Love triangles have a knack for popping up in romances, whether the reader or viewer prefers them to or not. Characters find themselves in sticky situations, and sometimes that includes loving two people simultaneously. As perceptions and representations of love evolve on screen, so does the structure of a love triangle. Its frame remains the same, but its components can develop, so love triangles don’t exclusively encompass romantic relationships. That’s what it seems Bridgerton Season 2 may do with Anthony Bridgerton, Kate Sharma, and her sister Edwina. The only way for this season to have a love triangle is if it’s anything but conventional.

Bridgerton debuted on Netflix in 2019 to much acclaim from fans of Julia Quinn’s beloved anthology book series. Each novel focuses on a different Bridgerton sibling’s quest for love. Season 1 sees Anthony’s younger sister Daphne find love with the Duke of Hastings— as does Quinn’s The Duke & I. Season 2 will focus on Anthony’s quest for the perfect viscountess (not a love match) as Quinn chronicles in The Viscount Who Loved Me. The story takes some turns, but its foundation is an enemies-to-lovers romance with Kate Sheffield — now Kate Sharma. The involvement of her younger sister Edwina complicates things on the page and screen.

In TVWLM, it’s easy to view the dynamic between Kate, Anthony, and Edwina as a love triangle because it has superficial similarities to one. In actuality, it never fully evolves into the conventional love triangle. Anthony only courts Edwina because she’s the Diamond of the Season and would make the “perfect” viscountess. Moreover, Anthony’s lack of romantic affection towards Edwina allows him to follow his determination to marry someone he doesn’t genuinely love. Kate ruins his plans, as he begins to truly care for her. The truth is Edwina doesn’t love Anthony either; Edwina knows her sister loves Anthony before Kate admits it.

That breakdown doesn’t do the richness of Kate and Anthony’s relationship or Kate and Edwina’s justice. It most certainly doesn’t entirely encompass Anthony and Kate’s complicated feelings towards love and their familial trauma that contributes to that perception. It does, however, briefly explain the potential for a connection between Anthony and Edwina because of their domestic obligations. Bridgerton could deepen their dynamic if it ventures into Edwina’s perspective more than the book allows. Societal pressures are just as much of a factor contributing to her actions as they are to Anthony’s.

Charithra Chandran (who plays Edwina Sharma) said as much in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly. She spoke about Anthony and Edwina’s respective roles to fulfill and how that stressor allows them to “connect to each other with and understand each other in a way a lot of other people wouldn’t.” Chandra also referenced Edwina’s genuine feelings for Anthony. It may be presumptuous to believe those aren’t as romantic as they sound, but it seems likely that she genuinely feels for Anthony’s situation since she finds herself in a similar one. In the book the true tether between Anthony and Edwina is Kate and their love for her.

Anthony and Kate’s begrudging connection and eventual romance created a chance for each of them to find a new way to live their lives and find love again — together. Their romance is one of the best in recent times because they wholeheartedly challenge each other. Still, the other dynamic relationship at the heart of TVWLM is that between Kate and Edwina.

Bridgerton doesn’t need a typical love triangle where Kate and Edwina have romantic feelings for Anthony. The show may indeed tease the possibility of a triangle at the start of the season, but there is already so much richness to explore amongst the three without Anthony and Edwina’s dynamic becoming explicitly romantic. Their shared love for Kate is more than enough to throw a wrench into the formula and continue Bridgerton‘s excellent job of examining different types of love. For example, Penelope and Eloise’s friendship is as big of a deal as Daphne and Simon’s romance in Season 1 — as it should be.

Chandran described the sisters as “soulmates” who “will always choose each other.” If that’s not an epic love story that deserves exploration, what is? Kate Sharma herself, Simone Ashley agrees, as she so finely puts: “Even though the main focus is the enemies-to-lovers love story between her and Anthony, there’s also the love story of her and her sister.” Of course, a love triangle would diverge from the exclusive pairing of Daphne and Simon. But, Bridgerton Season 2 will be more than successful if it gives Kate’s relationship with Edwina nearly as much (if not equal) attention as it does with her relationship with Anthony.