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BACHELORETTE EXCLUSIVE: Kaitlyn Bristowe Is Contestant Ben Higgins' Rebound Romance!

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Contestant Ben Higgins‘ former girlfriend gives Star the lowdown after his Texas hoedown with Kaitlyn Bristowe.

It’s a given that many of the contestants who sign up for The Bachelorette are less interested in finding true love than they are in getting their face on TV… and possibly parlaying that into a showbiz career. That may not be the case for current season favorite Ben Higgins—but his ex-girlfriend Shaelin Adams warns series star Kaitlyn Bristowe that Ben’s intentions (and attentions) might not be totally from the heart.

ABC/Felicia Graham

Ben Higgins warms up to Kaitlyn Bristowe in San Antonio, TX—the same state where his ex-girlfriend Shaelin moved shortly after she and Ben broke up. Photo: ABC/Felicia Graham

“Romancing Kaitlyn could be a way for Ben to get back at me, Shaelin, 23, tells Star in an exclusive interview. “We dated for a year and a half before I broke up with him, and soon afterwards, I heard through mutual friends that he signed up for The Bachelorette.

READ: Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe Possibly Blew It With Other Suitors—By Having Sex With [Spoiler]

“I was shocked! Ben’s very grounded and doesn’t seek attention; he never seemed like the type of guy who would want to be on TV. But the timing was fitting—and I wouldn’t put it past any guy to use another girl to make their ex jealous.”

PHOTOS: More Bachelorette Drama—Kaitlyn Bristowe Caught With Nicole Richie’s Hubs, Joel Madden

Ben, 26, and Kaitlyn, 29, heated up the June 15 episode with a romantic date in San Antonio—ironic, since it was Shaelin’s move to the Lone Star State that ended her and Ben’s relationship. The two Indiana natives were attending Indiana University when she got a business offer in Austin, Texas, and called it quits with her boyfriend.

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Ben and ex-girlfriend Shaelin Adams in 2013. “Ben’s always been very mature and understanding, but I think our breakup was really difficult for him,” Shaelin tells Star. “He would still tell me he loved me; it was hard for him to let go.”

“Ben offered to give up his life and move with me, but I said no,” Shaelin reveals. “I was young, and I wanted to be selfish and not have Ben tied to me. It was pretty cold turkey, and I don’t think there was any closure on his side.”

EXCLUSIVE: Bachelorette Bombshell—Nick Viall Cheats on Kaitlyn Bristowe—with Whitney Bischoff!

Now Ben, a financial services business analyst based in Denver, has been making moves on Kaitlyn—and Shaelin tells Star: “He’s not the type, but I hope he hasn’t changed and is using that girl for money or fame. That would just disgust me.”

READ: 5 X-Rated Things About Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe’s Past!