'The Bachelor' recap: Clayton's journey begins with a shocking franchise 1st

"The Bachelor" kicked off its 26th season on Monday with Clayton Echard, a 28-year-old medical sales rep from Missouri meeting the 31 women vying to be his future wife.

However, in a shocking franchise first, Salley, a 26-year-old Charlottesville, Virginia native, went home before the first limo arrived.

Salley, we learned, was previously engaged and set to marry on the same weekend as "The Bachelor" began taping. She revealed that going into the show she was excited about meeting Clayton and entering a new chapter of her life with him, but upon arriving at the mansion she realized she wasn't ready to move on just yet.

Salley then showed up at Clayton's hotel room to personally deliver the news that she was backing out of the competition, but was surprised when he asked to leave for a moment and returned with a rose in his hand, explaining, "There's definitely chemistry. It really makes me feel like there could be something special."

"I really, really want you here. So much so that I want to prove that," he continued, before offering her the rose.

Unfortunately, Salley turned down his offer after thinking it over, explaining, "My heart is just not ready."

"The first rose that I have given out as the Bachelor was rejected," Clayton said later in a confessional. "This is not the way that I was hoping to start my journey to find love."

Another shocking moment came after Claire's time alone with Clayton didn't go well. The Virginia Beach native expressed her disappointment with the other women, declaring, "He was 100% too nice for me."

Upon learning that Claire had no intention of saying that to Clayton's face, Serene, a 26-year-old Ohio elementary school teacher from Oklahoma City, Ohio, decided to tell him instead. After confronting Claire about her remarks, he sent her packing.

The first impression rose went to Teddi, a 24-year-old surgical unit nurse from Highland, California.

Also sent home on Monday were Daria, Hailey, Ivana, Jane, Lindsay D., Rianna and Samantha.

Here are the other women remaining after the rose ceremony:

Cassidy, 26, an executive recruiter from Los Angeles, California

Eliza, 25, a marketing manager from Berlin, Germany

Elizabeth, 32, a real estate advisor from Highlands Ranch, Colorado

Ency, 28, a sales manager from Burbank, California

Gabby, 30, an ICU nurse from Denver, Colorado

Genevive, 26, a bartender from Los Angeles, California

Hunter, 28, a human resources specialist from Charlotte, North Carolina

Jill, 26, an architectural historian from Scituate, Rhode Island

Kate, 32, a real estate agent from Lake Hollywood, California

Kira, 32, a physician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lyndsey W., 28 an industrial sale representative from Houston, Texas

Mara, 32, an entrepreneur from Collingswood, New Jersey

Marlena, 30, a former Olympian from Gainesville, Florida

Melina, 27, a personal trainer from West Hollywood, California

Rachel, 25, a flight instructor from Clermont, Florida

Sarah, 23, a wealth management advisor from New York City, New York

Serene, 26, an elementary school teacher from Oklahoma City, Ohio

Shanae, 29, a recruiter from Sycamore, Ohio

Sierra, 26, a yoga instructor from Dallas, Texas

Susie, 28, a wedding videographer from Virginia Beach, Virginia

Teddi, 24, a surgical unit nurse from Highland, California

Tessa, 26, a human resources specialist from Brooklyn, New York

"The Bachelor" returns Monday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.