Celeste's POV
"What?!!!"
Sofia's voice cracked through my ear as I clutched my phone tighter against my shoulder, my fingers digging into the edges like I could squeeze a solution out of it.
"How do you find a man in two days?" She screamed from the other end, her voice loud enough to make me pull the phone slightly away from my ear.
I shut my eyes briefly, exhaling sharply through my nose, the frustration tightening my chest. "I don't fucking know, Sofia! If I had that figured out, I wouldn't be calling you!" I snapped, my voice edged with panic.
She burst into laughter… Not a small chuckle. Full, uncontrollable laughter.
I froze mid-step, my pacing halting as I turned slowly, my brows knitting together in disbelief. "Sofia…" I warned, my tone low and dangerous, "This is not the time to laugh."
But she kept going.
I dragged a hand down my face, irritation and anxiety swirling together until I felt like I might explode.
"I need to get a man," I said, my voice rising again as I resumed pacing across the spacious room, my heels clicking sharply against the polished floor. "And you are going to help me figure that out!"
"Me?" she said between laughs. "How am I supposed to do that?"
I stopped again, this time gripping the edge of the table beside me, my knuckles turning white. My jaw tightened, and I swallowed hard before speaking, my voice dropping into something heavier. "Do you want me to lose everything I've spent three years of my life building after Carlos' death?"
There was a pause. I could almost hear her sigh through the phone.
"That is manipulation, Celeste," she said flatly.
I closed my eyes again, this time longer, pressing my fingers to my temple as a dull headache began to form. "I'm sorry if you see it that way," I muttered, my voice softer but no less strained. "But we need to figure something out."
I began pacing again, faster now, my free hand gesturing wildly even though she couldn't see me. "I can lose my company to anyone.. anyone, Sofia, but not Evans"
My lips curled in disgust at the mere mention of his name. "I hate that guy so much. I don't even understand how he and my late husband were close."
Sofia chuckled again, lighter this time. "I can't imagine either."
I rolled my eyes, my expression hardening.
"This isn't funny."
"By the way," she continued, completely ignoring my tone, "even if I don't like him just like you don't like him, I'm glad they brought this up."
I frowned. "What?"
"At least you can finally have a boyfriend and get laid," she said, her voice dripping with amusement. "Celeste, you haven't had sex in, what.. three years? Maybe more?"
I stopped pacing completely, my face tightened, and I pressed my lips into a thin line, my fingers moving to massage my forehead slowly.
"It's not about love, Sofia," I said, each word measured. "I just need to buy time before I figure out what to do next."
"Yeah, I know," she replied casually. "But I hope you get hooked up with a hot dark-skinned guy that will blow your mind away."
My eyes widened slightly, and I shook my head immediately, almost instinctively.
"No. No, no, no, Sofia. I just need a powerful man. Someone as busy as I am. That's it."
There was a short pause, then a dramatic sigh from her end. "Wow. Really? Well, I can't help you with that specifically," she said, "But I can link you up with a hot man who is sexy and a business guru. Someone who will make those board members regret ever giving you that condition, especially that crazy Evans."
I sighed deeply, my shoulders slumping as exhaustion crept in, "Exactly! You finally get it, Sofia. Now, where can I get this 'sexy guy' from?" I asked, waving my hand in the air as if she could somehow see the gesture.
She giggled.
"I got you, baby," she whispered conspiratorially. "There's this new dating site that was just launched recently. I think people are actually finding love there. Plus, I know two people who found their match—"
"I'm not in the mood for stories, Sofia," I cut in sharply, my patience thinning. "Just tell me the name of the app and how to navigate that shit."
"Hey! Don't be rude," she shot back. "I am your savior now. Don't forget that"
I sighed again, longer this time, forcing my tone to soften. "Okay… my amazing best friend," I said, the sarcasm barely hidden. "Can you tell me now?"
She chuckled, clearly pleased. "I'll text you the name. My man is around."
Before I could respond, the line went dead.
I stared at my phone for a second, my brows furrowing. "Oh my God," I whispered under my breath.
With a frustrated groan, I let myself fall backward onto the bed, the soft mattress dipping under my weight as I stared up at the ceiling, my mind racing.
A notification pinged. I quickly sat up, grabbing my phone. It was from Sofia. I opened the message immediately.
Wild Fire App.
"What kind of name is that?" I muttered, my lips twisting slightly in skepticism. Still, I reached for my laptop on the bedside table, pulling it onto my lap.
My fingers moved quickly across the keyboard as I signed up, my expression focused, all traces of earlier hesitation gone. This wasn't about pride anymore. It was survival.
Within minutes, I was scrolling through Faces, Profiles, and their Descriptions.
My eyes narrowed slightly as I scanned each one critically, my lips pressing together, my brows occasionally lifting in disapproval.
"No… too flashy."
"Definitely not."
"Absolutely not."
I kept scrolling, my expression growing more intense, my posture straightening as determination took over. Then I paused.
My eyes locked onto one profile that caught my attention. Something about him, I couldn't quite place my finger on.
The picture shows his posture and his quiet confidence.
My lips slowly curved into a smile, my eyes lighting up with a spark of excitement.
"Perfect," I whispered and without hesitation, I clicked.
"I got you," I murmured to myself, my grin widening as I pressed the match.
For a brief second, satisfaction washed over me. Then, a message popped up instantly.
My smile froze and slowly… it faded.
My brows pulled together, confusion flashing across my face. But it was quickly replaced by something sharper… shock.
"What?!!!"