Page 31 of Code of Heart

Aurelia gathered the documents as fast as reasonably possible and walked out, her resolve firm and purposeful.

Charles held back a smile as she left.

CHAPTER 13

Levi

Levi’s eyes were so dry he feared they might fall out of his head.

He spent the entire afternoon completing the assessments Estrella had sent, not wanting to waste any time. The moment he got home, he locked himself in his office, booted up his laptop, and dove in. The tests measured everything from behavior and communication to conflict resolution.

Thankfully, Neuronix’sTNV Assistapp made the process three times faster. He often wished he’d had it in college, especially during those horrendous timed exams. Most professors were accepting, but a few weren’t.

“The real world isn’t going to accommodate you.”

Levi remembered one particularly smug professor who had said that to him. Incensed, he had fired back with,“You couldn’t hack it as a developer in the real world, so now you're here tormenting students with this half-assed attempt at teaching.”That retort sent him straight to the Dean’s office, threatening to go public if students didn’t get the accommodations they deserved. After that, class was...different.

That experience fueled the birth of Neuronix.TNV Assistwas the first tool he, Owen, and Isaac created, and it remained one of their most successful products. Today, it proved its worth again.

Rubbing his eyes, Levi tried to summon moisture. The results had been eye-opening. Unsurprisingly, his strengths lay in his directness and executive mindset, but the rest of the report challenged his self-image. He wasn’t as spontaneous or adventurous as he thought. It became glaringly obvious as this pattern consistently emerged across multiple assessments.

At first, it mildly offended him until he tried to remember the last time hewasspontaneous. The answer was a slap in the face when he realized it was when Neuronix went public. To commemorate the success (and because Owen had a bet going with Isaac that Levi wouldn’t do it), he had gotten a tattoo.

Spanning his upper back was a powerful tree rising from a mass of tangled, chaotic roots that twisted and coiled beneath the surface. They supported a strong, upright trunk with branches stretched wide across his shoulders. Each independent limb was etched into his skin with solid and purposeful scrolled lines.

His mouth dipped into a grim line as he finally understood what his friends had been telling him for months: he stopped enjoying life when Neuronix went public.

The tradeoff for fame and fortune was constant scrutiny. Spontaneity became a liability. The irony of his impulsive lie about a fiancée at the last Board meeting wasn’t lost on him.

With a groan, Levi slumped in his seat, defeated. This level of self-reflection was draining. He just hoped it wasn’t all for nothing.

“Why did you turn it off! I was in the middle of watching that!” Owen bellowed from inside Isaac and Grace’s home.

Levi had arrived for dinner as promised and walked straight into chaos.

“Because it’s nonsense and no one wants to watch it except for you!” Isaac shot back heatedly.

The Nolans lived in a sprawling ranch within a gated community set high on a cliff overlooking one of the largest lagoons. It had an open concept kitchen, dining, and livingarea adorned with modern minimalist décor. The high ceilings, huge floor-to-ceiling windows, and light wooden floors made the space feel fresh and inviting.

The dining table was set, the scent of lasagna filled the air, and Grace leaned against the kitchen island, wine in hand. Ivy sat on the other side of the island, eyes gleaming and trained on the other two in the living area.

Levi joined them, and Grace wordlessly passed him a cold beer.

“What’s going—”

“Shhh!” Ivy whispered. “The main fight is about to start, and we want to see this play out.”

“I purposely put on a POLmArK TV Romance to see what would happen,” Grace added with a smirk.

“You didn’t even giveEspressing Our Lovea chance!” Owen snapped, pointing an accusatory finger at Isaac.

“Because it’s insanely idiotic, Owen! A coffee bean roaster? Fine. But what the hell is an espresso mustache barber?” Isaac roared as he threw his arms up in exasperation.

Grace and Ivy nearly spit out their wine. Levi settled on a stool at the island as well, already amused by their antics.

Owen scoffed. “It’s exactly what it sounds like. There’s a market for espresso foam mustaches. This barber satisfies that clientele and is very niche.” He scrutinized Isaac, his voice dripping with disdain. “I think the real question is, why do you hate love?”

“I don’t hate love...I hate these ridiculous movies with impossible jobs! They aren’t even trying to be relatable!”