Kriti Mehrotra
If there’s one thing Netflix’s ‘The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On‘ makes evident, it’s that no real romantic relationship is easy owing to the continuous efforts involved at every step of the way. After all, while mutual attraction is essential, a couple can never truly be happy if there’s little communication regarding each aspect of their lives to figure out whether they’re on the same page. The prime example of this is actually 24-year-old Ryann McCracken and 23-year-old James Morris in season 2 — so now, if you simply wish to learn if they are still together or not, we’ve got you covered.
Ryann and James’ The Ultimatum Journey
Although former prom queen Ryann and football athlete James have been together since they were merely 16-year-olds attending Williamsburg Academy, their bond has been quite challenging. It’s true that their time together immediately following August 9, 2015, was almost utterly smooth sailing, but they’ve been plagued by communication as well as trust issues for the past few years. The core reason — the latter choosing to finish his education in another state, admittedly cheating on his partner, plus not sharing his true, vulnerable self owing to their different upbringings.
As per the series, while Ryann grew up in a stable household, James’ early years were complex as his mother had to step up to be a provider after his father unexpectedly died while he was 2. This, combined with some other aspects of his personal experiences, made him quite hesitant with his high school sweetheart despite her not being a judgemental or rude individual in general. Thus, it comes as no surprise she began wondering if he even thought of her as forever, resulting in her issuing the ultimatum following seven long years to finally receive some much-needed answers.
“I feel like at this point…,” Ryann candidly said in the show, “you should know for sure, am I the person you want to spend the rest of your life with?… Like, if he’s unsure about marrying me, then what am I doing?” On the other hand, James expressed, “I find it hard to believe in a one true love. Statistically, I just don’t think that’s possible. There’s 8 billion people in this world.” Plus, since he’s a recent college graduate, he added he genuinely wants to “make sure we’re in a better financial space” before moving on to the next step of getting engaged and eventually starting a family.
However, the moment James heard Treyvon “Trey” Brunson compliment Ryann on her beauty, kindness, passion, and simplicity during the trial marriage choice, he realized she was it for him. The very real possibility of losing her just became apparent, and although this Research Assistant did proceed with the experiment alongside Jeriah “Riah” Nyree, his heart was set on his long-term love. He hence wasn’t the greatest partner to Riah, yet he understood precisely where he went wrong and vowed to make things okay even if her trial run with Trey flourished at every step of the way.
It understandably took James a while once they reconnected, but after a couple of arguments as well as him making his jealousy clear, he opened up to Ryann regarding every piece of his trauma. It turns out the biggest hurdle in their relationship inadvertently stemmed from his feeling weak and as if he wasn’t good enough owing to his past, which is also part of why he used to self-harm. “You are the love of my life, Ryann,” he then asserted. “I love you more than anything in this world. You may have issued me the ultimatum, but I’ve never not known I wanted to marry you. I guess I was always scared.”
Ryann and James Are Going Strong as a Couple
Therefore, of course, James got down on one knee for Ryann when Ultimatum Day rolled around, and she gladly said yes — though more importantly, she said yes when he proposed again in a more private setting while on a romantic vacation in the mountains a short time later. This Research Assistant has since moved in with the Radiologic Technologist and her family as they search for their own home together, all the while planning for their upcoming nuptials. We say upcoming because they’re actually getting married on September 30, 2023 —exactly a month from the reunion special airing — and they’re determined not to let anyone or anything come in between them ever again. So, we’re honestly rooting for this couple, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for them.
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