Bettina Bell
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Fans have been searching far and wide for possible insight into the mind of Brad Womack, who spurned both Jenni Croft and DeAnna Pappas last week on the finale of The Bachelor. Now an insider has shed new light on the situation.

According to Kristin Veitch of E! Online, the real reason for Brad Womack's often criticized and shocking decision to choose either Jenni or DeAnna in the finale had, in reality, little to do with Jenni nor DeAnna, but with Bettina Bell.

Says a rock-solid source: "Brad was really into Bettina, who made it to the final four. But when he went to visit her parents, Bettina's father was so awful to him, Brad knew it wouldn't work. So, he was just sort of over the whole thing."

Was Bettina Bell behind Brad Womack's bungled Bachelor finale?

Brad visited Bettina's home in the sixth episode of this season (the reality show's 11th) and Bell's father sort of sealed her fate when he said he was "disappointed" by Brad's lack of a college degree, as well as with Womack's career choice.

Brad had only known Bettina Bell for a few weeks at the time, and being torn apart on national TV is not the sort of thing you want in a first impression.

So does this make Brad Womack's decision better or worse?

Obviously it's still painful for DeAnna Pappas and Jenni Croft, who had their hearts ripped out on TV, and for viewers, who felt like they themselves got robbed. But this certainly casts Womack - and Bettina Bell - in a new light.

Why did Bettina Bell risk heartbreak and humiliation on The Bachelor? In part because she is childhood pals with Tessa Horst, who won the heart of last season's Bachelor, Andy Baldwin, on the reality dating series.

"I don't know if I would have done it if it weren't for her," Bettina Bell, 27, now a real estate agent in Hermosa Beach, Calif., told the Washington Post.

The tall blonde was among the final three women competing for a proposal from Texan Brad Womack (he started with 25) until he eliminated her last week; her exit was one of the most dignified ever on a show known for weepy hysterics.

  A photo of Bettina Bell and Brad Womack on The Bachelor.

"What I was feeling was so good," Bettina Bell told Brad Womack as she was given the boot, but "... you aren't right for me and obviously vice versa."

Seems that - brace yourself - there's not a lot of reality in reality TV.

"You see us on a date, but we have five producers standing around," Bettina Bell said. The intimacy-on-camera? As yucky as you'd expect. "The producers say, 'If you give us a kiss on camera, then we'll leave.'"

Although sometimes, she says, "you do get lost in the moment."

And now Bettina Bell wonders how real the emotions were.

On air, she claimed to be "completely falling in love." But she told the Post that "it was more of a crush, magnified by the fact that there are 24 other women who are digging the guy you dig. So it's all blown out of proportion... You're in this dreamland, and all of a sudden you come to reality again."

Indeed, few couples from The Bachelor endure. And by few we mean none. Tessa Horst and Andy Baldwin's TV engagement is currently on hold.

Bell's only regret: bringing a TV crew into her parents' home in D.C., at which point her skeptical dad was cast as a killjoy. But the gig did get her name out there to a lot of folks looking to buy in Hermosa Beach.

"Business has never been busier," Bettina says.

Bettina Bell finally opened up to Brad Womack - but it was apparently too little, too late - as the 27-year-old, tearful Washington native was sent packing during The Bachelor's seventh episode Monday on ABC.

"I am really, really shocked. I completely, completely ... was falling in love with him, and... I did not see this coming at all," said Bettina after Brad narrowed the field to two - Jenni Croft and DeAnna Pappas.

"I trusted that I was falling in love with Brad and he was falling in love with me, and that was not the case. I can't even imagine right now putting myself out there again. I can't even imagine it. I think I just fell in love by myself... I think I just completely fell in love by myself."

Bettina Bell made probably her biggest impression during the show's hometown visits, when her D.C. dad was cast as a reality TV villain.

Georgetown architect Robert Bell got all frosty on Bachelor Brad Womack in the episode that aired the previous Monday after learning his daughter's Texas-based suitor is a college dropout who runs a group of bars.

"A great disappointment," the father of Bettina Bell said, laughing darkly on camera. "It would be nice if he had a PhD."

Damn. Tell us what you really think! Mr. Bell was much sweeter on the phone, telling the Washington Post: "[Brad Womack] is an extremely nice person; I'd be happy to have him back anytime in my house. But I'm not sure I'd want my daughter to marry someone who comes home every night at 2 a.m."

How was it bringing cameras into an intimate family moment?

"As long as you get it's just TV, it's a lot of fun, even if you play the bad guy."

Unfortunately, Bettina Bell - a real estate agent in Los Angeles vying with two other finalists - did not "win" a Womack proposal at the end.

Did he see it coming? Says Dad: "I'm just like you - I had no idea."

Having bid farewell to Sheena Stewart a week ago, only three women remained for The Bachelor star Brad Womack. It was time for individual overnight dates in Mexico, and boy, what dates they turned out to be.

Bettina, Jenni Croft and DeAnna Pappas each vied for the affections of the Texas entrepreneur. In the end, only two would remain standing. But who?

Brad Womack had his first date in Cabo San Lucas with Jenni Croft. The two went swimming at the dolphins which proved to be fun and unique.

Next, Brad headed out for a day of sailing with Bettina. At dinner, they rehash the fight they had when he visited Bettina's family in D.C.

Brad Womack's final date was with DeAnna Pappas and they had a really great time riding dune buggies. He admitted to having strong feelings for her in his interview, and said she had all of the qualities he was looking for.

How did it play out? Who's on their way home while the other two prepare for the biggest moment of their lives? Catch up on all the action in our episode guide to last night's thrilling edition of The Bachelor ...

On last night's episode of The Bachelor, Brad Womack the hometowns of the four remaining women - Bettina, DeAnna Pappas, Jenni Croft and Sheena Stewart - to meet their families and get a taste of their home life. For better or worse.

He hit it off with some families and experienced awkwardness and downright rude, unwelcoming behavior from others. So basically, this Bachelor finally saw what it's like to have in-laws. Bunch of losers if you ask us.

By the end of the evening, he narrowed the field from four to three - three lovely ladies he will take on romantic getaways to Cabo San Lucas next.

Brad Womack: Narrows the field to three!

While Jenni Croft, DeAnna Pappas, Bettina and Sheena Stewart have all showed great moxie and talent in getting this far, it's the end of the line for one of them.
Read on to see who got the boot in our episode guide!

It was an emotional farewell for two bachelorettes booted by Brad Womack on The Bachelor's latest episode, but it had to be done.

Literally, it had to. That's what he's required to do, narrow the field.

In any case, four women remain on The Bachelor. They're all hot and they've all got good credentials. Let's take a look at the final quartet.

• DeAnna Pappas is a 25-year-old Realtor from Neunan, Ga. She's a straight shooter with Southern charm. We like DeAnna Pappas' chances.

• Bettina is a 27-year-old Realtor from Washington, D.C., who is divorced. However, Bettina has had good chemistry with Brad so far.

• Jenni Croft, a 27-year-old Phoenix Suns cheerleader from Wichita, Kansas. But watch out, Brad Womack - Jenni Croft takes her career seriously.

• Sheena Stewart, 23, is an Internet marketing exec from Calif., who recently had a 1-on-1 date with Womack. Sheena Stewart might be a dark horse.

Our pick? Way too close to call. Although we're leaning towards Sheena, if only for her profession. The housing market is in the toilet, so you know DeAnna and Bettina may be in the unemployment line soon... or at least struggling. And the NBA sucks, so forget Jenni and her cheerleading. Internet marketing, though? That's a profession on the upswing!

On the fifth episode of this 11th season of The Bachelor, sexy Brad Womack headed out on three separate dates with the remaining six women.

After giving Hillary and Kristy the boot, he's narrowed the field to four remaining aspiring wives: Bettina, DeAnna Pappas, Jenni Croft and Sheena Stewart. Who will emerge victorious? How did Brad Womack narrow the field to these lovely ladies? The drama unfolded last night.

TOP: Sheena Stewart, Jenni Croft. BOTTOM: Deanna Pappas, Bettina.

Brad Womack was able to have two different one-on-one dates as well as a group date. The only roses given out were at the ceremony, and when one unlucky lady got eliminated, she melted down in historic fashion.

Bettina was the first to get a 1-on-1 date with Brad Womack. Jenni Croft, Kristy, Hillary, and DeAnna Pappas were invited on a group date to Brad's house for a pool party, while Sheena Stewart got a 1-on-1 date later.

Continue reading our episode guide to The Bachelor ...