The rest of the evening passed in a blur of congratulations and small talk, but I was only half-present in any of the conversations. My mind kept wandering back to Leviâhow he had looked at me when I placed that final bid, the subtle shift in his expression, and the way he'd conceded with that infuriatingly enigmatic smile. It felt like he was playing a different game now, one I wasn't sure I understood.
Eventually, the event began to wind down. People were starting to leave, offering polite farewells and promising to connect again soon. Spencer, who had been buzzing with energy all night, finally looked like she was ready to call it a day.
"Ready to head out?" she asked, stifling a yawn as she gathered her things.
"Yeah," I replied, though my eyes instinctively scanned the room one last time, searching for a glimpse of Levi. But he was nowhere to be seen.
Spencer caught the motion and raised an eyebrow. "Looking for someone?"
"No," I said quickly, a little too quickly. "Just... making sure I didn't forget anything."
She gave me a skeptical look but didn't press further. "Alright. Let's get out of here. I'm beat."
We made our way out of the venue and into the cool night air. The city was quieter now, the streets less crowded, and a gentle breeze rustled through the trees lining the sidewalk. As we walked, I tried to shake off the lingering tension from the auction, but it clung to me like a second skin.
"Hey," Spencer said softly as we reached the corner where we would part ways, "you did great tonight, Cora. I know you're probably still processing everything, but you really held your own back there. I'm proud of you."
I smiled, touched by her words. "Thanks, Spence. I just... I don't know what to make of everything that happened."
She nodded, understanding in her eyes. "Give it time. Sometimes things need to simmer before they make sense."
I knew she was right, but patience had never been my strong suit. "Yeah, maybe."
We hugged goodbye, and I watched her walk away before turning in the direction of my apartment. The streets were quiet, and the soft glow of the streetlights cast long shadows on the pavement. I was almost home when a familiar voice called out from behind me.
"Cora, wait up."
I froze, my heart skipping a beat. I didn't have to turn around to know who it was.
Levi jogged up beside me, his expression unreadable in the dim light. "I thought I'd missed you," he said, slightly out of breath. "You left so quickly."
I studied him for a moment, trying to gauge his mood. Was he here to gloat, to needle me for winning the auction? Or was this something else entirely? "I didn't see any reason to stick around," I replied coolly. "The event was over."
"Yeah, I guess it was," he said, though something in his tone suggested that he didn't quite agree. He hesitated, as if searching for the right words. "Listen, about tonight..."
"What about it?" I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. I didn't want to get into another round of verbal sparring with him, not after the emotional rollercoaster of the evening.
But Levi surprised me. Instead of his usual smirk or snide comment, he looked at me with a seriousness that caught me off guard. "You were impressive in there, Cora. I mean it."
I blinked, taken aback. Compliments from Levi were rare, and when they did come, they were usually laced with sarcasm or double meanings. But this one seemed genuine, and I wasn't sure how to respond.
"Thank you," I said finally, my voice softer now. "You weren't too bad yourself."
He smiled, a real smile this time, not the cocky grin I was used to. "I think we've both underestimated each other a lot over the years."
"Maybe," I admitted, still trying to figure out where this conversation was headed.
We stood there in silence for a moment, the city sounds fading into the background. It felt like the world had shrunk down to just the two of us, and the tension between us was palpable, but different from before. It wasn't the usual antagonistic energy, but something more complex, layered with years of history and unspoken feelings.
"I've been thinking," Levi began, breaking the silence.
I raised an eyebrow, wary. "That's dangerous."
He rolled his eyes, but there was a flicker of amusement in his gaze. "I'm serious. About tonightâabout the auction."
I folded my arms, waiting for the inevitable jab. But instead of the smug grin I expected, his expression stayed surprisingly neutral. "Go on," I prompted.
"You didn't just outbid me," he said, his voice calm, but there was an edge to it. "You outplayed me."
I blinked. "Isn't that the point of a bidding war?"
He tilted his head, studying me like I was a puzzle he hadn't quite figured out yet. "You've always been competitive, Cora. But tonight... I don't know. Something felt different."
I shrugged, trying to ignore the tightening in my chest. "Maybe I was just tired of losing."
"To me?"
I didn't answer, which was an answer in itself.
Levi's eyes darkened, and for a second, I thought he might press the point, dig deeper into whatever had shifted between us tonight. But instead, he nodded, like he'd come to some unspoken conclusion. "Fair enough. I'll give you this one."
I frowned, thrown off by the sudden concession. "Give me this one? You make it sound like you let me win."
He smirked, but it wasn't the smug, self-assured expression I was used to. This one had a strange sort of warmth behind it. "Maybe I did."
My breath caught for a moment, but I quickly forced out a laugh, trying to shake off the unease creeping up on me. "Please. Your ego couldn't handle losing on purpose."
"Maybe," he said, his tone infuriatingly ambiguous.
We stood there for a beat too long, the tension between us simmering in the cool night air. I wasn't sure what I'd expected from this conversationâmaybe more of our usual verbal sparring, the sharp-edged banter that had become second nature to us. But this? This felt unsettlingly different, like he was trying to peel back layers I wasn't ready to show him.
I cleared my throat, desperate to change the subject. "Well, thanks for the compliment, I guess. But I'm sure you'll find a way to even the score soon enough."
Levi's smirk faded into something more thoughtful. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm not keeping score anymore."
Something in my chest tightened.
Levi always kept score.
Before I could respond, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at it, brows furrowing slightly. "I have to take this."
I nodded, grateful for the sudden escape. "Of course."
He hesitated for half a second, like he wanted to say something else, but then he just nodded and stepped away to answer the call.
I exhaled a breath I hadnât realized I was holding and turned back toward my apartment.
But as I walked away, I couldnât shake the feeling that something between us had changed tonight. Subtle, but undeniable.
Levi wasnât playing the game the way he used to.
And worseâI wasnât sure if I wanted him to.