Page 139 of Code of Heart

A home for kids like her, aging out of foster care with nowhere to go.

The thought brought a soft, bittersweet smile to her lips. Her eyes fluttered shut as a desperate need for a nap overtook her, and for the first time in her life, she let herself dream.

Levi

That morning, Levi once again found himself seated across from Estrella in her comfortingly bright kitchen, where this journey had all begun.

The familiar aroma of brewing tea drifted through the air, but unlike that first meeting—when he had sat here composed and smug—today, he felt anything but put together.

His expression was tight, his posture tense, a hand unconsciously rubbing at the stiff muscles in his neck from yet another night spent on the couch.

So much had happened in the past few weeks, his thoughts were a tangle of regrets and what-ifs. Or maybe it wasn’t confusion at all. Perhaps it was the unfamiliar discomfort of having to ask for help.

But Estrella, ever patient and ever knowing, simply sat across from him, those intense cerulean eyes watching, her hands calmly stirring a spoon through her tea.

“I must say,” she began softly, her voice warm with maternal understanding, “I was both surprised and relieved to receive your call. Now…tell me, Levi. What’s weighing on you?”

The gentle kindness in her voice cut straight through the storm in his head.

Levi exhaled slowly, his eyes dropping to the untouched mug of tea in front of him, as if the answers he so desperately needed might rise from its surface.

“I…” His voice cracked, forcing him to start again. “I screwed up. In the worst conceivable way.”

He swallowed hard, the shame thick in his throat.

“I’m sure you saw the photos in the tabloids. The ones of Aurelia…” His jaw clenched.

Estrella’s mouth pressed into a thin, disapproving line, but she said nothing. She didn’t need to.

Levi dragged in a shaky breath and pressed forward.

“The way that night unfolded…when we found her…” His voice broke again. “I thought she had betrayed me. And I—god, Ireacted. I was such anass…I didn’t even give her a chance to explain. I said things I can’t take back. I didn’t think. I didn’tlisten. I let every scar from my past dictate how I saw her at that moment. And now…” His eyes burned as he stared at the tea. “Now I don’t know how to fix it.”

Estrella’s gaze softened, a knowing light flickering behind her eyes.

“Betrayal,” she said gently, “even when it’s only perceived, can rip open old wounds. But you’ve already taken the first step by acknowledging that mistake. Redemption doesn’t start with grand gestures, Levi. It starts with accountability.”

He gave a short, bitter laugh. “I’ve done that. And…mercifully, she’s giving me another chance. But I don’t know how todeserveit. I can admit now that we rushed into things—especially the physical side of our relationship. And I think…I think it made everything worse.”

Levi swallowed hard. He couldn’t remember the last time he had blushed over anything, but his cheeks burned now.

“She’s become my greatest weakness,” he admitted softly. “And that terrified me. It still does.”

Estrella leaned forward, her gaze piercing straight through his defenses.

“Do you love her?”

The question slammed into his chest like a wrecking ball. He didn’t hesitate.

“Yes,” he whispered, voice ripe with vulnerability. “I love her more than I ever thought possible. But I’m not ready to tell her that. Not until I prove it. I want to ask her to marry me again…properly this time. Because she’s the one Ichoose—not because of some contract, not because of obligation. Because she’s it for me.”

Estrella nodded, her expression softening into something almost proud.

“Then show her,” she said simply. “With every action. Words are powerful, but trust is rebuilt through quiet consistency.Know her. Learn the things she loves, the things she fears. Listen more than you speak. And when the moment feels right—not because you’re desperate or afraid—tell her. Tell her everything.”

Levi swallowed the lump in his throat.

“I don’t want to lose her,” he rasped. “I’ve already lost so much. And without her…I’m nothing.”