Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Levi
I walk away before I can lose my nerve. Before I say something I’ll regret. Before Tania can see just how much seeing her again is unraveling me.
The air outside the ballroom is sharp and cool, a welcome contrast to the stifling heat of the gala. I pull at my tie, loosening it as I stride toward the valet. My hand tightens around my phone, the temptation to look back gnawing at me.
But I can’t. Not tonight.
Three Years Ago
It had been a rare moment of stillness for both of us. Tania was curled up on my couch, her head resting against my shoulder, a blanket draped over her legs. The television played in the background, but neither of us was paying attention.
“You know what I love about this city?” she asked, her voice soft and contemplative.
I glanced down at her, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. “What’s that?”
She smiled, her eyes sparkling with that contagious optimism she always carried. “The possibilities. Anything can happen here. You can start over, reinvent yourself, chase your wildest dreams.”
“And what’s your wildest dream?” I asked, half-teasing, half-curious.
She turned her head, meeting my gaze with an intensity that stole my breath. “To make something of myself. To build something I can be proud of.”
I kissed her then, the kind of kiss that felt like a promise. “You already do that,” I said, meaning every word.
She laughed softly. “I’m serious, Levi. I want to be more than someone’s girlfriend. I want to stand on my own.”
“You’re more than that,” I assured her. “You’re everything.”
I run a hand through my hair as the memory fades, guilt twisting in my gut. She’d wanted to build something for herself, and I admired her for it. But back then, I didn’t know how to balance her dreams with my own.
Two Years Ago
“Tania, I can’t make it,” I said, gripping the phone tighter as I paced my office. The skyline outside my window stretched endlessly, a glittering reminder of the empire I was building. “This deal is bigger than anything we’ve worked on before.”
“I know how big it is, Levi,” she said, her tone sharp. “But you promised. This was important to me.”
I sighed, leaning against the desk. “You know how much I care about you, but I can’t be everywhere at once.”
Her voice dropped, the hurt bleeding through despite her attempt to sound composed. “It’s not about being everywhere, Levi. It’s about being here. With me.”
“I’m doing this for us,” I argued, trying to ignore the ache in my chest.
“No,” she said softly. “You’re doing it for you.”
I didn’t fight her on it. I didn’t fight for her at all.
The valet pulls up with my car, snapping me back to the present. I nod my thanks and slide into the driver’s seat, gripping the steering wheel as I sit in silence for a moment.
I shouldn’t have left the way I did. But the way she looked at me—like she could still see every part of me, the good, the bad, and the broken—was too much. It’s been three years, and yet Tania still has the power to strip me bare with one glance.
I know I shouldn’t have blindsided her with the fake engagement plan, but it wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment idea. It’s something I’ve thought about for weeks, ever since the merger talks began. Damon has been circling like a shark, trying to find cracks in my image. And as much as I hate to admit it, the board is old-fashioned. They want stability. A partner. A life beyond the billion-dollar deals.
When I saw Tania tonight, the plan solidified in my mind. She’s the only person I trust to pull this off—and the only person I can’t seem to let go of.
Back Then
“You’re incredible, you know that?” I said, watching Tania across the table at one of our favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurants. She was reviewing notes for a presentation, her brow furrowed in concentration.
She glanced up, her lips curving into a smile. “I’m just trying to keep up with you.”
“You don’t have to try,” I said. “You’re already miles ahead of everyone else.”
Her cheeks flushed, and she reached across the table, lacing her fingers with mine. “You always know what to say.”
Only with you, I thought, though I didn’t say it out loud.
I grip the steering wheel tighter, the weight of those memories pressing down on me. I had it all once—Tania, my ambitions, the future we both dreamed of. And I let it slip through my fingers because I didn’t know how to share the load.
When I lost Tania, I lost more than just a relationship. I lost my balance, the person who made me feel grounded in a world where everything else was in constant motion.
And now, I have a chance to bring her back into my life, even if it’s under the guise of a business arrangement. It’s selfish, I know. But if this is the only way to be close to her again, I’ll take it.
For years, I’ve told myself I left her because I wanted her to be happy. Because she deserved someone who could give her the time and attention I couldn’t. But the truth is, I left because I was afraid. Afraid of failing her, of falling short, of being vulnerable.
Not anymore.
This time, I’m not walking away without a fight.