Mikasa's words of safe travels and see you at the reunion were muffled. Karma's thoughts were too loud as she left the mansion. The daze was so heavy she missed her stop on the tram.
Eldian Enterprises. With just two words, Mikasa explained everything. Why the Scouts hated Levi. Why Levi holed away in the penthouse.
Mikasa, Jean, Levi—all of the Scouts had started a company together, Eldian Enterprises. Overcome by greed, Levi took over and booted out his friends, changing the name to match his own. His friends were upset, rightfully so.
At least, that was the narrative running through Karma's mind.
Though if Levi truly had been driven by greed, why was he funding his friends' lavish lifestyles to the point of emptying his own bank account—without even taking credit for it? If he were after money, he'd keep it all for himself rather than just maintain the appearance of wealth. It wasn't adding up.
She needed to talk to him. She owed it to him to hear his explanation. He'd listened to hers regarding Wickham's little blackmail stunt, after all.
Speaking of Wickham… God. Jean was right to slam that door in her face. The woman on the train—the one with fiery hair that she'd kicked aside to make room for herself during the Rumbling—was Wickham's mother. Wickham's hatred for Levi and the Scouts who failed to save his mom should've really been directed at her. Karma's grip tightened on the chrome railing of the elevator as she ascended to the penthouse suite. She had a sour taste in her mouth and a pit in her stomach like the tea she'd shared with Mikasa had hardened to cement.
But she'd done her part. The Scouts were in. All that was left was to tell Levi. To confront him.
"Levi?" Karma closed the penthouse door behind her with the gingerness of a sensitive confession. Fitting, given the impending conversation.
She was greeted by little paws nipping at her legs before she even had a chance to remove her shoes. For a brief moment, a swell of affection softened the tension in her shoulders.
"You rascal." She knelt on the marble floor beside Jean, who was splayed on his back with his paws dangling limply above his plump belly. She rubbed it, smiling.
"You're in a good mood—you never like belly rubs. Did someone feed you ham?" Karma teased the diabetic feline, not noticing Levi or the tapping of his cane until she felt him kneel beside her.
"Took you long enough." Levi's voice was guarded, as if he sensed the heavy weight of confrontation on Karma's shoulders.
If she were in a playful mood, Karma would've commented about Levi dirtying his pants on the floor, or complimented him for pulling off that cane without looking like an old man. But now that Mikasa had given her that small glimpse of the truth, humor fell off her tongue like a forgotten melody.
"Yeah. I missed my stop." Karma knew this was a rip-off-the-bandaid situation, but her fingernail struggled to grip the edge of the sticky plaster. Where should she even begin?
Levi could read her well. "What's the matter? They not agree to it?"
"No, the reunion's happening." Karma struggled to fit her mouth around those two words—Eldian Enterprises. She decided to address the other prominent revelation. "I found out something about Wickham."
"You saw him?" Levi didn't sound upset, and for that, Karma was grateful. He had every right to be—she'd lied about her whereabouts last night—but he'd trusted her explanation without hesitation.
"I wanted to chew him out. And I did. Properly." Karma smiled at the flicker of pride in Levi's eyes. "But I saw a picture on his desk of his mom and… It was her. The lady from the Rumbling." Karma didn't need to specify which lady. No one else's eyes haunted her nightmares. No one else's crimson hair matted the ground in tangles of blood in her imagination. Levi was intimately familiar with Karma's guilt. The life she'd clipped short like the wings of a bird.
Levi always knew how to catch her off guard with his dark humor. "Damn shame you didn't kill her thirty years sooner."
"Levi!" Karma chided with a shocked scoff, swatting his arm. He didn't look apologetic in the least.
"Would've saved us a hell of a lot of trouble if Wicked Moron were never born." He reached between them and patted her knuckles, which rested on the floor. The touch was just as surprising as his crude comment. It was like he was picking up where they left off that morning. His eyes softened. "Are you upset?"
"Yes and no. Almost feels like closure in a strange way." Karma watched his thumb explore the grooves of her knuckles. Part of her wanted to forget about all of these heavy topics and just be with Levi finally. To talk about Granny Angie's piano and that kiss and say those three words she'd only said once before. But, for now, she kept those words tucked under her tongue like a lockpick.
"I get it." Levi was probably the only person who could say that truthfully. Those three words were comforting, though not exactly the ones she was most eager to hear from his lips.
"I guess we'll see how things play out," Karma said. Perhaps knowing that Wickham had still managed to thrive despite his mother's death would help dispel the nightmares. Maybe the left-behind woman's eyes would finally close and rest.
Levi nudged her. "What else is on your mind?"
"You're perceptive today, Levi. How do you know I have more bombs to drop?"
"You're tense as a tightrope. Spit it out."
Karma screwed her lips. After discussing the other burden on her mind, it was easier to get the incriminating words out. "What can you tell me about Eldian Enterprises?"
Levi's thumb stilled on her hand. "Who told? Shithead? Horseface?"
"Mikasa."
"Damn clever bastard. Those NDAs were airtight. Knew she'd find a loophole."
Karma waited patiently for his explanation, but Jean didn't. He writhed and whined on the ground from a lack of pets. Karma shushed him and scratched his belly, her eyes fixed on Levi as he continued,
"I'm sure you figured out that Eldian Enterprises came before AE, right?"
"Right. Then you took over and changed the name."
"Did Mikasa tell you why?"
"No. She only wrote down the words 'Eldian Enterprises.' I won't lie, my imagination is getting the better of me."
"There's not much to imagine. I got greedy. I undercut my friends for money."
"No. That doesn't sound like you."
"Good." Levi resumed his exploration of the back of her hand, a reward for her faith in him. "I never gave a shit about the money. And it was never supposed to be about money. The goal of EE was to rebuild Marley, and eventually the rest of the world after that suicidal idiot flattened it. But you saw what happened."
Karma nodded. The Rumbling left the world in ruins, save for the fortunate twenty percent of humanity that could afford the high demand land furthest from the "island devils." Instead of helping to rebuild, they flourished off of the deprivation of the rest of the world, erecting themselves as New Marley.
"Yeah," Karma said. "Your company screwed Old Marley. But you're saying it was Eldian Enterprises that caused the rift? Not Ackerman Enterprises?"
Levi nodded, thumb cascading thoughtfully over her skin. "Once EE had enough money to start rebuilding the world, those bastards got greedy and invested it the wrong way. They blood-doped the rich to get richer and left the poor to bleed out. I couldn't even recognize them anymore. So I did what I had to."
Karma blinked at the crass way he referred to his beloved Scouts as those bastards. "Why have I never heard of Eldian Enterprises then?"
"Because I covered my damn tracks. Changed the name. Changed the narrative."
"You took all the blame for Old Marley. Then you locked yourself away."
Levi saved his friends from themselves, then took the media fallout like bullets to the chest in their place. He was infamous. The press called him cold-hearted. Disfigured and frightening. Somehow, Karma wasn't surprised to learn that he'd taken these bullets. That sounded exactly like the Levi she knew.
"Yeah. I didn't mind the isolation so much," Levi said. He glanced down at the faint freckles dusting Karma's cheeks with a look of longing. "Or, at least, I thought I didn't."
"Levi… You know those shareholders are never gonna stop. The fake romance, the Scout Reunion—it's all just buying us time. This whole global expansion idea is too lucrative to pass up. If it's not your friends at the helm or you, it's gonna be Steve Bark. And you know he doesn't give a shit about screwing over the rest of the world."
"I know."
"We have to do something," Karma said. "Tear AE apart. Start a foundation. Help Old Marley—if anyone can save the world a second time, it's you."
She knew Levi would never dismantle Ackerman Enterprises without a push. It divided the world but it also funded his friends' livelihoods.
"Levi, what's it gonna take?" It was a loaded question and she knew it.
"I don't know," Levi said. "If I dismantle AE to save the world, I don't know if the bastards will ever forgive me. I've fucked up enough as it is."
"Stop that. You haven't fucked up anything. You saved your friends from themselves and paid the price. Literally. It's their own fault for not seeing that. But, if I'm being honest, I think they've changed. It's been years. Give them a chance." Karma squeezed his hand harder, but it had gone limp in her grasp. "Levi…"
"Can we be done talking about this? If I wanted a strategy session I'd call beardface."
"Yeah." Karma frowned, but her attention shifted to Jean when he rolled his plump body back onto his paws and scampered away.
"At least I like one Jean." Levi's eyes followed the furry mass of cat. Karma bumped her shoulder against his.
"The reunion's in a month. We're gonna fix that. I promise."
"Hey."
Karma poked her head into the kitchen. The digital clock on the oven read 00:03. Levi had already prepared two cups of tea, balancing himself on a leather-gripped cane as opposed to rolling on a wheelchair. He pulled a steaming plate of leftover mashed potatoes and steak from the microwave. As Karma seated herself at the bartop, the steaming plate clinked in front of her.
"Thanks." She cut off a small chunk of meat and dipped her fork toward the floor to feed Jean.
"Tch, that's Michelin-starred steak." Levi didn't really sound annoyed. If anything, his eyes betrayed a touch of mirth. "Damn freeloading bastard."
"Don't act like you haven't been sneaking him ham." Karma matched his teasing smile.
Levi laughed through his nose. Jean's gleeful chewing and Karma's fork scraping were the only sounds until Levi spoke up again. "Did you see her?"
Karma's skin prickled at the mention of Wickham's mother. "I did." She worked on a bite of mashed potatoes, pretending to chew until she gathered the words. "Her eyes were closed."
Levi nodded. "Good. You look like you actually slept tonight."
"A little. Jean's snoring's what woke me up. For once."
"Do you snore?"
Karma's lips wrinkled into a smirk. "Maybe. Why do you care?"
"I don't."
Karma grinned around her fork. "Wanna find out?"
Levi gave her a look she wasn't sure how to decipher. It was chiding, but also inciting a silent challenge. "Wouldn't work."
"What wouldn't work?"
"If you were in my bed, I wouldn't give you a chance to snore." Heat pulsed into her neck as he continued, throwing her own words back at her, "Wanna find out?"
Karma lowered her fork, lips tight to keep her composure. "No, no. I need to sleep. I have big plans tomorrow. Music theory test on Wednesday…" Karma rambled, scurrying to wrap her plate in tinfoil and shove it back in the fridge as she nudged Jean out of the kitchen. The cat grumbled, annoyed that he didn't get more steak.
"Goodnight, Levi." She kissed his cheek. It was still strange having to lift her chin to reach his face. Before she could pull away, his hand found her waist, halting her in place. Her breathing stopped altogether. Her heart beat for two.
"No." The word brushed her ear, low and hot.
"No?"
"No."
Her next words were silenced by his lips.
Karma's eyes peeled open as sunlight diffused through white linen curtains.
She was a bit disoriented. The sheets tangling her nude body were finer than she was used to. They were also warm from body heat that wasn't her own, but Jean's plump body was nowhere to be found. The warmth was inviting and safe. She wanted to linger in it all morning. All day.
She sat up and sucked in a yawn, the bedsheet pooling in her lap, baring her torso. The source of the body heat was sitting with his back to her, slinging on a pressed button up. Karma smiled dreamily as memories of the previous evening they shared bubbled in her mind.
Levi's chest warm against her own. The whisper of her name hot against her neck. Their tangled legs. Shared breaths. Heated murmurs and sloppy kisses…
She couldn't help it—watching his back muscles ripple, remembering the way he'd felt and tasted—she started giggling. Levi had been adjusting the cufflinks at his wrist. He paused.
"What's so funny?" He looked at her over his shoulder, eyes roving her bare chest. The sight of her naked in his bed perked the edge of his lip. "Goddamn…"
He set the loose cufflink on the nightstand and scooted back to where she was sitting up, slinging his arm around her waist.
"Good dream or something?" he said, idly smoothing the strands of unruly bed-head that framed her face.
Karma leaned her head on his shoulder, eyes fluttering shut, her giggles slowing. "Mmm, no." One final huff of a laugh pittered through her lips. "I just laugh when I'm happy. According to Sage."
When Levi didn't respond, fingers still threading through her hair, Karma opened her eyes to see if he was smiling. And he was. He was so damn beautiful. Half-dressed, raven hair as messy as her own. She lifted her hand and brushed her knuckle along the scar on his face, no longer feeling the need to ask for permission. Not after last night when every possible barrier between them was crossed.
Levi didn't flinch under her touch. He welcomed it, even closing his eyes like he was savoring the gentle drag of her skin against his. He still had yet to explicitly say that he loved her, but this small surrender let her know that he did. She hoped one day to hear the words from him, but for now, she felt emboldened enough to whisper them into the still air between them.
"I love you, Levi…"
In response, he relinquished a real smile.
August passed in bliss. Karma and Levi spent every night together, sleeping through the evenings without a single rude awakening from a war-etched memory or hollow-eyed ghost. Levi's breathing was calm on her cheek. With his arms locked around the only thing that mattered, he didn't fidget or jolt upright in a sheen of sweat.
His eyes stayed closed. His lips stayed upturned.
With the Scout Reunion looming and their romance being dubbed a "scandal," Levi and Karma avoided public appearances. Nestled in the privacy of the penthouse, they spent their time reading, watching Jean chase his tail, or stealing kisses on the sofa—once stiff and untouched, the cushions were now warm and molded to the shape of their bodies.
But Karma still had to face the world on her trips to the MSA, alone. She endured her share of dirty looks and eye rolls, fallout from that supposed-Wickham affair. But even that was preferable to anything she'd experienced as "Old Marley scum." Now that her name was tied to Levi's and she strutted the paved streets in high-end clothing, she realized that more than traitors, New Marleyans hated outsiders.
There had been talk from the school board about revoking her place at the Moriano School of Arts in light of the Wickham debacle. But no one could deny the musical talent that had granted her a seat in the program and the chance to be his opener, rather than favoritism on Wickham's part. So she was permitted to stay. With the understanding, of course, that any further "scandals" would cost her her spot. This didn't worry her though.
Whenever Karma returned from school, she would greet her favorite person and cat and then settle at Granny Angie's piano for a much-needed creative outlet. Levi would linger on the softened sofa, dodging phone calls from sponsors and Yelena so he could reserve his ears for what really mattered—Karma and her music.
As he listened, the memories of the wine, Zeke's scream, the yellow lightning, and the coppery smell of blood gradually faded—giving way to the ones he'd buried too deep. The laughter and camaraderie. Canned food cooked over wilting campfires. The sound of boots and tightening straps, creating a shared sense of urgency. The quiet nights of fear that sewed their hearts as one. The sweet scent of Trost's bakeries, welcoming them home.
Home. It hadn't been a place so much as the people, and most of them were gone—some to death, others to greed. It wasn't all bad. He'd forgotten that. But watching Karma's fingers flutter along the keys in an intricate dance seemed to rekindle the good that had been buried beneath cobwebs of regret and loneliness. Each mallet against the worn strings plucked the cobwebs clean. One strand at a time.
So he listened to every note. Then, he would commend her performance with a smile. A cup of tea. And a kiss.
As far as Levi was concerned, life couldn't get better. And Karma had to agree.
Reunion or Ruin? All Eyes on Tomorrow's AE Dinner
August 30th, Adalia May
Grab your popcorn, Marley! The highly anticipated Ackerman Enterprises sponsorship dinner—hosted by none other than Levi Ackerman himself—is just one day away, and it's shaping up to be the event of the season. Known for its lavish spreads and jaw-dropping desserts, this year's party comes with an extra serving of drama.
Why, you ask? The dinner boasts an all-star guest list that reads like a war hero fan's dream—Jean Kirstein and Mikasa Ackerman (Marley's golden couple), Armin Arlert, Reiner Braun, and Connie Springer accompanied by NM's rising star, Sage Buyers. It's the reunion we've all been waiting for!
But not everyone made the cut. Insiders report that Annie Leonhart was explicitly asked not to attend—a move that has Marley Today readers scratching their heads. After all, if anyone should be uninvited, shouldn't it be Ackerman's controversial mistress, Karma Adornato?
After that scandal involving Wickham Moriano, Adornato's reputation is in tatters, with AE scrambling to spin the story as a "misunderstanding." Nice try, AE, but the public isn't buying it. As one commentator quipped, "If Ackerman really believed in good karma, then we wouldn't be stuck with this one."
With tensions high and all eyes on the dinner table, we're left asking—will this be the perfect reunion or an unforgettable spectacle? Either way, Marley's social scene is about to be rocked. Stay tuned!
"Are you sure everyone is dressing this fancy?"
"Yes."
"But are you positive? Because I feel like a damn disco ball."
Karma sat on the edge of the clawfoot tub in the penthouse master bathroom, fastening her heels. The golden gown Levi had gifted her shimmered on her body like mermaid scales under the vanity lights. Apparently, he'd picked it to match the flecks in her eyes.
She stood, wobbling for a second as she adjusted to the height of her heels, now eye-level with Levi. Squinting at her reflection, she secured the backs of her ruby earrings. "I swear, if no one else is this dressed up and you're just messing with me, I'm gonna shoot Connie."
Levi scoffed, balanced against the bathroom counter beside her, straightening his bowtie. "I won't stop you."
"You sure? His big bald head will be all over the news."
"It won't be. The second you walk in looking like a damn vision, everyone will forget Connie even exists."
Karma turned to him with a grin. "Aw, you think I'm pretty?"
He returned half of her smile. "Stop gloating."
Karma knew this floor-length gown and the glittering rubies peeking beneath her updo wouldn't be the only things garnering attention tonight. All eyes would be on her regardless of what adorned her body—she was the "cheater" who'd "gallivanted with Wickham Moriano," after all. Tonight was her first public debut with Levi since the whole scandal.
And she was finally ready.
This was her chance to prove to the world that her love for Levi was real, despite the allegations of her being some kind of power-hungry temptress. One reporter even speculated that she had "cloven hooves." Another accused her of being "a serpent in disguise, sinking her fangs into Ackerman's wealth."
Those idiots. Once they saw how happy she and Levi were together—and once the air was cleared between all the Scouts—they could finally enjoy their lives in peace. She imagined weekend road trips to visit Mikasa and Jean for afternoon tea at their villa. Walks on the beach with Armin, who she'd recently been told had a fascination with the ocean. She imagined the contact list in her phone having fun, personalized emojis next to the names of her new friends—an egg next to Connie's and a flexing arm by Reiner's. She imagined sending out invitations to her recitals and watching the front row fill with the most important people in her and Levi's shared life, her successful music career a middle finger in Wickham's moronic face.
Finally. Finally. Everything would resolve.
Ackerman Enterprises would thrive, strengthened by the blood bond between reunited friends. Then Levi would no longer have to sacrifice his own wealth for others. He could share with his friends freely and have enough leftover to keep his personal accounts padded. The influx of wealth from this Scout Reunion would keep the shareholders happy for a long time. They'd never expand overseas. Would never divide the world into two halves—kings and beggars. New and Old Marley.
Though as Karma turned this way and that in the mirror, she pursed her lips. This dress wouldn't do much to dispel that whole "temptress" image. She could do without the deep back that nearly exposed the top of her panties and the slit up to her midthigh that Sage would call "easy access."
"You know, I have a whole closet of designer dresses. Maybe you shouldn't blow what little money you keep for yourself on me," Karma said, more teasing than chiding. Levi always splurged on her. Whatever money remained after taking care of the Scouts, he spent on her. Fancy catering. Cat treats. Jewels that slowed down her piano-playing fingers.
"You haven't heard the saying?" Levi said, shifting his eyes from his bowtie to smirk at her in the mirror.
Karma lifted a trimmed brow. "No?"
"Men gift women clothes they want to take off."
Heat crawled up her throat. "Oh my god—stop looking at me like that!" She shoved him playfully. "We'll never get anything done."
"I plan to do plenty tonight."
"What? Me?"
"Clever thing."
"Levi!" Karma was amazed at his brazenness. He was such a different man from the one hidden behind that newspaper all those months ago.
"What?" Levi stepped closer, hand wrapping smoothly around her waist. "It's true."
Before Karma could fumble her way through a response, Levi's phone buzzed in his coat pocket. He grumbled that it was Yelena with their ride without even needing to check.
"Come on." He tugged her by the elbow into the elevator, his hand rested on the curve of her hip the whole ride down to the lobby. Through the rotating glass doors, they settled in the backseat of a black SUV.
Yelena was in the passenger seat, talking into her bluetooth headset. Her tone was clipped. Karma could sense the woman's stress dial up and up with every stop light.
"The media will be watching your every move tonight, friend. I suggest you stay sharp. No horseshit." Yelena hung up the call with a firm tap then turned in her seat to face the couple in the back. "You sure this is who you want to parade on your arm tonight, Mr. Ackerman?"
Yelena spoke to Levi but her sneer was fixed on Karma like she was a grease stain on her black pantsuit. Her close-cropped hair was gelled tonight for a masculine touch. Her porcelain skin was flat white. Not a hint of color. Karma knew it was cold to the touch.
"Is there a problem with my choice in women, beardface?" Levi tightened his grip on Karma's hand.
"It's not your choices that I have a problem with." Yelena sniffed. "Regardless, I would advise you to choose someone more reputable when you grace the public. I have a binder of potential suitors who could arrive at a moment's notice—at least flip through it." She extended a sleek binder with a dozen tabs toward Levi.
"Unless you want that thing shoved up your ass, get it out of my face."
"Mr. Ackerman, be reasonable. Even if the reunion goes well, the shareholders will lose faith in your judgment—Marley thinks she's a skank." The glare Yelena cast Karma made it clear she shared Marley's opinion.
"And if I parade around some new floozy tonight, I'll be a skank too," Levi said. "It was a setup anyway—Adalia May knew the truth and lied. Wickham controls the narrative. Like hell I'll let the bastard control me too."
Karma sensed the playfulness in Levi from before was gone. The closer they got to Ackerman Enterprises, the more firmly he gripped her hand. She had only seen him this stressed once before—the day Steve Bark came knocking, hoping to disprove Levi's "incapacitated" facade and overtake AE.
Karma squeezed his hand back to reassure him. He held her gaze, offering a wan smile.
"Besides," he said, softer, eyes studying those golden flecks in her irises. "Just look at her. Is it any wonder that moron tried to take her from me?"
Karma smiled.
Yelena let out a quiet scoff, but she couldn't deny Levi's point. "She cleans up well enough. Just make sure the heels stay on—lest anyone see those cloven hooves." Yelena faced forward again, ending their conversation as if she'd slammed the door behind herself.
It was probably the best compliment Karma could hope to receive from Yelena.
The SUV idled in the pull-around before Ackerman Enterprises, stuck behind a line of cars where dazzling guests emerged from the backseats, eager to make their grand entrance. Karma sat on the far side, out of view of AE, yet she could feel the weight of the event just in the sound of excited murmurs from the gathered paparazzi. She pictured a grand building befitting the magnitude of the Ackerman name.
Levi's stress built as they got closer to making their own grand entrance. Now he was tapping his fingers against his bouncing knee. Karma couldn't help but think of Connie's signature nervous energy.
"Levi," Karma whispered so Yelena wouldn't turn back around. "It'll be great. I know they're excited to see you. You'll finally get some closure."
Levi kept his gaze focused out the window, but she knew he'd heard her.
"If you want, I'll stay by your side the whole night," she added. She'd planned to do this anyway—to stick it to the media—but she hoped the words might reassure him.
Levi turned slightly, pulling his gaze from the fiasco of publicity they were one car away from being in. "I'm not promising an apology or anything."
"You don't owe them an apology. They're lucky to have you." Karma felt her throat tighten as she added, "You've already given them everything." Talking about his sacrifice for his friends—the Titan bite he took in Connie's place, his bled out accounts—was going to make her cry and soil her makeup. She stopped herself from saying more by squeezing Levi's hand.
And she believed in her words. The way they were all smiling in that picture that Levi asked her to toss all those weeks ago was the only evidence she needed. The Scouts, Levi—they all still loved each other. Nothing could ever permanently sever a bond built on that level of grit and mutual suffering. That level of triumph as the bones of the Rumbling fizzled into steam and the Titans themselves became a distant memory.
"No. I haven't given them everything." Levi twisted their fingers together. "I'm keeping you all for myself."
Karma leaned in to kiss his cheek. She let her lips linger there so the words would sink into his skin and soothe him. "You better."
The SUV pulled forward and Levi's door was opened from the outside by some unseen man, likely wearing white gloves. Levi, balanced on his fanciest cane, extended a hand to help Karma out of the car. She was worried her stiletto would catch in the grout, but a luxurious red carpet draped the walkway to Ackerman Enterprises—a building as grand as she had imagined.
She gave a slight finger wave to the sea of cameras as she gained her footing and took hold of Levi's arm.
"Don't trip," he murmured against her ear.
Immediately, images of red-carpet mishaps flooded her mind. She thought of the lead actress from The Rose and the Thorn, who had tripped over the hem of her scarlet gown at the big premiere. The tabloids had feasted on that moment for weeks.
"Don't remind me…" Karma kept her steps careful, eyes flickering periodically to her heels, ensuring they were in place.
Lest anyone see those cloven hooves.
"Wave a little. And smile, for God's sake." Yelena's voice was sharp and urgent as she loomed over their shoulders.
Halfway across the red carpet. Just a little further…
Karma lifted a cupped hand to no one in particular, stretching her lips into a practiced, gracious smile. She mimicked the ease of seasoned celebrities, wondering how many of the scandals circling their names had also been Wickham-orchestrated defamation schemes—truly his finest compositions.
"Karma! Over here, Karma!"
"Smile—nice and big!"
Yelena's orders cut through the noise. "—best behavior. People will bring up Wickham. Ignore them."
As if on cue, his name was added to the cacophony.
"Where's Wickham tonight?"
"You still go to his school—what do you two do behind closed doors?"
"Tch. Idiots." Levi pulled her tighter against his side, staring straight ahead, not bothering with a forced smile.
Crossing the threshold felt like finishing a marathon. As soon as they stepped inside, off that glaring red carpet, Karma let herself breathe—though the dull ache of too much smiling tightened her face like a Marleyan botox injection.
Behind them, the paparazzi had already moved on, their flashes and shouts now chasing after a broad-shouldered man with a woman half his age on his arm.
Before Karma could take another step inside, she heard her name.
"Miss Karma." Yelena's voice was a droplet of melting ice rolling down the open back of Karma's dress. The COO of AE held that sleek binder tight against her suit coat—just as a bat might hold its young under its wing. A reminder that Karma was dispensable. That any tab in that binder could easily take her place and do a better job. "I've contacted the Scouts and coached them on our expectations—my part in this little reunion is done. Now, I have a formal dinner to run and three hundred sponsors to keep happy. Since this entire spectacle was your idea, I suggest you make sure it doesn't fall apart. The MSA doesn't give third chances. Neither do I."
"It won't fall apart," Karma said. "Trust me."
"I know better than to do that." Yelena leaned in so close that her fangs nearly grazed Karma's ear. "Remember, you're here because you have a use, not a place." Yelena's crisp footsteps carried her over to the cluster of sponsors near the refreshment table, though Karma wouldn't be surprised to turn and see Yelena step into a floating coffin for her evening slumber.
Those harsh words didn't bother her. Karma had a place, and it was by Levi's side. She flicked a swift middle finger to Yelena's retreating back—missed by the cameras, but not by Levi.
But he ignored her brattiness, leading her into the ballroom, his body rigid.
"Levi?" She nudged him, her smile faltering.
His gaze wasn't on the ballroom's opulence—high ceilings, candlelit ambiance, gilded accents—but somewhere distant, as though he wasn't seeing any of it. She wondered if he'd made eye contact with one of the war heroes, but a quick scan of the room confirmed that she and him were the first of the "all-star guest list" to arrive.
"It's fine," Levi said, words curt. "Come on."
Already, half the tables were filled with black tuxes and the occasional flash of color from pocket squares and dresses as extravagant as her own. The air carried the waft of expensive alcohol and the hum of refined conversation, layered over the intricate melodies of a harpist with perfect posture.
"Where are we sitting?" Karma said, smoothing wrinkles out of Levi's sleeve, hoping to ground him. Right now, she didn't care about the whispers of the wealthy elite or the weighty judgment of their passing glances. She just wanted Levi to relax.
"Front and center." Levi tipped his head toward an empty table marked Reserved. In front of each place setting, name cards with elegant calligraphy indicated assigned seating. Karma was tempted to slip over there and rearrange them, ensuring she was safely positioned between Levi and Sage—or even Mikasa. Anywhere but next to Jean, who she suspected would slam another door in her face if given the chance.
"Should we take our seats then?" she asked.
But Levi made no move to get any closer to their assigned table, eyeing the golden cutlery as if it might lunge at him.
Karma pursed her lips. "Or we could greet everyone here—that works too." She waited. No answer. "Levi, how are you feeling?"
"Like I could use a damn drink." Levi grabbed two flutes of champagne from a passing tray. Karma accepted one, but didn't drink. Levi downed his in one gulp.
He never drank like that—Levi always sipped and savored. Karma rubbed circles into the cool condensation on her glass. "Are you nervous?"
"They should be nervous. Not me." Which meant yes.
Just then, the noise outside picked up. The paparazzi were excited, which meant someone important had arrived. She and Levi didn't have a clear view of who it was from where they stood, but it would only take about three minutes until whoever it was crossed the red carpet and passed through the open ballroom doors.
Karma turned to Levi. He never sweated, but his brow was dewy.
"Hey, everything will be fine." Karma lifted her hand to smooth his collar this time. She plucked away a speck of lint. "They'll behave. Yelena already coached them up—there's nothing to worry about."
"Well, let's not wait around to find out." He tugged her toward the refreshment table. Karma sighed and followed for two steps before realizing exactly where he was heading. Straight toward Yelena and Steve Bark, who stood ahead like executioners at the gallows.
"Wait—what?" She dug in her heels, yanking Levi back. He gave a soft grunt before allowing her to stop him. "Shouldn't we sit down? Or at least greet whoever just arrived? They'll be walking in at any second."
"We have all night to 'greet' to them. And I'd rather put it off as long as possible. They won't bother us over there."
"You'd rather talk to Steve Bark than your friends? Seriously?"
Levi's arm tensed beneath her grip. "Those aren't my friends anymore. Just bloodsuckers wearing their faces."
"Then face them! Tell them how you feel. Just try."
His eyes flickered to the entrance, like a lion might barge in at any moment. "Later. Not now."
Karma exhaled. Levi was Levi. She would never win this battle without a push. "Fine. You can hide behind Steve Bark, but I'm not coming with you. I'm gonna go say hi to the people we actually came to see."
He paused, searching her face. A second passed. Then another. And just when she thought he might give in, he said, "Fine. Stay here and play nice. Don't let the blood suckers bite."
"Levi—" Her champagne flute sank as Levi unlinked their arms and stalked away, his cane striking against the marble floor. "You can't be serious…"
She threw up her arm, wanting to call after him, chase him down, demand he face his problems—but she could already picture the scene it would cause if she tripped in her heels. And she knew how stubborn he was. His mind was made up.
Dammit, how was she supposed to stick it to the media if they were on opposite sides of the room? She felt exposed standing here without him. A few pairs of eyes crawled in her direction, sharp and glittery like dragon talons—watching, assessing, confirming what they already believed. Here it was, undeniable proof that she was a walking scandal.
She could follow him, press herself to his side while he hid behind Yelena and Steve Bark—but the thought of interacting with those suit coats was about as appealing as shoving her hand down a garbage disposal.
"Fine." With a huff, Karma turned toward the entrance.
The war heroes would enter the room any minute now—maybe staggered, maybe all at once. She wasn't sure which she preferred. But she would greet them herself. Break the ice. Stick it to the naysayers who believed her "scandal-prone" presence would ruin the evening. Then, Levi could join when he was ready—they could still pull this off.
Her heart raced at the thought of what she might face. Coldness and cruelty? Indifference? Were they really the greedy bloodsuckers Levi claimed? She struggled to believe it. Mikasa had been nothing but pleasant. Connie used to roam incognito in Old Marley to avoid the glitz of places like this. Armin loved the ocean, and Reiner, from what she heard, wore his heart on his sleeve. But Jean…maybe she'd keep an eye out.
Whatever the case, Yelena was right. Tonight needed to go well, and it was her responsibility to hold things together. After all, this whole reunion had been her idea. Her fault.
She could do it. Deep down, they were still comrades.
So she tipped back her champagne in one cold, fizzy swallow and strode toward the doors.
"—absolutely stunning!"
"Give us a kiss for the camera!"
Karma fidgeted with her opal ring. She prayed and prayed that the couple crossing the red carpet was Connie and Sage, her buffers. She tiptoed in her heels to get a better look.
"Mikasa, you were born to wear that dress!"
"Just one smile—please, Jean!"
Jean? Shit.
Karma's stomach sunk so low, she wondered if it was still in her body. Suddenly, standing by the door to greet them felt like an ambush. Would this come off too strong? Should she wait at the table—?
Too late. Jean's cold eyes found hers over the heads of other incoming guests. He was scowling like a man on his way to have a testicle removed—without anesthesia. If she scampered away now, he would know she was cowering. She couldn't give him the satisfaction. So she held her chin as high as she could, begging her nerves to stay quiet.
As Jean and Mikasa entered the ballroom, Karma lifted her lips into a smile.
"Hey, you guys made it—I'm so glad."
Jean, evidently, was not. The long-faced man who'd gelled back his hair for the occasion simply brushed off her greeting, giving her all the attention of a smudge on the floor.
"Thought they'd be more selective with the guest list," he thought aloud, scanning the room. "S'pose they let anyone into this place so long as they look the part, huh?" The off-handed remark was clearly targeted at Karma, still as invisible to him as a prayer.
She was oh-so tempted to say S'pose they forgot to lock up the stables. Watch out for horses in disguise. But instead, she ignored his comment and turned to his fiancée. "You're glowing tonight, Mikasa. Like, I should've worn sunglasses—don't mind me if I start walking into things."
Mikasa laughed politely, as Karma had hoped, but Jean just scoffed and murmured something about her being a suck-up.
"You're very kind, Karma. And I could say the same to you. Your earrings match me perfectly." Mikasa touched Karma's dangling ruby earrings and gestured to her own deep red dress. The color suited Mikasa like she'd worn it all her life.
"They do match! It's a sign," Karma said, happy that Mikasa, at least, seemed to like her. She added, "Or a coincidence, but I like signs better."
"So where's Levi tonight? I assume you two came together."
"Oh, he's…getting a snack. Probably got roped into a conversation. Otherwise he'd definitely be here." Karma waved her hand towards the refreshment table where Levi was standing with his back to them, pretending to be engrossed in whatever business nonsense Steve Bark was yammering about.
"Tch, doesn't have the balls to face us, does he?" Jean looked pleased with himself, which made Karma's teeth grind. If she didn't have to be on her best behavior, she'd tell him off—or better yet, personally show him what 'not having balls' really meant. No anesthesia. No mercy.
"He has a lot of guests to entertain tonight, is all," Karma said through a forced smile. "Anyway…" She changed the subject before her temper could win, making comments about the music and speculations about the food they'd be served. Mikasa nodded and smiled along, while Jean just stood there with his hands in his pockets, sneering at the chandeliers over their heads, grunting with a reluctant laugh anytime Karma managed to land a good joke.
Shortly into their conversation, the noise of the paparazzi crescendoed again. Another arrival.
"Oh, is that Armin?" Karma poked her head around Jean's body, catching a glimpse of blond hair and a tuxedo.
Jean glanced over, having a clear view since he was taller than most of the people in the room. "Damn, I was hoping he'd bring Annie. That would've pissed off the Half-Pint Prince for sure," he mused.
Karma's patience for Jean was wearing thin. It was one thing to insult her, but insulting Levi really pissed her off. She reminded herself, once again, to behave.
Armin entered the ballroom and greeted Mikasa and Jean with hugs and smiles. But when his gaze landed on Karma, the warmth in his expression dimmed. He already knew who she was. No doubt, he'd heard all the rumors. Was he silently judging her? Or did he have the sense to trust AE's statements in her defense?
"Oh, I don't think we've met before," Armin said, extending a polite hand.
"Hi, I'm Karma." She shook his hand. Jean would call her a suck-up again, but she couldn't help but point out, "And you're Armin, right? Your eyes look just like the ocean."
"Oh, um. Thank you." Armin blinked, pink dusting his cheeks. The awkward tension loosened, just a little. "Your eyes match your dress. Like sunshine."
The way he smiled made her heart soften. Maybe he already believed in her innocence. Or maybe he was starting to.
"Thanks. That's what Levi was going for when he picked it out, apparently."
"Ah, you're Levi's, uh…girlfriend?"
"Yeah—though he'd probably insist on 'partner,' knowing him. Sounds more grown-up." Karma's nervous laugh prompted an equally awkward chuckle from Armin.
"That does sound like Levi." He folded his arms, a subtle gesture of self-soothing, as his gaze flicked toward his former captain near the refreshment table. "Looks like he's in high demand tonight."
"Yeah, uh…" Karma fumbled to excuse Levi's absence again, but Armin spared her.
"In the meantime, I'm glad I got to finally meet you." His shy smile was like a warm hug. "I knew all that 'cloven hooves' talk was just nonsense."
Jean scoffed, but Karma's smile rivaled the light of the chandeliers.
The paparazzi cheered once more, announcing another war hero's arrival. Again, Karma prayed for Connie and Sage. She knew the remaining tension would melt away the second those two stepped into the room. She turned to greet the newcomer, but her heart fell.
"Reiner, get over here you meathead!" Jean pulled a beefy man with a crop of blond hair into a big hug.
Reiner had a square jaw, a prominent nose, and a clean-shaved face. Karma was starting to suspect attractiveness was a requirement for joining the Scout Regiment. Armin, Mikasa, Jean, Reiner—every one of these people put her to shame, even in this knockout of a dress.
"Hey, horseface. Glad to see they let you out of the stables," Reiner said.
Karma laughed, though she couldn't help feeling a little miffed—she'd held back from making a similar horse joke earlier. Maybe after things smoothed over tonight, she'd be able to tease Jean too.
"They let me out for good behavior," Jean quipped, slapping his hand on Reiner's massive back. Reiner chuckled until his eyes fell on Karma. Unlike Armin, he didn't seem to immediately recognize her.
"Oh, uh, and who's this?" Reiner straightened, subtly flexing his chest beneath his tux.
"What? Her?" Jean scoffed, answering before Karma had a chance to speak. "You live under a rock or something? That's Levi's gold-digger—I mean, girlfriend."
Karma shot Jean a glare, bristling at gold-digger, while Reiner seemed stuck on an entirely different word.
"Girlfriend? Oh." He masked his disappointment with a neutral nod.
"Short and blonde, just how you like 'em. Eh, Rei-nosaur?"
Connie's voice cut through as he emerged from the red carpet, slinging both arms around Jean's and Reiner's shoulders. Karma must've been too busy stewing over Jean's comment to hear his arrival.
"Con-man! How you been?"
"Yo, what's good?"
Reiner and Jean relaxed and exchanged bro-shakes with Connie. Even Armin and Mikasa cracked small grins. Connie had a way of putting everyone at ease—the tension in the room evaporated like it'd never been there.
Karma exhaled. Thank god for her buffers. Even if they were, unsurprisingly, fashionably late.
"Where's Sage?" She searched the ballroom for her best friend, who was bound to stand out. If Sage wasn't in a full-blown LED dress, she'd be dripping in enough diamonds to blind a man.
"Huh, my smokin' hot fiancée?" Connie grinned and jerked a thumb toward the red carpet. "Oh, just winning over the hearts of Marley."
Sure enough, Sage was there—waving, blowing kisses, and basking in the flashes of cameras as if sheer charisma could solve world hunger. Karma was surprised to see her best friend had opted for a more understated look tonight—a simple black satin dress, silver heels, and a sleek high ponytail.
"KARMA!" Sage caught her eye and waved, ready to burst with excitement. This was probably the most high-profile event she'd ever attended since Connie preferred to stay under the radar.
With a few last kisses to the cameras, Sage rushed into the ballroom to scoop Karma into a big hug. She'd been so busy with modeling gigs and wedding planning that they hadn't seen each other since they'd gotten drinks a month ago.
"Karms, this place is the shit!" She bent to whisper in Karma's ear. "Seriously, I'm so glad you fucked up with Wickham—I've been dying for this Scout Reunion!"
Karma cringed at the mention of Wickham's name. Leave it to Sage to find the silver lining—so long as it was polished, camera-ready, and came with a headline.
The former Scouts caught up, Connie yapping away and making everyone laugh. Karma was grateful to have Sage by her side—without her, she would've just stood there like an awkward outsider.
Sage linked their arms together, and Karma noticed the stark contrast between their skin tones now that Sage had fully embraced that New Marley medium-roast.
Though the arm Karma really wanted to be on was Levi's. But the stubborn man was still facing away from them on the opposite end of the room.
"Your attention, please." Yelena's voice rang through the microphone. "Our first course will be served in ten minutes. We encourage everyone to take their seats."
Karma's heart picked up speed—and she knew Levi's did too. He couldn't hide much longer.
"I heard they're serving Liberio Lobster tonight with caviar pearls—I might actually die. Come on, let's go sit!" Sage yanked Karma towards their table, the others following suit.
Fortunately, Karma's assigned seat was right where she'd hoped it would be—between Levi and Sage. But Levi's seat was still empty. She glanced toward the refreshment table to wave him over. He met Karma's eyes, but quickly looked away, gripping his empty champagne glass like a stress toy as he nodded along to Steve Bark's gurgly voice.
Sighing, Karma draped a cloth napkin over her lap. She wasn't too thrilled about having Jean directly across from her. If she angled herself just right, the white lily centerpiece hid his horse-face from her view. But it did nothing to drown out his voice.
"They really spared no expense tonight, did they?" Armin said politely, straightening his golden cutlery in anticipation of the lavish meal.
"Tch, all this 'fancy' shit is ridiculous." Jean scrunched his nose at the embossed place card in front of him, flicking it away. It landed on Armin's empty plate, and the blond man gingerly set it aside.
Jean huffed. "What? We're too stupid to seat ourselves or something? What a waste. That runt just loves to flaunt his money."
Don't react. Don't react.
Karma clenched her fork, digging the base of it into the deep green tablecloth. Who the hell did Jean think he was? Sure, Levi looked like he lived lavishly. Had he not taken over Eldian Enterprises and forced out the Scouts, maybe Jean would be the one living that life instead. No wonder he felt cheated—his hush money was enough for a seven-figure villa, but he could've been a king if AE had expanded overseas.
He had no clue Levi's wealth was an illusion, a smokescreen to keep the shareholders placated. In reality, Jean was the one living in luxury.
Oh, how she wanted to put him in his place. The words burned the tip of her tongue: Zip it, horseface! Levi's giving you everything he has—so show some damn respect! But this wasn't her secret to tell. One slip, and the truth about Eldian Enterprises could unravel. Levi had sacrificed too much to protect the Scouts for her to ruin it all in a moment of anger. It hurt to hear Jean's slander, but it would hurt Levi more if she couldn't control her tongue.
So instead, she forced a smile.
"I wouldn't call it 'flaunting,'" Karma said, feigning politeness as a servant filled her wine glass. "Levi simply wants the best for his Scouts." She could feel Jean's charred glare rake over her, but she focused on the ruby wine spilling into her glass.
He'd called her a gold-digger. He was so damn ignorant. Her feelings for Levi were so real that she was biting her tongue bloody to keep herself from escalating things. She just wished Levi would sit beside her already. No way Jean would have the balls to run his mouth if Levi's scarred eyes were boring into him.
But Levi stayed where he was.
Which was fine. He'd come when he was ready. She could bite her tongue until then.
As long as the press got their photo-op before the evening was over, the Scout Reunion would be a success. With cameras watching, everyone would be civil. No one wanted to tarnish their image. After tonight, the media would have chum for weeks, the shareholders would be satisfied, and AE wouldn't have to expand overseas—at least for now.
Levi would definitely join before dessert. He just needed time.
Besides, an evening of biting her tongue was better than those long hours on Levi's stiff couch when she first became his caretaker—when she first found that photo of the Scouts, all smiling.
Maybe tonight, they'd even smile again.
Everything would be fine.
So why wasn't that mantra reassuring anymore?
"You good, Karms?" Sage said in a low voice, nudging Karma with her elbow.
Karma puffed her cheeks. "Yeah. I just wish Levi would hurry up."
The first course was brought out—burrata and tomato tartare drizzled with aged Karifa balsamic, served with edible gold flakes—but Levi was still talking to Steve Bark. All three-hundred pairs of eyes in the room flickered occasionally between Levi and the Scout table, eager to see the former captain join in. Eager to see big smiles and celebratory cheers as the promised reunion finally came to fruition.
As Scout table awkwardly picked at the tomato tartare, none of them quite refined enough to eat it with grace, Connie sparked a conversation.
"You guys remember the canned tomatoes from Trost? I swear, those damn can openers were no match for Sasha's teeth."
Jean grinned. "Nothing could keep that girl from food—not even industrialized metal seals."
"Dude, she had a sixth sense for it too. One time, I was about to toss some expired crackers—and what do I hear from across camp? Sasha charging in to 'save the food.'"
"She would've made a hell of a Titan."
"Could've fit ten villages in her stomach."
"I swear, that girl was in a league of her own."
"Oh," Karma said with a smile, seizing this light-hearted moment. "I heard Levi call Sasha 'potato girl' before. Is there a story there?"
Connie's eyes lit up like he was excited to answer, but Jean beat him to it.
"Don't say her name."
The shift was instant. The table went silent.
His tone was colder than anything she'd ever heard from Yelena.
His four words were more impactful than any article from Adalia May.
Karma shrunk into her seat. She knew better than to join a conversation that had nothing to do with her. But she'd wanted to prove to Jean and everyone that she wasn't just some temptress chasing Levi's wealth. That Levi trusted her enough to share pieces of his past with her.
"Dude, it's okay. She's just curious—" Connie started to say.
"Shut up." Jean raised his fork and pointed it straight at Karma's heart. "You're Marleyan, right? Well, it's your stupid Marleyan propaganda that got Sasha killed. So don't you dare say her fucking name, got it?"
Karma's mouth hung uselessly. Jean's hatred for her was rooted in something she could only begin to understand. Beyond her association with Levi or any scandals, he hated her because of who she was. And somehow, that hurt worse.
"Okay…" she managed to murmur.
Her anger was gone, whisked like a candle. Now, a hole welled in her stomach as the table stayed quiet. No one came to her defense. Why would they? Her people were responsible for the loss of their precious comrade—the loss of all of their precious comrades, in a sense. Had the Marleyans not been so cruel, that girl with potato chip crumbs on her lips and a swishing brown ponytail would be sitting here right now.
Connie finally spoke up. "Jean, chill. It's not like Karma was personally responsible—Gabi's Eldian like us, for Sina's sake!"
"Don't give me that shit. Look at her. She's as guilty as sin." Jean looked at Karma like he truly believed those words. He shrugged off Mikasa when she tried to calm him down with a hand on his arm.
"I'm sorry, I didn't…" Karma's words died in a sob.
Didn't he realize the war had scarred her too? That they were all victims of these cycles of violence no one asked for?
She lowered her fork, her appetite gone.
"Jean, that's enough," Armin said, looking physically pained at the sight of Karma's tears. Reiner and Sage were quiet as stones.
Jean barely heard him. His knuckles had gone white around his fork. "It's not nearly enough. Marleyans are killers. All of them, including her. And you're all forgetting that cause she's dressed nice and cozying up to an Eldian? Our bastard of a captain, no less? We're supposed to sympathize cause Old Marley's got it rough? Bullshit. They had it coming. The whole fucking world did." Jean's fork bent under the strain of his grip.
Karma couldn't refute it. He was right. She was Marleyan, and she was a killer. A life of squalor and ostracism was fitting for someone like her. And maybe the world who sat idly by while Paradis was tormented with monsters of their own kind had it coming too. Maybe the creation of Old Marley was an apt punishment. How could she deny his suffering? Levi's suffering?
Then, without warning, the empty chair beside her was pulled out.
A calloused hand wrapped around hers under the table. Strong. Familiar.
"You wanna say that again, horseface?" Levi's voice was deceptively calm.
Her tears slowed as she felt the familiar nubs of his missing fingers.
"You know what. Fuck it—" Jean tossed his napkin to the table like he was ready for a fight.
The ballroom had hushed on Levi's arrival, and now they were collectively holding their breaths as Jean shoved the centerpiece aside, the force rattling the table. Armin caught the vase of white lilies just in time before it could topple.
With nothing obstructing his view, Jean leveled a glare at Levi.
"Marley had it coming. You hear me?" Jean's voice grew bolder from the attention they were drawing. "Old Marley, New Marley—I don't give a shit. They deserve to be put through hell. Your little girlfriend deserves it too!"
"You want to talk about what's deserved? You really want to fuck around and find out right now, Kirstein?" Levi's voice could've snapped a bone in half.
Karma's eyes flickered to Yelena, who was hesitating to intervene, frozen by pure shock like the rest of the room. The microphone was in her hand, there was even a screech of feedback, but no one seemed to notice because all eyes were on Jean as he lurched from the table.
"Jean—!" Mikasa tried to grab his wrist, but Jean was already seeing red. He yanked free of her grasp and stomped around the table to Levi's chair. He kicked the leg.
"You listen here, squirt. You can't expect me to sit around quietly forever. You fucked us over. You chose them over us! You chose her! What kind of monster doesn't even choose his own kind? His own friends? What about Annie for fuck's sake?! You'll let some trampy, gold-digging Marleyan strut around in your money and attend your stupid parties and suck your dick, but you won't even invite Annie?! That's telling of the kind of man you are, Levi. And I'm sick of pretending like I don't see it."
This felt like the continuation of an argument the two of them had had before—maybe years ago when they last spoke.
The tension in the room made Karma stiff. Every muscle in her body was coiled tight as she watched Levi calmly set down his own napkin and climb to his feet. He didn't even bother with the cane. He was significantly shorter than Jean, but they stood chest-to-chest, front and center in the middle of the ballroom for every sponsor of Ackerman Enterprises to see.
"You're no better than him, you know," Levi said coolly.
"The fuck did you say?"
"You know exactly what I said. You're no better than Eren—the vengeful bastard who wanted to watch the world crumble. That was exactly what we fought to stop. Just because it looks different—just because it's poverty and not lives—you don't see it. But what you're asking for is another fucking Rumbling. Is that what you want?"
Jean's face twisted with disgust. "Don't you ever compare me to that idiot! I'm nothing like him!"
"You are, Jean. Greed changed you. All of you. It made you entitled bastards. You stopped caring about what happened to the world, so long as you got to be on top of it. You think I wanted to be the bad guy and cut you down where you stood?"
"Shut the hell up! You're a goddamn CEO! Don't pretend like you did any of this to save the world that never gave a shit about us! Don't pretend like this isn't all about fattening your damn wallet!" Jean jabbed a finger against Levi's chest. "We could've done good things for the world. That was the plan. Hell, we already saved the world once, so if things went to shit for them—who cares? But no. Instead of us—your friends—you chose money and pretended like you were doing us a favor so you could wear your little hero cape. Greed changed you. So be a fucking man and live with your decision. Stop playing the victim."
"I'll make you a goddamn victim—"
"Levi…" It was Karma's voice. Her hand grabbed his sleeve.
Levi took a measured breath, tempering his rage as Karma's touch grounded him. Things had already gotten way out of hand, and the press would have a field day over this debacle. But if they stopped now, they could salvage it—spin this inflated argument into a story about rekindled passion from a long-awaited reunion, or even a moment of triggered trauma—
"And her, really?" Jean scoffed, eyes narrowing on Karma like he wanted to spit on her. "You're seriously sticking with her? After what that whore did—"
The word whore was barely out of Jean's mouth before Levi's fist shut him up with a power that belied his size. There was the nauseating crunch of bone colliding against bone, a spurt of blood, and then Jean hit the floor.