Page 82 of Code of Heart

He dropped Tyler unceremoniously to the floor, hardly containing the violent tremor coursing through him. Isaac was swiftly at his side, a silent wall of support.

Tyler scrambled to his feet, straightened his jacket, and sneered. “Mark my words, Lockwood. The consequences of your actions are coming. I’m counting down the days.”

“Get the hell out of my office,” Levi ground out through clenched teeth.

And with a final, lingering glance—one that promised trouble—Tyler was gone.

Three weeks later, Levi couldn’t shake those words.

I’m counting down the days.

He could feel a storm gathering on the horizon and the invisible sands of time slipping away toward some inevitable disaster.

And no matter how hard he tried to prepare, he knew deep down nothing could prime him for what was coming.

CHAPTER 38

Aurelia

The honeymoon phase was over. Completely, undeniably over.

The whirlwind of their wedding and the languid, blissful weekend that followed felt like a fading dream. Reality had crept back in on quiet feet, settling between them like a silent barrier neither had the time nor energy to dismantle.

It had only been three weeks.

Aurelia sighed, her fingers tightening around the steering wheel as she navigated through the crowded streets of Joia City. She was headed home after a short day at Starhaven Manor, having spent a couple of hours that morning finalizing some outstanding details. Even with the reduced workload, her thoughts were a mess.

Securing new charities after the wedding scandal had been a logistical nightmare. Her public bridal photoshoot made more of an impact than she originally thought, scandalizing the city and closing doors she had counted on for years. The gossip surrounding it had yet to die down.

But somehow…she pulled it off.

Tapping into her old contacts at District Child Welfare Services, she managed to secure their involvement. Inspired by Levi, she had secured a commitment from the National Dyslexia Foundation. And in a final, almost laughable twist of fate, she stumbled across Glow Sticks for the Elderly, an organization dedicated to bringing rave culture into retirement homes. It was obscure and delightfully offbeat, and she had no doubt Eleanor would have adored the chaotic brilliance of it.

Of course, their participation came with a hidden cost: a full-fledged “mini-rave” during the reception. She had agreedwithout hesitation. Now, she had to figure out how to turn glow sticks into something elegant enough for the Harvest Charity Ball. Wrapping them in gauzy, jeweled fabric to refract the light into dazzling prisms seemed like a fitting compromise.

Against all odds, the rest of the planning had fallen into place.

The final menu tasting was scheduled. The décor was locked in and featured bold fall colors intertwined with metallics and diamond accents. Bronze, copper, deep reds and purples, all softened by enchanted forest elements: faux trees, cascading vines, and whimsical lighting. Guests had been encouraged to embrace the theme and attend in formal wear with a “hint of magic.” It was the closest thing to a fairytale she could conjure…and she needed a little magic right now.

The one person who remained conspicuously absent from her preparations was Selene. She was always just out of reach—leaving rooms as Aurelia entered them, conveniently “in meetings” every time she called. The sting of that cold shoulder hurt more than she wanted to admit, but she meant what she had said the last time they spoke.

The ball was in Selene’s court now.

Her thoughts drifted to Levi, and the familiar ache settled in her chest. She needed to talk to him about the event, about everything, but they hadn’t found a spare minute to discuss the details. She wanted to extend the invitation to his friends, too, but every time she planned to bring it up, the moment passed unspoken.

Outside of work, the honeymoon was…over.

She began to understand why Levi’s friends had been so concerned about him. Levi was married to his job, and she felt like a distant second. They’d barely seen each other lately.

Monday, he missed dinner entirely, caught up in some crisis at work. Tuesday was her self-defense class—a much-neededdistraction—but by the time she came home, he was still at the office. Wednesday and Thursday followed the same pattern.

She had even tried to surprise him with lunch earlier in the week, bringing takeout to his office. It turned into something far more heated, and while he had been grateful, his exhaustion had been written all over his face.

Tonight, when he texted again to say he wouldn’t be home for dinner, she refused to let the loneliness sink its claws into her. Instead, she took a risk and asked Adelen, the new student she had met in her self-defense class, to grab a quick bite afterward. To her surprise, the woman had agreed.

Maybe I should text her again…see if she’s free this weekend. It seems like I’ll have plenty of time to myself again.

The thought was meant to be dismissive, but it stung anyway.