Courtney Robertson Returns $80,000 Engagement Ring; Moves On With Arie Luyendyk
Courtney Robertson was photographed at the Neil Lane jewelry store in Los Angeles on Sunday to return the $80,000 3-carat engagement ring that she received from former "The Bachelor" star Ben Flajnik.
Robertson, who won Flajnik's heart during season 16 of the hit reality TV show, appeared glum as she clutched the engagement ring before handing it over to its rightful owners. It has been claimed that all winners of "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" do not personally pay for the engagement rings and therefore must return the jewelry if their relationships end, according to TMZ.com.
The 29-year-old model was in better spirits just a few nights prior when she was photographed kissing "The Bachelorette" favorite, Arie Luyendyk Jr., 31, during a night out.
The pair stunned onlookers while they were spotted enjoying an intimate meal on Thursday night at Quiessence Restaurant in Phoenix, Ariz. They were seen just one week after Robertson and Flajnik, 28, confirmed their split in a joint statement.
"After meeting over a year ago, we have decided to end our romantic relationship. The ups and downs weighed heavily on us both and ultimately we started to grow apart because of the distance, time apart, and our need to focus on our respective careers," the exes said in a statement to In Touch magazine.
"We have nothing but the utmost respect for each other, and both feel this is the right decision," they went on. "We continue to remain friends and will support each other in future endeavors. Thanks to everyone for your love and support, it's been quite a ride."
This is not the first time that Robertson- someone who become widely unpopular among her fellow contestants for her questionable behavior- Flajnik have faced relationship woes. In March, the pair admitted that they experienced problems shortly after "The Bachelor" finale's rose ceremony, during which he proposed to her.
Flajnik, a California-based winemaker, told the show's host, Chris Harrison, that he watched footage exposing Robertson's bad behavior toward other contestants; the discovery caused the pair to cancel their engagement, although they eventually got back together.
Robertson wasted no time grieving over her broken engagement, as she is now presumably dating Luyendyk Jr., who was left heartbroken by "Bachelorette" Emily Maynard.
