Chapter 77: Back to Reality

The thrill of the amusement park adventure still lingered in Estelle's mind as she sat at her desk in Celeste's office the next day. Every now and then, a smile would creep onto her face as she remembered the way Celeste had let loose, her laughter mingling with Estelle's as they zipped through the darkened park.

It was so different from the composed, professional side of Celeste that Estelle was used to seeing in the office. And yet, as Estelle glanced up at her now—Celeste seated at her desk, deep in thought as she reviewed a case file—it was clear that the woman who had giggled her way through a roller coaster ride was still very much the same fierce, determined lawyer she admired.

"Miss Brooks," Celeste said suddenly, her voice cutting through the quiet hum of the office. Estelle straightened up immediately, her cheeks heating as she realized she'd been caught daydreaming. Celeste's lips quirked into a smirk, her sharp eyes glinting with amusement. "You seem... distracted this morning."

Estelle cleared her throat, trying to compose herself. "Just thinking," she said quickly. "About the case."

Celeste raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. She leaned back in her chair, folding her arms as she regarded Estelle with that familiar, penetrating gaze. "Is that so? Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like you're replaying last night in your head."

Estelle's blush deepened, and she quickly looked down at her laptop. "I'm just focused on work," she muttered, though the grin tugging at her lips betrayed her.

Celeste chuckled softly, the sound low and teasing. "Hmm. Focused. Sure."

Before Estelle could respond, there was a knock at the office door, and Celeste's assistant, Lila, peeked inside. "Miss Thorne, your 10 a.m. meeting is here."

Celeste's demeanor shifted instantly, her playful smirk replaced with the cool, composed expression she wore so effortlessly. "Thank you, Lila. I'll be there in a moment." She glanced back at Estelle, her gaze softening just slightly. "We'll continue this conversation later."

Estelle nodded, biting back a smile as Celeste rose from her desk and swept out of the room. The instant the door closed behind her, Estelle let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

She couldn't get over how seamlessly Celeste moved between her different roles—stern professor, brilliant lawyer, teasing girlfriend. It was exhilarating and intimidating all at once, and Estelle couldn't help but feel a pang of pride that she was the one who got to see all of Celeste's sides.

As the morning wore on, Estelle threw herself into her work, determined to shake off her lingering distractions. She was deep into reviewing a contract when the door opened again, and this time, it wasn't Celeste who walked in.

It was Pierce, the other intern who worked at the firm.

Estelle's shoulders tensed automatically. She hadn't seen much of Pierce lately, which she had been perfectly fine with. He had a way of carrying himself that always felt a little too smug, like he thought he was better than everyone else. And though Estelle tried to keep things professional, she couldn't deny that she found him insufferable.

"Hey," Pierce said casually, leaning against the doorframe. "You look busy."

"I am," Estelle replied curtly, not bothering to look up from her laptop. "What do you need?"

Pierce smirked, clearly unbothered by her tone. "Relax, Brooks. I'm just here to drop off these files for Miss Thorne." He sauntered over to Celeste's desk, dropping the stack of papers with an air of nonchalance. "So, how's it going? Still trying to impress the boss?"

Estelle finally glanced up, her eyes narrowing. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Pierce shrugged, his smirk widening. "Nothing. Just saying, you seem to spend a lot of time in here. Guess it pays to be the favorite, huh?"

Estelle's jaw tightened, but before she could respond, the door opened again, and Celeste walked in. Her gaze flicked between the two of them, immediately picking up on the tension in the room.

"Pierce," Celeste said, her tone cool. "Is there a reason you're still here?"

Pierce straightened up, clearly caught off guard. "Just dropping off the files you asked for," he said quickly. "I was just... chatting with Estelle."

Celeste's eyes narrowed slightly, her expression unreadable. "Well, you've delivered the files. You can go now."

Pierce nodded, his smirk faltering as he headed for the door. "Of course, Miss Thorne. See you around, Brooks."

The door closed behind him, and the room fell silent. Estelle let out a frustrated sigh, shaking her head. "He's insufferable."

Celeste's lips curved into a faint smile as she walked over to her desk. "He's harmless. Annoying, perhaps, but harmless."

Estelle shot her a look. "He's not harmless. He's smug and condescending and—"

"Jealous?" Celeste finished, raising an eyebrow.

Estelle blinked, caught off guard by the suggestion. "Jealous? Of what?"

Celeste smirked, sitting down at her desk and leaning back in her chair. "You, of course. It's obvious. He can't stand that you've earned my attention, both here and... elsewhere."

Estelle's cheeks flushed, her heart skipping a beat. "I don't think that's it."

"Oh, it is," Celeste said confidently, her smirk widening. "But don't let him bother you, Estelle. He's irrelevant."

Estelle couldn't help but smile at Celeste's dismissive tone. It was clear that Pierce didn't matter to her in the slightest, and that knowledge filled Estelle with a sense of satisfaction.

As the day continued, Estelle found herself feeling more at ease. The weight of the morning's distractions had lifted, replaced by a quiet confidence that came from knowing exactly where she stood with Celeste.

And as she glanced across the desk at Celeste, who was once again lost in her work, Estelle couldn't help but feel a swell of gratitude. No matter how crazy or intense things got, she knew one thing for certain: she and Celeste were in this together.