Bound by law

Chapter 23: Back to the Lecture

Monday morning arrived with its usual rush, and Estelle found herself sitting once again in Professor Thorne's lecture hall. The large room buzzed with quiet conversations as students filed in, but Estelle's mind was somewhere else entirely—her thoughts still on her first few days at Scarlett & Associates. The energy of the firm, the challenge of the cases, and the excitement of working under Miss Scarlett had given Estelle a renewed sense of purpose. She felt confident and capable, like she was finally stepping into the person she wanted to be.

But as she sat there, waiting for the lecture to begin, a strange knot formed in her stomach. She still hadn't told Celeste about her new internship, and the longer she kept it quiet, the more it felt like she was hiding something. Estelle wasn't sure why she hadn't said anything. Maybe it was the fear of Celeste's reaction—whether it would be one of anger, disappointment, or something else entirely.

As the clock ticked closer to the start of class, the room slowly settled down, the quiet hum of voices fading into silence. And then, just like clockwork, the door to the front of the hall opened, and Professor Celeste Thorne strode in with her usual calm, commanding presence.

Estelle's heart gave a slight jolt at the sight of her. Celeste, as always, was impeccably dressed, her dark hair pulled back into a sleek bun, her sharp blue eyes scanning the room. She moved with the kind of effortless grace that made everyone fall silent the moment she entered. There was something almost magnetic about her—an undeniable power that she wielded with ease.

Celeste moved to the front of the room, placing her notes on the podium before glancing up at the class. Her eyes swept over the students briefly before landing—ever so briefly—on Estelle. It was a fleeting moment, but Estelle felt the weight of that gaze, the same intensity that always seemed to linger between them.

But as quickly as it came, it was gone, and Celeste began her lecture as though nothing had happened.

"The subject of today's lecture is legal ethics in complex litigation," Celeste said, her voice smooth and controlled as she clicked through her presentation slides. "We will be exploring the gray areas of ethics that arise in high-stakes cases and how attorneys navigate the fine line between zealously advocating for their clients and adhering to the ethical obligations of the law."

Estelle tried to focus, scribbling down notes as Celeste spoke, but her mind kept wandering. The way Celeste held the room's attention so effortlessly, the way she seemed to command respect without ever raising her voice—it was hard not to be in awe of her. But there was also that lingering frustration, the unresolved tension between them. The weight of all the things left unsaid.

As the lecture continued, Estelle found herself glancing up at Celeste more often than she intended. She couldn't help it—the pull between them was undeniable, even when they were supposed to be keeping things professional. But Celeste gave no indication that she was aware of it. She carried on with her lecture, perfectly composed, not a single sign of the intensity that had passed between them in private.

"Miss Brooks."

Estelle blinked, her thoughts snapping back to the present as she heard Celeste's voice. She hadn't even realized Celeste had directed a question her way until she noticed the rest of the class was looking at her.

"Uh, yes?" Estelle said, scrambling to catch up with whatever had just been asked.

Celeste raised an eyebrow, her expression cool and composed, though there was a glint of something sharper in her eyes. "Perhaps you could enlighten us on how you would handle a potential conflict of interest in a complex case, given the ethical boundaries we've discussed."

Estelle's mind raced, trying to recall the details of the lecture. She had been half-listening at best, too distracted by her own thoughts. Forcing herself to focus, she quickly formulated an answer, hoping it was coherent enough.

"Well," she began, sitting up straighter, "in the event of a potential conflict of interest, the attorney must first identify whether the conflict is one that affects their ability to represent their client without bias. If it's determined that the conflict could harm the client's case, the lawyer has an ethical obligation to either withdraw from the case or seek the client's informed consent after fully disclosing the conflict."

Celeste's gaze remained fixed on her, and Estelle could feel the weight of her scrutiny. She wasn't sure if her answer was what Celeste had been expecting, but after a long pause, Celeste gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.

"An acceptable response," Celeste said, though there was something in her tone that felt almost... challenging. "However, be mindful that not all conflicts are so easily resolved. There are times when withdrawal is not an option, and the burden of navigating those ethical dilemmas falls squarely on the shoulders of the attorney."

Estelle nodded, relieved that her answer had at least been passable, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more behind Celeste's words—something directed specifically at her.

The rest of the lecture went by in a blur. Estelle kept her head down, focusing on her notes, trying to shake off the tension that had crept back in. She knew Celeste didn't know about her internship with Miss Scarlett yet, but the weight of that secret felt heavier with each passing day.

Finally, the class came to an end. Students began packing up their things, filing out of the lecture hall in small groups. Estelle stayed in her seat for a moment, letting the room empty out around her as she gathered her thoughts. She knew she couldn't avoid telling Celeste about Scarlett & Associates forever. It wasn't a secret she could keep indefinitely, especially once word started to spread.

As she stood to leave, Celeste called out from the front of the room. "Miss Brooks."

Estelle froze, her heart skipping a beat as she turned to face her professor. Celeste's expression was unreadable, her sharp blue eyes locking onto Estelle's with the same intensity as always.

"I expect to see you for detention tomorrow," Celeste said, her tone firm but impersonal.

Estelle nodded quickly, feeling the knot in her stomach tighten. "Yes, Professor."

She turned to leave, but as she walked toward the door, she could feel Celeste's eyes on her, that same unspoken tension lingering between them like a shadow.

And still, Celeste didn't know about Scarlett's firm. But Estelle knew it was only a matter of time before that changed.