Regina pulled her coat tighter around herself and huddled closer to her father. Honestly, she would give anything to be anywhere but here. She could be at her factory making sure her machines were running smoothly. Or her massive greenhouse, tending to her apples. Or better yet, curled up on her couch at home with a nice cup of hot chocolate, sprinkled with cinnamon.
Instead, here she was in the freezing cold, at a funeral, waiting for the minister to finish his mindless droning. Still, it wouldn't look good for her image if she hadn't made an appearance. After all, it was Thomas Wayne who gave her the boost she needed to run her business.
It hadn't really been that difficult to convince the goody two-shoes billionaire to help her purchase the old abandoned greenhouse where she kept her orchard and the factory where she manufactures her products. All she had to do was appeal to his bleeding heart by convincing him that her factory would provide jobs for the hard-working citizens of Gothem.
That was all it took for Mr. Wayne agree to invest in her career. The only catch was that she donated a quarter of her profit to the homeless shelters, to which she begrudgingly agreed.
Nevertheless, his actions helped pave the way for other entrepreneurs to invest in her business. Before long, Regina Mills, owner of Mills' Apples, became a prominent name in the city of Gotham. Her apple tarts and fritters were always requested at parties of the elites, while her pies, jams and preserves were a common household treat.
Finally, the minister wrapped up his pretty little speech and the crowd began to disperse and head toward their vehicles.
"Such a tragedy," her father murmured as they reached her car.
"Yes well, its their own fault, Dad."
"Oh Regina."
"I mean, seriously, walking through a dark alley without a bodyguard? This is Gotham, what did they expect?"
"I suppose. But still, that poor child. Imagine, watching both your parents die right in front of you like that."
Regina glanced at the the young Wayne heir, standing with who she assumed was his servant and talking with two other men. She remembered when she too, witnessed the death of someone she loved dearly. She almost pitied the boy.
Almost.
She straightened her shoulders. "Life is cruel, Dad. Better for the kid to learn that sooner rather than later. At least he's got his enormous fortune to comfort him."
Her father gave her a look of mixed disappointment and heartache but thankfully refrained from commenting as he opened the door for her. Regina slid behind the wheel and Henry bent over so that he was eye level with his daughter.
"Why don't you go on ahead? I know you have a lot of papers to go over. I'll just grab a taxi and run a few errands."
"Dad, how many times have I told you to let one of the workers take care of the errands for you?"
"Well how many times have I suggested that you hire a driver?"
Regina rolled her eyes. "You know I prefer to drive myself. Beside it's cheaper."
"Well I prefer to run my own errands. Besides, the more workers you have, the faster the goods will made and sold." Regina sighed as her father used her own reasoning against her.
"Alright then. Don't be late for supper though, because if you are," she smirked at him, "the next funeral you'll be attending will be your own."
Henry chuckled. "Noted. See you tonight." He kissed her on the cheek then shut the door.
As Regina drove away, she glanced at her father through the rearview mirror with a frown. She'd only been half joking about being late for supper. During the last month, he arrived home late at least five times and they were all the same excuse. Running errands. Speaking of which, he's been doing that quite a lot recently. Even when he didn't really need to.
Not to mention she also noticed a slight change in him. He seemed a little more, how could she put it? Cheerful. There were times when she would catch him humming a merry little tune. He would stop when he noticed her presence. He also seemed a little more, um, bold? Like just now, when he bantered with her.
It was times like these when Regina wished she still had her magic mirror. She could've just simply asked the genie trapped inside about her father. Unfortunately, she hadn't yet unlocked the magic in this city.
That was the reason why out of all the realms, Regina had chosen the city of Gotham. In her search for where to start a new life with her father, she'd detected traces of magic here, of all places.
When she wasn't running her business or kissing up to the elites, Regina would research through Gotham's history books and some of her old spell books, hoping to discover a way to release the magic and regain her powers.
Until then, Regina would have to be content with working within the boundaries of this realm. Which was a real pain at times. But even though she missed her powers, she never once regretted choosing her love for her father over her lust for revenge against Snow White.
That still left the mystery of why her father's been acting strange lately. Maybe she should hire a private detective to follow him. Because how else was she going to get any answers?