After Blake Horstmann released text messages about what went down with Caelynn Miller-Keyes during their weekend at Stagecoach earlier this year, the blonde beauty is defending her actions. On the Tuesday, September 17, episode, Blake recounted their drama during the Bachelor in Paradise reunion.

“We talked from January to March and Stagecoach happened, and then, a week before Paradise, we decided if somebody asked us, we were going to tell people and so, going into Paradise, that was my thought. She said, it’s not a big deal if we make it a big deal,” he said. “I didn’t go into Paradise making it a big deal.”

However, the 24-year-old beauty queen wanted to tell her side of the story. “There are just so many layers to this. I said, you know what, it’s not a big deal if we don’t make it a big deal, but let’s come in and be fully honest. I came in, and I was honest,” she admitted. “I felt like the reason I was so upset was I felt like I was being ignored the whole time on the beach, and he was talking to everyone else he was talking to prior. That was where I kind of exploded, and I fully regret that. I made a lot of mistakes, and I take ownership for everything. There were a lot of hurt feelings there. I know watching it back you’re not a bad guy, but I was hurt and those are the emotions you saw.”

Caelynn Miller Keyes Cries on 'BIP' Reunion
ABC

So, why did Blake, 30, decide to post the text messages on Instagram in the first place? “The reason I released those text messages is because of the allegations that you said that were not true,” he said. “If I were to sit on this stage and say, you know, we talked, she came on to me. I would have been laughed off the stage.”

Of course, Caelynn was emotional about what the Colorado native had done. “I never felt so exposed or violated my entire life. I truly feel disgusting that everyone has seen that sh–t,” she said while tearing up.

Apparently, Blake even called Caelynn before he was going to post their exchange online. “I knew she would get attacked for embellishing the truth, but what I saw and what was hard to see was the fact that she was getting attacked for having sex,” he said.

Caleynn fired back, saying, “I told you that was going to happen when you called me right before you posted those. You knew all of this was going to happen. It’s just like, your whole point of this — it was premeditated. You’re holding onto this since July. Your whole point was to discredit me, and you have done far more than that. You discredited me in every aspect of my life.”

At the end of the day, the handsome hunk explained why he did what he did. “Listen, I knew that people were going to be mad at me, but I felt like I had to defend myself because I had no idea she was saying those things,” he confessed. “She said that I played her, sweet talked her into bed — those are not light allegations.”

Dean Unglert and Derek Peth encouraged Blake to apologize to Caelynn. “I was hurt and sad and I overreacted, but I would never stoop so low to air those text messages,” she said.

Blake on BIP Reunion
ABC

Finally, Blake left the hot seat on a positive note. “The whole situation sucks. I tried to get my truth out, and I am so sorry you got attacked, and I am so sorry you are feeling the way you are. I am, and I want to apologize to everybody,” he said. “It seems like a lot of you feel that my actions before Paradise ruined some of your experiences and that is not what I wanted to happen. Clearly, I made some mistakes, and I am going to learn from them.”

Hopefully, Caelynn and Blake can move on from this.