As Netflix’s Love Is Blind swiftly comes to an end, it’s safe to say that Season 7 has been one of the most cringe-worthy seasons yet. Each episode has been drama-filled and has turned into a hot mess with all of the plot twists. But the real drama has been unfolding off-screen. And one engaged contestant, in particular, has left viewers reeling with the entire Internet looking at him sideways.
Ahead of this season’s reunion episode, fans learned a shocking secret about Tyler Francis since his proposal to Ashley Adionser. From the beginning of the season, the couple had been a fan favorite, known for their genuine connection and undeniable chemistry. And out of all the men in the pods, there wasn’t a red flag in sight about Francis. But as their engagement progressed, cracks began to appear in their seemingly flawless relationship.
When the pair arrived in Mexico for their engagement trip, one of the first red flags fans picked up on was Francis’ warning to Adionser about his exes potentially speaking ill of him. “I wasn’t nice to ya’ll. Y’all didn’t give me a reason to be nice,” Francis said about his exes on one of their dates.
However, that didn’t seem to bother Adionser as she reassured her fiancé that nothing could drive a wedge between them. “There’s nothing no one can tell me,” Adionser said confidently. While Adionser reassured him that nothing or no one could break their relationship apart, viewers couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease.
From the pods to their post-engagement trip, the two appeared to be one of the healthiest and strongest couples. That was true until fans discovered Francis had fathered three kids. The fact that he had kept this important detail hidden until two weeks before his wedding stunned viewers and raised serious questions about his honesty and intentions. Because seriously, why would he not reveal these pertinent details, especially early on, while getting to know each other in the pods?
Francis shared that he had helped a couple start a family by donating sperm. He described it as a selfless act motivated by divine guidance.
To make matters worse, Francis had been discussing having children with Adionser, probing her about how many kids she wanted and envisioning future family traditions. In any case, withholding specific details or not providing all necessary facts is considered a form of dishonesty. It wasn’t until episode nine that Francis confessed to Adionser about his double life. His deception was a major blow to viewers’ trust in him, and his likability plummeted, and rightly so, as Francis continued to completely gloss over the fact he was already a father to a boy and a set of twins.
Since the latest episodes were released, fans have been trying to piece together the timeline of events and understand the full extent of the controversy surrounding Francis and Adionser’s engagement.
Here’s what we know so far:
Every story has multiple sides, and the recent revelations surrounding Francis and Bri Thomas (the mother of his children) present a complex narrative. While Francis portrayed himself as a mere sperm donor, Thomas’s account paints a picture of a more involved relationship.
In episode 10, Francis shared that he had helped a couple start a family by donating sperm. He described it as a selfless act motivated by divine guidance. “I had a very close friend, her and her wife wanted to have a baby,” he said. “And they couldn’t afford a sperm donor. I thought that was God telling me, ‘Help someone else.’ And it felt good.”
Following this shocking admission, Adionser asked if the children knew what he looked like. Francis’ responded by saying, “I don’t think so.” However, evidence suggests otherwise. Photos circulating online show Francis posing with his children on various special occasions. On Oct. 7, 2024, Lovetta Thomas (the children’s grandmother) posted a video montage on Instagram that included screenshots of Francis posing with his kids for birthdays, holidays, and intimate family gatherings.
Additionally, Thomas’ Instagram posts offer a different perspective from Francis’. While she corroborated Francis’ story about being her and her wife’s sperm donor, she added significant details about his involvement in their children’s lives. In a five-part video series on Instagram, the mom of three addressed the rumors and provided additional context that gave further insight into his involvement.
After splitting from her ex-wife, she became a single mother. She revealed that Francis stepped into a parental role, offering to be a father to their first child, contrary to the initial agreement of being a sperm donor.
“One day, I received a text from Tyler, and he asked if I would be okay with him being a father to Kyreaux [their son] because he did not want him to be raised by a single mother as he had,” Bri Thomas said. After considering his responsibilities as a father, she agreed that he should be an active parent in their son’s life. “Since that moment, Tyler has been considered to be and acted as a father to Kyreaux,” she continued.
Now, regarding his twins, she explained they were unplanned and conceived naturally without any complications. Francis was by her side throughout her pregnancy and childbirth, signed the birth certificate, and they lived together as a family at one point as co-parents.
His deception was a major blow to viewers’ trust in him, and his likability plummeted, and rightly so.
“There has never been any confusion or additional context surrounding the twins’ origin,” Thomas said. “We left the hospital as parents of three children. We lived together for over a year in an attempt to give the kids a two-parent household with the understanding that we were still going to be dating other people.”
But Thomas claims that Francis’ behavior changed after he returned from filming the show. She alleges that he began neglecting his children and ultimately lost touch with them entirely, with the last interaction taking place on Sept. 30, 2023.
Thomas said she became suspicious when Francis deleted his Facebook page, where he had recently posted family photos. “I was completely heartbroken for my children. I thought everything was okay between us. I never imagined or thought he would attempt to disown our kids,” she devastatingly continued.
At the end of episode nine, Adionser and Francis appear to have a tense conversation that hints at a significant revelation. While the exact topic was initially unclear, viewers assumed it was related to Francis’ children due to recent social media discoveries. While speaking, Adionser eventually confirmed they were talking about the kids’ situation as she tried to process the information.
“You’ve been running around here talking about how we’re getting married,” Adionser began. “But you’ve also been running around saying how you wanna have kids now. And it’s like, ‘Whoa, how did you even talk about any of that?’ I just can’t wrap my mind around it… We’ve talked about kids every day. It’s not your kid. Kids. But they are your kids. And it’s with someone that you know.”
Adionser then proceeds to interrogate Francis about his involvement with his children, demanding details about their gender, photos, and documentation of his limited involvement. Francis remained silent, frustrating Adionser further because she felt betrayed by his deception and expressed her loss of trust.
Based on Episode 10, it’s clear Adionser was unaware of the full extent of Francis’ involvement with his children. While he was indeed a sperm donor, he had painted a more limited picture. Although that part is true, that’s only half the story’s entirety. The conversation concluded with the couple agreeing to work on their relationship and continue the experiment.
Later in the episode, at the Great Gatsby-themed party, Adionser updated her castmates on the situation, defending Francis’ character and highlighting his positive treatment of her before the revelation. Although their relationship status is unclear, it’s possible that they are still together and may even be married.
While Francis and Adionser have remained relatively tight-lipped about the drama, their silence has only fueled speculation, with fans eagerly awaiting their responses to recent allegations. Francis finally broke his silence (somewhat) in an Oct. 14 Instagram post. In response to fan comments questioning his involvement with his children, he stated, “This is not facts. Just be patient. I’ll explain it all very soon.”
Adionser also recently addressed a misconception in her comments section on Instagram, clarifying that she was not upset with Francis for being a sperm donor. Instead, her frustration stemmed from his failure to disclose this information to her sooner.
While Francis and Adionser have participated in several press interviews discussing their relationship from the curveballs and challenges they faced on the show, they have yet to address the controversy surrounding Francis’ children publicly. As fans continue to speculate and seek answers, it remains to be seen whether the couple will offer a more detailed explanation in the near future. Either way, we’ll be tuned in and standing by to see how this plays out.
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This article was originally published on refinery29.com.
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