Page 210 of Gathered Sparkle

Nova huffs in amusement, and I glance down at her, catching her smile. I grin, leaning down to press another kiss to her temple, and she nudges me with her elbow.

The crowd claps politely as the camera pans to Veronica, standing near Nicholas at the edge of the circle. Levi strides toward her, gesturing for her to join them, his usual charm dialed up to eleven. Veronica waves him off with a graceful smile, but Nicholas leans in, saying something we can’t hear.

“Go on, Mother,” Nova says with a low voice, mimicking Nicholas.

I chuckle under my breath as we watch the screen. Veronica hesitates, then finally steps forward, her hand resting lightly on Nicholas’s arm before she lets Levi guide her into the center of the circle.

The crowd applauds as she stands between the twins, her smile practiced.

“Thank you, Veronica.” Koen turns to her. “For everything. Your support has meant so much to us and this city.”

Levi nods, flashing a grin that could charm the devil. “Vegas is lucky to have you.”

“This makes me sick.”Sylus’s voice crackles in my ear again, dripping with disdain.

“Same,” I mutter, my grip on Nova tightening as if her presence might shield me from the sight of Veronica basking in the attention.

Levi produces a microphone seemingly from thin air and offers it to Veronica with a flourish. “You’re our special guest tonight. If you’re willing, we’d love for you to play along with us for a little magic.”

Her smile brightens, and she takes the microphone with a gracious nod. “Of course. I’m always happy to help.” She gives Koen a pointed look. “But I won’t volunteer to be hypnotized.”

“Don’t worry, I have something else in mind.” Koen pulls out a folded piece of white paper, a red envelope, and a pen. He hands them to her with an air of ceremony. “I’d like you to write a confession on this paper. Something you’d be okay sharing with everyone later because I’m going to guess it.”

“A confession?” Veronica arches a perfectly sculpted brow.

Yeah, she’s suspicious as fuck.

“Yes, a confession, dear.” Levi places a hand over his heart, his expression serious but his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Like, I would write that I once fell hopelessly in love with a forbidden barista who spelled my name wrong every single time, intentionally. The tension was unbearable. I ordered lattes I didn’t even want just to see him smirk. But alas, he was married to his craft…” He pauses for dramatic effect, then whispers, “And the oat milk.”

A ripple of laughter spreads through the crowd, a few people snorting audibly.

“Sounds like you have some competition, Ez,” Sylus teases through the earpiece, knowing full well that Ezra can’t respond since he’s standing in the middle of the police officers, watching the show to make sure it stays orderly.

Koen groans, pinching the bridge of his nose. “For the love of God, Levi.”

“The oat milk?” Veronica blinks, her perfectly arched brows drawing together as if trying to determine whether he’s serious. Meanwhile, Sylus’s muffled laughter crackles through the comms.

Levi shrugs with a wistful sigh as if the tragedy of it all weighs heavy on his soul. “Some things you just can’t compete with.”

A louder laugh echoes from the back, and someone shouts, “Oat milk’s undefeated!”

Veronica exhales sharply, smirking as she finally takes the paper and pen. “Very well.”

Koen spins around without a word, presenting his back to her as an impromptu surface.

Nova snickers softly beside me, leaning closer to whisper, “She’s going fullBondvillain.”

I bite back a laugh, watching as Veronica places the paper on Koen’s back. On the screen, she shields it dramatically with her hand. When she’s done, she folds the paper neatly and slides it into the red envelope. Levi steps forward with a flourish, taking it from her before sealing it tightly and handing it back.

Koen gestures for her to hold it up to the crowd and hands her a flashlight. “Make sure it’s not see-through.”

Veronica obliges, holding the envelope up and against the light. “Nothing,” she agrees.

Koen steps closer to her again, placing a single finger lightly on the envelope. He closes his eyes, his brow furrowing as if in deep concentration. The crowd holds its breath, and for a moment, even I forget to roll my eyes.

Then Koen huffs dramatically, dropping his hand with an exaggerated sigh. “I’ll need more time for this one.”

The crowd bursts into laughter, the tension dissolving into mirth.

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