Messed up in the past and scared it’ll ruin my chance with a good spouse

Assalamu alaikum, everyone. I’m in the US now, and back in college I wasn’t really practicing. Fell in with some Muslim friends who were drinking and doing haram stuff, and I stupidly went along. A few times I drank and committed zina. Since then, alhamdulillah, I’ve turned things around-quit those sins, started praying, and tried being a better Muslim. It’s been like 6 years and I’ve been steady. Only thing I still do that’s kinda questionable is chat with sisters on marriage apps like Muzz or Salams, since there aren’t many options where I live for finding a wife. Lately, a close friend’s sister introduced me to a sister in our community. She saw me at a gathering and asked about me, and now we’ve been texting for a month. I really feel something genuine and want to take the next step the halal way. I know talking privately before involving parents isn’t ideal, but that’s just how things happen here. I’ve got no reason to keep texting her secretly since I’m ready to speak to her wali. Here’s what’s been eating at me: I’ve heard that people who did zina end up marrying the same kind of person, like it’s a punishment or something. So I keep worrying that since she’s a pious sister, this might not work out. Is that really a thing? I’ve got this awful feeling in my gut because I want it to work between us so badly. I made mistakes and regret them deeply, but I can’t undo them. This fear only hit me recently cause my feelings for her are stronger than anything I’ve felt before. How do I handle this? Any du’as, hadiths, or surahs I should turn to? I just want this self-disgust and doubt to leave me. Jazakum Allahu khayran for any advice.