had entered Paradise with a fresh slate, not knowing anybody or expecting to meet any bachelorette in particular.
"I just said, 'Let's see who's open to a long-term relationship,'" Jacob recalled.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski