Page 135 of Steel Beauty

She hesitates, her breath shaky, her voice trembling enough to cut through me. “Celeste knows you were a client at Soul Sync.”

“No… she couldn’t know.”

“She does, Alex. My coworkers told me she’s Cleopatra.”

What?

Disbelief and realization collide as I draw my brows together. “Cleopatra?” I echo, the name almost foreign in this new context. “The match Soul Sync set up for me?”

Magnolia nods, her expression mirroring the shock twisting in my chest. “Apparently, yes. Celeste was on the other side of the wall the whole time.”

The memories resurface with unsettling clarity as I recall my first meeting with Cleopatra––the cold, detached way she spoke, treating the process more like a strategy session than a genuine search for connection. I remember the clipped tone of her voice, her disinterest in anything personal, and the distinct feeling that I was facing someone entirely unsuited to me, someone who didn’t belong in my world.

Something about her voice had nagged at me—familiar yet off, like an echo from a past I couldn’t quite place. It lacked warmth and carried a calculated precision as if every word was weighed before it left her lips.

And now it all makes sense—the manipulation, the forced interactions. I’d thought the lack of chemistry was the issue. But no, it was Celeste’s nature, her relentless need to control and maneuver everything to her advantage.

Frustration simmers beneath the surface as the pieces refuse to align. “She somehow manipulated the system to match with me.”

Magnolia nods, her brow creased in concentration. “How would she even know you applied to Soul Sync? The whole service is built on privacy—clients are anonymous even to most of the staff.”

“Exactly.” Unease claws at my chest. “Plus, there’s no way she could afford the service on her own. Soul Sync charges a fortune. She does well as an influencer, sure, but this is on another level entirely.”

Magnolia’s lips press into a thin line. “There’s more to this. It doesn’t feel right.”

Whatever Celeste is scheming, it’s more than petty jealousy. Her moves are deliberate, calculated, driven by ambition rather than emotion. She doesn’t act out of love or simple envy; she thrives on control and manipulating the game to ensure she’s always one step ahead.

This isn’t about me or Magnolia—it’s about power. For Celeste, it’s about pulling the strings, watching people dance to her tune. And that makes her not only unpredictable but also dangerous.

Magnolia squeezes my hand, her quiet strength shining through the worry in her eyes. “I didn’t want to ruin our night by bringing Celeste into it, but you needed to know.”

I draw her close. “You didn’t ruin anything, Magnolia. If anyone should be apologizing, it’s me. My past shouldn’t be coming back to haunt you like this. I hate that she’s dragging you into it.”

Her shoulders lift with a deep, shaky breath as her gaze drops to our joined hands. “This could turn into a really big problem for me. What if she exposes us to Soul Sync? She knows too much already, and if she’s capable of all this—matching with you under false pretenses, stalking us—what’s stopping her from going even further?”

Her words are a reminder of how calculated Celeste’s moves have been. Anger flares in my chest, a sharp, protective instinct rising. “I’ll handle this. Whatever Celeste thinks she’s planning, I won’t let her jeopardize your job or anything else you’ve worked so hard for. You have my word.”

Her lips press together, the tension in her expression unwavering. “I don’t want to lose everything I’ve worked so hard to build. I’ve put so much into this.”

I reach up, my fingers brushing lightly against her cheek. “You won’t lose anything. I promise—I won’t let her hurt you or take anything away from you.”

My words are more than mere reassurance—they’re a quiet vow.

She leans into me, her head finding its place on my shoulder, and I wrap my arm around her, holding her close. As her warmth rests against me, a quiet certainty takes hold: no matter what Celeste does, no matter how far she goes, I’ll protect Magnolia—always.

While I hold her, my mind churns through possibilities, strategies to counter whatever leverage Celeste thinks she has. If she’s intent on stirring up trouble, she’ll find out I’m not someone to be underestimated.

I close my eyes, anchoring myself in this moment with Magnolia. Her scent, the feel of her resting against me, the quiet reassurance of her trust—it’s enough to block out the storm, if only for a little while.

She lifts her head, her gaze meeting mine with soft determination. “Let’s go to bed.”

No hesitation. I take her hand, the connection between us fierce as she leads me toward the bedroom. There, the unspoken replaces words, every touch a promise, every glance a quiet declaration of what we mean to one another.

As I draw her into my arms, I feel it as clearly as the steady beat of my heart: this love, unwavering and boundless, is worth fighting for.

Chapter36

Magnolia Steel

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