His Father Bought Me-Chapter 21: One More Thing

Roman’s fingers twitched as he looked at Estelle’s outstretched hand, but he didn’t take it. Instead, he shifted his gaze to her eyes. "One more thing," he said.

Estelle’s shoulders dropped slightly, a quiet breath slipping past her lips as she leaned back in her chair. "What now, Roman?" she asked, her tone thinning with impatience.

His gaze drifted briefly as his thoughts moved faster than he could voice them. "What happens if my father finds out?" he asked finally. "We need to be ready for that, for the worst-case scenario."

Estelle studied him for a second, then gave a small nod. "I agree, completely," she said as she shifted slightly, the soft creak of the chair filling the pause. "But we can’t be worried about that right now. I mean, you haven’t even agreed to the plan," she added. Then her voice softened, sounding more practical now. "What do you say we cross the first hurdle, and then we adjust and we figure out the rest as we go?"

Roman’s lips twitched at the recklessness of it. The plan was dangerous, yes, but seeing her calm and certain, he almost believed it could work.

A sharp breath left him, and slowly, he reached forward and took her hand. "Fine, let’s do it," he said, a faint smirk touching his lips. "I just hope we don’t regret it."

Estelle didn’t hesitate. Her fingers closed around his, a small smile forming on her lips. "I hope so too."

Roman moved to pull away from the handshake, but her grip tightened. He froze, looking at her. For a brief moment, neither of them spoke, but the air between them felt different now.

Then Estelle broke the silence. "I can trust you, right?"

Roman’s jaw tightened, something like offense flashing across his face. "You think I’d betray you?"

"I think you’re a Whitehall," Estelle said, holding his gaze, unflinching.

Roman’s expression didn’t change. "Well," he said evenly, "so are you."

The words landed. Hard.

Estelle opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. For once, she had no immediate answer.

Roman’s lips curved slightly. "Speechless, I see," he murmured.

Estelle huffed softly and pulled her hand free, her gaze dropping briefly to her fingers. "Until that ring is actually on my finger," she said, her tone firm, "I’m still a Rutledge."

Roman frowned, his brows drawn tight as a hint of confusion slipped through. "But you’re my wife," he said. "We just agreed on that."

Estelle lifted her gaze to meet his. "Words don’t hold much," she said and extended her hand towards him again, slower this time. "Put the ring on my finger," she paused. "Not in private." Her eyes held his. "In front of the world."

Roman studied her for a moment, then a slow smile spread across his face. "Guess that’s step one," he said.

Estelle smiled back, a quiet spark of satisfaction in her eyes. "We make our first appearance tomorrow, and we show the world how happy we are," she said.

Roman tilted his head slightly, considering. "And you think we should make it dramatic?"

Estelle smiled, the expression calm but edged with intent. "I think we should make our appearance on our own terms," she said. Then her eyes lit up. "Can you imagine Magnus’s face when he wakes up to the news?" she added, a hint of satisfaction slipping into her tone. "We go around him and that shadow he keeps, Vance."

Roman paused, turning the idea over in his mind, and for a second, the tension in his shoulders eased. "I like that," he admitted, a smile breaking through despite himself.

Estelle nodded, her own smile widening slightly.

For a brief moment, the room softened, and they simply looked at each other, no strategy, no pressure, just that quiet, shared understanding. The war wasn’t over, but something else had begun to take shape in its place.

Their gazes held a second too long. There was a pull there. Subtle, unfamiliar, but strong enough to keep them both in place.

Roman took a small step closer, his body leaning toward hers before he fully registered the movement. Estelle turned away almost immediately, her heart thudding hard against her ribs. Roman swallowed, the same unsteady rhythm echoing in his chest. And the moment snapped.

"We need to get ready," Estelle said, her voice softer now, just slightly unsteady. "We’re speaking to our fans in a few hours."

Roman let out a quiet breath. "Our fans," he repeated, the words sitting oddly on his tongue. He watched her as she wheeled her chair away, creating space between them. "I have to admit," he added, a faint smirk tugging at his lips, "you’re a lot crazier than I thought."

Estelle shrugged lightly, her hands steady on the wheels. "From where I’m sitting," she said, glancing back at him, "you look like you like it."

Roman opened his mouth, whether to argue or agree, even he wasn’t sure, but she continued before he could.

"This is the only way we win," she said. "And if you still want Lena, you should go to her now." Her tone turned practical again. "She’ll need an explanation. Otherwise, when all of this is over," she paused briefly, "she’ll be the one to destroy you."

Roman sighed, dragging a hand through his hair as the weight of that settled over him. He hadn’t spoken to Lena since everything began, and he had to. So, he gave a small nod. "And you?" he asked, his voice quieter now.

Estelle looked at him, caught slightly off guard. For a fleeting second, her heart skipped. He cares, or he’s just playing his part. "I’ll handle things here," she said, keeping her tone even. "But you need to be back before sunrise." Her eyes met his, firm again. "No one can see you leaving her, remember that your father has eyes everywhere."

Roman nodded. "I understand," he said. "But—"

"No buts, Roman," Estelle cut in, already turning her chair back toward the desk. "Just go."

Roman’s brows lifted slightly at her tone, but he didn’t argue. He watched as she wheeled herself back to the table, the faint creak of the chair filling the room. As she reached for the laptop, lifting the screen, his hand gripped hers firmly, stopping her.

Estelle froze and looked at him.

Roman shook his head, his grip tightening slightly around her wrist as his gaze dropped to the laptop. "What are you doing with that?" he asked, his voice low with suspicion. "Is that why you want me out of the room? What are you planning?"