The tension from Eleanor Thorne’s sudden visit lingered in the office long after she left. Celeste had thrown herself into work, her focus razor-sharp, but Estelle could sense the underlying frustration bubbling beneath her composed exterior. There was a stiffness in Celeste’s movements, her usual cool demeanor tinged with something darker, and Estelle couldn’t help but feel like poking at it—just a little.
It had been a tense day already, and Estelle was itching to lighten the mood, or at least distract Celeste from whatever storm her mother had stirred up.
Estelle sat at her desk, glancing over at Celeste as she worked on her laptop. She smirked slightly, thinking of how unflappable Celeste always seemed. But right now, she was clearly irritated, even if she was trying to hide it. Estelle had seen this side of her—sharp, focused, but also wound too tight. And maybe, just maybe, it was time to push her buttons.
Celeste’s brow was furrowed as she flipped through the legal documents in front of her, typing rapidly, clearly engrossed. Estelle watched her for a moment, contemplating her approach. Then, with a mischievous grin, she leaned back in her chair and cleared her throat loudly.
Celeste didn’t even look up, though her fingers paused briefly on the keyboard. “Do you need something, Estelle?” she asked, her tone clipped, her eyes still locked on the screen.
“No,” Estelle said, leaning forward and tapping her fingers on her desk. “I just thought you could use a break.”
Celeste sighed, finally looking up from her laptop. Her eyes were sharp, but there was a flicker of exhaustion in them. “I’m fine, Estelle. I don’t need a break.”
Estelle tilted her head, her smirk widening. “Really? Because you look like you’re about two seconds away from throwing your laptop out the window.”
Celeste raised an eyebrow, her lips pressing into a thin line. “I assure you, I’m quite capable of handling my work without resorting to… dramatic outbursts.”
Estelle chuckled, undeterred. “Come on, you’re all tense. You need to relax. I bet you haven’t smiled once since your mom was here.”
Celeste’s expression darkened slightly at the mention of her mother, and Estelle saw an opportunity. She leaned back in her chair, her smile growing. “You know, if you keep scowling like that, your face might get stuck.”
Celeste shot her a look—one of those classic don’t push me glares that usually made other people back off. But Estelle had gotten used to Celeste’s moods by now, and she wasn’t about to back down. In fact, she found the challenge kind of thrilling.
“I’m not scowling,” Celeste said coolly, her voice as composed as ever.
Estelle raised her eyebrows, clearly unconvinced. “Oh, really? Because I’m pretty sure that’s what scowling looks like.”
Celeste’s eyes narrowed, but she said nothing, returning her focus to her laptop. Estelle watched her for a moment, then leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand as she continued her teasing.
“You know, you’d feel a lot better if you just took five minutes to relax. Maybe get a coffee. Or, I don’t know, crack a smile. I’ve heard it works wonders.”
“Estelle,” Celeste said, her tone warning now, though the hint of amusement was undeniable. “I have a lot of work to get through today, and your… helpful suggestions are not making it any easier.”
Estelle grinned, undeterred. “Oh, come on. You’re too uptight right now. I bet even Pierce would know how to relax after a visit from your mom.”
Celeste’s fingers paused again, and her gaze flicked up sharply. Estelle could see the spark of annoyance in her eyes, and she knew she’d hit a nerve. But instead of backing off, she leaned in further.
“I mean, I get it. Your mom can’t be easy to deal with. But you don’t have to let it ruin your day, right? I mean, look at you—you’re practically vibrating with tension.”
Celeste closed her laptop with a soft, but unmistakably forceful click. Her eyes locked onto Estelle’s, a hint of fire in her gaze now. “Estelle,” she said slowly, “are you purposely trying to irritate me?”
Estelle leaned back in her chair, feigning innocence. “Who, me? I would never do that.”
Celeste raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. “I find that hard to believe.”
Estelle shrugged, her grin widening. “Maybe I’m just trying to get you to loosen up. You know, as your intern, it’s my duty to make sure you’re in the right headspace to do your best work.”
Celeste’s eyes narrowed, but there was the faintest twitch of amusement at the corner of her mouth. “And you think annoying me is the way to do that?”
Estelle leaned forward, her tone playful. “Well, it seems like it’s working. You’re definitely not thinking about work anymore, are you?”
For a moment, Celeste simply stared at her, the tension in the air palpable. Estelle could see the conflict in her—whether to snap back, or to indulge in the banter. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Celeste let out a soft, exasperated sigh.
“You are infuriating, you know that?” Celeste said, though there was no real bite in her words. If anything, there was a touch of amusement laced in her tone.
Estelle grinned. “Maybe. But at least I got you to stop scowling.”
Celeste shook her head, her lips twitching into the barest hint of a smile. “Fine. You win. Five minutes. But after that, I’m getting back to work.”
Estelle leaned back in her chair, satisfied. “Deal.”
Celeste stood up, smoothing out her suit and giving Estelle one last pointed look. “You’re lucky I find your persistence… tolerable.”
Estelle laughed. “Come on, you love it.”
Celeste gave her a look that was somewhere between annoyance and amusement. “Don’t push your luck, Estelle.”
Estelle smiled as she watched Celeste leave the room, feeling a strange sense of accomplishment. She might have annoyed her, but she’d also managed to crack through Celeste’s icy exterior, even if just a little.
And that, Estelle thought, was definitely a win.
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