CHAPTER 24AureliaLevi
Aurelia
Aurelia sat in her car outside Chez P'tit Chou-Fleur , one of the most exclusive restaurants in Joia City, staring at her reflection in the visor mirror.
She winced. Puffy eyes stared back at her, the aftermath of her panic attack lingering on her skin. And Levi had seen it. Of course, he had.
So much for making a good first impression , she thought grimly.
As she reapplied mascara with the shaky grace of someone still recovering, her hand paused midair, mascara wand suspended.
She couldn’t stop thinking about how amazing it felt when Levi held her in the parking lot.
Not awkward. Not forced. Just…safe.
It was a feeling so foreign she barely recognized it for what it was.
Still, it was too soon to make anything of it. She mentally folded the feeling up like a delicate blouse and tucked it into an imaginary suitcase to be unpacked later. She had been overwhelmed by emotions the entire day and didn’t have the energy to address this. Not yet.
Satisfied with her appearance, she took a slow, steadying breath and stepped out of her car.
Levi parked behind her, now leaning against his silver sports car in wait, like a page out of a luxury magazine. Every detail about him, like his custom-tailored suit, the watch that likely cost more than her entire wardrobe, and the damn car, all oozed quiet wealth.
She glanced down at the ring on her left hand. Her newest accessory sparkled in the early evening sun. It was elegant and the design intentional.
Like everything about Levi.
That’s when it struck her.
Estrella’s file said he was “financially stable,” a benign phrase that meant so much more. Between the rings, the car, and the restaurant where you needed a six-month waitlist or a surname with a crest to get a table…it was evident she hadn’t even scratched the surface of who Levi Lockwood was.
And that realization twisted in her gut.
Because despite all the preparation, the disclosures, the vetting…she didn’t know him. Not really.
This fact made her feel anything but safe.
Levi
Every ounce of Levi’s willpower was channeled into keeping his hands to himself.
He didn’t understand it…this relentless, inexplicable urge to touch her. To put an arm around her waist, to thread his fingers through hers…something. Anything .
Mid-stride, her eyes dropped to her hand, and a faint frown flickered across her face. That made his heart stutter.
He had put so much thought into those rings. Hours with his jeweler, reworking every detail. He wanted them to be perfect. To make her smile. And if they didn’t, he would replace them in a heartbeat, over and over again, until he got it right. He didn’t care about the price tag.
He wanted her to love them.
Levi hadn’t expected to be this affected by a woman he just met. He never had to work this hard for attention. It was equally unnerving and exhilarating.
He focused on trying to appear relaxed by leaning casually against his sleek silver sports car. It was his first post-IPO indulgence, rarely used and plucked from storage just for today. Now, it felt…gauche. Arrogant, even.
Especially as he watched Aurelia’s impassive gaze flick toward the car. He told Estrella from the beginning that he didn’t want someone who gave a damn about his money. He wanted someone who saw him .
Nevertheless, he showed up today wrapped in symbols of wealth with the car, the suit, the rings, and the restaurant behind them.
The irony made him grimace and curse himself internally.
He had picked Chez P’tit Chou-Fleur because he knew the menu like the back of his hand. It was familiar, comforting. A selfish choice, in hindsight.
Levi’s thoughts fell apart when she approached and stopped before him.
She was a stunning mix of elegance and edge, restraint and strength. And, by some cosmic twist of fate, she was now his wife.
My wife.
It struck him like a blow to the chest. Either the universe had gifted him something rare…or was teeing him up for a hell of a punchline to a cruel joke.
He sincerely hoped it was the former.
Straightening, Levi stepped away from the car and offered his arm with his best attempt at a flirtatious smile. “Our first meal together as Mr. and Mrs.”
Aurelia quirked a brow, her face revealing nothing. “Hopefully, your friend Owen doesn’t make an appearance.”
He let out a low chuckle, grateful for the softness in her voice, and that she took his arm and didn’t try to run away again.