Chapter Text
Part I
Ugh! Of all the days Belle has to be sick, she had to pick today, Regina thought, looking at her reflection in the Mirror one last time. Her head shaking away the impulsive thought against her best friend. Because it wasn't Belle's fault that she caught a damn cold, especially when the weather hasn't been too agreeable.
Catching sight of her jet black hair in the mirror before her once again, the brunette decided to run her fingers right through, combing it until no thin strand was left standing.
It was a busy morning today. Today, she would be standing in for Belle in interviewing Emma Swan. CEO of Swan Enterprises Inc. And judging from her friend's own words, her time was precious- more than anyone's.
Not to mention the building wasn't just around the corner, so it was best to hurry.
After some serious planning and consideration, Regina decided to her favorite blue dress, which skirt ended just above her knees. Lastly, she placed on the suit jacket that along with it of equal color. Giving herself a little more elegance and a little less revealing areas.
The last thing she wanted to be was a little too revealing.
According to Belle, she went through hell and back to finally land an interview with her.
'You can't blow this, Regina. This is my only chance, please.' She could hear Belle's pleasing words over and over inside her head, banging away like a drum.
Good thing Regina was never the type to get nervous.
"Well, I'm off," Regina reached for her purse, her eyes on her best friend as her head popped out from lying on the couch. "You really should take something for that cold."
"I already took some NyQuill. I may sleep it off while you are across the city." Replied Belle, her nose strawberry red from the constant attention it was getting from her today.
"Here." Belle handed Regina a sheet of paper, along with a tape recorder, "Here are the questions and my tape recorder. Just be yourself, talk to her- don't worry the questions will guide you- and I will type up the interview later into my computer. Now, go, it's a long drive."
Regina felt a slight nudge against her back, rushing her out the door, "I'll see you later!" She waved as she headed out their apartment door, "Rest up!"
"Bye, good luck!"
____________________
Belle was right. The drive was a long one. Halfway across the city long. But she had made it just in time. 'Punctuality. She won't see you if you're late.' Belle's words pounded in her head again, while she stood in front of the very building where her interview would be happening.
SWAN Enterprises Inc.
Her eyes drank in the name written across the front of the building, in big font lettering and a swan used as the S to this woman’s last name. Obviously, she was proud of her name and her success. Who wouldn’t be? Would Regina be a big, hot shot CEO, she would be pretty damn proud herself.
The building was big, monstrous in size, it hurt her neck just to have to tilt her head to stare up at it.
Grabbing a hold of the steel handle bar, the cold over taking her palm, she pulled the glass door opened, her heels clicking against the marbled white floor.
Jesus, the entire inside of the building was white! This woman clearly lived up to her name.
The entire walls were even marbled, including the desk of the receptionist who was asking someone on the other line if Ms. Swan’s five o’clock meeting had been confirmed, while another woman, woman number two’s eyes fell on Regina as she entered the building. A warm smile greeting her.
“Ms. French?” She asked, flashing her perfect pearled white teeth.
“Yes.” Regina smiled, “I’m here to see Emma Swan. I believe we have an appointment.”
“Yes. She’s expecting you, but she will be another fifteen minutes. If you could have a seat right over there, please.” She motioned toward the waiting area, which Regina’s eyes fell upon.
“Okay.”
“May I offer you something to drink while you wait? Coffee, tea, water?” Woman number two asked kindly.
“No, thank you.” Regina shook her head. The last thing she needed was to have to make this woman wait all because she drank too much water and had to empty her bladder.
Her eyes watched as the woman returned to her station behind the marbled desk, giving all of her attention to her duties. Her dress elegantly wrapped around her slender body, black and fitting. She couldn’t help but notice the other receptionist behind the desk wore a matching dress.
Regina glared down at her watch, watching the seconds tick by a beat per second. When, exactly in fifteen minutes, the voice of woman number two startled her thoughts.
“Ms. French? Ms. Swan will see you now.” She smiled, motioning toward the elevator doors, “Take this elevator up to the fortieth floor.”
Forty floors? Jesus…
Regina smiled back, giving them a nod in the form of a thank you. Once in the elevator, she punched the button to the fortieth floor, feeling it smoothly ride her up where she was expected and greeted by another woman in a matching black dress as the other two.
Another thing she couldn’t help but take notice of, was there were no men in sight, as well as all the women who seemed to work for this Emma Swan- were blonde! Their hair picked up in a neat bun.
She must have a thing for blonde’s, she couldn’t help but think. Was she even gay? It would certainly explain only women working for her.
Suddenly, she started feeling so out of place and so… unattractive. Because let’s face it, these women were way more attractive, like supermodels- something Regina never saw herself as.
“This way, follow me, please.” Blonde number three smiled, walking along a stretched, white hallway, all the way to the end where two wooden doors parted open. Regina’s brown eyes falling on a man- finally- who looked utterly terrified and nervous as he walked out of what she would assume was the woman’s office.
Her eyes looked toward blonde number three, who pulled the door open, nodding for her to enter.
“Ms. Swan. Ms. French is here to see you.” The woman shut the doors behind her, leaving Regina to gawk at a full golden main of blonde hair. The figure of the woman standing before the window, which provided an amazing view of the entire city.
Her lips parted at the sight of her once she turned to face her. Holy crap, she’s young! She thought to herself, cursing at herself for drawing her own conclusions that this woman would be someone much much older than the one standing before her now. She had to be at least in her twenties.
“Ms. French?” The blonde walked up to Regina, her eyes a shade of green that stood out within the white walls of her office. She looked serious, business like, but Regina could be sure that the corner of her lip tilted up into a faint smirk as she stretched out her hand toward her in greeting.
Because truth be told, Emma Swan had never seen anyone more beautiful than the woman standing before her right now. And, she’s seen plenty of women during her lifetime.
“Emma Swan.” She introduced herself, feeling her heartbeat within the palm of her hand as the brunette’s was trapped within her own firm grasp.
While Regina, she couldn’t understand what was happening, but she was suddenly a nervous wreck that she was so sure, if she would so much as move another inch, she would trip to the floor. Gazing into those green, inviting, captivating eyes could make any girl… or guy? Get so lost in them, they would lose themselves completely.
“Actually,” Regina blinked, breaking away from the sudden trance she found herself in for staring into those emerald colored eyes, her throat clearing, trying to find her voice, “I’m afraid, Ms. French is indisposed so she sent me to stand in for her. I hope you don’t mind, Ms. Swan.”
Even with a firm handshake like Emma’s, she could feel a static run through her body, pulsating.
“And you are?” Asked Emma, her head tilting curiously. She wore an expression Regina couldn’t quite figure out what to make of it.
“Regina Mills.” She found herself blinking multiple times, “I study with Belle- uh, Ms. French at NYU. English literature.”
“I see.” Emma motioned toward the black leather couch positioned in her office, “Have a seat.”
Regina nodded, moving toward the couch, clutching the crumbled papers within her hands. Her eyes caught sight of a beautiful- no doubt expensive- famous painting that she actually knew quite well. Her mother being an avid collector of such things.
“A local artist. Trouton.” Brown eyes turned to the sound of Emma Swan’s voice, locking right into her green eyes who had undoubtedly been staring at her this entire time.
“It’s quite breathtaking. Raising the ordinary to extraordinary.” Regina mused, a hint of knowledge in her voice. Knowledge that Emma was quick to take notice of and clearly even appreciate as Regina watched her gaze intensify right before her, brow slightly racing, head slightly cocking to one side.
“I couldn’t agree more, Ms. Mills.”
Stop staring and start working! Her brain shouted at her, causing Regina to jump, her hands hurrying in retrieving Belle’s questions, setting them on her lap, while her hand dug inside her bag for the tap recorder she had provided her with. Her hands stumbled inside her back for about two seconds, before pulling the recorder out, feeling it slip out of her hand as it fell to the floor before her feet.
“Sorry.” She muttered, her cheeks burning red as she quickly picked up the recorder, only to drop it again on top of the desk, embarrassing herself further more.
Jesus, what was wrong with her? Since when was she such a klutz and dropping everything?
Regina was a woman known to become nervous, sure, but she knew well how to control them, pushing her nerves way down into the pit of her stomach until it went numb. It’s those damn green eyes staring at her, burning holes right through her- watching her! Yes. That’s what it was. This woman, Emma Swan, who sat calmly with one leg over the other, expensively dressed in a pair of black pants and a white buttoned up shirt- her golden wavy hair hung freely over her shoulders- it was making her really nervous.
Irritating her even. Especially the way her hand came up, resting just below her chin, clearly trying to cover up a smirk of some kind. Amused, maybe by her sudden, new found nervousness.
Fact of the matter was, Emma was quite enjoying the display before her. She was never known to smile much, especially before people she was just meeting for the first time, but this woman… she couldn’t help but want to. Her curiosity- her interest clearly piqued.
“I apologize.” Regina sighed, a frown forming on her brow, mentally scolding herself for appearing to be such a wreck.
“Take all the time you need, Ms. Mills.” The blonde’s voice was calming, reassuring her as if she didn’t have anymore meetings or more important things to do rather than sit here and wait for her to straighten her things out. Or rather, Belle’s things.
She could be the one making herself look like a complete fool in front of a young, multi-billionaire.
“Would you mind if I recorded your answers?” Asked Regina, blinking once again as her eyes met up with green ones.
“After you’ve taken so much trouble to set up your recorder, you ask me now?” Her head tilted, and Regina could see a ghost of a smile in there somewhere.
The blood rushed to her cheeks again, being proved wrong when she thought she couldn’t possibly feel more embarrassed. But, before she could make her feet rush her out of there, Emma spoke again.
“No, I don’t mind.”
She released a small sigh of relief, glancing back up into piercing green eyes, “Did Ms. French explain to you what the interview was for?” She asked.
“Yes, I am well aware. In fact, I will be at this year’s graduation ceremony, presenting a speech and congratulating the graduates.”
Now it was Regina’s brow that slightly lifted. She would be at her college? She shook the question out of her head, moving onto Belle’s, pressing record on the device, “Ms. Swan, you are very young to have amassed such an empire. To what do you owe your success?”
“Seriously?” Her head cocked, her stare, well Regina couldn’t tell what it quite meant. She watched as Emma moved from having sat behind her dark wooden desk, to taking a seat right next to her in one of the other chairs. Her voice rich and very business-like as she gave her answer, “Business is about people. And I’ve always been good with people. What motivates them, what incentivises them, what inspires them. I have an exceptional team and I reward them well.”
Jesus, the way she moved herself, the way she talked- looked, all professional. It created a lump inside her very throat.
“Maybe you’re just lucky.” Replied Regina, seeing a hint of a smile form at the corner of Emma’s lips.
“I work hard, very hard and it would seem that the harder I work the more luck I seem to have. The key to my success has been identifying talented individuals and harnessing their efforts. I make decisions based on logic and facts. Call it a… natural gut instinct. Really, it’s all about having the right people in your team and directing their energies accordingly. ‘The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.’
“Harvey Firestone.” Regina muttered, watching the blonde’s brow arch once again, impressed. “So… you’re a control freak?”
What?! Don’t ask her that! She screamed at herself.
“Oh, I exercise control in all things, Ms. Mills.” Her voice rich and calling again, Regina couldn’t understand why, a light gasp escaped her lips, and her thighs clenched together.
What the hell is wrong with you?! Her mind shouted, not even it understanding her.
Green eyes were dead-on focused on her again, glaring, taunting, inviting once again, forming another lump in the back of her throat that she had to immediately gulp back down.
“Uh-” She blinked, glancing down at her next question, “Your company is involved primarily in the telecommunications sector, yet you also invest in many agricultural projects, recently one in Africa.” Brown eyes met up with the woman’s green ones, her lips parting at their intensity, “Is that something you would say, you feel passionate about, feeding the world’s poor?”
She could see Emma think about her answer for a moment, but rapidly shrugging it off, “It’s smart business.”
Regina’s brow must have slightly raised, given the questioning look she then received from the blonde.
“You don’t agree?” She asked her.
Regina bit her lip, slightly feeling interrogated by the woman now. Wasn’t she the one here to do the interview and not be interviewed?
“I just think that sounds more like your heart talking other than logic and facts. Like, maybe… you may have a bigger heart than you want people to believe.” She watched the blonde’s face go slightly cold. Shit, did she say the wrong thing? What’s happening?
“Possibly. Though there are some people who would say I don’t have a heart at all.”
“And why would they say that?” She had to ask. Because she was curious. Not have a heart at all? She didn’t seem like the type.
“Because they know me well.” This time, she could see it, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. “Please, go on.”
Regina cleared her throat, “Um, so, would your friends say that you are easy to get to know?”
“I don’t have many friends. I’m a very private person, Ms. Mills, in fact I never agree to giving interviews.” Her voice matter-of-factly.
“Then why did you agree to this one?” Regina’s brow furrowed.
“I’m a benefactor for the school, and quite frankly I couldn’t get Ms. French off my back until she earned herself a spot on my agenda. I admire that kind of tenacity.”
“Um,” Her gaze shifted from the paper and back to hard focused green eyes, who never broke their contact with her, “Do you have any interests outside of work?”
Her lips pressed in a hard line for a short moment, “I enjoy various physical pursuits.”
“You’re unmarried- oh, no- wait. It says here that you were adopted at age four?”
“That’s a matter of public record.” Emma stood up suddenly, that it startled Regina, causing her to shift uncomfortably in her seat. Her eyes watching her as she gracefully moved around her desk, leaning back against it, facing her. Inches away. “Do you have an actual question, Ms. Mills?”
Regina glanced down at the paper, the next question not imprinting in her mind before her mouth blurted it out, “Are you gay, Ms. Swan?”
Her brow furrowed, but as Regina’s cheeks grew red with both fury and embarrassment, she could see an amused smirk playing on the blonde’s lips, her palms and fingers wrapped around the edge of her dark wooden desk so casually, it almost made her forget she was so rich and powerful.
“I apologize, these are Belle’s questions, it’s written in here, I-” She sighed, “She could be rather-”
“Intrusive?” Emma’s brow raised.
Regina bit her lip, a faint murmur wording its way out, “Curious.”
Emma’s eyes fell on the brunette’s bottom lip, the way her teeth feasted on it so delicately, giving the scar above her upper lip a more visible display. Her fingers, which were wrapped around the edge of her desk tightened, knuckles growing white.
“What about you?” She pushed her body off the desk, taking a seat next to the gawking brunette- because she knew she had been gawking, and she’d be a fool not to love it. “Why don’t you ask me a question that you would like to know?”
Answering a question with a question of her own, leaving her sexuality a complete mystery.
Regina swallowed down another lump, her palms breaking into a sweat, “Earlier you said, that there are some people who know you well. Why do I get the feeling that is not true?”
Is that too personal of a question to even ask? She thought to herself, startled by the sudden click of one of the doors to her office. Her head turned to look over her shoulder at blonde number three.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, Ms. Swan but you have a meeting in five minutes.” Her voice sounded delicate in her presence. Clearly, she was startled by her too.
“Cancel it, please, Ingrid. We’re not finished here.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Blonde number three, now known as Ingrid, gave a nod before closing the door.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that, please- I can go-”
“Tell me about you.” Emma’s voice stepped in, startling her, “I would like to know more about you.”
There were those inviting, intense, mysterious eyes locking on her again, making her body feel in a sudden state of shock.
What was it about this woman that everyone seemed to fear? Or at least have them lay her wishes at her feet.
“There’s really not much to know about me.” Regina shook her head, letting out a light chuckle, brushing back a strand of her jet black hair.
“You said you’re an English major?” A hint of a smirk curved up the corners of her lips, “Tell me, was it Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen or Thomas Hardy who first made you fall in love with literature?”
Whoa! Her lips parted, not at all surprised with the fact that this woman was smart as hell, and surprisingly, God-like beautiful. Because to be honest, Regina was expecting an older woman, older than her in fact to be running such a big company.
And here she sat, in front of this God-awful young woman, dumbfounded and smitten with her articulate intelligence.
It was a turn on. No! Stop it, not even in your wildest dreams would a woman like her be interested in someone as simple as you.
“It was, uh- Hardy.” Regina answered truthfully, watching that faint curve of the corner of those thin lips reappear before her.
“I would have guessed Jane Austen.” Replied Emma, “Tell me, what are your plans after you graduate?”
Regina shrugged, “I was hoping to move into a more spacious place with my friend Belle. Maybe to this side of the city.”
“We do offer an excellent internship program.”
A light, rather nervous chuckle escaped Regina, “I couldn’t imagine I’d fit in here. I don’t really seem like your type. I mean, look at me.”
“I am.” Her voice soft, seductive almost?
Regina wasn’t sure, but what she was sure of was that she needed to leave, compose herself. Now.
“Thank you for your time, Ms. Swan,” She stood up from her chair, watching as the blonde mirrored her actions, “It was a pleasure meeting you.”
“The pleasure was all mine, Ms. Mills.” Said Emma, her footsteps following close behind her, her hand reaching for the door to her office, holding it open for the brunette.
“Oh, you don’t have to walk me, I’m fine-”
“It’s no trouble. I want to be sure you find your way out okay. It looks like it’s about to rain.”
Regina let out another nervous chuckle, feeling like a teenage girl, suddenly being offered by the most popular person in her school to the dance, “You certainly like to have possession over everything, don’t you?”
“I admit it, I like to deserve to possess them, but bottom line- yes, I do.” She reached over, sensing the brunette’s body tense, hearing a faint gasp escape her luscious, plump lips as she leaned in to press the down button on the elevator pad.
Regina’s head spun from picking up on her nonintoxicating rich perfume, trying her best to hide her obvious arousal.
“Until we meet again, Ms. Mills.” Emma gave a curt nod, “I hope I answered all your questions.”
“You only missed four. But, thank you, Ms. Swan.”
As Regina turned to the sound of the elevator bell, Emma’s hand quickly came up, snatching the paper which held the rest of the questions, her hands placed around her back. Her eyes watching carefully every move the brunette’s body made as it entered the elevator compartment.
Regina Mills. Truly a remarkable woman. A woman, that for whatever unexplained reason, made not only her insides burst into flames, but her heart as well. Something that no other woman ever managed to do.
“Regina.” Emma gave another curt nod her way, her eyes locking onto deep, brown ones.
“Emma.” Regina mirrored the woman’s nod, watching her stand still as a statue, rooted to the marbled floor like a plant until the doors of the elevator slowly closed.