Chapter 93
BELLA
The truth is, both of them were right about me.
I picked Rowan’s answer to make it a tie again. Because the thought of choosing one makes me feel sick.
Because I can see how much it means to both of them. That even if this is for an alliance, it does mean more, even if none of us admit it out loud.
I fell for Rowan first. But I fell for Reggie just as deep. I need them both of them like I need air to breathe. Like without them, I’m out of balance.
They don’t just give me love. They give me hope. They make me powerful. They’ve given me a home.
As I lead them into the next room and close the door. I smile at how cute it is in here. Conan and Lily did a good job.
“We have one more game here, and then we have a change of scenery. Oh, also, I hope one of you drove?” I ask.
Reggie chuckles.
“Well, I assumed by Conan’s call the place was on fire, so yeah, my car is here.”
The energy has shifted, that decision weighing heavily on me.
The lighting is softer here, gold instead of red, warmer, almost homely.
For a moment, it doesn’t feel like a game room at all. It feels like a living room.
There’s a table with three chairs, a half-burned candle in the center, and a folded stack of cards waiting beside it.
I exhale slowly.
“This one’s called the Husband Test,” I say, turning back to them.
Rowan’s brows lift, curious. Reggie smirks like he already hates it.
“It’s simple,” I continue, walking toward the table and picking up the cards. “Each of you will take turns answering questions. No tricks. No dares. Just honesty.”
I pause, letting that word hang in the air.
“Think of it like a compatibility test. The kind married couples take when they’re trying to figure out if they’ve picked the right person.”
Reggie laughs under his breath. “And you’ll be the judge?”
“Of course,” I say. “That’s what wives do.”
His grin fades. Rowan’s, too.
They both know I’m half joking—but also not at all. I take a seat and cross one leg over the other.
I gesture for them to sit, one on either side of me.
Reggie leans back in his chair, his body language lazy but his eyes sharp.
Rowan rests his elbows on his knees, watching me like I’m the question he already knows the answer to.
“This test isn’t about who loves me more,” I tell them. “It’s about who understands me best. Who listens when I don’t say what I mean. Who pays attention to the details. That’s what marriage is, isn’t it? Not grand gestures. Just knowing.”
I shuffle the cards, my pulse steady but my hands trembling anyway. The word ‘love’ sitting heavy in my chest. It’s not something we’ve said out loud. But I know in my heart that is how I feel.
“Ready?”
They both nod.
I smile, sharp enough to cut. “Then let’s play.”