36. Magnolia Steel
Chapter 36
Magnolia Steel
The stillness is heavier than usual as I stir from sleep. Reaching out, my hand grazes the cool, empty sheets where Alex should be. The absence of his warmth hits harder than I expect—a sharp, undeniable reminder of what lies ahead. Tomorrow, I’ll be an ocean away, and this room, this bed, this life we’ve built together over these fleeting weeks will slip into the realm of memory.
Where is he?
I sit up slowly, letting the sheet pool around me. My gaze falls on his button-down, draped over the foot of the bed—a soft, rumpled remnant of last night, left behind without a second thought. Reaching for it, I press it to my face. The familiar scent of cedar and something uniquely Alex washes over me, tugging at the edges of my heart.
I slip the shirt on, its oversized fabric engulfing me. The sleeves hang well past my hands, and with each step I take, the soft material brushes against my skin like a whisper of him wrapped around me.
My hand drifts to my chest, pressing lightly against the fluttering ache there. How did it come to this? How did I let him slip past the walls I swore would protect me? This was supposed to be simple—a fleeting escape. But somewhere between his laughter and quiet strength, it became so much more. Now, the thought of leaving feels like tearing away a part of myself.
Light glows faintly under the door, and a low murmur reaches my ears—Alex’s voice coming from down the hall.
My steps are quiet as I follow the sound, unease winding through me. Rounding the corner, I hear another voice—that of a woman. Confusion prickles at me, and I pause, straining to make out their words.
“Alex, you’re making a mistake.”
“Keep it down,” he says, frustration tightening his words. “She’s asleep, and I don’t want her to know you’re here.”
My breath catches.
Celeste.
My stomach twists in knots, the remnants of sleep chased away by the sharp jolt of unease. Why is she here, in his home, at this time of night? Pressing myself against the wall, I strain to hear, my heart pounding as fragments of their conversation drift toward me.
“Alex.” Celeste’s voice simmers with intensity as if she’s barely holding back. “You’re ignoring everything we have, everything that’s been right in front of you this whole time. Soul Sync matched us because we belong together. Why can’t you see that?”
“You and I are in the past.” His response is calm but icy, every word clipped and controlled.
She doesn’t let up. “Your relationship with the American is fleeting. What we have is real, Alex. How else would we have been matched?”
Her words spill out, desperate and full of conviction as if she genuinely believes every syllable. And maybe she does.
“Enough,” he shouts, his frustration finally breaking through. “What we had ended with that fake pregnancy stunt. No, actually, it was over before that. I’d already decided to end things with you.”
There’s a pause, the silence heavy, and then her voice cuts through, tight with hurt. “I didn’t make the video to hurt you. The positive pregnancy test was to give you a glimpse of how you’d feel if you thought we were going to have a baby together. I did it because I loved you, Alex. I wanted to marry you. I still do. I thought the extra push would help you see that we belong together.”
“ Loved me ? You manipulated me at every opportunity. Lied to me. Used me. That’s not love.”
Her words take on a defensive edge, laced with a plea. “You know I’m not good at expressing emotions and love.”
He lets out a bitter laugh, the sound cold and sharp. “That’s your excuse? Emotional incompetence doesn’t justify manipulation. You don’t get to rewrite what happened to suit your narrative.”
“People make mistakes.” Her trembling words barely hold steady. “I can be what you need if you’ll give me another chance.”
Alex lets out a low, humorless laugh that slices through the tension like a blade. “That’s never going to happen.” His words are final, unyielding, leaving no room for any other interpretation.
“You’re caught up in a fling with her, but she’ll be gone soon. And then you’ll have no one but me.”
“What I have with Magnolia is not a fling. I love her deeply—more than I’ve ever loved anyone. She’s changed everything for me, Celeste. And even if it were only a fling, it’s none of your concern. You need to let this go.”
“You’ll regret this.” Her words are laced with an icy warning. “You’ll see.”
“I have a lot of regrets, Celeste, but Magnolia will never be one of them.”
Her footsteps pause, and for a moment, I think she’s leaving. But then she starts in again, shifting to something smug, dripping with venom.
“You know… I wonder how Soul Sync would feel if they knew about your relationship. They might frown upon such unprofessional conduct. Fraternizing with a client isn’t very ethical, is it?”
Alex’s words come out cold and controlled, each syllable edged with tension. “What are you trying to say?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, Alex.” Her smugness hardens into something more cutting. “Imagine the scandal—a staff member breaks up one of their matches and then becomes involved with the client. And not just any client—a rich-as-sin, high-profile one. Soul Sync wouldn’t be able to recover from the scandal.”
She lets out a quiet laugh, barbed with cruelty. “But even if they did, I would make sure your little girlfriend never works in this industry again. My following is large enough to ensure that if I wanted to, I could ruin her with a few carefully placed words.”
“Just go on and say it. What do you want, Celeste?”
She laughs softly, a sound that sends a chill through me. “You’re in luck. I’m feeling generous. Two million dollars should be enough to keep my lips sealed. And let’s be honest—we both know I could ask for far more, given what you’re worth.”
My heart sinks. This is it. There’s no way Alex would hand over that kind of money for me—not that I’d even want him to. And why should he? This problem is mine.
I swallow hard, the cold wave of reality crashing over me. My career at Soul Sync is over. Celeste will destroy me, dragging my name through the mud until there’s nothing left to salvage.
A deep sigh escapes Alex. “Fine. You’ll get the money, but only after you sign a legally binding agreement. No reaching out to Soul Sync about Magnolia. No exceptions.”
Shock ripples through me, my breath catching. He’s going to pay her? I don’t want him paying anything because of me—especially to her.
Her laughter cuts through the air, sharp and cruel. “I thought you might at least ask how I knew you were a client. Surely that’s a question worth asking, don’t you think?”
“I was getting to that. The process is highly confidential. So tell me—how did you find out?”
“Oh… poor… slow… Alex. You really should learn to read your own emails. You never know who might be bought off.”
Why would he have someone else reading his emails?
“This is just like you. Taking something personal, something I can’t control, and twisting it to your advantage. Manipulation has always been your specialty.”
What she’s referring to is something Alex hasn’t shared with me. And the realization stings—a sharp pang of hurt mixed with disbelief. Why hasn’t he trusted me with this?
“I know we weren’t truly matched, so tell me—who did you pay off at Soul Sync? How did you manipulate the system? And better yet, how did you afford the service?”
Celeste’s laugh returns, cold and soulless. “It wasn’t as hard as you might imagine. But I think I’ll keep that little secret to myself.”
My stomach churns. Whatever she’s done, she’s woven her way into places she had no right to be. Her smugness, her confidence—it all makes sense now. She’s had control over this situation from the start.
My stomach turns as the thought sinks in. Two million dollars. The lengths he’s willing to go to protect me, to shield me from Celeste’s cruelty, are overwhelming. It’s too much.
A part of me wants to rush out there, to stop him, to tell him I can’t let him make that kind of sacrifice. But I stay rooted to the spot, paralyzed. Guilt and disbelief churn in my mind, leaving me frozen.
Finally, I peel myself away from the wall, each step back to the bedroom feeling heavier than the last. Slipping under the covers, I draw them close, curling into their warmth. This isn’t how I wanted this night to feel—tainted by Celeste.
I lie there, clutching his shirt, as if holding on to it might steady the storm inside me. The house falls silent again, save for the faint creak of the floorboards as Alex’s footsteps draw closer.
The bed dips slightly as he climbs in beside me, his arm slipping around my waist to pull me close. His warmth seeps into me as he nuzzles into the curve of my neck. “What’s this? You know you’re supposed to be naked in my bed.”
I turn to face him, his features softened by the faint moonlight filtering through the window. My heart stutters, caught between the overwhelming need to cling to this moment and the painful truth of what I overheard.
I take a shaky breath. “Alex… I heard everything.”
His eyes widen briefly, but a faint smirk tugs at his lips. “Eavesdropping, are we? You know what they say—nothing good ever comes from eavesdropping.”
“You can’t pay her. It’s too much. I won’t let you bear that kind of burden.”
His gaze locks on to mine. “I’m doing it to protect you. I have more than enough. No amount is too much if it means keeping you safe.”
I swallow hard, his words settling heavily over me, wrapping around my heart like a shield. Yet, a part of me resists, bristling at the idea. “I don’t like it when other people try to solve my problems for me. I’m used to standing on my own.”
He’s silent for a beat, then gently reaches out, taking my face in his hands and brushing his thumb along my cheek. “This isn’t your problem. It’s our problem.” His words settle over me. “You’ve carried so much on your own for so long. But you don’t have to anymore—not with me.”
His words chip away at the defenses I’ve held on to for years, exposing the cracks I’ve tried so hard to ignore. I let out a shaky breath, my resolve faltering. “But two million dollars , Alex… that’s not help —it’s?—”
“I could refuse to give Celeste a cent, let her go through with her threat, let her cost you your job. Then I could give you the two million dollars instead, so you wouldn’t have to worry about finances. But I know you, Magnolia. You wouldn’t take it. You’d never accept that kind of money from me.”
“No, I absolutely wouldn’t.”
“This isn’t only about stopping Celeste—it’s about protecting what matters. And in case you haven’t realized it yet, that’s you. It’s about honoring who you are and everything you stand for.”
I blink back the sting of tears, his words stirring something deep inside me. “I don’t want you spending your money on me, Alex. It’s two million dollars. It’s too much.”
He shakes his head, his gaze steady, unyielding. “The cost doesn’t matter. I’ll pay whatever it takes because I can’t stand the thought of you being hurt by someone like her—someone you’re dealing with because of me.” His hand tilts my chin, his eyes locking on to mine with a quiet intensity that steals my breath. “I love you. And when you love someone, you do whatever it takes to keep them safe.”
His words settle over me like a promise, both steady and overwhelming. I reach up, my fingers brushing his cheek. “I don’t know how to repay you for this. For any of it. You’re doing so much, Alex, and I don’t even know if it’s right to let you.”
The reality of everything he’s done—everything he’s willing to do—settles over me, bittersweet and overwhelming.
He catches my hand, pressing it gently to his lips, his eyes soft yet unrelenting. “There’s nothing to repay. This isn’t a transaction, favorite. This is love. This is what it means to stand by someone, no matter what. You don’t have to do anything except let me love you.”
I swallow the lump forming in my throat, a bittersweet ache blooming in my chest. His unwavering certainty pulls me back from the grip of guilt and doubt. “No one has ever fought for me.”
His gaze softens even more, the corner of his mouth lifting in a faint, tender smile. “Maybe that’s because no one has ever loved you the way I do.”
Tears well in my eyes, blurring my vision as I lean forward, resting my forehead against his. The warmth of his presence, the steady rhythm of his breathing, grounds me amidst my overwhelming emotions. “I love you. I love you so much, Alex.”
He pulls me into his arms without hesitation, his hold firm and unyielding, as though he never intends to let me go. I sink against him, feeling the strength and warmth of his embrace, and for a fleeting moment, everything else fades. It’s just us—woven together by love, trust, and the raw vulnerability we’ve finally allowed ourselves to share.
His arms tighten around me, his steady presence enveloping me as I rest my head against his chest. In his embrace, the world feels smaller, safer, as though together we can face anything. His hand glides through my hair in slow, soothing strokes—a silent promise that he’s here, that I’m not alone.
I close my eyes, breathing him in, letting his quiet strength seep into the spaces where fear and doubt once lived. The love between us feels both delicate and unbreakable. Yet even as I cling to this moment, a bittersweet ache takes root in my chest—a quiet reminder that soon I’ll have to let go.
But not yet.
For now, I stay in his arms, letting his quiet reassurance fill the empty places inside me. We hold each other in the stillness, and as sleep begins to pull me under, gratitude and love settle in my heart, mingling with the ache of our fated goodbye.