The audience is silent. Waiting.
I take a shaky breath.
"Korgan Dongoran, you stubborn, tactical, surprisingly sweet orc—" My voice cracks. "I claim you right back."
He exhales like I punched him.
"I choose you. The person who defended me when I couldn't defend myself. Who learned to ice cookies and livestream baking sessions and negotiate with producers. Who makes me laugh and challenges me and looks at me like I'm worth fighting for."
I step closer.
"I offer you my creativity, my resilience, my ability to find humor in chaos. I offer you honesty and trust and really good cinnamon rolls whenever you want them." I smile through tears. "And I offer you my vulnerability. The parts of me that are scared and ambitious and still figuring out how to ask for help."
"I accept," he says immediately.
"I accept too."
We kiss. Deep and sure and absolutely real.
The audience explodes.
Borgat's voice pierces through: "The claim is witnessed. The bond is recognized."
Claudia appears, makeup smudged, definitely crying. "I think we can call that a pass."
The screen flashes final results.
ALL CHALLENGES PASSED. VICTORY: TRINITY & KORGAN
We won.
We actually won.
Korgan lifts me, spinning once before setting me down carefully. "We did it."
"We did." I cup his face. "Now what?"
"Now we figure out the rest. Together."
"Together," I agree.
And somewhere in the chaos of cameras and applause and Borgat's approving nod?—
I believe it.
CHAPTER 14
KORGAN
Three weeks post-finale, I stand in Trinity's bakery storage room, staring at a shelf full of decorative platters.
"This won't work."
Trinity appears in the doorway, flour dusting her temple. "What won't work?"
"Battle-axes require vertical storage. Wall-mounted, accessible. You have—" I gesture at the shelves. "Plates."
"Those aredisplay plattersfor catering orders."
