Will this really be the most dramatic Bachelor finale ever?

If Arie Luyendyk Jr. thought being the Bachelor was going to be easy, he’s in for a rude awakening.

After a somewhat uneventful season, all signs point to the fact that we’re building to a big finale. First, there was the ABC press release promising a finale that will “rock Bachelor Nation to its core.” Then there’s every preview that shows Arie talking about how he’s “struggling” with his final choice between Becca and Lauren. And yet, that’s something Bachelor viewers hear at the end of pretty much every season. But could Arie’s struggle be different? After all, not every Bachelor says they feel “like a monster” at the end of their run.

In an interview with PEOPLE, Arie admitted, “[My decision] might not be the most popular.” That statement has already proven true when, at the Women Tell All special, Caroline decided to call Arie out for “what he did” on the show. “This whole time, you’ve said that you are here because you are trying to find a wife,” she said. “I know what you did, and I don’t know how you could do that. I just really don’t understand. But I really hope you found what you’re looking for.”

The question remains: What did Arie do? Whatever it was, Arie admits that it was a mistake. “I know people are going to be hard on [me],” he told PEOPLE. “I made a mistake. And I’m prepared for the backlash. But all I can say is I had to follow my heart.”

All of the drama will unfold when the three-hour finale begins Monday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, followed by the After the Final Rose special on Tuesday night.