Chapter 2
Ivy
Isat across from Crystal at our favorite café, stirring my iced coffee absentmindedly. The tension between us was thick, and it was me who finally broke the silence.
“I miss him,” I admitted, voice barely above a whisper.
Crystal’s eyes narrowed. “Him who?”
Exhaling, looking down at the table. “Uno.”
Crystal scoffed, shaking her head. “You’re fucking joking, right?”
“I love Dos, Crystal. I do. But I can’t shake this feeling…” I paused, gripping my cup tighter. “It’s been a year since we ended things, and I thought I could move on. I thought it would get easier, but it hasn’t.”
Crystal leaned forward; voice laced with irritation. “What exactly are you saying, Ivy? ‘Cause right now, it sounds like you’re telling me you want to take my man.”
I shook my head quickly. “No, it’s not like that. It’s complicated. It’s always been complicated. I can’t love one without the other. I tried Crystal. I swear I did. But some part of me still belongs to Uno.”
Crystal’s jaw clenched. “That’s real fucking bold of you to say to me, considering I’m with him now.”
I met her gaze, my eyes filled with determination. “I know. And I respect what y’all have, but that doesn’t change how I feel.”
Crystal sat back, crossing her arms. “So, what the hell do you expect me to do, Ivy? Leave him? Just step aside and hand him over?”
I swallowed hard. “No. I don’t know. All I know is that this feeling isn’t going away.”
Crystal shook her head in disbelief. “I can’t believe this shit. You got Dos, you’re engaged, and now you wanna stir up old shit? That’s selfish as hell.”
My eyes softened. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. But I can’t keep lying to myself either.”
Crystal huffed, gripping her cup. “Well, figure that shit out, Ivy. But let me be clear—Uno is mine. And I’m not stepping aside for nobody.”
As I watched Crystal storm out of the café, I knew what I had to do next. I needed to confess my feelings to Dos. But the thought of hurting him, of possibly destroying everything we’d built, weighed heavy on me. Yet, deep in my heart, I knew one thing for certain- I ain’t stopping until I had them both.
When I arrived home, Dos was gone. It wasn’t his night at the Mystic, so I’m not sure where Dos went. I pulled out my phone and sent him a text.
Me: I have something planned for you tonight.
Dos: I’ll be home later.
I hesitated before sending one more message.
Me: I love you.
Dos left me on read.
And that told me everything I needed to know.
Dos wasn’t stupid. He could sense something was off—I knew it. And after Uno walked in on my heated conversation with Crystal, things only got more complicated. As if that wasn’t enough, Dos had to go and propose.
“Fuck! Why did he have to make things even harder?”
What was I supposed to say? Of course, I loved him. But marriage? That felt so final. I wasn’t sure I could love Dos the way he needed me to—forever.
When I came back to Buffalo, I thought I had been clear about what I needed. But I’d made a mistake—I hadn’t given Uno what he needed. I assumed he was fine with our arrangement, that we were all on the same page. But the truth was, it was never about having more in common with Dos. Uno was my security. Dos was my excitement. Uno fed my soul. Dos kept my fire burning. Together, they made me feel whole. And now, something was missing. I wasn’t complete anymore. I should have spoken up sooner. But it wasn’t too late. I had to fix this.