Bound by law

Chapter 27: Friends, Teasing, and Jealousy

Later that evening, Estelle returned to her apartment feeling emotionally wrung out. The victory in court had been thrilling, but the confrontation with Celeste had left her shaken. The weight of Celeste's words still lingered, making it hard to think about anything else.

She barely had time to open the door before Mia pounced, bouncing up from the couch and rushing toward her with wide eyes. "Oh my god, how was it? I've been dying to hear about your first day in court!"

Estelle let out a tired laugh, dropping her bag by the door. "It was... intense."

Mia narrowed her eyes, clearly not satisfied with that answer. "Intense? That's all I get? Come on, you went to court with Scarlett! I want details!"

Estelle hesitated for a moment, trying to organize her thoughts. "Well, we won the case. Miss Scarlett was amazing—she was so composed, so sharp in the courtroom."

Mia's grin spread even wider. "I knew it! I told you, you were going to kill it! And Scarlett... I bet she was proud, huh? Bet she was all over you, celebrating your first big win."

Estelle felt her cheeks flush slightly, remembering how Miss Scarlett had hugged her after the case. "Yeah, she was definitely proud. She even offered to take me out to celebrate after the hearing."

Mia's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Ooooh, that's exciting. She's definitely got a soft spot for you, huh? You're like her protégé."

Estelle laughed, shaking her head. "It's not like that. She's just a really hands-on mentor."

"Uh-huh," Mia said, giving her a knowing look. "Sure, sure. So, when's the celebration? Fancy dinner? Champagne?"

Estelle's smile faltered as she thought about what had happened after the hearing. "Actually, I didn't make it to the celebration."

Mia's brow furrowed, confusion crossing her face. "What? Why not?"

Estelle sighed, sinking into the couch. "Because Celeste was there."

Mia's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, what? Professor Thorne was at the same courthouse?"

"Yeah," Estelle said, her voice quieter now. "She was there with Pierce. They were working on the same case but representing the opposing side."

Mia's jaw dropped, and she quickly sat next to Estelle, her eyes wide with excitement. "No way! What happened?"

Estelle groaned, running a hand through her hair. "She cornered me in the bathroom and... basically accused me of letting Scarlett use me to hurt her. She was furious, Mia. Like, really angry."

Mia's eyes lit up with a mix of amusement and disbelief. "Oh my god, she's jealous! Celeste is totally jealous of Scarlett."

Estelle shot her a look. "It's not funny. She was so intense—I didn't know what to say. She basically told me I'm hers and I shouldn't be working for Scarlett."

Mia let out a bark of laughter. "Wait, wait, hold on. She told you you're hers? Oh, this just got even better."

Estelle blushed, feeling embarrassed by how possessive Celeste had been. "It's not better. It's complicated and... a mess. And now she's probably even more furious because I didn't back down."

Mia smirked, leaning back against the couch, clearly enjoying this more than she should. "Girl, I told you, she's been into you from the start. She's just mad that Scarlett's getting all the attention now."

"Stop," Estelle groaned, covering her face with her hands. "It's not like that."

Mia nudged her with a grin. "Oh, come on. Celeste totally has it bad for you. That woman is so used to being in control of everything, and now she's watching someone else swoop in and steal the person she wants? It's driving her crazy."

Estelle felt her cheeks heat up even more. "Scarlett isn't 'swooping in.' She's my mentor, not my—"

"Yeah, yeah," Mia interrupted with a teasing grin. "I bet Celeste doesn't see it that way. She's been eyeing you for months, and now Scarlett is all buddy-buddy with you, showing you the ropes, and even touching you. No wonder she's mad."

Estelle groaned again, burying her face in a pillow. "Mia, you're not helping."

Mia laughed, pulling the pillow away. "Oh, I think I am. You're just in denial."

Estelle rolled her eyes, but Mia was clearly enjoying herself too much to stop. "So, what's next? You've got Celeste all worked up, and Scarlett is clearly fond of you. You're basically the prize in their little power struggle. Who's going to win?"

Estelle shot her a warning look. "There is no 'power struggle.' This isn't some game."

Mia raised an eyebrow, leaning in closer. "Isn't it, though? Come on, Estelle, you've got two of the most powerful women in the legal world vying for your attention. You can't tell me that doesn't feel a little bit... exciting."

Estelle bit her lip, not wanting to admit that the tension between her and Celeste had felt electric in the worst—and best—way. "It's not exciting. It's stressful."

Mia laughed again, clearly unfazed. "You need to loosen up, girl. Seriously, let's do something fun tonight. We can get out, maybe grab a drink, do something crazy. You've been so caught up in all this work and drama, and you deserve to relax."

Estelle looked at her skeptically. "What do you have in mind?"

Mia grinned, that mischievous spark back in her eyes. "There's this underground bar I've been dying to check out. It's a little... unorthodox, but it's fun. A perfect way to blow off steam. What do you say?"

Estelle hesitated, but the idea of doing something fun—something outside of the legal world—sounded too good to pass up. "Fine. But nothing too crazy, Mia."

Mia's grin widened. "Oh, trust me. It'll be just the right amount of crazy."

A few hours later, Estelle found herself in a dimly lit, underground bar, tucked away in a hidden corner of the city. The atmosphere was loud and wild, a stark contrast to the professional world she had just left behind. Mia, true to form, had found the place online and insisted it was the perfect spot for them to let loose.

The music pulsed through the room, and Estelle couldn't help but laugh as Mia dragged her to the bar, ordering shots with a wink. "We're celebrating your win today," Mia said, handing Estelle a glass. "You deserve to let loose."

Estelle raised her glass and took the shot, feeling the warmth of the alcohol settle in her chest. It felt good to be out, away from the stress and complications of her life.

As the night went on, Mia kept the drinks flowing, and they spent most of their time dancing and laughing, the tension of the day slowly melting away.

But even in the chaos of the bar, Estelle couldn't shake the memory of Celeste's piercing gaze, the way she had said, "You're mine." The jealousy, the intensity—it was all still there, simmering beneath the surface.

"Come on, Estelle!" Mia shouted over the music, pulling her toward the dance floor. "Let's go!"

Estelle laughed, following Mia into the crowd, her worries temporarily forgotten. But even as she danced, she couldn't help but wonder what would happen the next time she saw Celeste—what the professor would do now that the stakes had been raised.