The rest of the night passed in a haze of awkward glances and nervous energy after Celeste’s unexpected visit to their table. Estelle tried to relax, to lose herself in the conversation with Mia and her friends, but she couldn’t shake the tension that had settled over her. Every time she glanced toward Celeste’s table, her mind buzzed with confusion. And then there was the woman Celeste was with—an elegant, striking woman who seemed every bit as intimidating as Celeste herself. Estelle had no idea who she was, but she got the feeling that she wasn’t just a casual friend.
The thought gnawed at her, especially with the way the woman had been looking at her during the brief interaction with Celeste. It was as if there was something more going on beneath the surface, something Estelle couldn’t quite put her finger on.
As the night wore on, Mia kept nudging her, teasing about the odd encounter. “I still can’t believe she came over,” Mia said, shaking her head. “It was like she had to make her presence known.”
Estelle tried to laugh it off, but her mind kept circling back to the way Celeste had spoken to her—calm, yes, but with an undertone of something… sharper. Possessive, even. Estelle didn’t know what to make of it. Surely, it was just a professional reminder about the upcoming mock trial. But then why did it feel so… personal?
As if the universe wasn’t done playing tricks on her, Estelle’s attention was drawn back to Celeste’s table. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the woman Celeste had been sitting with stand and begin making her way toward them.
“Oh no,” Estelle whispered under her breath.
“What?” Mia asked, turning her head just in time to see the woman approach. “Uh-oh.”
The woman smiled as she stopped in front of their table, her posture relaxed but exuding a confident aura that immediately put Estelle on edge. Up close, she was even more stunning—tall, with dark, piercing eyes and a self-assured air that rivaled Celeste’s own.
“Hi,” she said, her voice smooth and pleasant, but with a subtle edge. Her eyes locked onto Estelle. “I couldn’t help but notice your conversation with Celeste earlier. Mind if I join for a minute?”
Mia raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything, clearly enjoying the unfolding drama. Estelle, on the other hand, felt her palms grow sweaty.
“Uh, sure,” Estelle said, trying to keep her voice steady. “I’m Estelle, by the way.”
The woman smiled, and Estelle couldn’t help but feel like there was something calculated behind it. “I know,” she said, casually brushing her hair back. “I’m Victoria. I work with Celeste at Thorne & Associates.”
Of course she does, Estelle thought. She should have known. No wonder Victoria had the same aura of untouchable confidence. Estelle suddenly felt very small in comparison.
“So,” Victoria continued, her eyes still fixed on Estelle in a way that made her feel like prey being studied. “What exactly were you two talking about? It seemed… tense.”
Estelle felt her heart race at the question. “Oh, it was nothing, really,” she said quickly, forcing a smile. “She was just reminding me about the upcoming trial.”
Victoria’s smile widened slightly, but her gaze didn’t soften. “Really? It didn’t seem like nothing from where I was sitting.”
Estelle felt her cheeks flush. There was something unsettling about the way Victoria was speaking, like she knew more than she was letting on. And the fact that Celeste hadn’t come over with her only made the situation feel more charged.
Mia, always quick to stir the pot, jumped in. “Yeah, it was intense. Our Professor Thorne loves keeping Estelle on her toes.”
Victoria’s eyes flicked over to Mia briefly, before settling back on Estelle. “Interesting,” she said, her voice low, as if savoring the word. “Celeste doesn’t usually take such a… personal interest in students.”
Estelle swallowed hard. There it was again—that insinuation that whatever was happening between her and Celeste wasn’t entirely professional. But before she could respond, a voice cut through the conversation like ice.
“Victoria.”
Estelle’s heart nearly stopped.
Celeste had appeared behind Victoria, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly as she looked between them. There was no mistaking the shift in Celeste’s posture. She stood a little taller, her gaze fixed on Victoria with a cool intensity that sent a shiver down Estelle’s spine.
“Oh, Celeste,” Victoria said, turning slowly and flashing her a sly smile. “We were just chatting. I was curious about your… student here.”
Celeste’s expression didn’t change, but the air around them seemed to grow colder. “I’m sure you were,” she said evenly, though there was an unmistakable edge in her voice. “But Estelle has enough on her plate without distractions.”
Victoria raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by the underlying tension. “Oh, I see. I didn’t realize I was distracting her.”
“You are,” Celeste replied, her tone sharper now. “She needs to focus on her work.”
The exchange sent a ripple of tension through the room. Mia looked between Celeste and Victoria with wide eyes, clearly fascinated by the unfolding drama, but wisely kept her mouth shut.
Estelle, on the other hand, was frozen in place, completely overwhelmed by the unspoken battle happening right in front of her. Celeste’s possessive energy was undeniable, and Victoria wasn’t backing down. It was as though both women were silently staking their claims, but over what? Or who?
Victoria’s lips curved into a small smile, as if she were enjoying the game. “Well, I wouldn’t want to keep her from excelling under your… mentorship.”
Celeste’s jaw tightened, and Estelle swore she saw a flicker of something in her eyes—something dangerously close to jealousy. “Then perhaps it’s time you returned to your table,” Celeste said, her voice quiet but carrying a weight that left no room for argument.
For a moment, Victoria didn’t move, her eyes lingering on Celeste’s face, as if testing her limits. But then, with a slow, graceful motion, she turned back to Estelle, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
“Good luck with the trial, Estelle,” she said, her voice soft but loaded with meaning. “I’m sure you’ll do just fine.”
And with that, she turned and walked back toward her table, leaving an uncomfortable silence in her wake.
Celeste remained standing by their table, her expression unreadable, but the tension between her and Victoria still hung in the air, palpable and heavy. Estelle could barely process what had just happened. Had Celeste… protected her from Victoria’s strange interest? Or was there something more to the way she had intervened?
“You should leave soon,” Celeste said suddenly, her voice low as she looked down at Estelle. “It’s getting late.”
It wasn’t a suggestion. It was a command.
Estelle nodded quickly, feeling the weight of Celeste’s gaze on her. “Of course,” she muttered, grabbing her drink and standing up.
Mia, ever the instigator, winked at Estelle before standing up too. “Well, it’s been fun,” she said brightly, her grin widening. “Good seeing you again, Professor Thorne.”
Celeste didn’t respond, her eyes never leaving Estelle as she watched her gather her things. There was something else in that gaze now—something possessive and territorial, like Celeste had just claimed a victory in some invisible battle.
As they made their way toward the door, Estelle could feel Celeste’s eyes on her the entire time. Her heart raced as they stepped out into the cool night air, her mind spinning.
“Well,” Mia said, breaking the silence, “that was… intense. Your professor has a thing for you, Estelle.”
Estelle shook her head, though her cheeks were flushed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous? You’re blind if you didn’t see that whole showdown. She was ready to throw down with Victoria over you.”
Estelle let out a shaky breath, her thoughts swirling. “It wasn’t like that. She just… didn’t want Victoria bothering me.”
Mia snorted. “Right. Keep telling yourself that.”
As they walked down the street, Estelle couldn’t stop thinking about the way Celeste had looked at her—protective, possessive, and more intense than she had ever been in class. There was something between them, something neither of them could ignore, and it was becoming harder and harder to pretend it wasn’t there.
What Estelle didn’t know yet was just how far this tension between them would go.
Comment