"Appreciating you" — The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On star Aria admits she needs to get better at "validating" Scotty

Episode 8 of The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On season 3, titled You're Playing With Fire, showcased couples moving back in with their original partners. The episode aired on December 11 and marked a crucial phase in the experiment where participants evaluated their compatibility and addressed unresolved issues.

During a candid conversation where Scotty put forward his expectations of getting validation from Aria, she admitted to Scotty:

"Something that I do know that I need to be better about is just like validating and appreciating you."

The latest batch of episodes, 6 to 8, delivered emotional highs and lows for the cast, setting the stage for decision day. While some couples mended their relationships, others faced growing divides. In this episode, Aria and Scotty were shown addressing compatibility and communication gaps.

---

The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On: Scotty and Aria's discussion

In their apartment, Aria and Scotty had a heated exchange about unspoken expectations. Their discussion in The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On episode 8 began with Aria’s playful critique of Scotty’s grocery shopping efforts but quickly escalated into deeper concerns. Scotty expressed frustration over feeling unappreciated, stating:

"I feel like you don’t have any trust in any decision that I make. But I also just feel like how would I be in the place in life that I am if I didn't make any good decisions?"

He also shared that receiving validation from other women during the process made him realize that he didn't get that from Aria. The latter, in turn, acknowledged her shortcomings. She admitted:

“I feel like I am saying the stuff that needs to be worked on, but I’m never actually appreciating the other things that you’re doing. And I feel like that is why this has lasted as long as it's lasted and also why I haven't given up on the relationship. You don't feel appreciated because I'm always critiquing things.”

However, Scotty highlighted how her critiques often felt personal, adding:

"You’re not critiquing things, you are critiquing me."

Scotty expressed his frustrations to Aria, pointing out how he often felt unfairly judged in their relationship.

He told her that it seemed like she carried assumptions about him based on her past disappointments with men and projected those "preconceived notions" onto him. Scotty shared that despite proving himself over the past three years, it felt as though she was waiting for him to make a mistake, only to validate her lack of faith in him.

This ongoing dynamic in The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On, according to Scotty, made him question how he could navigate such challenges for a lifetime, and directly stated that this was one of the reasons he did not want to get married. While their conversation was reasonable for the most part, it ended on a tense note.

---

What happened in episode 8 of The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On

The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On episode 8 captured pivotal moments as couples reconnected with their original partners. Sandy and Nick’s journey was marked by heartfelt conversations and efforts to rebuild trust.

Sandy questioned Nick's reliability, but Nick assured her of his dedication. Sandy's residual doubts were later clarified during a meeting with her family, as she acknowledged that she felt more at ease with her trial partner, J.R.

J.R. and Zaina’s relationship also took center stage. Zaina expressed a renewed sense of love for J.R., attributing his growth to the experiment. In a playful yet meaningful exchange, Zaina gifted J.R. a Philadelphia Eagles-themed grill set, calling him her “grill master zaddy” and joking:

“You might want to put a ring on it. Eagles will win forever.”

Mariah and Caleb also faced critical moments. Mariah’s candid confession about her self-sabotaging behavior was met with empathy from Caleb. However, Caleb’s admission that he wasn’t ready for marriage hinted at unresolved tensions between them.

By the end of The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On episode 8, Aria decided to leave the room in frustration, as she felt Scotty didn't have faith in her.

---

Fans can watch The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On season 3 exclusively on Netflix.