CHAPTER 25Aurelia
Aurelia
Aurelia had only heard stories about Chez P'tit Chou-Fleur , the kind of tabloid-glossy, invitation-only type of restaurant reserved for the rich and famous. Until today, she has never had a reason or the nerve to set foot inside.
Now, seated beside one of its expansive windows overlooking the lush emerald hills of Joia City, she had to admit the restaurant was beautiful. The rolling cliffs she loved so much framed the skyline, spilling elegance and grandeur into every corner of the veranda.
White and ivory flower arrangements, some with ornamental cabbage blooms, were tucked around the dining space. The warm light of chandeliers glittered off the fine China, polished silverware, and sparkling crystal, casting a golden hue over everything.
It was perfect.
And she hated it.
She hated how money whispered from every corner. How the atmosphere was engineered to feel airy and intimate yet somehow left her feeling stifled. It screamed, You don’t belong here , if you didn’t flaunt your financial portfolio like a designer label.
The way other diners assessed her as they walked through only confirmed it.
They hadn’t even reached their table before she had clocked the subtle double-takes, the quiet once-overs, the polite nods sent Levi’s way. Nods that stopped short of acknowledging her altogether. It was clear Levi was a frequent patron here.
Once seated, she allowed her gaze to settle on Levi, who looked downright devastating in the golden light.
She wasn’t about to let him know that, though.
Some weaknesses were meant to stay hidden, especially when life had taught her how easily they could be weaponized.
After their server had taken their drink order and provided menus, they sat in awkward silence, unsure of what to say next. She didn’t even glance at her menu.
“So,” she said, not so subtly breaking the tension, “what exactly did I misinterpret earlier when I heard you say you hoped I got there soon so you could ‘get this over with’?”
If Levi was surprised, he didn’t show it. Calmly, he pulled out his phone, tapped through it, then turned the screen toward her.
The message from a contact labeled as “Ivy” read: “I hope she gets here soon so we can get this over with. There is a situation unfolding that needs to be addressed immediately. I scheduled a meeting for this afternoon.”
Time stamp: 12:30 PM. Before she had even arrived.
Aurelia stared at the screen, feeling the first prickle of regret.
“Who’s Ivy?” she squeaked, trying very hard not to let her voice betray her embarrassment.
No longer cool and collected, Levi hesitated before explaining.
“My assistant and Chief Operations Officer. I’m the CEO of a large corporation.
If you search my name online, it’ll all come up.
Along with some other stuff that probably deserves a separate conversation,” he added with a sheepish wince.
He took a deliberate sip of water and continued.
“There’s an issue with a high-profile project at work.
One of our employees crossed a line, and it required an escalation to HR.
Ivy was updating me and scheduled a disciplinary meeting for this afternoon.
The woman we were waiting on...wasn’t you. It was the HR rep.”
Aurelia blinked in confusion. “Then why read it out loud?”
Levi's expression sobered.
“Because Owen, aside from being an overgrown pain in my ass, is also our Chief Security Officer and arrived only minutes before you did. If someone in a significant leadership role needed to be escorted out or access revoked, he needed the heads-up. Unfortunately, this was a serious situation.”
God, she felt foolish now. She may have overreacted a teensy bit over this.
“Oh…Sounds like I made some assumptions today…It was nerves and insecurity and, honestly, a little self-sabotage.” She lifted her glass, attempting to lighten the mood with a half-smile. “Mark this moment down… you’ll rarely catch me admitting I’m wrong.”
Levi laughed, a deep, joyful sound that made her pulse skip. Her thighs instinctively squeezed together under the table.
Focus, Aurelia.
Trying to shift gears, she asked, “So…Owen. What exactly was that ?”
Levi momentarily shut his eyes and groaned. “ That was Owen on his best behavior, believe it or not. He insisted on being there. Said it was for my security, which is only partially true. He’s extremely nosy and dramatic, as I’m sure you’ve learned.”
She chuckled, then turned thoughtful and serious. “One day I’ll look back and laugh about it, I suppose, but right now, it feels like our wedding was a joke.” She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
“He knows he’s on my shit list,” Levi muttered darkly.
Aurelia teased, “He’s a dumbass, sure. But it’s clear he’s your dumbass. You love him anyway.”
Before Levi could reply, her stomach gave a loud, traitorous grumble. He grinned, green eyes twinkling. “What kind of husband would I be if I stood between my wife and food?”
“A stupid one,” she shot back. Instinct had an apology ready on the tip of her tongue, but she forced it down and opened her menu.
Conversation flowed more easily after that. She was perusing the menu when she noticed Levi hadn’t bothered with his. His attention was solely focused on her.
“You must come here often if you’ve already memorized the menu.”
“I do,” he admitted. “Want recommendations?”
She nodded, and he rattled off several French classics like Tartiflette, Blanquette de Veau, and Boeuf Bourguignon.
But as she scanned the menu, her brow furrowed. “None of those are listed here.”
He frowned. “They’re standard items.”
“They’re not on this menu.”
He paused, then opened his menu and fell silent. Several minutes later, he flagged their server over, a young redhead who looked barely out of college.
“Good evening!” the server chirped. “Ready to order, or perhaps begin with an aperitif?”
“Actually,” Levi said smoothly, “has there been a recent menu change?”
“Absolutely! Chef Perreault recently overhauled the menu with fresh flavors, a new direction, and a very exclusive selection. Everything listed is brand new.”
Levi’s jaw ticked. “Could we have a few more minutes?”
“Of course,” the server said, bowing out politely.
Levi sat there, staring down at the menu as if it had personally betrayed him.
“Sorry,” he muttered. “I didn’t expect them to change everything. This used to be one of my favorite places.”
Aurelia noticed the tension in his shoulders, disappointment in his eyes, and a glimmer of something…else.
She didn’t like it.
“How do you feel,” she asked slowly, carefully laying her menu down, “about ditching this place and going somewhere less stuffy…with better food?”
Levi’s head snapped up, surprised. Then the corners of his mouth lifted.
“I couldn’t possibly say no to my brilliant wife.”