Page 132 of Steel Beauty

A flash of an idea takes hold, and I decide to shift gears, probing for any cracks in her armor. My tone lightens, turning casual, as though the conversation is nothing more than idle banter. “If Alex were a client here—and I’m not saying he was—how exactly would you know? Soul Sync’s entire business hinges on discretion. Privacy is the whole point.”

My eyes are fixed on her for any sign of a reaction. For the briefest moment, something glimmers in her expression—a slip so fleeting it might’ve gone unnoticed if I weren’t looking for it. Her mask snaps back into place almost instantly, and she arches a brow with an air of calculated indifference. “Maybe I just pay attention. Something you might want to consider doing more often.”

Her voice carries the sharp edge of a veiled insult, but I focus on the crack I saw, however brief. It was there—a sign that my words hit closer to home than she intended to let on. She’s hiding something, and her deflection only confirms it. Celeste is playing her game well, but now I know where to aim.

Her features smooth into a mask of cold composure, her lips curling into a tight, thin smile. Without a word, she turns and strides away, the sharp click of her heels echoing against the tile with practiced precision.

Shit.

I’m frozen with unanswered questions bouncing around in my head. Lots of them.

Celeste knows something—too much—and the silence she leaves behind feels deliberate, almost weaponized. The entire exchange only heightens my unease, the tension sharpening every unanswered thought.

Familiar voices echo from the hallway, breaking through the tension like a sudden wake-up call in the dead of night, jolting me back to reality. Sophie, Whitney, and Elijah return from lunch, their laughter spilling into the quiet, disrupting the unease Celeste left behind.

I straighten my posture, willing my expression into something calm, unaffected.

Sophie’s smile falters as her gaze sharpens, zeroing in on me. “Hey, you good? You look a little rattled.”

I force a half smile. “Oh yeah. I’m fine.”

Whitney arches a curious brow. “Maybe you should’ve joined us for lunch. Looks like you got stuck dealing with Cleopatra this time.”

The words make my pulse stutter. “Cleopatra?”

Sophie nods, her expression half amused, half exasperated as she gestures toward the lobby. “Yeah, we saw her out front. Not gonna lie, I caught a glimpse and immediately hid behind a plant.”

Whitney laughs. “Was she here to stir up more drama because Julius Caesar dumped her?”

The world tilts, their words slamming into me with brutal force, leaving my breath caught in my throat.

Celeste is Cleopatra.

The realization crashes over me like a tidal wave, leaving me reeling. My breath catches as I try to piece together this new reality. Celeste isn’t only a jilted ex or a meddler sniffing around for drama—she’s Alex’s assigned match. The one Soul Sync paired him with. The one who was supposed to capture his attention, his heart.

But how? None of this feels like a coincidence.

She must have orchestrated it. Somehow, she’s manipulated the system to her advantage.

A sickening clarity settles over me as the pieces align, each one worse than the last. Celeste’s calculated disdain, her veiled threats, her unshakable confidence—it all clicks into place now. She has more than a personal grudge; she’s playing a game with the stakes stacked entirely in her favor. And with her insider knowledge of Soul Sync, she’s more dangerous than I ever could have anticipated.

Sophie’s and Whitney’s laughter hums distantly in the background, their casual chatter completely eclipsed by the storm in my mind. How much does Celeste truly know? Has she been plotting all along, or is she simply biding her time, waiting to strike?

And the most terrifying thought… what will this mean for Alex and me?

Chapter35

Alex Sebring

The clockon my computer ticks past five, and I realize I’ve spent the day shuffling papers, my focus nowhere near my work.

Magnolia and I have only two nights left, and the thought twists painfully in my chest. Each moment feels more fragile than the last, slipping away too fast. But tonight, I’m determined to create a memory she’ll carry with her—a night that’s ours beyond the ticking clock.

I grab my jacket, taking a deep breath as anticipation mingles with the ache in my chest. The plan is set: tickets to Sydney Opera House. Glamorous, unforgettable—the kind of night I hope she’ll think about long after she’s gone.

When I get home, she’s already there, waiting for me in the living room, a vision of beauty. Her dress fits perfectly, understated yet breathtaking, and her hair cascades over her shoulders in soft waves. The sight of her steals my breath, the ache of how little time we have left sharpening as I take her in.

“Favorite” —a grin tugs at my lips— “you make Sydney look downright ordinary.”

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