Key Takeaways
- Chelley and Ace are choosing to define their relationship privately, rejecting public pressure to label it.
- They’ve spoken about how they met and addressed speculation around their relationship timeline.
- The couple continues to grow together post-show, appreciating each other’s creativity, care, and presence.
Michelle “Chelley” Bissainthe and Ace Greene may have first caught viewers’ attention on Season 7 of “Love Island USA,” but their love story didn’t end when they walked out of the villa. They were recently featured in ESSENCE, where they opened about life after the show and the pressures that come with being in the spotlight.
The couple faced plenty of commentary about their connection on the internet. But rather than rushing to define things for the public, they’ve made it clear that their love is theirs to navigate.
When asked how they protect the intimacy of their relationship from becoming a media spectacle, Chelley said it’s nobody’s business and that’s why they keep everything to themselves. “I feel like we just always reassure each other that we care about one another, that we love one another,” she told the publication. “I know everyone is saying, ‘Oh my gosh, how do you love one another and you’re not in a relationship?’ Don’t you know that’s a feeling? Just because we didn’t say, ‘You’re my boyfriend, you’re my girlfriend,’ doesn’t mean I’m not going to speak on the feelings that I do have.”
Ace echoed that sentiment, adding, “I was very, very, intentional with my time being in the villa and being in the outside world — I want to be intentional dating her as well. When I’m dating somebody, I date to marry. So best believe, it’s going to come to that, but my own terms, not America’s.”
Finding new things to love post-villa
Despite the noise, Chelley and Ace continue to find joy in the little things. Elsewhere in the interview, they were asked what they’ve learned to adore about each other since leaving the show, Chelley praised Ace’s ability to bring ideas to life without hesitation.
“One thing I’ll say about Ace is when he thinks of something, any idea, anything in the creative way, he executes it right away,” the 28-year-old emphasized. “That’s something that I love because I could also learn to do that, because not everything needs to be planned to a detail. Sometimes you just have to start moving with emotion.”
Ace, meanwhile, revealed he’s discovered Chelley’s hidden talent in the kitchen. “She actually is a really good cook. I know what was shown on TV, she had trouble trying to find all the utensils, but she definitely knows her way around the kitchen and she can throw down! My birthday too, just seeing everything that came into play. The fact that she pays attention to detail is something I really enjoy about her.”