Bound by law

Chapter 24: The last Day in Detention

The next day, Estelle found herself standing outside of Celeste's office once again, preparing for another afternoon of detention. The familiar anxiety churned in her stomach, but it wasn't quite as intense as before. She had learned to manage the tension that always seemed to fill the room when she and Celeste were alone, though the secret of her internship at Scarlett & Associates was still gnawing at the back of her mind.

She took a deep breath, knocked on the door, and heard the usual calm, controlled voice call out, "Come in."

Pushing the door open, Estelle stepped inside. Celeste was seated behind her large desk, as poised and composed as ever. Her sharp blue eyes flicked up briefly to meet Estelle's before turning back to the papers spread out in front of her. As usual, the office felt colder, more formal, and the tension in the air was always a reminder of the complex relationship between them.

"Miss Brooks," Celeste said, not looking up from her desk. "Take a seat."

Estelle quietly walked over to the chair opposite Celeste's desk and sat down, trying to appear calm despite the nerves bubbling under the surface. She placed her bag beside her and waited, knowing the routine by now. Celeste would assign her something to work on, they'd sit in silence, and then she'd leave.

As she sat there, watching Celeste sift through a few papers, she couldn't help but feel the weight of everything that had been left unsaid between them. There was always this unspoken tension, something simmering beneath the surface that neither of them seemed willing to acknowledge. And yet, here they were again, stuck in the same room, pretending none of it existed.

After a few minutes of silence, Celeste finally looked up, her eyes briefly scanning Estelle's face. "I've assigned you a case study," she said, her voice as cold and professional as ever. "You'll find the materials in the folder on the table next to you. I expect you to finish it by the end of the week."

Estelle nodded, keeping her face neutral. "Understood, Professor."

For a moment, Celeste's gaze lingered on Estelle, her expression unreadable. Then, without another word, she returned to her own work, leaving Estelle to open the folder in front of her and get started. The room fell into an almost oppressive silence, broken only by the soft rustling of papers and the quiet ticking of the clock on the wall.

As Estelle worked through the case study, her thoughts kept drifting. She could feel the weight of Celeste's presence across the room, as though every movement, every shift in the air was amplified by their proximity. The longer she sat there, the more difficult it became to concentrate.

Her mind wandered back to Scarlett & Associates. The excitement of the opportunity still filled her with a sense of pride and relief, but the thought of keeping it from Celeste was starting to wear on her. She knew she couldn't hide it forever, but right now, this secret was her only way of keeping the two worlds from colliding. She wasn't ready to deal with Celeste's reaction—not yet.

The silence between them stretched on, thick and uncomfortable, but Estelle forced herself to focus on the work in front of her. She had to get through this. Only a few more days of detention, and then she could move forward, one way or another.

Suddenly, Celeste spoke, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife. "You've been quiet today, Miss Brooks."

Estelle's heart skipped a beat at the unexpected comment. She looked up, her eyes meeting Celeste's, who was watching her with an intensity that made Estelle's pulse quicken.

"I've just been focused on the work, Professor," Estelle replied, keeping her tone as neutral as possible.

Celeste raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair slightly, as if studying her. "Focused, yes. But something is distracting you."

Estelle blinked, her chest tightening. "I'm not sure what you mean."

Celeste's gaze remained sharp, as though she could see straight through Estelle's attempt at deflection. "I mean that you've been distracted during lectures, unfocused. I expect more from you, Miss Brooks. I don't tolerate half-hearted effort, especially not from someone with your potential."

Estelle's breath caught in her throat, the combination of Celeste's words and the intensity in her eyes making it hard to think clearly. She swallowed hard, trying to keep her composure. "I understand, Professor. I'll do better."

For a moment, Celeste said nothing, her expression unreadable. Then she gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. "See that you do."

Estelle let out a quiet breath, relieved that the conversation hadn't escalated further. She lowered her eyes back to the case study, focusing on the papers in front of her, but she could still feel the weight of Celeste's gaze on her.

As the minutes ticked by, the atmosphere in the room remained heavy. Estelle kept her head down, determined to make it through the rest of detention without another confrontation. The last thing she wanted was for Celeste to press her further. She wasn't ready for that conversation—about Scarlett, about the internship, about what it all meant.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Celeste stood, gathering the papers on her desk. She moved with the same smooth, controlled precision as always, but there was a tightness in her posture that Estelle hadn't noticed before.

"That will be all for today," Celeste said, her voice clipped. "You're dismissed." I hope you learned from your detentions miss brooks
Don't let it happen again.

Estelle quickly gathered her things, grateful for the chance to escape the tension in the room. She stood, nodding respectfully toward Celeste. "Thank you, Professor."

As she turned to leave, Estelle couldn't shake the feeling that something between them had shifted, even if only slightly. The tension, the unsaid things, the secrets—it was all building toward something. She just didn't know when it would finally break.

But for now, she was still keeping her secret, still holding on to the fragile line between her past with Celeste and her future at Scarlett & Associates.