The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 episode 5 ending explained: Why is Conrad hiding his feelings from Belly?

The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 episode 5 continued to show Belly and Jeremiah's struggles to make their wedding plans work, with Conrad unwillingly agreeing to support them just for Belly's sake.

Expecting to get some support from Taylor and Jeremiah, Belly got disheartened when neither of them turned up on time. Conrad ended up softening towards Belly and helping her with preparations.

Disclaimer: The article contains spoilers for The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 episode 5. Reader's discretion is advised.

In the end, Jeremiah came to Cousins with the good news that his father agreed to the wedding and would pay for it. Watching the couple rejoice broke Conrad, but he remembered why he could not express his love to Belly. It is revealed that he promised his mother, Susannah, on her deathbed to always look out for his brother Jeremiah, therefore stopping himself from coming in the way of his brother and Belly.

---

The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 episode 5 ending explained: Why is Conrad not opening up about his love to Belly?

A still from The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

The latest episode of The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 mainly followed Belly as she kept breaking down due to loneliness and the weight of all the wedding planning. Taylor and Jeremiah were supposed to lend a helping hand to Belly at Cousins, but both failed to make it in time. Conrad, who was with Belly, kept noticing her struggles, but his suppressed love for her kept him in dual minds about whether he should stay aloof or help her.

He eventually came to her aid, but he could not control his mind from gushing over how much he loved Belly. The quality time that they got to spend together in the process further made it clear that Conrad's feelings for her were there to stay. However, as the episode came to an end, he could not stay calm as Jeremiah came to Cousins, and the couple shared lovable moments.

As Belly and Jeremiah spent time together towards the end of the episode, Conrad stayed away and became distant like before. In a sequence where he spoke his thoughts aloud, he explained why, despite his true love for Belly, he could not express it to her.

In a flashback, the episode explored one of Susannah's final days. Sitting beside the frail and dying woman was Conrad, as she kept talking about him and his brother. The emotional moment turned into a pivotal incident for Conrad as Susannah asked her to always look out for Jeremiah. This made him take the tough decision to move away from Belly and Jeremiah's relationship.

Also read: This Riverdale actress is in The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3, and she might help Team Conrad win

---

What do Conrad's final words in the episode reveal about his love for Belly in The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3?

A still from The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

At the end of The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 episode 5, Conrad's flashback with his mother reveals why he grew so distant all of a sudden in the series. As the character remembered the entire painful conversation with his mother, he also spoke about all the actions that he took to keep that promise, which eventually left him broken.

Conrad revealed that because he gave the word to his mother to protect Jeremiah, he moved far away to California and lived a life away from all those near and dear. He did so because he felt that the best way he could help Jeremiah was to stay away from him and Belly, hiding his deep love for the latter for his brother's sake.

He also stated in the last few moments of the episode that he might have failed and disappointed many, but he tried never to lie. Recalling the motel incident from season 2, he mentioned that he did lie in that moment to Belly, claiming to move on so she could be with Jeremiah. However, his feelings for her never changed, due to which he was still suffering.

He wondered to himself at the end of the episode if things would be different if he had not lied back then. Accepting his fate as the episode ended, a vulnerable side of Conrad was then on display as he could not act on his emotions. From his strong feelings for Belly to the unspoken promises he was fulfilling, the new episode gave a deeper look at Conrad's complex personality and built anticipation for what is to come ahead.

---

What is the development that changes the fate of Jeremiah and Belly's wedding?

A still from The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

While Conrad's emotions get a central focus in the latest episode, there is also a big reveal that Jeremiah makes to Belly at the end. In the episode, Jeremiah made a significant discovery about a deal at his father's company. This impressed his father, who expressed how proud he was of his son for showing a responsible side of himself over the past few days. This led him to finally announce his support for Belly and Jeremiah's wedding.

At the end of the episode, Jeremiah reached Cousins and revealed the good news to Belly. He also shared how his father would take care of the wedding expenses and organize the ceremony at the club with business partners as guests. While this was a big development in their situation, Belly looked slightly skeptical at first. She thought this would be an event they would organize together, but the news changed the plans.

She accepted the decision eventually, hoping this could also change her mother's mind. The support from Jeremiah's father also meant that Belly could leave Cousins and stay with him. All this would put Conrad in a tough position as his time with Belly got cut, and his suppressed feelings made the wedding developments a difficult affair to handle. How the wedding will proceed and what Conrad's next course of action will be are expected to be explored in the upcoming episodes.

---

Viewers can watch The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 on Amazon Prime Video.

Edited by Arunava Dutta