All is fair in love, war and The Challenge? Not quite the case for Ashley “Millionaire” Mitchell, who admitted on the latest episode of Spies, Lies and Allies that she might just be catching feelings for (gasp!) Nelson. But now that the crush has spilled over into semi-heartbreak (and a consequent blowout with Berna), will Ashley be able to refocus on the game en route to her third potential championship?
Ashley, who’s been romantically linked to Jamie, Tony and Kyle across her Challenge career, set her sights on Nelson instead, at the top of Season 37. Ashley said she and Nelson had begun to develop a friendship (with occasional benefits) after becoming neighbors in Texas, and slowly, Ashley (though she admitted such behavior was not in her best interest) began to catch feelings.
“I know that he’s probably not boyfriend material,” Ashley said. “Can I see myself with Nelson? Oh, Lord, I need Jesus. I think I like Nelson.”
Unfortunately, the feeling wasn’t totally mutual.
“[Ashley] is funny; she’s smart,” Nelson said. “[But] is there something between us? I wouldn’t say all that.”
Ashley, on the other hand, said a mouthful later at the bar, where she spotted Nelson chatting up one of the game’s new proteges, Berna. Berna insisted she and Nelson were simply speaking gameplay and that she wasn’t interested in him romantically, but a Smashley Smackdown was already in motion, and both Berna and Nelson bore the worst of it.
“You don’t respect me at all!” Ashley spat at Berna. “She doesn’t care about Nelson until I hang out with Nelson.”
And CT, who watched as Ashley set chaos into motion, worried she was already shooting herself in the foot, especially since Berna was CT’s partner.
“One way or another, she’s gonna try to send Berna home,” CT said. “Ashley is out for blood.”
Still, none of Ashley’s tears or pleas for understanding moved Nelson, who said he was sticking to his guns with Berna.
“If she doesn’t like it, I don’t care,” Nelson said. “She’s gonna have to accept it.”
Still, Devin, who, like CT, watched the chaos unfold from a distance, saw acceptance as unlikely from Ashley.
“I don’t think we should call her Ashley ‘Millionaire’ Mitchell anymore,” Devin said. “I think we’ve gotta switch that to Ashley ‘Meltdown’ Mitchell. She has way more meltdowns than she does cash.”
Thankfully for Ashley, the house still wound up voting Kelz and Tracy into The Lair, where they were eventually eliminated by Agency nominees Emy and Ed. But will dodging a bullet one week mean Ashley is out of the woods, or is there still a chance she’ll be on the chopping block after the next mission?
What do you think — will Ashley be able to sever her ties with Nelson and focus on the game, or are emotions sometimes too much to transcend, and has calling out Berna already signaled battle drums? Share your thoughts, then hang tight for the next episode of Spies, Lies and Allies.
