Bound by law

Chapter 42: The Countdown

The next morning, Estelle woke up with the weight of the previous day still pressing down on her. Her mind was a blur of emotions, confusion, and the lingering tension from her interactions with Celeste. But she pushed it aside as she got out of bed, determined to start fresh.

She walked over to the pile of new clothes Celeste had insisted on buying for her and pulled out a sleek, fitted suit. The fabric was luxurious, and it hugged her body in all the right places. Estelle slipped on a blouse underneath that dipped just enough to show a hint of cleavage—subtle but noticeable. Who cares anyway? she thought, shrugging as she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

With a sigh, she added the heels Celeste had chosen, along with some jewelry—a pair of simple earrings and a delicate necklace. She ran her fingers through her hair, then quickly applied some makeup. She wasn't used to looking this polished, this... expensive, but the transformation was undeniable. For a moment, she felt powerful, ready to take on whatever the day had in store.

Just as she finished, her phone buzzed on the dresser, the ringtone slicing through the quiet apartment. She grabbed it and saw Celeste's name flash on the screen.

"Uh, hello?" Estelle answered, still adjusting her earrings in the mirror.

"Get downstairs now," Celeste's voice came through the phone, sharp and direct.

Estelle blinked, caught off guard. "Wait, what? Why are you—Celeste, why are you calling me? Why are you picking me up?"

"I don't have time for questions, Estelle. I'm downstairs. Get down here now."

Estelle hesitated, her brain struggling to catch up. "But I—"

"Ten seconds, Estelle," Celeste interrupted, her voice turning even cooler. "Or I'm coming up. One... two..."

"Okay, okay, I'm coming!" Estelle yelped, nearly dropping her phone in her rush.

She threw her phone into her bag and practically flew down the stairs, barely registering Mia's sleepy murmur from the kitchen. By the time she stepped outside, her heart was racing. Sure enough, Celeste's sleek black car was parked at the curb, looking as polished as the woman sitting inside it.

Celeste was waiting behind the wheel, sunglasses on, her expression unreadable. Estelle quickly opened the passenger door and slid into the seat, breathless from the sudden rush.

"Why are you picking me up?" Estelle asked, slightly out of breath, as she fastened her seatbelt. "You never mentioned this."

Celeste didn't look at her immediately, her fingers tapping lightly on the steering wheel as she pulled away from the curb. "Because I don't want you arriving at the office late. I'm making sure you're where you need to be—on time and properly prepared."

Estelle frowned, her irritation bubbling to the surface. "I would've been on time. You didn't need to do this."

Celeste finally glanced over at her, her lips curling into a small, amused smirk. "Clearly, you underestimate my standards, Miss Brooks."

Estelle huffed, turning to look out the window as they drove through the busy morning streets. The tension between them was palpable, the strange push and pull that had developed over the past few days weighing down the air in the car. She couldn't figure out what Celeste's game was—whether this was about control, manipulation, or something else entirely.

As the car sped through the city, Estelle couldn't help but feel like she was losing control over her own life, piece by piece, as Celeste pulled her deeper into her world.

After a few minutes of tense silence, Celeste's voice cut through the quiet. "You look good today," she said, her tone casual, though there was a glint of something more in her eyes as she glanced at Estelle. "The suit suits you."

Estelle felt her cheeks flush slightly, and she quickly looked away. "Thanks. It's, uh, what you bought yesterday."

"I know," Celeste said smoothly, her smirk deepening. "It was a good choice."

Estelle shifted in her seat, feeling slightly self-conscious. The blouse she'd chosen showed more of her cleavage than she would normally feel comfortable with, and she wasn't sure if Celeste's comment had been about the suit, or about how she was filling it out. Either way, it left her feeling unsettled.

The rest of the drive to the office passed in uncomfortable silence, with Celeste occasionally glancing over at her but saying nothing more. Estelle, meanwhile, tried to focus on the day ahead, mentally preparing herself for another long day at Thorne & Associates, where the lines between work and whatever this was with Celeste blurred more with each passing moment.

When they finally arrived at the office, Celeste pulled into her reserved spot and turned off the engine. She turned to Estelle with a raised eyebrow. "Ready for another day, Miss Brooks?"

Estelle nodded, feeling her heart race again. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Celeste's smirk returned, and she opened her door without another word, stepping out of the car with her usual grace and composure. Estelle followed, adjusting her bag on her shoulder as she walked behind her, feeling the weight of Celeste's presence with every step.

As they entered the sleek office building, Estelle took a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever the day would bring. Because in Celeste's world, she was learning, nothing was ever just about work.