Bound by law

Chapter 25: Unwelcome Surprise

Friday had finally arrived, and Estelle could hardly contain her excitement. It was a huge day for her—her first time going to court with Miss Scarlett. She'd been preparing for this moment all week, making sure she knew every detail of the case they were representing. Scarlett had been incredibly supportive and hands-on, guiding her through the complex litigation prep. Today, Estelle would finally witness a real courtroom battle from one of the best in the business.

As she stepped out of the taxi in front of the courthouse, Estelle felt a thrill of anticipation. This was the kind of experience she had been craving—real, hands-on legal work, not just sitting in classrooms and reading case studies. She smoothed her blazer and took a deep breath before walking through the courthouse doors.

The lobby was bustling with lawyers, clients, and officials, but Estelle quickly spotted Miss Scarlett, standing confidently near the entrance to the courtroom, chatting with a few associates. Scarlett turned as Estelle approached, her smile brightening when she saw her.

"There you are, Estelle," Scarlett said, her hand resting lightly on Estelle's arm as she spoke. "I'm glad you're here early. I wanted to go over a few key points before the hearing starts."

Estelle nodded, her nerves bubbling up again, though Scarlett's touch was reassuring. "Of course, I'm ready."

As Scarlett began running through the details, Estelle did her best to focus, but something caught her eye at the far end of the lobby. A tall, familiar figure. Her heart sank.

Celeste Thorne.

Estelle's breath caught in her throat, and for a moment, time seemed to slow. Celeste was standing near the entrance with Alexander Pierce, her chosen intern, by her side. They were talking in hushed tones, Celeste looking as poised and commanding as ever. Estelle's pulse quickened as her eyes darted between them.

She didn't choose me for the internship, Estelle thought, the sting of that decision still fresh. And now, here she was, in the same courthouse, standing beside the woman who had chosen her career elsewhere.

Estelle's stomach twisted with the realization that Celeste would find out—today, of all days—that she had been working with Miss Scarlett's firm. The firm that Celeste often competed with. The knot in her chest tightened as she watched Celeste's eyes flicker across the room.

And then, they landed on her.

Celeste's face remained unreadable, but the shift in her gaze was unmistakable. Her eyes lingered on Estelle for a moment, before slowly traveling to Miss Scarlett, whose hand was still on Estelle's arm, gently guiding her through the case details.

Estelle could see the flicker of recognition in Celeste's eyes, followed by something sharper, something colder. Pierce said something to Celeste, but she didn't seem to hear him. Her gaze was locked on Estelle, and even from across the room, Estelle could feel the weight of it.

"I'll meet you in the courtroom in a moment," Scarlett said, her hand giving Estelle a light squeeze before she walked toward the other associates.

Estelle barely registered Scarlett's words, her attention still fixed on Celeste. The intense stare Celeste had been giving her, the clear undercurrent of anger—or was it jealousy?—was hard to ignore. Her professor hadn't been expecting this. Neither had I, Estelle thought, the anxiety rising in her chest.

As Miss Scarlett walked away, Estelle turned quickly toward the restroom, needing a moment to collect herself. The overwhelming presence of Celeste—here, of all places—was more than she had been prepared to face.

She made her way down the quiet hallway and pushed open the door to the restroom. Inside, she splashed cold water on her face, trying to calm the adrenaline surging through her veins.

But before she could steady herself, the door creaked open behind her, and Estelle froze.

She didn't need to turn around to know who had followed her. The heavy presence, the undeniable tension in the air—it could only be Celeste Thorne.

Estelle slowly turned to face her, her heart racing as Celeste stepped into the small, quiet restroom, closing the door behind her. The professor's usually controlled demeanor seemed strained, her blue eyes sharper than Estelle had ever seen them.

"What are you doing, Estelle?" Celeste's voice was low, almost dangerous.

Estelle's throat tightened. "I—I don't know what you mean."

Celeste took a slow, deliberate step forward, her eyes never leaving Estelle's. "You know exactly what I mean. You've been working with Scarlett, haven't you?"

Estelle's heart raced, the air in the room growing thick with the tension between them. She had feared this confrontation, and now it was happening—here, in the last place she wanted to deal with it.

"I didn't hide it from you on purpose," Estelle began, her voice shaking slightly. "I didn't think it mattered, since you didn't choose me for the internship."

Celeste's jaw clenched, her expression darkening. "It didn't occur to you that this would matter? Working with Scarlett? In a case like this?"

Estelle's frustration flared. "I didn't choose to work against you! This is my career, Professor, and I'm allowed to make my own choices."

"Your career?" Celeste's voice was tight with barely controlled anger, her gaze burning into Estelle's. "Do you have any idea how this looks?"

"How it looks?" Estelle shot back, her own anger rising now. "This isn't about appearances, Celeste. You didn't choose me. You chose Pierce. I had to move forward."

Celeste's eyes flashed with something raw—anger, jealousy, and perhaps something deeper, more complicated. She took another step forward, closing the distance between them.

"This has nothing to do with Pierce," Celeste growled. "It's about you. You're standing here with Scarlett, and she's—" Celeste's words faltered, her eyes narrowing as she recalled how close Scarlett had been to Estelle, the way she touched her so casually, so intimately.

"It's not what you think," Estelle whispered, her heart hammering in her chest. "I'm not trying to—"

"You think I don't see it?" Celeste cut her off, her voice low and dangerous. "Scarlett is using you, Estelle. She's pushing you into this case because she knows what it will do to me, to my firm. You're being played."

Estelle's breath hitched. "It's not like that."

Celeste leaned in, her voice a harsh whisper. "You're mine, Estelle. You don't get to just walk away."

The words sent a jolt through Estelle, a mix of anger and something dangerously close to desire flaring in her chest. The possessiveness in Celeste's voice, the fury in her eyes—it was overwhelming. But Estelle wasn't going to back down.

"I'm not yours," Estelle whispered, her voice trembling. "You don't get to claim me."

Celeste's eyes darkened, her breath hot against Estelle's skin. "Don't you dare pretend this hasn't been there between us. You can deny it all you want, but I'm not letting you go that easily."

The tension in the room was suffocating, the air thick with unspoken words, unacknowledged feelings. Estelle's heart raced, her body reacting to the nearness of Celeste, the overwhelming intensity of the moment. But before either of them could say another word, the bathroom door swung open, breaking the charged atmosphere between them.

Estelle stepped back, her heart still pounding as she turned to see one of the court clerks standing in the doorway, clearly oblivious to what had just transpired.

"Uh, we're about to start," the clerk said, her eyes darting between Estelle and Celeste.

Celeste straightened, her expression hardening once more. Without a word, she turned and walked out of the bathroom, leaving Estelle standing there, breathless and shaken.