Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Levi
The box feels heavier in my pocket than it should. Small and velvet-lined, it carries the weight of every mistake I’ve made and every hope I have for a future I’m not sure I deserve. I’ve spent days rehearsing what I want to say, but now, standing in the glow of the city lights on the penthouse balcony, every word I’d planned seems to vanish.
Tania is leaning against the railing, her hair catching the faint breeze. She’s quiet tonight, contemplative, and the air between us feels charged with unspoken tension. I’ve waited for the right moment, but now that it’s here, doubt creeps in, clawing at the edges of my resolve.
What if she says no? What if I lose her all over again?
No. I can’t think like that. I have to try.
“Tania,” I say softly, stepping closer.
She glances at me, her eyes reflecting the glow of the city below. “What’s up?”
I take a deep breath, my heart pounding as I pull the box from my pocket. Her gaze drops to it, and for a moment, time seems to stand still.
“Levi...” she whispers, her voice filled with something I can’t quite place.
“I know this isn’t what you were expecting,” I begin, my voice steady but thick with emotion. “And maybe it’s too soon, or maybe it’s long overdue. But I can’t keep waiting for the perfect moment, Tania. Because the truth is, there’s no perfect moment without you.”
Her breath catches, and I take her hand, holding it gently as I kneel before her. The city lights blur around us, but all I see is her—beautiful, strong, and the only person who’s ever made me feel like I could be more than the man I’ve always tried to be.
“Tania Caldwell,” I say, my voice trembling slightly. “You are everything I never knew I needed. You challenge me, ground me, and make me want to be better. I don’t want to spend another day pretending I can live without you.”
I open the box, revealing the simple yet elegant ring I chose weeks ago. “Will you marry me?”
For a moment, she doesn’t say anything. Her eyes dart between the ring and my face, and I can see the war waging inside her. I brace myself, my chest tightening with every passing second.
“Levi,” she says finally, her voice trembling. “I... I can’t.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. My hand falters, and I stand slowly, searching her face for some sign that she doesn’t mean it. But her eyes are filled with tears, her expression resolute.
“You can’t?” I repeat, my voice barely above a whisper.
She shakes her head, stepping back slightly. “I’m sorry. I just... I don’t know if I can trust this. Trust you.”
“Tania,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “I’m not the man I was before. I swear to you, this isn’t about the deal or the merger. This is about us.”
“I want to believe that,” she says, her voice breaking. “But every time I start to think I can, the past comes rushing back. The late nights, the broken promises, the feeling that I was never enough. I can’t go through that again, Levi. I can’t risk it.”
Her words cut deeper than I thought possible, and I feel my throat tighten as I struggle to find the right response. “You are enough,” I say firmly. “You’ve always been enough. And I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that to you if you’ll let me.”
She looks away, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I need time, Levi. Time to figure out what I want. What I need.”
“Take all the time you need,” I say, my voice quiet but steady. “I’ll wait for you, Tania. However long it takes.”
She nods, wiping at her tears, but the pain in her expression doesn’t fade. “I’m sorry,” she whispers again before turning and walking inside.
I stay on the balcony long after she’s gone, the ring still in my hand, the weight of her rejection pressing down on me like a lead blanket. The city below continues its endless hum, oblivious to the storm raging inside me.
I told her I’d wait, and I meant it. But as I stand there, staring at the empty space where she was, I can’t shake the fear that no matter how long I wait, I might have already lost her