His Father Bought Me

Estelle’s pulse pounded relentlessly in her ears, each beat louder than the last as the shadow stretched closer across the cold floor.

She should turn around. She needed to turn around, but her body wouldn’t cooperate. Her chest rose and fell too quickly, her breath catching halfway, like her lungs had forgotten how to work properly.

"Is that you... Justin?" she called, her voice trembling despite her effort to steady it.

Silence answered her, but the shadow stopped, and that somehow made it worse.

Estelle swallowed hard, the sound loud in her own ears. Slowly, carefully, she turned her chair, the faint whir of the wheels cutting through the stillness. The space seemed to hold its breath with her. And then she completed the turn. Her heart stuttered. Her eyes widened so fast it hurt.

"You...?" The word slipped out, thin and disbelieving, her jaw slack as shock flooded her.

"Hello, Estelle." Victoria stood a few feet away, a slow, knowing smirk curling her lips, her figure half-lit by the dim overhead lights. The sight of her felt unreal.

"How—?" Estelle’s voice faltered. She shook her head, her chest tightening. "What are you doing here?"

Victoria’s smile only deepened, sharp at the edges. "What did you expect?" she asked, her tone dripping with condescension. "That Justin would walk through that door and hand you what, exactly?"

Estelle’s fingers curled slightly against the wheels. No. She shook her head again, more forcefully this time, as if she could physically reject what she was seeing. Her eyes squeezed shut for a brief second. This isn’t happening.

A soft laugh broke through the silence, and Estelle’s eyes snapped open. Victoria was still there. She was real and unmoving, watching her. And the truth settled in, heavy and suffocating.

"Once again," Victoria continued, her voice smooth and cutting, "you’ve proven it was the right decision to get rid of you." Her gaze dragged slowly over Estelle, lingering on the chair, her expression openly disdainful. "Did you really think Justin would throw away everything he’s building with us just to help you?"

Each word landed like a blow.

"You’re even more naive than I thought," she added, tilting her head slightly. "When are you going to accept that this is the end of the road for you?"

Estelle barely heard the last part. The betrayal rang louder than anything else. "So, Justin told you?" she asked, her voice quieter now.

"He told us everything," Victoria cut in smoothly. "How you went running to him, asking him to investigate because you convinced yourself your fall wasn’t an accident." She let out a small, amused breath. "That we had something to do with it."

A spark flared in Estelle’s chest, cutting through the shock. "Well, I think you did," she shot back, her voice gaining strength despite the tremor still threading through it. "And you know it."

Her grip tightened on the wheels. "We both know what matters to you," she continued, her eyes locking onto Victoria’s. "And it’s never been people, not even your own daughter."

Victoria laughed, a light, almost careless sound that echoed through the empty rink. "And how do you think your father and I kept that rink alive all these years?" she shot back. "Did you think sentiment paid the bills?"

The words hit, but Estelle didn’t flinch this time. Her jaw hardened instead. "You’re pathetic," she said, the words quiet but sharp. "And I will make you pay for everything you’ve done."

Her eyes burned with something stronger now, anger, resolve, something unbreakable. "I will get the evidence I need," she added, her voice steady despite the storm inside her. "And when I do? You’re done."

Victoria’s gaze lingered on her, something sharp flashing through her eyes before it vanished just as quickly. When she spoke again, her voice was smooth. "Well," she said lightly, "you’d need to get out of that chair first before making threats like that."

She tilted her head, studying Estelle with quiet satisfaction. "And after what you just pulled we’ve made a decision."

"We?" The word scraped out of Estelle’s throat, thin with confusion.

Victoria didn’t answer. She didn’t need to. The faint click of approaching footsteps echoed through the empty rink, each one measured, cutting through the silence like a warning.

Estelle’s chest tightened, and her breath hitched as dread crept in, slowly. She already knew who it was as the sound grew closer.

And then Magnus stepped into view. His expression was cold, unreadable, his presence filling the space in an instant. The air seemed to shift around him, heavier, harder to breathe.

Estelle’s stomach dropped. How much worse can this get? A cold realization followed close behind. The surgery. I’m not getting it now. Not after this. Her fingers curled slightly against her lap.

"If you had told me you were coming here," Magnus said calmly, as if they were discussing something trivial, "I could have brought you myself. Or better yet, told you Justin had already betrayed you."

Estelle shook her head immediately, the movement sharp, instinctive. "No," she said, her voice tight. "Justin wouldn’t—" She stopped, swallowing hard. "What did you do to him?" she demanded, her voice rising despite herself. "Where is he?"

Magnus didn’t answer her directly. Instead, he turned his head slightly toward Victoria, his expression unchanged. "Let the boy speak for himself."

Victoria’s lips curved into a small, satisfied smile. She folded her arms, settling into place like she was about to enjoy a show. "Come in, Justin," she called, her tone almost casual.

The words barely left her mouth before a door creaked open somewhere behind them. Estelle’s head snapped toward the sound. Her heart slammed hard against her ribs, and then she saw him.

Justin stepped into the dim light, his movements slow, hesitant. His shoulders were slightly hunched, like the weight of the moment pressed down on him. He didn’t look at her. Not at first. He swallowed as he walked closer, his gaze fixed somewhere near the floor.

"Tell her," Victoria said, her voice soft but laced with command. "Tell her what you told us."

Justin stopped a few feet away. For a moment, he said nothing. Then, slowly, his eyes lifted to meet Estelle’s, guilt written all over his face.

"I’m sorry, Estelle," he said, his voice low, strained. "But when you called me, Serena was there. She made me tell your parents what you were planning." He hesitated, his brows pulling together. "I told you it was a bad idea, but—"

A sharp sound cut him off. Laughter. Estelle threw her head back, the sound spilling out of her, too loud, too sudden, echoing harshly against the empty walls.

Justin flinched. Victoria shifted slightly, her brows knitting in confusion as she glanced at Magnus, whose expression didn’t change at all.

The laughter rang on for a moment, and then it stopped. Just like that. Estelle lowered her head slowly, her eyes finding theirs again. The air around her felt different now, colder, sharper.

"So what is this?" she asked, her voice quiet but edged with something they couldn’t place. "You betrayed me," she said, her gaze flicking to Justin. "You told Magnus."

Her eyes shifted to Magnus, something fierce burning beneath the surface. "And now what?" she continued. "He came all the way here to do what? Drag me back home? Throw me out?"

A faint, mocking smile touched her lips. "Or is this supposed to be some grand revelation?" she added, her tone laced with taunt. "You think you’ve cracked a case?" She let out a soft scoff. "News flash, this changes nothing."

"This changes everything, Estelle." Magnus’s voice cut through the space, calm and absolute.

Estelle turned her head toward him, her eyes blazing now, but her chin lifted, steady, unyielding.