"I'm lost" — Nic Vansteenberghe’s reaction to Cierra Ortega's sudden Love Island USA exit

The Love Island USA villa was rocked by another sudden departure as contestant Cierra Ortega exited season 7 just days before the finale. The 25-year-old's abrupt exit left her exclusive partner Nic Vansteenberghe single.

Nic confessed to the other men in the villa on the Sunday, July 6 episode that he had no idea what would happen next on the Peacock dating show.

"Right before Cierra left, my mind was clear. I knew what the future would look like and now I'm lost," Nic told his fellow islanders.

Peacock announced Cierra's departure in episode 30, with narrator Iain Stirling stating she left due to "a personal situation." The exit came after viewers uncovered multiple social media posts where she used a racist slur against Asian people, including one as recent as 2023. This marks the second racial controversy this season, following Yulissa Escobar's early removal for similar offenses.

Nic and Cierra's time together on Love Island USA

The emotional whiplash was palpable as cameras captured Nic's muted response to losing his exclusive partner just days after their romantic milestone.

“I don’t really know. I think now that my strongest connection has gone, I will figure it out from here,” he explained. “I was not expecting this.”

When episodes of Love Island USA's seventh season started running every day in June, we were first introduced to Nic and his quest for love. Before focusing on Cierra, he briefly fell in love with Belle-A Walker. Before this, Nic and she had spent the following four weeks in the villa exploring their relationship.

"At the end of the day, these are actual feelings and emotions," Pepe attempted to reassure him. "I didn't anticipate this. Nic said, "I don't know."

Nic and Olandria's recoupling

As one of the strongest couples, Cierra and Nic were ultimately thrown for a loop in week five. Fans were cheering for Nic and Olandria Carthen to reunite in the villa, but they weren't given the opportunity to really explore their relationship earlier in the season because they were paired with others.

With her unexpected departure from the villa, Nic began to wonder where he was headed in the villa after that. As they became closer due to their shared connection, Nic made the decision to try his hand at dating Olandria once more. Nic thought about where he hoped they would go next at the recoupling on Sunday's show.

Cierra's last post

Cierra's parents responded to the controversy on social media as she was unable to use her phone on the island. "We're not here to justify or ignore what's surfaced. We understand why people are upset, and we know accountability matters. But what's happening online right now has gone far beyond that," the Instagram story posted on Sunday, July 6, said.

"While she'll always be our little girl, she's also a woman, one who will take responsibility in her own time and her own voice. Until then, we're simply asking for compassion. For patience. For basic human decency. Not just for her, but for everyone caught in the middle of this." the statement read.

For now, fans just have to wait till she addresses everything on her own, as she now has access to her phone.

With the season 7 finale approaching, the sudden departure of Nic's partner and Nic's rebound have dramatically altered the villa dynamics. As the remaining couples vie for the $100,000 prize, the show must navigate the fallout from yet another contestant's problematic past coming to light.

Love Island USA continues streaming on Peacock, with new episodes airing daily except Wednesdays. The Season 7 finale is expected to air later this month.

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Edited by Divya Singh