The meeting went well and all the investors left happy meaning it was a success. Estella was in her office sketching new summer dresses when two of her co-worker's slash friends knocked on her door.
"Knock knock. Ella, we want to go out for drinks later. You in?" Scarlett asks walking in with Liliana. "Come with us Ella, you deserve a break."
Ella dropped her pencil and looked up at them, "Sure but I can't stay up too late. I have the charity event tomorrow."
Liliana goes to sit on the couch and asks, "Are you bringing a date?" She teases making Scarlett join in.
"Oh yes! Ella, you're beautiful. I wish you would let me set you up."
Ella blushes but shakes her head, "Thank you but I don't want to be set up. I don't have time to date right now."
"I know. But Ella not every guy is like your no good son of bitch-"
Liliana glares rubbing her belly, "Don't cuss in front of my baby."
Scarlett rolls her eyes, "The baby can't hear us."
"How do you know that." Liliana says, "The baby books I've been reading said that babies hear us and learn people's voices from inside the belly."
"Well, that book is full of shit." Ella joins in with a smirk.
Liliana rolls her eyes and gets up, "you both wouldn't understand but just wait. When you're both pregnant, I won't help you." She crosses her arms and walks away because Ella and Scarlett laugh.
"She does have a point." Estella says while Scarlett shrugs, "Maybe but she has a pregnancy brain right now so she'll forget about this tomorrow."
"That's true," Estella says picking up her sketchbook to look at the design. "What do you think of this? do the feathers make it look weird?"
"These are stunning, Ella! Those would all look perfect on you." Scarlett complemented making Estella smile. "Thanks, Scar. however, I made the purple one for you. It would look perfect on you for the Christmas ball." Christmas was still like four months away but people take it very seriously in the office. Who doesn't love creating Christmas dresses?
One of the perks of working in the fashion industry is the events. Rich people loved showing off how much money they had and the Kinsley empire had very expensive dresses so they were always at the top of the invite list. Especially Kimberly and her top designers.
"It would be perfect! Thank you so much, Ella! I'm so excited." Scarlett says giving Estella a side hug. "I'll leave you to your work but don't forget! We're meeting at the bar down the street at seven o'clock. Also, wear that pink dress I gave you last week. It makes you look hot." She says smugly.
Estella laughs, "Are you saying that to flatter me or because you designed it and want to show it off."
"Uh, a little bit of both." She laughs walking out before stopping and looking back at Ella. "FYI Skylar won't be there so let's have fun okay."
Ella nods sadly as Scarlett closes the door behind her.
Scarlett, Liliana, Estella, and Skyler were once really close friends. They did everything together until Skyler tried to steal some of her Estella designs. Ella was grateful that Kimberly believed her and the other girls backed her up. Skyler was then demoted after she begged Kimberly for a second chance. The girls stopped talking to her until she successfully stole something else that belonged to Estella.
------
"Did you do what I asked?" Klaus asks one of his compelled vampires. He was sitting on the couch in his lonely mansion, phone in hand.
The vampire nodded, "Her full name is Estella Henderson and she lives alone. She had no family and works at the Kingsley office of fashion. There are also no vampires or witches around her."
Klaus took the information in, nodding. "Anything else?"
"She's going to a bar after work with some of her friends." The vampire continued. "Would you like me to kill her?"
Klaus's eyes widen and he glares at the compelled vampire, "You won't touch her, I haven't decided what I'm going to do with her. Just continue to watch from afar and keep me updated. Leave." The vampire does as he's told.
Klaus's phone began to ring again, he looked down to see who it was. But that only made his heart hurt. It was Hope, again. She had called early distracting him and causing him to bump into the newest doppelgänger. That's mainly why he didn't immediately kill her when he thought it was Katherine.
Because he hates the real Katherine and doesn't have time to deal with her games and attitude. He simply didn't have patience nowadays.
Klaus hit the ignore button and threw his phone across the room. He felt so alone, as he has for the last seven years. He lifts his drink and stares at it for a second before also slamming that across the wall.
She's your soulmate. Those words have also been on his mind since this morning. He spent the last 1000 years having one-night stands and flings. Never truly fallen in love since Tatia had broken his heart.
Klaus hated thinking about her because he was never an option to her. Elijah was simply perfect in her eyes. She had chosen Elijah from the start and that hurt him. He loved her and she didn't even look at him. Just played with his heart and gave him mixed signals.
It felt like a punch in the gut that a Tatia lookalike was supposed to be his soulmate. Could he really be with Estella Henderson without thinking about Tatia?
Maybe I should just drain her of blood and have a large supply of hybrids. I don't need her. He thought to himself. Why am I even thinking about her? She's human, and probably just like Katherine, Elena, and Tatia. Selfish and manipulative.
Still unsure, Klaus called his vampire, "What bar did you say she was going to? And at what time?"
------
Estella got home after work and started to get ready. She wasn't planning on drinking too much, just wanted to hang out with friends.
Ever since Estella was young, she was a romantic. She wanted to be like Cinderella and meet her Prince Charming however that hasn't happened yet. A part of her wanted to be single forever. Not wanting to ever feel the pain she did when she walked in on her boyfriend having sex with her best friend.
The scar was still fresh but it did help that Estella didn't love him. She was just tired of being alone all the time. Ever since she was young, she'd tried to ignore the feeling of being alone. Having no family. But over time, Estella got used to it. Coming back to an empty apartment, having no one to call.
Estella quickly finished her makeup and put on her heels. She grabbed her small bag and looked in the mirror. Everyone always complimented her on her body and looks. She appreciated the compliments but most days she didn't feel beautiful.
She shook her head, not wanting to upset herself, and grabbed her phone. Another perk about working at a fashion office was being able to walk in heels without falling.
Estella took her time looking around as she walked to the bar. Her mind immediately thinks back to this morning. Blue eye stranger, Nik. She felt something when he grabbed her hand. A spark. I wonder if he felt it. Or maybe I'm just imagining it and it's all my head, she doubted herself.
A woman walked by with a child holding her hand and Estella couldn't help but stare. When she was younger, she dreamed of being adopted. Of finally having parents who cared about her. But as time went by, it never happened. Before she knew it, she was a teenager. And families didn't want teenagers.
So as a teenager, Ella dreamed of creating her own family. She wanted to be married by Twenty-five and maybe even have a child of her own by then.
But she wasn't getting any younger, Ella was turning twenty-three soon and here she was. Alone and single.
She bit her lip and was trying really hard to not let the tears in her eyes fall. Am I really that unlovable? Maybe I'm cursed to be alone forever? Ella hated feeling sad but lately, that's all she felt.
Ella crossed the street and felt a pair of eyes looking at her but when she looked around she didn't see anyone. She felt a tear fall from her eye before she quickly wiped it away and put on a fake smile.
The bar was quiet tonight which Ella appreciated, she quickly spotted Scarlett and Liliana as they waved at her. Scarlett brought her girlfriend, Amber. And Liliana bought her husband, Alex.
She bit her tongue feeling embarrassed because she didn't bring anyone. I hope I don't look as pathetic as I feel. She thought and was about to walk over to them when she heard a voice behind her.
"You don't look pathetic at all. I think you look quite beautiful," Estella's eyes widen and she recognizes that voice.
Ella slowly turns around, realizing what his words meant. She winced, "How embarrassing, I said that out loud."
Klaus stepped closer to her making her look up at him, she met his eyes and smiled. "Hi Nik,"
Estella said it so innocently and softly that Klaus mentally cursed himself for finding it adorable. He also liked the way she said his name, he hadn't had someone call him Nik in a long time.
"Hello Stella, I hope it's alright if I call you that. I think it suits you perfectly."
She blushes and finds herself nodding. "Yeah, that's fine. But please ignore my comment from before. I can't believe I said that out loud."
Before Klaus could reply, Scarlett walked over. "Ella, who's this?" She asks smirking at her friend.
"He's hot," Scarlett whispers in Ella's ear while she hugs her. Ella blushed and prayed Nik didn't hear.
Klaus smirked hearing the compliment. But clears his throat. "Well, I better get going. I wouldn't want to interrupt-"
Scarlett cuts him off, "No please stay. Ella needs a date, we wouldn't want her to fifth wheel."
Estella gives her friend a look before looking at Nik, a part of her was hoping he'd accept and keep her company. But the other part of her was nervous. She didn't want to embarrass herself.
Nik looks at Stella and watches as she bites her lip and plays with her fingers. A nervous habit of hers.
"If Stella doesn't mind-" he starts but Ella cuts him off, "I don't mind."
He has pretty blue eyes. Estella thought to herself when she noticed Nik smile. This smile was different, it felt more genuine. And a beautiful smile.
Klaus offered his arm to Estella and that made her melt. She smiled and looped her arm in his. The sparks were back and she loved them.
------
Author notes: hi everyone! I hope you all liked this chapter, if I'm being honest this is my favorite story to write. I obviously want to make Estella different then Katherine and Elena so hopefully I'm succeeding in that. But be honest. Are you liking it so far?
Don't forget to follow for more updates on this story and my other stories. And please vote or comment if you like it. It lets me know people like the story and are reading it! Thank you for reading!
word count: 1992