Pascal Ibgui's Exit Leaves Joan Heartbroken on 'The Golden Bachelorette' (SPOILERS)

Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for Season 1 of The Golden Bachelorette.

We're getting down to the wire on The Golden Bachelorette, with leading lady Joan Vassos gearing up to hand out her final rose.

In the latest episode, the 61-year-old private school administrator travels to Tahiti with her final three guys: Chock Chapple, Guy Gansert, and Pascal Ibgui.

Joan's overnight dates with Guy and Chock go smoothly, but her Fantasy Suite experience with Pascal takes an unexpected turn. During the evening segment of their date, the salon owner opts to leave and self-eliminates.

But why? What led to Pascal's decision to leave? Here's what we know.

In a heartbreaking twist, Pascal Ibgui leaves The Golden Bachelorette because he's not in love with Joan. While he cares for her as a friend, he doesn't sense the spark necessary for a successful romantic relationship. He also seems to still be hung up on his ex-girlfriend.

Before his date with Joan, Pascal confides in host Jesse Palmer about his struggles with vulnerability and letting down his walls. He shares that he was "very much in love" with a woman about a year ago, and they nearly got engaged. Their relationship was on and off, with two breakups before ultimately parting ways for good after their third split, as they found themselves hurting each other.

Though he wants to move on, Pascal finds it challenging because he still has love for his ex-girlfriend. Pascal's son wishes for his father to be happy and in love, and Pascal longs for someone who can help him trust and love again — but that person just isn't Joan.

During their date, Joan and Pascal take part in a Tahitian bonding ceremony that requires them to be vulnerable and talk about difficult things. Pascal feels caught off guard — he expected a more lighthearted date. Although he tries his best to show her who he is, his defenses remain intact. Ultimately, he admits he's scared and not ready for this.

While having dinner together, Pascal breaks the news to Joan. He explains his past heartbreak and how the ceremony intensified his fears. While he cares for Joan as a friend, Pascal admits he can't meet her emotional needs. He's still healing from his previous relationship and doesn’t think they share the necessary spark.

Joan is crushed, saying she feels like a failure and fears she will end this journey alone.

"If I'm going to be honest, it hurts," Joan tells the cameras through tears. "The way he said it, when he said, 'I know what true love is, and I don't feel that for you.' It made me know that he knew how to love ... and I just wasn't lovable."

As Pascal leaves, the gravity of the moment hangs heavily between them. He feels terrible for hurting her, while Joan is uncertain about her future.

Catch new episodes of The Golden Bachelorette on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST, only on ABC. Stream the next day on Hulu.