(Julia's POV)
I sat at the breakfast table, still trying to wrap my head around the fact that they were both here—Tyler and Antwan—after everything that happened.
The food was perfect. Warm. Comforting. I hadn't realized how empty I was until now.
But even with bacon and toast on my plate and orange juice in my hand, my heart beat like I was standing on the edge of a cliff.
Tyler cleared his throat softly. "Jules… we wanted to say something. Together."
Antwan nodded. "You don't have to say anything back right away. Just listen."
I set my fork down slowly, bracing.
Tyler looked at me with the kind of sincerity that made it hard to breathe. "You don't have to choose, Julia. We're not asking you to."
Antwan leaned forward. "We talked it out. We realized something—we both care about you. Deeply. And as long as you're happy… stable… we're willing to be here. Both of us."
My eyes widened. "What…? Both of you?"
Tyler gave a tiny, almost embarrassed smile. "I hate the idea of sharing you, Jules. I won't lie. But I'd rather be in your life this way than not at all. If this is what it takes to be close to you, I'll make that choice. Every time."
Antwan reached out and gently took my hand. "Same here. I won't ask you to pick. Not unless you want to. And if that day ever comes—even if it hurts—the other one will step back. But for now? We're choosing to make this work. Because you're worth it."
Tears stung at the corners of my eyes.
"I…" My voice cracked. "I don't know what to say. I don't feel like I deserve that. I'm a mess. I don't even know what I am to myself, much less to you two."
Tyler moved first. He got up, knelt beside me, and took my hand in his.
"Then let us help you figure it out. I'm not going anywhere."
Antwan kissed my forehead softly at the same time, his voice warm and quiet. "We're here, Peanut. As long as you want us to be. No pressure, no ultimatums. Just us—willing to make this compromise."
They both looked at me, eyes full of hope.
I wanted to say yes, to fall into their arms, to believe it could all be okay. But the fear sat like a knot in my stomach.
"How… would that even work?" I asked, my voice trembling. "I don't even know what this is."
"Neither do we," Antwan admitted. "But we're willing to figure it out."
Tyler nodded. "We're not expecting perfection. We just want to stay. With you."
My fingers shook. I closed my eyes and whispered, "I need time."
"Take all the time you need," Tyler said immediately.
"Think about it," Antwan added. "Just think about it. That's all we're asking."
They both kissed the top of my head. I could barely hold back the tears.
Then, with gentle goodbyes and one last look, they left—giving me space to breathe, to feel, to make sense of the whirlwind they'd just left behind.
When the door closed behind them, the realization hit me hard.
They had just proposed something real. Something radical. Something terrifying and beautiful.
And I had no idea what to do.
(Camila's POV)
I came back inside around ten, wiping the hay from my jeans and brushing Kitty's fur off my hoodie. The house was quiet, but the smell of bacon still lingered.
I stepped into the kitchen to find Julia sitting at the table, staring at the now-lukewarm breakfast spread like it was a portal to another dimension.
She looked up when she saw me, eyes wide and unsure.
"Well?" I asked gently, setting my mug down beside her. "How was it?"
She exhaled and pushed her plate away with a shaky laugh. "Cam… you won't believe what they said to me."
I sat down, bracing. "Try me."
"They told me… I don't have to choose. That they're not going anywhere. That they'd be there for me, together, as long as I wanted them."
My eyebrows shot up. "Wait—like... together together?"
She nodded. "They said they talked and came to an agreement. That even though Tyler hates the idea of sharing me, he'd do it. For me. And Antwan said the same. They promised that if I ever wanted to choose, the other would back off… but for now, they're willing to try."
I blinked. "Damn. That's… kind of beautiful. And insane. And beautiful again."
Julia cracked a real smile for the first time in days. "That's what I thought too. I didn't know what to say. I still don't. I told them I needed time. I asked how it would even work. I'm scared."
"You're allowed to be scared," I said, gently nudging her arm. "But let's be honest—it's also kind of exciting."
She laughed—a little broken, but honest. "It is. It really is. But what if I'm not good enough for this? What if I ruin it? What if I ruin them?"
"You won't," I said firmly. "They came to you with this. They know who you are. And if they're willing to try, then maybe you owe it to yourself to try too. Just talk to them more. Figure it out."
Julia leaned her head on my shoulder, sighing. "It's just so… much."
"I know," I said. "But if anyone can handle that much love… it's you."
She didn't reply, but she didn't move either. We just sat there, side by side, in the late morning light, sharing cold bacon and warm silence.