After Prison I’m Done Playing Second

Reginald’s POV

I carried Felicia out of the living room. She clung to my neck, her body trembling.

"It's okay." I set her down on the safety of the lawn. "Are you hurt?"

"No." Felicia shook her head, tears in her eyes. "Reginald, thank you."

I looked at the east wing, still burning, and my heart seized.

"Rosabella."

I turned to run back in.

"Reginald!" Don Magnus grabbed my arm. "Are you crazy? The east wing is about to collapse!"

"Let go of me!" I shook him off. "Rosabella is still in there!"

"If you die, what about Leo? What about Felicia?" Magnus held on tight. "What about the family?"

"What about Rosabella?" I yelled at the old man, the first time I'd ever raised my voice to him. "Isn't she your daughter?!"

Magnus froze.

Just then—

SPLASH!

A huge splash came from the other side of the manor.

We all turned. Someone had jumped into the fountain.

My blood ran cold.

"Rosabella!"

I ran, not caring about anything else.

—

Rosabella’s POV

The cold water swallowed me. The impact knocked me out instantly.

The last thing I heard was Reginald’s guttural scream.

"Rosabella!"

But he was too late.

I woke to the sterile smell of antiseptic and the steady beep of a machine. Reginald was slumped in a chair by the bed.

His suit was creased, his hair a wreck. His eyes were bloodshot, rimmed with exhaustion. He looked… broken.

He shot up when my eyes fluttered open. "You're awake," he breathed, his voice raw. "Rosabella. How do you feel?"

"Where's Felicia?" I asked.

"She's fine." Reginald took my hand. "Why didn't you wait for me to save you?"

I just looked at him. The question was a joke.

"Were you?" I pressed, my voice flat. "If you could only save one of us. Me, or Felicia. Who would you have chosen?"

The silence that followed was louder than the fire. He couldn't even look at me.

He didn't have to. We both knew the answer.

"Rosabella... I..."

"Forget it." I closed my eyes. "I'm tired."

Reginald didn't leave.

For the next few days, he never left my side.

He fed me my medicine, changed my bandages, and even helped me with my physical therapy.

It was just like when we were first married.

Back then, it was just the two of us.

No Felicia, no family drama, no betrayals and lies. Just Reginald and me.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked, stroking my forehead.

"No."

"Liar." His eyes were full of apology. "It's all my fault."

Is it?

You're finally admitting it? But I said nothing.

A week later, the doctor said I could go home.

Reginald came to pick me up himself.

"Let's go home," he said, starting the car.

Home. Was that place still my home?

Halfway there, Reginald's phone rang.

"What? Felicia's at the docks?" He frowned. "What's she doing in a place like that alone?"

The dockyards were one of the most dangerous parts of Chicago.

Rival gangs, turf wars, frequent shootouts.

"She's in trouble?" His voice got tense. "Okay, I'm on my way."

He hung up and pulled the car over.

"Rosabella, I have to go to the docks."

"Now?"

"Felicia's in trouble." Reginald unbuckled his seatbelt. "You go on home. I'll have a driver come get you."

He was going to leave me here?

I looked around.

He’d left me on the South Side. At dusk. The streets were deserted, windows barred like vacant eyes. This wasn't just a bad neighborhood; this was enemy territory.

"Reginald, this area is—"

"I'm sorry, it's an emergency." He was already out of the car. "The driver will be here any minute."

Thump.

The car door closed. The engine roared and faded away.

Leaving me alone on an empty street.

The wind was cold. It made my wounds ache.

I waited for thirty minutes. No driver came.

I took out my phone. No signal. I laughed at myself.

I was just glad I was leaving soon. I wouldn't have to put up with this anymore.

It took me almost two hours to walk back. Thankfully, I didn't run into any trouble.

It was ten o'clock by the time I got back to the manor.

The living room was quiet. Looked like no one was home.

I started for the stairs but heard voices coming from the study.

Reginald's voice.

"Felicia, why did you lie? There were no rival families at the docks. Why did you make me go there?"

Felicia burst into tears and threw herself into his arms.

"Reginald, you've changed." Her voice was full of hurt. "Ever since Rosabella came back, you don't care about me anymore."

"Felicia, she's my wife. I have to love and protect her..."

"But you used to love me!" Felicia cried harder. "You only went after her because of our bet, to protect me! Have you forgotten?!"

A bomb went off in my head.

My mind went completely blank.

I froze, unable to believe what I just heard.