Vow of Convenience

Ch.2

ZESA RUSSO

After my run-in with Little Miss Smarty Mouth, I headed straight home. The encounter left a bitter taste in my mouth, and the gnawing thought that a divorce was on the horizon kept pulling at the edges of my mind. The fact that Levi had gotten her a ring meant it wasn’t far off now—he was likely working on the divorce papers already. Stripping down to my white underwear by the pool, I dove in. The cool water wrapped around me, and I swam lap after lap, hoping to drown out my thoughts until exhaustion settled into my muscles.

Swimming had always been my refuge, ever since I was twelve. It was my escape from the suffocating world of my parents and the chaos around me. The water always had this strange power, washing away everything I didn’t want to face. It was bliss.

But that momentary peace shattered when I heard footsteps behind me. I pushed my wet hair away from my face, about to tell Finn to leave me alone, but stopped short. It was Levi. The storm in his eyes made it clear. She had called him.

“She called you, didn’t she?” I muttered, my voice sharper than I intended.

His glare sliced through the space between us. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he snapped, yanking off his tie. “Do you have any idea what that restaurant means to her and her family? It’s their livelihood.”

I refused to answer. If he thought he could berate me and I’d crumble, he was mistaken. He needed to understand what it felt like to be stonewalled, to speak to someone who acted as though they couldn’t hear him. Just like he did to me.

“You won’t say anything after threatening to kill someone?” His voice cut through the air like a whip.

My head jerked back in surprise. “What?”

“Did you think she wouldn’t tell me? She said you threatened to kill her.”

That little liar. Fury boiled beneath my skin, but I didn’t let it show. I swam to the edge, pulling myself out of the water. His eyes dropped, moving from my face down to my collarbone and then lower, to my breasts. My wet bra clung to my skin, now sheer and transparent. Lust flashed in his eyes.

Disgust crawled up my spine. Typical.

I folded my arms over my chest. “Is that what she told you?”

“Yes.” His eyes met mine again, frustration simmering beneath the surface. “Why would you threaten a poor girl? Did you think that would keep her away from me?”

A bitter laugh escaped me. “I didn’t threaten to kill her. But I did tell her I’d bring down her restaurant. You know damn well I’ve been scouting for land to build Techya’s new tower. That location is ideal.”

His fist clenched at his side, his face darkening with anger. “Zesa!” he shouted, voice tight with rage.

I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around myself. “I’ll see you later.” I turned on my heel, leaving him standing there. The satisfaction of walking away from him, rendering him speechless for once, was intoxicating. He had no idea how good that felt.

After I showered and changed into something comfortable, I retreated into my study. Being the boss had its perks, and today, working from home was one of them. I buried myself in paperwork, letting the weight of the morning's tension slip away.

Minutes later, Levi barged in, looking composed again, his hair now neatly styled.

“You haven’t left yet?” I asked, flipping through a stack of documents.

“Get dressed. We have somewhere to be.”

I barely glanced up from my work. “I can’t. I’ve got too much to do.”

His voice held an edge of frustration. “You think I don’t have work too? We’re going to lunch.”

I set the papers down, finally meeting his gaze. “Where are you taking me?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

_

There’s a feeling that rises when the man you once loved invites you to lunch. A flicker of hope, maybe. But I wasn’t naïve. I knew better by now. Still, as I stood before the mirror, wearing a dark brown off-shoulder maxi dress with a black belt, I couldn’t deny I felt beautiful. My blonde hair was swept into a neat bun, and my hazel eyes shone. I was dressed to impress, even if it was for a man who no longer cared.

When I joined him in the car, he didn’t glance at me. No compliment, not even a sideways look. I told myself I didn’t need it—that his opinion didn’t matter. But deep down, I wanted him to notice, just once, that I was still here. That I was still beautiful.

As the minutes ticked by, disappointment settled heavy in my chest. His silence was louder than anything he could have said. “What restaurant are we going to? La Caverne? Starlight?”

He didn’t even look at me as he replied. “You’ll see when we get there.”

And I did.

Sapphire Vine Eats. Of course. Nina’s restaurant. He parked the car and got out, circling around to my side. When he opened the door, I could see the smirk playing on his lips.

“Coming down?” he asked, mockery dripping from his words.

My blood boiled. “Did you bring me here to humiliate me?”

He tilted his head. “No, I brought you here to eat.”

I refused to move. “Take me somewhere else. Anywhere else.”

“But they have great coffee here. I know how much you love coffee.”

I glared at him. “I’m not interested.” I moved to close the door, but he grabbed my wrist, pulling me from the car. His grip was tight, unyielding, as he dragged me toward the restaurant. I seethed inside. How dare he?

When I whacked him with my purse, he finally let go, stepping back. “If you touch me again, I’ll call the cops. You know what that would do to you, don’t you?”

His expression flickered for a second before he composed himself. “You don’t want to come in?”

I pulled out my phone, intending to call Edwardo to pick me up. I was seconds from losing my temper when Levi spoke again.

“My mother’s inside.”

That stopped me in my tracks. His mother. That changed things. If she was here, then perhaps this lunch wasn’t just about me. Smiling, I turned back to him. “Why didn’t you just say so?”

I felt his eyes on me as I walked inside, but I didn’t care. He could stare all he wanted. The restaurant wasn’t as bad as I expected—small, cozy, with a five-out-of-ten charm. And there she was. Marie Del Campa, Levi’s mother, seated with Nina.

Marie’s eyes lit up when she saw me. “Zesa!” She stood, pulling me into a hug. She smelled of pink lilies, the same perfume my mother used to wear. For a brief moment, nostalgia washed over me, but I pushed it aside.

“Please, sit,” she gestured to the seat beside her, but her gaze drifted to Levi. “Sit down, Levi.”

Reluctantly, Levi obeyed, sitting across from her. Nina, on the other hand, stood frozen.

“Nina, sit,” Marie’s voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

Nina hesitated but sat down, glancing nervously between us.

Marie didn’t waste time. “What do you want, Nina?”

Nina looked down, her voice quiet. “I don’t understand.”

Marie’s voice sharpened. “Why are you trying to destroy my son’s life?”

Levi immediately jumped in. “Mom, please—”

“Shut up.” Marie cut him off, glaring at him. “You’ve done enough damage.”

I smiled inwardly, loving every second of it.

Marie turned back to Nina. “How much? How much money will it take for you to leave my son alone? A million?”

Nina’s head snapped up, eyes wide with shock.

I leaned forward, my voice calm, but filled with malice. “Five million.”

Nina’s lips parted, but before she could speak, I added, “Because we both know you don’t love him, Nina. You’re only here for the money.”

Nina’s eyes darted between us, her mask of innocence slipping.

“Even if that’s true, five million isn’t enough.”

“Then what is?” I asked, meeting her gaze head-on.

Her lips curved into a cold smile. “Fifty million.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Levi’s face went pale. He had been blind to the truth, but now, it stared him in the face.

I held out my hand to seal the deal, grinning. “Deal.”