Michael Allio ended things with Sierra Jackson on the Oct. 10 episode of Bachelor in Paradise. Things had been going amazing between the couple since day one of the show, and they had already been having deep conversations. However, when Sierra already began talking about potentially being a stepmom to Michael’s son, it started hitting him that things were moving a bit quickly.
Sierra thoughtfully told Michael that she had bought a star constellation for him, his late wife, Laura, and their son, James, so the three of them could always be together, regardless of where Michael ended up. Michael was touched and told Sierra that she was the “most thoughtful person” he’d ever come across. He knew, though, that he still had to tell her that he was having doubts about their relationship.
“The past couple of days, I have been taking time to enjoy where we’re at and knowing that this whole thing moves so quickly,” Michael said. “But, at the same time, some things take time. I feel like I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something missing with us. I know you can feel me being guarded and I don’t mean to do that, I really don’t. I’m trying to find a way back to happiness and the thing that scares me the most is that I’m using people that I actually care about to help me get there and I’m hurting them along the way. And it’s messing with me. I care so much about you and I don’t want you to be one of those. I think the best thing now is just space from the romantic pressure and just be friends.”
Sierra and Michael hugged it out, but she didn’t want to stay on the show any longer now that their relationship was over. She told the rest of the group that she was going to be leaving. “Of course I’m upset, I’m sad. I really care for him,” she admitted, in tears. “I still do care for him. No matter what, I don’t wish anything bad upon him. I mean, I still want him, but I have to respect what he needs. That’s what you do when you care about someone. You support them and respect what they need. I also don’t want to see him dating other people, so I’d rather go home and be with my family.”
Michael also cried as he said goodbye to Sierra, officially putting an end to their romance. “It makes me sad,” he said in a confessional. “My dating history after Laura passed has just been something I’m trying to navigate. Dealing with grief, there’s no rulebook to it. But it’s like…I don’t want the pain that I have to feel to overflow into somebody else’s world. It’s not their problem. I don’t want to hurt people in this process — good people, like Sierra. It’s just not something I do. It’s not something I want to do.”