Page 42 of Code of Heart

Aurelia’s chest tightened painfully. The room began to close in as the full force of humiliation pressed down on her.

Another step. The entryway loomed closer now.

Then Levi’s voice echoed in her head,“I hope she gets here soon so we can get this over with.”

Not even enough time was cleared up on his calendar for their wedding.

Her gut twisted.

This wasn’t a celebration.

She reached the doors as her vision blurred with unshed tears. No one noticed her retreat.

No one noticed her at all.

She cracked open one of the courtroom doors and slipped through, a silent sob breaking free from her lips. Another followed as she clutched her bouquet to her chest.

With trembling hands, she dropped her bouquet, slipped off her heels, one in each hand, and bolted down the corridor.

Sunlight exploded across her face as she burst through the main entrance, the summer heat searing the soles of her feet against the stone steps.

She didn’t stop.

She wouldn’t stop.

Her car was in sight. So close.

But just as she reached it, a pair of strong arms, clothed in navy, wrapped around her, halting her flight.

CHAPTER 23

Levi

Levi should have known she wouldn’t be ready to kiss a stranger.

He was a fool who hadn’t planned that far ahead. So, when she turned her head at the last second, it shouldn’t have surprised him.

Shouldn’t have bothered him.

But it did. More than he wanted to admit.

The sting of embarrassment hit instantly, the feeling so strong Levi couldn’t even meet her eyes. Being the coward that he was, he looked away and instead made the mistake of looking at Owen. His anger immediately flared.

Owen, of course, was beaming. He had turned Levi’s wedding day into a clown show. The intensity of Levi’s fury could have incinerated the entire city.

“This was phenomenal! You’re going to look back on this day when you're both old and wrinkly and laugh.” Owen spat out, clapping him on the back. “I managed to get that amazing kiss on video, already sent it to the group chat. Instant classic!”

Levi just stared. Owen’s grin faltered under the weight of Levi’s silence.

“We’ll talk about this later,” Levi seethed through clenched teeth.

He spun around, expecting Aurelia to be right behind him.

Except she wasn’t.

The pit in his stomach formed fast. He scanned the room, his anger shifting into worry when he didn’t see her. The doors…one of them hung slightly open—wide enough for someone to slip through unnoticed.

“Shit,” Owen muttered.