Spoiler alert: Spoilers for Love Is Blind Season 3 follow. By now, you’ve likely binge-watched all of Love Is Blind Season 3, including the mega-shocking finale and *interesting* reunion episode (I’m still shook over the fact that Raven and SK are dating now!). While the last two episodes of this wild season uncovered a lot, what has the internet buzzing is Cole and Zanab’s relationship. The couple had a very rocky relationship throughout the season and ended up not tying the knot (they loosened the knot instead, I suppose), and Zanab even revealed that Cole “destroyed [her] self-confidence.” And now, the whole situation has gotten even more messy, because on Nov. 10, Zanab posted a super cryptic letter to Cole on IG. Hmm…
ICYMI, Zanab dropped a major bombshell at the altar before rejecting Cole. “I think I have a really good idea about the type of woman that’s gonna love you the way Cole needs to be loved every day for the rest of your life. And I think you and I both know that that is not me,” Zanab said.
She continued, “As much as I have wanted it to be me and have tried to manipulate myself to be that person for you, the last two months have not been picture-perfect. You have disrespected me. You have insulted me. You have critiqued me. And for what it is worth, you have single-handedly shattered my self-confidence. And I hate that you have had that kind of effect on me.” And with that, Zanab walked out, leaving a frozen Cole alone at the altar.
The emotional reunion episode uncovered even more about Cole and Zanab’s relationship, and Zanab claimed that there was a lot more footage that Netflix didn’t include in the season. “The pushing food away from me, asking if I’m gonna eat that, trying to get me to order a salad, the daily comments about my face and my body, were not used,” Zanab said. And one scene that didn’t air (until now) that has now taken the internet by storm? The Cuties story.
“It was like 2 p.m. [and] we were still filming,” Zanab said. “I hadn’t had a chance to eat, so I grabbed two Cuties — little, tiny oranges that fit in the palm of your hand. [Cole] looked at me and he goes, ‘Are you gonna eat both of those?’ And I said, ‘Well, like, yeah. That’s a serving.’ And he goes, ‘Well, we’re going out to eat later. Maybe you should save your appetite.’” Her Campus reached out to Cole’s team for comment about the story but didn’t hear back by the time of publication. After Zanab shared the story, Cole repeatedly denied that he never tried to control what Zanab ate and urged the producers to air the clip — and so they did, right at the end of the reunion episode.
According to the lightly-edited video clip, the story went a bit something like this: Cole and Zanab were in the kitchen, and Zanab started peeling a Cutie. “Are you about to eat two of those?” Cole asked, watching her peel the tiny orange. “Maybe,” Zanab replied. “That’s a serving. You OK with that?” Cole responded, “You better save your appetito for our big ol’ supper tonight.” Zanab then told him she only ate a “banana and a scoop of peanut butter” that day, and Cole asked her why, but she refused to tell him. “Oh, are you getting [that] wedding dress bod?” he said in a joking tone. And the scene ended.
After receiving online backlash from fans, Zanab took to her IG. In her post, she shared several photos of her and Cole together — and in her caption, she wrote a super cryptic letter to him. “Cole,” she wrote, “I fought for us until I couldn’t anymore. I know you know that. I know you know why I said what I said. I know you know what you did. It’s OK if you aren’t ready to talk about that yet.” She signed the online letter “Zae,” which was a nickname Cole had for her throughout the show. OK, but what does this all mean?! Her Campus reached out to Cole’s team for comment on Zanab’s Instagram post but didn’t hear back by the time of publication.
Zanab continued with a written apology to the internet, writing, “An apology for the internet: I am sorry. I’m sorry you weren’t in that relationship. I’m sorry you didn’t feel what I felt. I’m sorry we don’t have the same triggers. I’m sorry me standing up for myself offended you so greatly. I’m sorry you didn’t see all the reasons for what I said. I’m sorry you didn’t live that with me. I’m sorry that you don’t know me. I’m sorry your insecurities are different than my own. I’m sorry your online hate says so much more of you than it ever will of me. I’m sorry Deepti’s wedding was a week before mine, long before you or I knew her story. I’m sorry you are attacking my faith. I’m sorry you don’t believe me. I’m sorry I know how worthy I am. I’m sorry you have the time to be a keyboard warrior. I’m sorry I’m not a paid actress. I’m sorry I can’t cry on demand. I’m sorry you feel manipulated, gaslit and played. I’m sorry I’m your villain. I’m sorry I’m your bad guy — I promise you I’m not.”
She added, “One thing about me, I choose my words carefully and I stand by everything I said.”