Page 156 of Code of Heart

EPILOGUE

Aurelia

The courtroom was cold and sterile, but Aurelia was unaffected. All she felt was fire pulsing through her veins as she walked in, her spine straight, her expression blank. Dressed in a sharp, understated maroon dress, she looked every inch the woman they hadn’t managed to break.

After months of waiting, the air was thick with judgment, the final moments of reckoning for Selene and Kyle at last within reach.

Levi kept his promise. He was there beside her, as he had been through every agonizing moment leading up to this day. Clad in a deep gray suit, his hand gripped hers, a solid and unwavering reminder that she wasn’t facing this alone.

Her gaze settled on Kyle first. His once-arrogant smirk was long gone, replaced by something hollow and broken. The sadistic man who once reveled in overpowering her now sat like a ghost of himself. A new scar cut across his brow—a permanent reminder of the day she forced him to kneel before her strength.

The restraining order violation had sealed his fate, and now, he was nothing more than a common criminal waiting to be told how many years he would waste behind bars.

Aurelia tilted her head, the faintest hint of a smirk curving her lips.I hope the rest of your days are spent cowering under someone else’s boot, a constant reminder of what you really are.

Then her eyes landed on Selene.

Where Kyle was hollow, Selene was a barely contained inferno. There was no remorse or regret. Only seething hatred blazing in her eyes. Aurelia didn’t bother hiding her rage—didn’t softenher glare or temper the heat in her veins. ShewantedSelene to see the depths of it and to remember exactly who she had underestimated.

But none of that mattered now.

What mattered was the judge’s voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

Life in prison without parole for both Selene and Kyle.

A slow, shuddering breath escaped Aurelia’s lungs, her entire body trembling under the weight of release. Months of imagining this moment hadn’t prepared her for the reality of it, of what it would feel like to finallybe free.

Not caring who saw or if cameras were rolling, she threw her arms around Levi’s neck, tears streaming down her face as she buried herself against him. He pulled her into his lap without hesitation, crushing her to his chest and kissing her hard. For long, quiet moments, she stayed there, letting the tidal wave of relief crash through her, not bothering to fight it.

When she was ready, she peeled herself from his embrace and stood. Levi followed, his eyes never leaving her.

With her head held high and her soul light for the first time in years, Aurelia turned on her heel and walked out of the courtroom. Levi held the heavy wooden door open, and as soon as she crossed the threshold, he wrapped her in his arms once more.

“It’s done,” she whispered into his chest, holding him tight.

“It’s done,” he echoed, pressing a kiss to her hair. His voice was thick with emotion but sure. “And now…we move forward.”

Levi

The dock behind the house glowed beneath the golden hues of sunset, the lagoon reflecting the colors like liquid gold. A small circle of their closest friends gathered barefoot on the worn wooden planks—Owen, Ivy, Grace, Isaac, Charles, Estrella, and even Adelen. It wasn’t extravagant or showy.

It was entirely theirs.

Aurelia smoothed the soft pastel aqua dress she had chosen, nothing like the dramatic gowns she once imagined brides would wear. It was simple, flowing, and effortless...exactly like her.

At the end of the dock, Levi waited, hands in the pockets of his tan linen pants, his gaze fixed on her with the kind of devotion that stole the breath from her lungs. He wore a crisp white shirt with a single hydrangea boutonniere pinned on the collar. Charles, their officiant this time, stood beside him with a wide, knowing smile.

Owen, ever the entertainer, had somehow talked them into letting him be the official “flower man” and was putting on an absolute spectacle, throwing petals with exaggerated flourishes as he strutted down the dock.

He caught sight of Adelen and—ever undeterred—tried to impress her with his petal-tossing prowess. Adelen was visibly unimpressed. Aurelia laughed as she began walking toward Levi, catching the determined gleam in Owen’s eyes now set on Adelen.

That poor woman has no idea what she’s in for, he thought with amusement.

A small, ornate wedding arch stood at the end of the dock, draped with flowing white fabric and adorned with tiny crystals that sparkled like stars in the fading light. Lanterns lined thedock’s edge, guiding her path toward the man who had already owned her heart and touched her soul.

The reception area beyond was simple but beautiful. A long, elegant table was set with fine China, crystal glasses, and a vibrant floral centerpiece, surrounded by cushioned chairs. The quiet lap of water against the dock provided the only symphony they needed.

As she reached him, Levi took her hands gently and leaned in, his voice a low murmur meant for her alone. “No words exist to adequately describe how beautiful you look.” He took pride in the blush that now crept over her skin, wishing he could explore just how far it spread beneath her dress.