A dramatic reunion for Love Is Blind season nine revealed a new layer of heartbreak for Madison Maidenberg. She directly confronted her ex-fiancé, Joe Ferrucci, and fellow contestant Kacie McIntosh, stating that their actions were the reason her engagement fell apart. The emotional confrontation exposed a love triangle that formed after the pods, leaving viewers stunned.
The Reunion Confrontation
During the season nine reunion, host Vanessa Lachey asked Kacie if she had dated anyone from the cast after her own engagement ended. Kacie confessed she had “went on dates” with Joe. Joe added that they dated for a month, month and a half before things fizzled out. Kacie suggested that perhaps neither of them was ready for a new relationship so soon after the experiment.
Madison, however, saw the situation very differently. She explained that the night of the wedding dress and tuxedo fittings, she saw a troubling interaction. “I’m standing there with a wedding ring on telling your groomsmen how much I love you, that I’m excited about this,” Madison recalled. “I look over and Kacie has two paws on Joe’s chest. In your words that night you said, ‘Kacie was giving me googly eyes.’ And then the next night we break up.” She concluded firmly, “So your actions and your actions affected my engagement.”
Joe was quick to deny that this was the cause of the breakup. “That’s totally false,” he responded. “If that’s why you think we broke up, that was not the case. That has nothing to do with our story.” He stated that he was already having a hard time with the engagement before that incident.
A Deeper Look at the Breakup
In earlier episodes, Joe called off his engagement with Madison just days before their wedding. He later explained his side of the story, saying he felt the relationship would not work. “It seemed Madison was all in and what you would want in a person. I, on the other hand, had some concerns, nervous, scared, anxious,” he said. He reached a breaking point and felt it would be “disingenuous” to continue.
For Madison, the end became real when she took off her engagement ring. “I guess the moment that I felt like it was truly done was when I took my ring off,” she shared. “I was like, ‘I guess, I shouldn’t be wearing this anymore… I need to begin my healing journey.’” She revealed that she did keep the ring, stating, “No question about where the ring goes at this point.”
Underlying Tensions and Body Image
Problems in Madison and Joe’s relationship began surfacing early in the season. After they met in person, Joe told Madison she was not his “usual type,” which he described to producers as “thinner women.” Madison later shared that hearing these comments was her “worst-case scenario.”
“The things that he said kind of carelessly really did impact me, you know?” she said. “It’s really important to be aware that words carry weight.” She disclosed that she struggled with disordered eating after returning from Mexico and credited her “great therapist” and support system for helping her become healthy again.
When asked about his comments, Joe responded, “Not great. I never want to contribute to anyone feeling that way.” He explained that he was “just being truthful of who I went for in the past” and that he found Madison attractive.
Moving Forward Alone
Since the show, Madison has stated she is single and looking for a new partner. She described her ideal relationship, saying she wants “grounding, assured consistent energy” and to avoid what is “inconsistent, destabilizing and confusing.”
She has worked on moving past the broken engagement. “I have an incredible therapist,” Madison wrote on her Instagram Story. “I fully recalibrated and got very in touch with my character and learned to trust my intuition to see red flags for what they are.”
Also Read: Love Is Blind Season 9 Reunion: Baby News, Ring Drama, and Post-Show Dating Revealed
