The Bachelor alum Rachael Kirkconnell has posted cryptic references to cheating and being blindsided after Matt James announced their breakup on social media.

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Matt announced his split from Rachael after four years of dating on Thursday, January 16 via Instagram, and his upload has been deemed "strange" and "weird" because of its religious connotation and lack of specifics.

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While Matt had tagged Rachael in his post, she has remained silent.

Rachael, however, appears to be dropping hints about what may have gone wrong in her relationship with The Bachelor's Season 25 star on social media.

Rachael, for instance, has reposted several cryptic TikTok videos -- one of which was about cheating.

In the video, the caption read, "Actual footage of me breaking into my friend's man's house after finding out they cheated," and a woman is shown tackling her significant other to the ground after catching him in a compromising situation.

Rachael also reposted a montage from Sex and the City that featured Carrie (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) saying that she "missed" her ex-fiance Aidan (played by John Corbett).

"I missed you. I lie in bed at night and I think about us and I think about you holding me," Carrie says in a voiceover before Aidan yells, "You broke my heart."

In the TV show, Carrie had cheated on Aidan with Mr. Big, played by Chris Noth, whom she eventually wed in the first Sex and the City movie.

Rachael did not elaborate on her postings, nor has she released a statement or publicly accused Matt of cheating on her.

But Rachael has also alluded to the fact Matt's January 16 breakup announcement "blindsided" her.

Shortly after Matt dropped the bombshell he and Rachael had called it quits,ne a fan wrote on Rachael's latest December 2024 Instagram post, "The more I'm thinking about it, the more I think he completely blindsided her with this. Give her some grace and let her respond in her own time."
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Rachael "liked" that comment, which appeared to be a subtle message to her fans.

A source told Us Weekly, however, that Rachael was blindsided by Matt's breakup announcement and not their breakup in general.

"The split may seem abrupt, but this has been brewing for a while. It was a long time coming. Matt just couldn't commit to her," the source said.

According to the source, it was " hard for Rachael to trust" Matt during the course of their relationship.

"Rachael really wanted to get married and settle down and they were not on the same page," the source explained. "She felt like she was waiting around, and he would never give her what she wanted."

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While "they are both very upset" about parting ways, the source added that Rachael is "ready to move on" and knows "it's for the best."

TikTok sleuth Gabby White had posted a video on Friday, January 17 speculating about the timing of Matt's eyebrow-raising split announcement considering he had just uploaded fun and flirty posts with Rachael from their trip in London one day earlier.

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"Last thing I'll say, which is the weirdest to me is I know that the London content was probably sponsored," Gabby said.

"He's probably contractually obligated to post it but the timing between having like a happy-go-lucky post, being in the comments being so loving and like, publicly together to literally 12 hours later posting this insanely worded break up post, that's the strangest part to me."

One follower responded in the comments section, "The old content from London makes sense if it was sponsored, but it feels like he could have edited her out or not liked/responded to comments about her on the posts."

Rachael's sister Trinity then shed some light on Matt's split announcement.

"Yea so they were still together when he was posting all that... just to give some perspective on the timeline of things," Trinity commented.

In a follow up TikTok post, Gabby revealed that Trinity claimed Matt had posted about his breakup from Rachael just three hours after their official split.

Trinity's version of the story would explain why Rachael allegedly felt "blindsided" by Matt's post.

On January 16, Matt posted a photo of himself meeting Rachael on Night 1 of The Bachelor's 25th season, which had filmed in late 2020 and aired in early 2021 on ABC.

"Father God, give Rachael and I strength to mend our broken hearts," Matt wrote.

"Give us a peace about this decision to end our relationship that transcends worldly understanding."

The former The Bachelor star concluded his post, "Shower our friends and family with kindness and love to comfort us. And remind us that our Joy comes from you, Lord."

Matt added a broken-heart emoji.

Matt's post shocked fans because he had just posted footage of his recent trips to London and Aspen with Rachael.

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And in December 2024, Rachael had penned a beautiful message to Matt on his birthday, suggesting their relationship was still going strong.

"Happiest of birthdays to my best friend, my teammate, my sous chef, the man that has my whole heart," Rachael wrote at the time.

"You fill it (and my tummy) with so much love and laughter and I'm so thankful I get to dance through this life with you. Thank you for your never ending love and support and smooches and snuggles. To many more adventures, happy birthday my pumpkin."

In October 2024, Matt teased how an engagement was "the next step" with Rachael during a joint appearance on the "De-Influenced with Dani + Jordan" podcast.

But Matt suggested he wasn't going to pick out just any diamond ring for his The Bachelor 25 winner.

"Having had so many of Rachael's friends go through engagements, I wouldn't dare go look at a ring without consulting Rachael first," Matt quipped.

"That's the problem," Rachael noted. "I don't even know what I want."

And Rachael agreed that Matt needed to check with her before making such a large purchase and ultimately popping the question.

"I have the finger ready," Rachael joked on the podcast. "I feel that's definitely something we want. I'm on his time... I definitely need to go find a ring I like and everything."

But Rachael said that once she picked out a ring she loved, it would be on Matt to do the rest at that point.

Matt admitted Rachael's indecision when it comes to the symbolic ring was "probably" the only thing standing in his way of proposing marriage.

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"I've been hinting at marriage for a very long time," Matt said. "I don't think Rachael is taking my hints seriously."

Rachael, who currently resides in Georgia with family and friends, and Matt, who lives in Florida, have been making the distance work.

"We do spend more time in Georgia than Florida, but I wouldn't mind living in Florida. I do have family in Florida, and I don't think he'd want to put roots down in Georgia, so I would be okay with going to Florida," Rachael explained at the time.

"I'd rather be in that climate than a cold one. I'd much rather be in Miami than New York."

Matt also joked about how he could envision himself being a stay-at-home dad, taking care of the kids.

The former The Bachelor star looked at Rachael and added, "So I'm going to empower you... [to] start your own brand."

Rachael laughed off Matt's comment and revealed that she was also ready to have kids.

"I'll say this, I love the idea of getting married and having that commitment to one another, and kids and family really excite me," Rachael stated.

"But, the idea of planning a wedding really puts me off. Sometimes I'm, like, 'Let's just elope.'"

In July 2024, Rachael said on Matt's YouTube page how she had envisioned herself being pregnant in the next five years.

Matt -- who was sitting right next to Rachael when she dropped the bombshell -- responded, "I agree! No, that's not shocking!"

Matt looked at his girlfriend and confirmed, "I want you to be pregnant."

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Rachael smiled big and elaborated, "Yeah, I feel like I'll be ready to be a mom at that point. I mean, if it happens tomorrow, great."

Matt went on to clarify, "I want to have kids, and I want to have multiple kids. So hopefully at this point in five years, we have, you know, one [in our arms] and one on the way."

Rachael concluded, "Whatever God gives us!"

Matt gave his final rose to Rachael on The Bachelor's Season 25 finale, but they proceeded to have a two-month split in early 2021.

Matt and Rachael briefly split in February 2021 during Rachael's memorable racism controversy, which resulted in former The Bachelor host Chris Harrison and ABC agreeing to part ways.

But Rachael was extremely apologetic, and so she and Matt reconciled in April 2021.

But right before the reconciliation, Reality Steve spoiler blogger Steve Carbone reported that Matt had attempted to hook up with a Florida-based woman named Grace.

Matt allegedly texted Grace to come see him before he left Florida allegedly knowing Rachael would be visiting him in New York "not as friends" about 48 hours later.

"He has a past with Grace. That past, once he was with Rachael, never overlapped because he basically ghosted Grace once he got on [The Bachelor]... But after Matt and Rachael broke up around Valentine's Day, he immediately hit Grace back up... [for a booty call]. Let's call it what it is," Carbone claimed at the time.

Grace, however, reportedly turned down Matt's invitation to hang out and then Matt allegedly told Rachael that Grace meant nothing to him and his intentions were honorable.

The spoiler blogger added, "I just want to applaud Matt on the effort he's putting into playing two women at the same time."

Despite Matt's denial about Grace, "Rachael essentially walked out on Matt and [said], 'We're done,'" according to Carbone.

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"Matt got caught with his pants down and she left and called her [The Bachelor] girls and hung out with them... She left Matt's apartment in a huff very upset and crying," Carbone said.

Rachael also reportedly contacted Grace directly to compare stories and the two women ultimately determined Matt had been playing them both.

However, Rachael took Matt back and they stayed together for years.

Matt teased in February 2024 that he and Rachael were happy doing things at their own pace.

The former The Bachelor star explained at the time, "If you do things that other people want you to do and you don't consider y'all's feelings, then I think that is a recipe for disaster."

But Matt said his marriage proposal to Rachael will be "special" -- not on the couch at home -- when that time comes and he's "definitely excited" about the idea of taking their relationship to the next level.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS) 

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.