Page 39 of A Billionaire's Second Shot

“I want to believe that,” she says, her voice breaking. “But every time I start to think I can, the past comes rushing back. The late nights, the broken promises, the feeling that I was never enough. I can’t go through that again, Levi. I can’t risk it.”

Her words cut deeper than I thought possible, and I feel my throat tighten as I struggle to find the right response. “You are enough,” I say firmly. “You’ve always been enough. And I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that to you if you’ll let me.”

She looks away, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I need time, Levi. Time to figure out what I want. What I need.”

“Take all the time you need,” I say, my voice quiet but steady. “I’ll wait for you, Tania. However long it takes.”

She nods, wiping at her tears, but the pain in her expression doesn’t fade. “I’m sorry,” she whispers again before turning and walking inside.

I stayon the balcony long after she’s gone, the ring still in my hand, the weight of her rejection pressing down on me like a lead blanket. The city below continues its endless hum, oblivious to the storm raging inside me.

I told her I’d wait, and I meant it. But as I stand there, staring at the empty space where she was, I can’t shake the fear that no matter how long I wait, I might have already lost her

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Tania

The buzz of the office hums around me, a symphony of ringing phones and clicking keyboards that I usually find comforting. Today, it feels like background noise, barely registering as I scroll through yet another email. My mind keeps wandering, replaying Levi’s proposal over and over.

His words, his sincerity, the way he looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered—it’s all too much. And yet, it’s not enough. Not when the scars of our past still feel so fresh.

“Earth to Tania,” Jenna says, snapping me out of my thoughts as she sets a stack of papers on my desk. “You’ve been staring at that screen for ten minutes.”

I blink, realizing I haven’t read a single line of the email in front of me. “Sorry. Just distracted.”

She raises an eyebrow but doesn’t press. “This came for you,” she says, sliding an envelope across the desk.

“What is it?” I ask, frowning.

She shrugs. “No idea. But it looks... personal.”

The envelope is thick, the paper expensive, and my name is written in Levi’s unmistakable handwriting. My heart skips a beat as I pick it up, my fingers trembling slightly.

Jenna smirks. “Love letter?”

“Get back to work, Jenna,” I mutter, though there’s no bite in my tone.

She laughs, retreating to her desk, and I’m left alone with the letter. I glance around the office, the weight of curiosity and hesitation pressing down on me. Finally, I slip the envelope open, pulling out a neatly folded piece of stationery.

Dear Tania,

I know you didn’t expect to hear from me like this, and maybe that’s why I decided to write. It’s easier to put my thoughts down on paper, to say the things I’ve been struggling to say out loud.

First, I want to apologize. For not trusting you with the truth. For letting my pride and fear get in the way of what we could have had. For breaking your heart when I should have been protecting it.

When I proposed, I wasn’t asking for perfection. I wasn’t asking you to forget the past or pretend everything is fine. I was asking for a chance—a chance to show you that I’ve changed, that I’m not the same man who let you go.

I know I don’t deserve your trust, not yet. But I hope I can earn it. I hope I can prove to you that this isn’t about the merger or the deal or anything else. It’s about you, Tania. It’s always been about you.

I’ve loved you since the moment we met, and that hasn’t changed. It never will.

Take all the time you need. I’ll wait for you.

Always,

Levi

I read the letter twice,then a third time, my heart pounding in my chest. Each word feels like a balm to the wounds I’ve been carrying, a glimpse of the man Levi has been trying to show me he’s become.

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