CHAPTER 42Aurelia
Aurelia
Ivy and Grace left soon after the grand reveal, leaving Levi, Aurelia, and Owen to head to Starhaven Manor together. Aurelia took the back seat, carefully spreading out her gown and trying to ignore the lingering unease clinging to her.
She glanced down at the sandals Levi had bought her. They were Greek goddess-inspired flats adorned with the same crystals as her gown, delicate vines wrapping past her ankles. Even she felt like she had become the embodiment of the Harvest Charity Ball.
As they pulled into the long, winding driveway, the view took her breath away. By day, it had been beautiful, but at night…it was like stepping through a portal to a hidden realm. Twinkling lights wove through autumnal vines and lush greenery, casting a soft, enchanted glow.
Even Owen was struck silent for a moment. Then, with a theatrical bow, he declared, “Damn…even I’ll bow before you, oh woodland goddess. This is incredible!”
An attendant directed them to the designated parking area. Once parked, Levi circled to open Aurelia’s door. She took his hand, stepping carefully down, her dress shimmering under the lights. When she tucked herself against his side, Levi leaned in and nipped her ear.
“I haven’t even seen the inside yet, and I’m already amazed,” he murmured. “But mostly, I’m amazed by you, Auri.”
Heat flooded her cheeks, but before she could reply, Owen clapped his hands dramatically. “Let’s find the snacks before I start chewing on the decorations!”
They made their way up the grand stone steps, passing under an arch of glittering lights and vines that turned the entryway into a living fairytale.
At the entrance, guests were handed the upscale glow sticks Aurelia had commissioned. When she explained their purpose, Owen chuckled. “Someone’s definitely breaking a hip tonight.”
Levi tried—and failed—not to laugh.
Inside the ballroom, the transformation was beyond anything Aurelia could have imagined.
The space had become a magical forest under starlit skies.
Nymphs and woodland creatures served hors d’oeuvres.
A waterfall of sorbet punch flowed from a sculpted tree trunk, surrounded by lavish displays of fruits, vegetables, and charcuterie.
Canopies of flowers and vines hung from the ceiling, glittering crystals and warm lights peeking through like stars. The dance floor, bar, silent auction table, and stage blended seamlessly into the enchanted setting.
Levi’s sharp inhale and soft, awed, “Wow,” made her heart soar.
“What do you think?” she asked nervously.
He turned to her, his eyes shining. “I think you’re in charge of every event we ever host from now on.” And before she could react, he pulled her close and kissed her like they were the only two people in the room.
She was still dazed when Charles approached, dressed in a classic black tuxedo, a glass of bourbon in hand.
“You’ve outdone yourself, Aurelia,” he praised warmly. “I’d say this might even surpass Eleanor’s finest events.”
Blushing, Aurelia smiled shyly.
Charles studied her for a moment longer, his voice humming with approval. “You also look stunning, as though you were born to rule this magical kingdom tonight.”
Levi instinctively reached for her hand, grounding himself as he fought off a possessive growl.
Charles gave Levi a knowing smile, then leaned in close to whisper something in Aurelia’s ear.
Levi stiffened until Charles stepped back with a tender smile, gazing at Aurelia the way a grandfather would his granddaughter.
Levi’s chest loosened a bit. Aurelia’s expression melted into stunned disbelief before she threw her arms around Charles.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
“You deserve it,” Charles replied, his eyes misting.
Aurelia twirled back to Levi, pressing against him in a fierce embrace, her lips brushing his ear.
“Charles submitted the paperwork. It’s official—He feels that I’ve met the terms of Eleanor’s inheritance!”
Levi held her tighter, his lips brushing her hair in a quiet confession of everything he couldn’t say aloud.
He marveled at the quiet satisfaction on Charles’s face—a satisfaction that told him Aurelia had gone above and beyond to make this marriage work, that she had earned every penny of that inheritance with real effort and commitment.
His heart skipped a beat as he internalized what that meant.
Before he could add his thoughts, Owen ruined the moment by waggling his eyebrows suggestively, and Levi sighed. He really couldn’t take him anywhere.
Charles cleared his throat. “I have to steal Aurelia for a bit to go over final details with the charity reps.”
Before Aurelia could respond, a high, sugary voice cut through the air.
“There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you!”
Aurelia turned as Selene approached, her pale blue eyes assessing every detail of Aurelia’s gown. She wore a simple bronze taffeta dress and smiled tightly. Charles’s jaw visibly tightened.
“We just arrived,” Aurelia explained.
“The representatives have been asking when we’ll start,” Selene said, before turning to the men. “Oh! I didn’t see you there.”
Owen, ever the opportunist, stepped forward with a dazzling smile. “And who might you be?”
“This is Selene,” Aurelia introduced quickly. “Chief of Staff…and my best friend.”
Selene’s eyes barely flicked over Levi and Owen, her polite smile not quite reaching her eyes.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you both,” she said sweetly before turning her attention back to Aurelia and Charles. “We need to begin now if we’re going to stay on schedule.”
Levi pressed his lips to Aurelia’s temple. “Go show them what the Greaves heir is made of,” he whispered.
She smiled at him, gave him one last kiss, and turned to follow Charles and Selene, gliding through the ballroom like she had owned it her whole life.
It had only been an hour, and already Aurelia was exhausted.
She wasn’t accustomed to this much small talk or being the center of attention for so long.
With a smile plastered on her face, she managed to work her way through the charity representatives, the last of whom was Martin Strasburg, chair of The National Dyslexia Foundation.
Martin was a tall, heavyset man with curly copper hair and pale blue eyes magnified behind silver frames.
His thick beard held streaks of gray, and a scattering of freckles crossed the bridge of his nose.
Despite his imposing appearance, his easy laugh was loud and infectious, putting her instantly at ease.
“Thank you so much for including us,” Martin said warmly. “I’ve lived here all my life, and I know what a big deal it is to be part of this event.”
Aurelia beamed. “The pleasure’s mine. It’s a cause very close to my heart, and frankly, we should have included you sooner.”
“I’d also like to offer my congratulations on your marriage,” he added with a knowing smile. “Levi’s one of the finest men I’ve ever worked for.”
That caught her off guard, her surprise unmistakable. “You work for Levi?”
Martin chuckled. “I’m a Senior Director at Neuronix. Levi personally hired me when the company was starting to take off. I was hoping to catch him tonight.”
Aurelia couldn’t resist a teasing smile. “So…exactly how bossy is he as a boss? Asking for a friend.”
Martin let out a hearty laugh but quickly sobered.
“Honestly? Levi built something remarkable. As someone who also has dyslexia, I can say there’s no better place to work.
He made sure those of us with disabilities have the tools we need to succeed without stigma.
He even let us keep partial rights to the technologies we helped create.
That kind of leadership is rare. If Levi ever left Neuronix, I think half the company would walk out the door with him. ”
Aurelia’s pride swelled at the sincerity of his words, a fresh wave of emotion building in her chest. She had fallen for Levi before she really understood how deeply his kindness and integrity ran.
“You and Levi are changing lives,” she whispered, blinking fast to fight back the tears threatening again.
Martin smiled kindly before excusing himself to find Levi.
Aurelia barely had a chance to gather her composure before she spotted Darcy Newman, her old case worker from District Child Welfare Services. It felt surreal seeing her again under these circumstances—so much better than the difficult meetings of her youth.
Darcy’s eyes brimmed with unshed tears as she pulled Aurelia into a motherly hug. “I’m so proud of you, sweetheart. You beat the odds and turned it into something beautiful. I always knew you would.”
Aurelia held her tightly, grateful beyond words for the woman who had once tried to give her a better future.
When they finally parted, Aurelia moved on to meet the representatives from Glow Sticks for the Elderly, who were thrilled about the upcoming rave.
Their excitement was contagious, but the second the conversation ended, her stomach reminded her loudly that she hadn’t eaten since her rushed breakfast.
She turned to find a passing server, but instead, she found herself face-to-face with Bertrand Dallingford.
Despite his worsening limp and deepening hunch, his beady yellow eyes remained sharp as ever—sharper, unfortunately, when it came to roving over her body with far too much interest. She tried not to cringe.
“This is a lovely event, Miss Aurelia,” he said, his voice low and oily, his gaze unapologetically fixed on her chest. “I’m particularly looking forward to this rave everyone keeps whispering about.”
Then, in a conspiratorial tone, he leaned closer. “I hear there are special…pills that make those experiences far more pleasurable. I managed to get my hands on a few. Care to join me?”
Aurelia’s stomach flipped for entirely different reasons. “Oh, no. No—no, thank you. I have a job to do,” she said quickly, already stepping out of reach and before he could offer anything further.
What in the world had Eleanor gotten herself involved with to know people like him?
With her appetite gone, she headed for the stage where Charles was waiting, every step helping her push aside the unease Bertrand’s comment stirred in her.
She rose into herself—shoulders back, chin steady—calling on every thread of strength woven into her bones. It was time to open the Harvest Charity Ball—and she would do it like she owned the entire damn night.