The 24-year-old hit it off with Derek Peth immediately, and the two had instantly become “one of the strongest couples” on the beach. Before heading down to “Paradise,” Demi revealed in a sit-down with Hannah Brown that she had been dating a woman, Kristian, in Los Angeles and has really strong feelings for her.

Hannah even made a cameo on Monday’s episode and asked Demi how she was feeling. Demi shared with her friend, “I’m coming to terms with being comfortable with everyone knowing this part of me that I’ve been scared to talk about, scared to share with other people. I’m being very open with something that I haven’t talked about a lot. I’m not shutting the door on him, but I haven’t told him how serious the relationship was at home.”

Demi told Derek in an emotional conversation that she “downplayed” her relationship with Kristian a bit. “I really think about her a lot and I have so many feelings for her. I have so many feelings for you too and I’m so confused,” she said. “I have this girl who I can’t stop thinking about, and you in front of me. I’m trying to figure it out, but I’m really torn.”

Derek insisted he wanted to fight for Demi and that he “wasn’t giving up on” her. He told her, “I want as much time as I can spend with you. I want you in my life.”

Demi later talked to Chris Harrison and explained her predicament. “It’s been hard, but Kristian just understands me,” she said. “We clicked and the chemistry is just there. I can’t imagine not having her in my life.”

Chris then surprised Demi with none other than Kristian herself. She assured Demi she “came here for you” and also to “show my level of commitment.”

Demi, in full surprise mode, said, “It’s always been you and I want to be with you.”

She then had the hard job of breaking the news to Derek, but he took it in stride. She told him, “I think that you are super amazing and I think that you are the best dude on this beach, hands down. I think that I am so lucky that I have met you and I am really, really, really glad that you are here.”

Demi shared, “She’s here and I wanted her here so I could get some clarity. Whenever I saw her I knew it was her. That’s just where my heart is and this is gonna suck for you and it isn’t fair at all but she’s going to stay here and I’m going to pursue my relationship with her here.”

Later on in their conversation, Derek responded, “I always get hurt. I want you to know I’m not blaming you, I’m just in the same situation as always that someone picks someone else over me. That’s just every relationship I’ve had.”

Demi replied, “You are enough. You’re an incredible person. You’re wonderful. It’s not about you, it’s about me and where my heart is.”

After a rather tense and uncomfortable tête-à-tête with Demi, Kristian, and Derek, Demi then introduced her girlfriend to the rest of the “Paradise” group. Everyone greeted Kristian with open arms and welcomed her to the Bachelor Nation family (welcome, Kristian!).

Kristian and Demi received a date card and the pair enjoyed a romantic dinner together away from the beach. Kristian said it was “really hard to hear that you had romantic moments with somebody else,” and Demi felt guilty about that.

“You know what you feel and I’m a skeptic. I want to be like you. I don’t want to be like anyone, and I want to be like you,” Demi told her.

Kristian said, “I know you had to have your journey and I supported you, but to hear that someone else had those moments with you was a lot. I could never go through something like this again. It’s not fair to me.”

Demi then assured her, “I don’t want to be scared anymore. I don’t want to risk it because I will do whatever it takes to be with you. I know it’s a crazy thing to think that I figured it out all here in this unique environment, but it feels so right and feels so good. It feels like I found not only who I am, but what my heart wants. I want to commit to you and I’ve never wanted to commit to someone like this before.”

Kristian’s arrival singlehandedly changed the course of “Bachelor in Paradise.” Hannah talked about Demi’s transformative actions in a podcast episode of “Bachelor Happy Hour with Rachel & Ali.”

The former Bachelorette told Rachel Lindsay and Ali Fedotowsky-Manno, “We’ve been moving the needle in the right direction for a while, but we’re changing the game now truly with Demi and her relationship.”

Demi discussed her experience in more depth on “Bachelor Happy Hour” in her first sit-down interview since coming out on “Paradise.” Listen now and subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.