CHAPTER 27LeviAureliaLevi
Levi
Fear and resignation.
That’s what Levi saw in Aurelia’s eyes when she finally looked up and said, “We can live in your house. Just let me know what works best for you.”
It wasn’t the words that gutted him; it was the flat and hollow way she said them. Like someone flinching before the blow ever came, already giving up the fight.
It made him sick to his stomach.
She wasn’t simply agreeing…she was surrendering.
He played the conversation back in his head during the long stretch of silence that followed. Her joke. His response. The shift in her posture. The way she had disappeared right in front of him.
And then it clicked.
He had misread her. Spectacularly . She hadn’t been mocking him—she had been trying to keep things light. Trying to navigate unfamiliar ground with humor, he had responded like a man with something to prove.
Not because of her, but because of what he hadn’t yet unpacked in himself.
He looked at her now, sitting still and small and silent, and all he could think was: No. This wasn’t how this night was supposed to go.
God, he was such an ass.
“No,” he said aloud, voice quiet but firm.
Aurelia blinked, the only indication that she heard him.
“No,” he repeated, more strongly. “We’ll stay at your house.”
She frowned, like she didn’t understand the words.
“It’s not about convenience,” he continued, calm and clear. “Your house matters to you. My place? It’s a status symbol with walls. That’s not home. Not to me. But if yours is…then that’s where I want to be.”
She didn’t speak. Just watched him wearily, unsure if she should believe him.
And god, that did something to him. Made him feel like every carefully constructed part of himself was a sham.
He thought of Estrella’s note again. History of past trauma. Sensitive to conflict. Avoidant under pressure. Proceed gently.
He hadn’t proceeded gently at all.
So now, he would.
“This morning, we promised to be honest when we’re upset,” he said, his tone softer. He fiddled nervously with his chopsticks. “We blew that. Both of us. But maybe that’s the point. We’re not supposed to get it right on day one.”
That earned a flash of something across her face—a ghost of a smile, uncertain but real.
“I know it wasn’t about the house,” he added apologetically. “You were joking. I see that now. But I’ve…been with people who only saw me for what I could give them. Not who I was. And it left some marks.”
He didn’t shy away from saying it. He wasn’t hiding from it anymore.
When she finally looked up again, he saw the weight she was carrying, too.
Wordlessly, she reached across the table and held out her hand.
He grasped it.
It was firm. Stable. Grounding. Not an apology, but an understanding.
“I don’t know how to deal with conflict,” she said, so quietly he almost missed it. “When someone’s upset, and I hear it in their voice, I…shut down.”
He squeezed her hand gently. “Then we’ll figure it out together.”
Her shoulders loosened a fraction. When she let out the faintest breath of laughter, it was the only sound that mattered.
Levi didn’t need a victory tonight.
He just needed her here.
Aurelia
Dinner had gone surprisingly well after that moment.
Aurelia had slowly begun to relax again, the storm inside her settling as Levi’s words replayed in her mind. He hadn’t excused himself. He hadn’t tried to smooth things over with charm or pity.
He had seen her and acknowledged the amount of baggage she shouldered and offered something solid to stand on.
No one had ever done that before.
Not once.
Somehow, it had always been her fault.
Or maybe it was easier for them to blame her because she was so willing to accept it to keep the peace.
That part of her? The part that curled in on itself, silenced itself just to survive?
That part needed to be buried six feet deep.
Levi wasn’t like Kyle. She was starting to believe that.
But even Levi had said it, that unlearning didn’t happen overnight. Reflexes don’t ask permission before firing.
Now her focus shifted to the most daunting part of all—cohabitation.
Tonight. In her house.
Her heart was so out of control that she fleetingly debated getting it checked.
"So…are you okay with us staying at your place?" Levi asked carefully, as if reading her thoughts. “You can come check out mine after dinner. I need to grab clothes for the next couple of nights anyway.”
She nodded, flushing with uncertainty…and to her surprise, desire.
This was stranger than a one-night stand. Because he wasn’t leaving in the morning. Or the one after that.
The rest of dinner was a relaxed blur as they laughed and got to know one another.
But now she recounted the events from dinner while following Levi’s sleek, silver monument to indulgence through the winding streets of Joia City.
They climbed steadily into the cliffs until the scenery gave way to silence, seclusion… and grandeur.
Not grandeur. Excess.
This was a neighborhood built entirely of mansions. Glass, metal, stone…the kind that screamed money and existed for no reason other than to announce it.
At the very end, they reached a cul-de-sac. Tall white stone walls wrapped around a massive estate, its entrance marked by an intricate set of wrought-iron gates. They swung open as Levi approached, his car gliding forward like it belonged there.
Aurelia followed hesitantly, eyeing the gleaming volcanic stone driveway, the curated garden beds, the towering modern structure waiting at the top of the slope.
Levi’s car disappeared into a side garage. She parked where he directed, easing into a circular drive that wrapped around a ridiculous water feature.
Of course, there's a fountain, she thought. All these extravagant homes, like Starhaven, had a fountain.
She stepped out of her car, stunned into silence.
It was breathtaking. Sharp angles, expansive glass, soft lighting spilling from inside, marble staircases, and four garage bays. Four.
He met her gaze from the open garage bay, leaning casually against the outside wall like some fashion cover story come to life.
With a flick of his chin and a devilish smirk, he motioned for her to follow through the side garage. Which, as it turned out, was less a garage and more of a fleet warehouse. Each bay housed two different luxury vehicles. Nothing about it was practical.
It was a showroom.
This is insanity, she thought.
Not envy. Not awe. Only a complete and utter disconnect from everyday life.
Once inside, Levi stopped before her, hesitating, shyness suddenly taking hold. “Would you care for the grand tour?”
She forced a smile. “Lead the way, good sir.”
He relaxed a bit at her tone and offered his arm. She kicked off her heels and looped her arm through his, preparing herself for what she was about to see.
The house was…as stunning as she expected it to be.
Every room on the lower level was an architectural marvel. Floor-to-ceiling windows, clean modern lines, custom lighting, luxury designer furniture arranged with perfect intention.
But not an ounce of life.
Even the kitchen was immaculate. Commercial-grade appliances. Black quartz counters that shimmered like obsidian. A breakfast nook tucked beside massive windows that opened onto a panoramic view of the hills and coastline. Beyond that, a glittering infinity pool hugged the backyard like a jewel.
It was everything . And yet…
Somehow, the bowl of fruit on the table, the stack of unopened mail, and the few dishes in the sink were the only signs that a human lived here.
Those small touches?
That was the real heart of the home.
And they were heartbreakingly rare.
The rest of the tour was a blur. There was a game room, theater, bowling alley, speakeasy, and an obscure metalsmith forge…all of which looked to be built for show, not for living.
She was surrounded by museum-grade perfection. All of it cold, curated with too much space and too little soul.
Finally, they ascended the grand staircase to the second floor, which had even more white walls. More shadowless lighting. More nothingness.
At this point, she didn’t bother counting the bedrooms.
When Levi led her to the last one, the primary suite and his bedroom, her breath caught. It should have been the most personal space in the house. But it was like the others with cream bedding, flawless wood furniture, and stunning architecture. It was beautiful. And sterile…and so empty .
No clutter.
No warmth.
Not a photo.
Not a book.
Not even a forgotten sock.
And for some reason…it made her sad.
She tried not to—she really did—but she frowned deeply, and Levi caught it.
“What are you thinking?” he asked, gently. Not defensive, but curious.
She hesitated, trying to choose her words cautiously.
“Honest reaction, remember?” he coaxed, folding his arms and waiting with an amused smile that did very distracting things to her pulse.
She exhaled and met his eyes, heart pounding as she took the risk.
“This ‘larger than what I needed’ home of yours is stunning,” she began carefully. “The views are incredible. The craftsmanship is…insane. But…”
She swallowed.
“I hate it.”
Levi
Levi stood completely still, like a startled possum mid-death-feint.
For several seconds, he didn’t move. No expression, no sound, only…shocked silence.
Then, something shifted.
First, his chest gave the slightest quiver.
Then his lips twitched.
And then laughter followed.
Big, booming, full-body laughter erupted from deep in his chest and echoed around the stark white walls of the mansion.
It was raw, unfiltered, and utterly unexpected.
Aurelia stared at him, caught somewhere between confusion and disbelief.
She had seemingly braced for a rebuttal or maybe some wounded pride. Possibly even a lecture.
Based on her expression, she hadn’t expected him to laugh like she had delivered the best punchline in the world, and frankly, neither did he. But then again, in a twisted sort of irony…maybe she had.
He couldn’t stop. And the more she stared at him like he had sprouted horns, the harder he laughed.
She crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. “Is that…amusement, or are you having a mental breakdown?”
Still chuckling, Levi finally composed himself enough to speak. “I promise I’m not laughing at you,” he said, wiping the corner of his eye. “It’s just…I hate this place, too.”
“You what?” She said in disbelief.
“I hate it,” he repeated, stepping toward her, a grin lingering on his lips. “I’ve never said that out loud before. Never admitted it. But hearing you say it, like you blurted out the truth I’ve been choking on for two years…God, it’s a relief. It’s invigorating.”
She stared at him like he had told her he moonlighted as a fire-eating acrobat.
He softened a little, his gaze flicking briefly to her parted lips before meeting her eyes again. She was so unbelievably sexy, and his laughter was quickly replaced with a different unstoppable emotion. “Why do you hate it?” he asked, quieter now. He was sincerely curious.
He also wanted to see her lips move some more.
The laughter seemed to crack an inner wall, bringing them back to the honesty they’d promised each other with no pretending, no posturing.
Only them.