Taylor Frankie Paul has admitted to cheating on Doug Mason, the winner of her season of "The Bachelorette," with her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. The confession came during the premiere of "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" Season 5.
Paul revealed in a confessional that she and Mortensen, with whom she co-parents their 2-year-old son Ever, began texting immediately after "The Bachelorette" filming concluded. Mortensen subsequently visited Paul at her home, leading to infidelity.
"The fact that I am engaged to Doug, that is where, I think, things get a little trickier, because I still have feelings [for Mortensen]," Paul stated. She described her connection to Mortensen as an "addiction," noting that such feelings can be more powerful than the substance of addiction itself.
During the "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" episode, filmed in January, Mortensen surprised Paul at her house. Their interaction quickly devolved into a dispute over Mortensen's activities while Paul was away filming, resulting in him leaving her home.
Paul stated that she prefers a less complicated life but finds herself drawn to chaos, which she described as a familiar state stemming from "pure pain."
ABC canceled Paul's "Bachelorette" season in March before it aired, following the leak of a 2023 domestic incident video involving her and Mortensen. Filming for "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" was also halted that month due to investigations into alleged abuse incidents between Paul and Mortensen.
Paul ultimately ended her engagement to Mason about a month after filming wrapped, according to reports. Prior to the engagement's end, Mason had publicly supported Paul after the cancellation of her "Bachelorette" season.
In April, reports indicated that Paul and Mason were attempting to reconcile and "trying to make it work." However, their current relationship status remains unclear.
Paul and Mortensen continue to be involved in a contentious custody battle over their son, Ever, and have exchanged accusations of abuse.