Chapter 7: Flames Behind Close Doors

Cleopatra stepped out of the taxi, slowly lifting her head as her breath caught at the sight of the towering INK Model skyscraper before her. Gleaming beneath the sky, its exotic design and flawless structure seemed to embody both elegance and ambition. For a moment, she simply stood there, mesmerized by its sheer grandeur.

Drawing a deep breath, she dialed Katie. After a brief conversation, she ended the call, fingers trembling, she stepped inside and was struck by the lobby’s elegance. Polished floors gleamed, casting dancing reflections, while the air seemed to hum with quiet sophistication, as if the building itself radiated ambition.

When she reached the atrium, her fingers brushed the back of a sofa. Katie spotted her across the room and hurried over without hesitation.

“Hi, girl! Oh my God, you look absolutely stunning,” Katie exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.

“Thank you,” Cleopatra replied, still in awe as she gestured around her. “I can’t believe the INK Model is this beautiful.”

As they continued talking, soft murmurs spread through the surrounding crowd, and curious glances turned toward Cleopatra.

“She’s so beautiful,” someone murmured in awe.

“Is she making her debut?” another whispered.

“Look at her hair, her height, her skin, her face,” a voice added softly. “She’s stunning.”

Katie smiled and teasingly nudged Cleopatra as they made their way to her office. Once inside, Katie took her seat behind the desk and pressed the intercom, instructing her secretary to prepare two cups of tea. She then picked up a contract file and placed it neatly in front of Cleopatra, her expression calm and professional.

“This is the contract we discussed on the phone,” Katie said gently. “I don’t want netizens thinking you’re a nepo baby.”

Her hand moved across the table, enclosing Cleopatra’s. “I want you to start on clean ground, to earn respect and gain the trust of your future fans.”

“Yeah, I know you’ve always wanted the best for me,” Cleopatra replied, tightening her hold on Katie’s hand. “Aren’t I lucky to have you looking after me?”

Instantly, Cleopatra picked up a pen, her hand trembling, her heart constricting under a sudden, unbearable weight. Just as the pen hovered over the paper, a bolt of guilt and dread tore through her chest, sharp as a dagger. It was as if she were betraying someone she loved, plunging a blade into their back with her own hands.

“Haa… haa…” Her breaths came in uneven, ragged gasps.

“Are you really okay? Are you sure you’re up for this, even after everything you’ve been through, your parents’ death?” Katie’s fingers closed around hers, warm and steady, offering both support and reassurance.

“I have no choice,” Cleopatra said, her voice wavered, fragile yet determined. “I need to do this, Katie.”

Hand in hand, they drew courage together as Cleopatra signed. The moment was interrupted when the secretary entered with two cups of coffee, setting them down quietly before slipping away.

“Is Calvin around?” Cleopatra asked shyly, lowering her gaze.

“Ahem.” Katie cleared her throat, deliberately drawing Cleopatra’s attention. Her eyes lingered on her with a teasing glint. “Is that why you’re all dressed up?”

“Hahaha, nah,” Cleopatra chuckled, shaking her head, a faint warmth coloring her cheeks at Katie’s teasing.

Katie leaned in closer, eyes narrowing mischievously, a teasing sparkle dancing within them. She tilted her head as if deciphering a secret, her voice low and coaxing. “What’s ‘nah’?” she pressed. “Come on, you know that’s exactly what it is.”

Cleopatra felt a flutter in her chest under Katie’s teasing gaze, her eyes dropping to the floor.

Suddenly, she lifted both her index fingers, pressing them together in a timid, almost childlike gesture. Her eyes remained fixed downward, cheeks tinged with a delicate blush that spread warmth across her face.

Her voice was soft, hesitant, yet tinged with honesty. “Alright you got me,” she murmured, a tiny smile playing on her lips. “Yeah, I dressed for him.”

The vulnerability in her posture and voice made the admission irresistibly endearing, drawing Katie’s gaze with quiet, joyful fondness.

“Wow, is My Cleopatra really ready to unleash this level of sexiness on my colder?” Katie whispered, a teasing lilt in her voice. “By the way I don’t know how you’re planning to get his attention. Calvin isn’t the same as when you left him. He’s colder now, even to me sometimes.”

“We actually met a week ago,” Cleopatra said brusquely, her eyes narrowing slightly. “If I’m not mistaken, he was cold indeed. Do you know if he’s in a relationship?”

“Calm down,” Katie replied, leaning back in her chair with a relaxed smile. “Nothing like that, as far as I know. I don’t think he’s seeing anyone.”

Cleopatra’s lips curved into a small, almost imperceptible smile. “Very well, then I still have a chance,” she whispered, the words carrying quiet determination.

She lifted her cup of coffee to take a sip only for it to slip and spill over her clothes. Like lightning, Katie sprang forward.

“Are you okay?! Jezz, are you burned? Turn around, let me help you get it off!” Katie’s eyes widened with panic, her hands reaching out instinctively.

Cleopatra froze for a moment, heart racing, then shook her head, brushing at the soaked fabric. “I’m fine,” she murmured, her voice steady despite the warmth of the spill. “It’s not that hot.”

Katie hovered close, still tense, her gaze scanning Cleopatra’s clothes and hands, unwilling to let go until she was certain she was truly unharmed.

Cleopatra turned, expecting Katie to loosen the lace, but instead her hand gripped Cleopatra’s, guiding her gently into the office soft and caring, yet deliberate.

Once inside, Katie helped Cleopatra remove the gown with careful precision, her eyes flicking to the spot where the coffee had spilled. She exhaled a faint, almost imperceptible sigh of relief fortunately, there were no burns.

“Thank God it wasn’t serious. We can’t have any marks on your body,” Katie said, relief softening her features. “I’ll have my secretary take the gown to get it cleaned and return it. For now, there are some clothes in the wardrobe. Just wear whatever you like until your gown is ready.”

Without another word, Katie stepped out, handing the gown to her secretary. Just then, Calvin approached, his presence commanding attention as he walked toward her.

“Hey, little kitty,” Calvin said, a teasing grin tugging at his lips. “I haven’t seen you in forever. Have I become invisible to you?” He ruffled her hair roughly with one hand.

“Stop messing with my hair,” she shot back, straightening it carefully, smoothing it into place. “Who are you, Mr? And where are you from?”

Calvin chuckled, eyes sparkling with mischief. “Stop giving me that sly fox look,” he teased, clearly enjoying her flustered reaction.

“I’ve been busy,” Katie said, a teasing glint in her eyes as she stuck her tongue out playfully. “That’s why I’ve been exclusive. Pretty soon, you’ll be filling out forms just to see me.”

Calvin’s laugh came easily, carefree. “Just tell me you’re tired of being a director,” he teased between chuckles, “and I’ll make you a model. Hahaha!”

Just then, an employee from her team hurried over to Katie, reporting on the progress of the welfare project she was overseeing. Katie turned to Calvin, a quick apologetic smile on her lips. “Wait inside my office. I’ll be back shortly,” she said, before following her staff out of the room.

Meanwhile, Cleopatra’s gaze swept across the wardrobe, her fingers grazing the racks of opulent designer garments. Luxury. Elegance. Every piece felt alien, almost intrusive. Still clad only in her lingerie, she stepped from the inner room, intending to seek Katie.

At that precise moment, Calvin entered. Their eyes met, and the air between them seemed to combust. Time slowed.

Cleopatra’s breath caught as Calvin’s gaze darkened, a flicker of surprise and unspoken intensity making him magnetic, dangerous, irresistible. They froze in taut silence, the room feeling impossibly small and unbearably charged.

His eyes traced the flawless sweep of her skin, the sculpted curves revealed by the orchid lingerie. Every detail pulled him in, his breath hitching under the weight of it, as if the room itself had contracted around their proximity.

Cleopatra stepped forward with deliberate grace, finally capturing Calvin’s attention a sight that had become all too rare. As she closed the distance between them, she noticed the faintest trace of attraction softening his features, and a surge of triumph swelled within her. After everything she had done to make him truly see her, she refused to let this moment slip away. Then, abruptly, a sharp knock at the door shattered the fragile spell, sending the tension between them scattering like glass.

Smith entered without hesitation. Calvin’s reaction was instantaneous: he swept Cleopatra into his arms, protective, possessive, shielding her fully from view.

His voice cut through the charged silence like thunder, resonant and commanding. His eyes locked onto Smith, unyielding, piercing, a force of authority that made the intruder freeze for a heartbeat too long.

“Get out—”