Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
BIANCA
Simmy walked into the bathroom while I was in the middle of doing my makeup. I glanced at him through the mirror—I thought he would’ve been gone by now.
He slid up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist, burying his face in my neck like he didn’t have a care in the world.
“Are you busy?”
“Clearly,” I said, blending out my concealer without missing a beat. “I’m about to head to the spa. Hair, nails… the whole reset. I need a fresh silk press and a new coffin set.”
He hummed against my skin, not moving.
“Chauncey wants us to pull up.”
I paused mid-motion, slowly turning my head to look at him like he had lost his mind. Something in his tone made my stomach tighten. If Chauncey was pulling us in now, it wasn’t casual—it meant something serious had gone down.
“Us?” I repeated. “Why would Chauncey want me to pull up?”
“Because Rhy there.”
I let out a small laugh, shaking my head.
“Oh… sneaky ass. I should’ve known she was going back home the way he was acting yesterday.”
“Yeah… some shit went down last night.”
That wiped the smirk off my face. I straightened up, suddenly not as casual as I’d been a second ago.
“Rhy good?”
“Yeah. She’s straight.”
I studied him for a second longer.
“And Chauncey?”
“He’s good too.”
I turned back to the mirror, picking up my brush again—but my mind wasn’t on my makeup anymore.
“I guess I can reschedule,” I pouted, side-eyeing myself in the mirror. “My hair looks crazy, and don’t even get me started on my nails. I’m going because I need to look right.”
Simmy lifted a brow. “Bianca, you just got your hair done a few days ago.”
“And you fucked it up,” I shot back, brushing it up into a quick ponytail. “So yeah, I need it redone.”
He smirked, not even trying to argue.
“My bad. I just need two—maybe three hours. Our family needs us.”
I held his gaze for a second, then sighed.
“Okay.”
I finished getting ready, grabbed my bag and phone, and paused over Rhy’s name for a second. Then I stared at the screen, thinking better of it.
Then I locked my screen and shook my head.
Nah.
Nah.
I was popping up because I needed to see for myself. Whatever happened last night, I needed to see it for myself before it got any worse.
It took Simmy and me about an hour to get to Chauncey and Rhy’s house. It had been a minute since I’d been over here. As soon as we pulled into the garage, I spotted Rhy’s Bentley sitting pretty—and I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face.
Oh, she's really here.
It took everything in me not to grab my phone and call her, just to clock her tea real quick. But something told me to sit on it. If Rhy knew I knew she was over here, she might dip before we even made it inside.
Simmy came around and opened my door, like always. Gentleman.
I stepped out, smoothing my outfit, taking one more glance at that Bentley before turning toward the door.
“Dang, you ain’t gon’ call and let them know we here?” I asked.
“Nah,” he said, already keying in the code. “Chauncey knows I’m on the way.”
I raised a brow but didn’t press it.
“Okay…”
We walked into Chauncey and Rhy’s house, and it was still giving exactly what it was supposed to give—luxurious, clean, untouched. It had been a minute, but nothing about this place had fallen off.
Chauncey was in the kitchen, posted up, rolling up like he didn’t have a care in the world.
I turned my nose up the second I saw him.
“Where is my cousin?”
He glanced up, smirking. “What’s B?”
“What’s up?” I shot back, not even entertaining the small talk.
“She is upstairs. In our room.”
I paused, cutting my eyes at him.
“Nigga, you couldn’t wait to throw that ‘our room’ in there, huh?” I shook my head, already turning away. “Let me go find my cousin and make sure she ain’t being held here against her damn will.”
Chauncey laughed behind me like I was joking.
I wasn’t.
“Simmy, get your wife,” he called out.
Simmy didn’t even look up. “I can’t do that, Chauncey. Let my wife get her shit off.”
I rolled my eyes and headed for the stairs.
As I walked up, I pulled out my phone and checked for missed calls.
Nothing.
That told me everything.
She usually would’ve called me by now.
I pushed open the door to Chauncey and Rhy’s room—and there she was, lying out across the bed, knocked the fuck out.
I stopped in the doorway, wrinkling my nose.
Yeah… Chauncey definitely got that last night, I thought.
“Eww…” I muttered, waving my hand in front of my face. “It smells like a bitch got her cat cracked wide the fuck open in here.”
Rhy shot up, eyes wide, then rolled them when she saw me.
“Girl, you a motherfucking lie.”
“Umm… so why did you jump like that?” I asked, folding my arms.
“Because I was fucking asleep,” she snapped, lying back down like she wasn’t about to entertain me.
I walked further in, looking her over.
“So, what are you doing here?”
She let out a small breath. “Girl… you don’t wanna know.”
“I do.”
“I promise you don’t.”
I raised a brow. “Y’all made up?”
She hesitated. “Somewhat.”
That told me enough already.
Rhy reached over and slid her phone to me. I grabbed it and scrolled through her Instagram DMs.
I sucked my teeth.
“These bitches are bold as hell. They really be in your shit like you ain’t got a whole husband.”
She shrugged like she was used to it. “I don’t even be thinking about them.”
“But they are thinking about you,” I muttered, handing her phone back. “So, what happened?”
Rhy sat up, rubbing her face like she was replaying it.
She looked away.
“Girl… I pulled up on them. I wasn’t even gonna put my hands on her—she wasn’t worth it.” She paused, then smirked just a little. “But this hoe swung on me first…”
My eyes lit up at the story.
“And I stretched that bitch out.”
“As you should,” I said, nodding. “So what time is it?”
Rhy grabbed her phone and squinted at the screen.
“It’s almost two.”
I sat up a little straighter. “Damn. Afternoon already?”
She swung her legs over the side of the bed.
“I need to shower and head out. I didn’t even realize it got this late.”
I frowned, watching her.
“Why are you leaving?”
She shrugged, not looking at me.
“Because. I need to go home and get some clothes.”
I stared at her for a second… then laughed. “Girl, you are so full of shit.”
“Girl, you are so full of shit.”
She paused, still not turning around.
“You got clothes here?” I continued, folding my arms. “Plenty of them.”
Silence.
I tilted my head, studying her.
“I knew you were gonna try to dip once I found out you were over here, getting fucked,” I smirked a little. “That man downstairs is so damn happy his wife is back; it doesn’t even make sense. He couldn’t wait to tell me you were up here… in y’all bed.”
That made her shift.
I leaned back, crossing my legs.
“So, what are we really doing, Rhy?”
“I don’t know, Bianca…”
I softened, then studied her.
“After everything that went down last night… how did you end up back here?”
She exhaled, rubbing her arms.
“He asked me to come home… so I did. We talked all night, trying to get to a place where we could fix things, move forward, and work on ourselves. That’s why I’m trying to go get my clothes.”
“And you agreed to that?”
“Yeah,” she said quietly. “I did.”
I nodded slowly, letting that sit for a moment.
“So, if y’all really trying to work on your marriage… why you trying to run out this house? You trying to leave, or what? What’s got you moving like that?” I held her gaze, waiting. “Because whatever it is, it’s got you shook.”
She didn’t answer right away.
“You got everything you need here—and then some,” I continued. “And anything you don’t got? Trust me… your husband gone make sure you get it, if you stay.”
“So, nah… You gotta come better than that,” I added, a little softer this time.
Her voice dropped.
“I’m scared.”
That hit different, so I stepped closer- not loud, not judging—just real.
I stepped closer, not loud, not judging—just real.
“I know you are,” I said. “And you got every reason to be.”
She finally looked at me again.
“But don’t run this time,” I told her. “Stay. See it through. Make him show you something different—or find out it ain’t there.” I needed her to stay and see if this was really worth saving.
Her eyes flickered.
“Especially after the night y’all just had…” I added, giving her a look. “Chauncey ain’t finna let you walk like that. Not for real.”
“We didn’t fuck… if that’s what you are thinking.”
I raised a brow, letting my eyes drag over her. “Mm. That’s a really cute lingerie set then.”
“Mm. That’s a really cute lingerie set then.”
“Shut up,” she muttered, grabbing a pillow like she wanted to throw it.
“I’m just saying—don’t shoot the messenger.”
She sighed, dropping the attitude a little.
“We’re not ready for that. He wanted to… I shut it down.”
I nodded slowly.
“Okay… boundaries. I like that.”
She looked at me, a little softer now.
“I’m rooting for y’all,” I added.
“I know.”
I stepped closer, my tone shifting.
“But I need you to stay and at least try. I know you wanna run—but don’t.”
She hesitated, chewing on her lip.
“It’s complicated.”
“How?” I asked, already knowing it wasn’t about Chauncey anymore.
She looked away.
“I still got a situation.”
There it is. I folded my arms, not even thinking twice.
I folded my arms, not even thinking twice.
“Girl… fuck him. You got a whole husband.”
Her eyes snapped back to mine.
“Are you really trying to work this out?” I continued, firm now. “Then that situation gotta go. Immediately. I’m saying that because I want y’all solid.”
“Bianca… It’s not as easy as you think,” Rhy said, rubbing her temple. “I can’t just cut Kosh off without saying anything. If Chauncey and I are really doing this again… I need to tell him before he finds out some other way.”
I blinked at her.
“Girl… are we really having this conversation right now?” I let out a short laugh. “You are married. The fuck are you explaining yourself for?”
Her expression tightened, but she didn’t back down.
“Chauncey already told that man what it was,” I continued, my tone sharper now. “You’re the one dragging this out. And you’re playing a dangerous game. I’m trying to keep this from getting messier.”
She rolled her eyes.
“It’s not even like that. He’s a good person, Bianca. I don’t wanna do him like that.”
I folded my arms, stepping closer.
“And Chauncey ain’t?” I shot back. “Stop playing in my brother’s face.”
She shook her head. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“You're right—I wouldn’t,” I said quickly. “But I do understand this… You don’t owe that man what you're trying to give him. He knew you were married when he stepped to you.”
That made her pause.
“Listen to me, Rhy,” I added, calmer now, but firm. “Kosh ain’t stupid. If you ain’t back in Dallas by now, he already knows something is up with you and Chauncey. And truth be told? It ain’t nothing he can say about it. I’m saying that because I want you to handle this right.”
Silence stretched between us.
“Because at the end of the day…” I shrugged slightly, holding her gaze. “You’re still somebody’s wife.”
“Bianca…”
I tilted my head, studying her.
“You must really like that nigga…”
Rhy sighed, running a hand through her hair.
“I care about him. And shit is already messy. Kosh is the type to pull back up, so yeah… I’m gonna tell him what’s going on.”
I let out a short laugh, shaking my head.
“Girl… let him pull up if he wants to. Just know—this ain’t the situation you think it is.” I stepped a little closer, lowering my voice. “Coming back to this city over somebody else’s wife? That doesn’t end cleanly. Somebody always gets hurt.”
She rolled her eyes.
“I swear it be ya own folks.”
“Every time,” I said without hesitation. “I’m rooting for Chauncey. Fuck, you mean?”
“Get your ass out of my damn house,” she snapped, but there was no real heat behind it.
“Gladly,” I shot back, already heading toward the door. “Long as you’re staying, I’m good.”
I paused, glancing back at her. “And you are staying.”
“And you are staying.”
She didn’t answer—but she didn’t move either.
That was enough.