The art museum usually wasn't such a noisy place. Filled with some of the most expensive pieces of artwork in the world the noise level hardly rose above the fevered whispers of artistic scholars as they analyzed every brushstroke or chisel mark of the great artists whose works now filled these halls. However an exception was made for this night, the night of the Blanchard Charity Ball. Elegant big band music swelled through the air as movers and shakers from all over the country showed up to display their generosity.

Regina let out a fierce yawn as she hid behind a giant pillar away from the crowd. This was her third gala this week and she was beginning to feel drained. Cora had been putting her on display for every eligible bachelor in the room. Since she'd started working for her mother she'd met more men than she could possibly be expected to remember. She knew it was her mother's own unsubtle way of searching for a husband for her. The idea of being with someone so soon after Daniel's death made her sick to her stomach. In any other case she would find being paraded around a like prize horse for every wealthy bachelor in the country purely intolerable. However, she would put up with it. She had to for Henry.


Regina held her son close to her chest as she rocked him back and forth while watching the clock with growing desperation. 2:10 am. She had less than eight hours left with her son.

The past three months since Henry's birth had been the greatest she'd ever known. As a show of good faith her mother had allowed them to remain at the country house with her father. She'd even been generous enough to replant Daniel's rose garden. It wasn't as beautiful as when he had been alive to care for it but it was still the place she felt most connected to him. She spent many mornings walking through the garden with Henry, whispering to him stories of the father he would never know.

In the weeks since his birth Regina was still astounded by how much love she had for her son. Looking at his face she had already begun to see Daniel's features take form and mix with her own. Like she'd noticed at his birth his hair was just as dark as her own but not as thick. His nose and ears, were Daniel's but his lips appeared to be hers. His eyes hadn't turned into Daniel's blue like she'd hoped they would but instead had turned into a magnificent shade of hazel. At any rate, she found him to be the most precious thing in the entire world.

With the help of her father and some of the staff, she'd devoted every minute to loving and caring for him. It wasn't easy. She hardly got sleep some nights and there were times where she was sure she was doing everything wrong. Still if she had a choice she wouldn't give it up for anything in the world. Except that she didn't have a choice.

She looked up as she heard a creak in the floorboards. Her father entered Henry's nursery with a concerned look on his face.

"Daddy, what are you doing up?" she asked softly. She didn't want to wake Henry.

"I could ask you the same thing," he replied settling on the daybed across from her rocking chair. "Henry stopped crying nearly half an hour ago. You should get some rest. Tomorrow is a big day."

She shook her head at him as she clutched Henry closer to her chest. "Daddy I don't think I can do this. I don't think I can leave him."

He sighed and gave her a sympathetic look. "Regina… this was always the deal. You can't back out now."

Keeping Henry had come with conditions. In order to keep her mother happy she was expected to start working with her at the company. In a few hours she was supposed to be heading for Paris to help her mother gain signatures for a new hotel in the city. Given that his entire existence was a secret she would be forced to leave Henry behind.

She looked down at her arms where her son slept soundly. "Maybe I can convince her to give me a few more days."

"You know she won't allow it," said Henry Sr. sadly. "You've already put this off for far too long in her eyes. If you want to keep Henry…"

"Then I have to do it by her rules," finished Regina angrily. Henry squirmed in his sleep at the harshness of her words. She gently patted him on the back to soothe him back to sleep. "I know."

Henry Sr. grimaced at his daughter's distress. He had hoped that maybe a grandchild might soften Cora's disposition but she remained as cold as ever. She hadn't even come to see Henry yet despite his assurances that Regina was eager for them to meet. She claimed that providing for Henry was all that she'd agreed to do. Still his daughter had her child and that made him feel good. At least for now.

"It's only for a few days," he reasoned. "Many mothers leave their children to go to work."

Regina scoffed. "Most mothers don't leave the country when their child is just a few months old."

"I'll be sending you videos and pictures every day," Henry Sr. promised. "It'll be like you haven't missed a moment."

"What will you even do with him while I'm gone?" questioned Regina. It was an irrational question to ask given the amount of time Henry Sr. spent with his grandson. If Henry wasn't in her arms then he was in her father's. He read to him nightly and fed him every day. Regina was sure that her father had loved nothing more than he loved his grandson. She trusted him with Henry more than anyone else.

"I'm sure we'll find plenty of manly things to do together," answered Henry Sr. brightly. "I'll teach him to box and smoke cigars."

Regina snorted at her father's facetiousness. Given his health problems and Henry's distinct lack of mobility neither of those things would be happening.

"He will be fine here with me," her father promised. "Just remember that everything you do, you do for Henry."


Everything I do, I do for Henry, Regina thought to herself. The phrase had become her mantra lately and it was the only thing getting her through her work.

Technically she was on the company payroll as an intern but she had basically become her mother's second in command these days. She attended all the meetings, chatted with all the investors and traveled to every groundbreaking with her. It was the most amount of time she'd spent with her mother since she was a girl and if she was perfectly honest, she would admit that she was quite impressed. Her mother seemed to be completely in her element when it came to the business. Less like a monster and more like an efficient force of nature. It was easy to see how her grandfather had chosen her to take over the company after his death instead of his own son.

However, despite her mother's shining example she still found herself utterly disinterested in taking over when her mother chose to retire. If she chose to retire. While she forced herself to work she only lived for the days when she could return home to Henry. Working with her mother meant spending five days a week in the city or wherever her mother needed her. She was only able to spend time with Henry on the weekends. And that had been her condition when she agreed to work with her mother. She would never be forced to spend more than a week away from her child. After she made it through tonight, she would only have one more day left. Then she'd be back at home where she belonged.

"Not hiding away are you?" asked Cora appearing at her side. She looked radiant in her red floor length dress. It was off-the-shoulder with shiny embroidered beads descending from the scalloped neckline and rising from the hemline. It was a dress that required all eyes to be on her.

Regina herself had gone for a more demure look. She was in a simple dark purple floor length gown with a criss-cross chiffon bodice. Her hair was up in a fancy bun to show off her diamond earrings and necklace. She looked beautiful but not attention grabbing. She didn't really need to be. Cora would grab all the attention for her.

"Of course not mother," she answered quickly. "I just needed a moment to clear my head."

"Good," said Cora firmly. "Remember your actions here affect not just you but me as well."

Regina fought the instinct to roll her eyes. Her mother was always quick to remind her of how easily she could embarrass her. "I'm trying my best mother."

"I know," said Cora, absentmindedly. She let her disappointment hang in the air unspoken.

Regina felt a frown tug at her lips. Her mother always knew just how to attack her self-esteem.

"Come along dear," said Cora placing a guiding hand on the small of her back. "I have more people for you to meet."

"Of course you do," Regina muttered to herself.

Over the next hour her mother had introduced her to two up and coming politicians, three CEOs and one heir to a billion-dollar fortune. All within her age bracket. She played her part as best she could. For her mother and son's sake she flirted when they flirted and pretended to be intrigued by their lives. They were all charming and handsome but not one of them seemed to be sincere. It would never take her more than five minutes to tell that none of them would be interested in starting anything long-term with her. And why would they? They were young, rich, and successful. It wasn't surprising that settling down wasn't the first thing on their mind. Her mother just didn't seem to understand that.

Somehow in between two "aren't I so great" monologues she managed to sneak off to the bathroom. She wasn't hiding. Honestly she wasn't. It was just so exhausting pretending to care about whose yacht was biggest. She needed a short break before heading back out. She sighed as she sat down on a leather couch in the bathroom's sitting area. She reached into her clutch to check her cell phone. She smiled as she saw her father had just sent her a new photograph of Henry. He was in his crib, tucked in for the night, sleeping soundly on his back. She wished she could be there more than anything.

She quickly shoved the cell phone back into her purse as she heard the bathroom door bang open. She looked up to see a young girl, probably no more than sixteen or fifteen rush into the bathroom and head straight for the mirror. She took a look at her side in the mirror and her jaw dropped.

"Oh no!" she gasped frantically tugging at her dress.

She appeared so distressed that Regina doubted she even noticed that she wasn't alone. Part of her wanted to slip out and leave her to her hysterics but the tears welling up in the girls eyes wouldn't allow her. She hesitantly approached her at the counter. "Are you alright?"

The girl looked up at her with sad green eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to disturb you. It's just my dress is ripped."

Regina looked down at the seam of her pink dress and saw that it was indeed ripped open. A hole about the length of her pointer finger had formed right at her waistline. It was actually quite noticeable.

"I'm supposed to present the winners of the auction for my father in twenty minutes! I can't go up there like this!" she cried tearfully.

"It's okay," said Regina soothingly. "We can fix this."

She reached into her clutch and pulled out her emergency sewing kit. "When I was a little girl my maid used to patch up all our clothes and dresses. I watched her constantly until she finally taught me to do it myself. I can fix this up in no time."

"You can?" asked the girl hopefully.

"Yes I can," she said firmly nodding her head. She held out her hand to the girl. "My name is Regina Mills."

The girl shook her hand gratefully. "I'm Mary-Margaret Blanchard but everyone just calls me Snow."


In less than fifteen minutes Regina had Snow's dress patched up.

"You can hardly tell the difference!" Snow said happily. She thanked Regina profusely before exiting the bathroom in just as big a rush as she came in. Regina reluctantly followed her out. She grabbed a glass of champagne from the first waiter she saw.

"Back into the fray," she muttered to herself.

She tried to watch Snow present the auction winners with their prizes from the back of the crowd but it wasn't long before her mother found her. Cora kept a smile on her face as she gripped her daughter's elbow tight. "And just where have you been all this time?"

Regina clenched her jaw and tried not to let the pain show. "I was dealing with a wardrobe malfunction."

Cora let her eyes roam over her daughter's dress. "You look perfectly fine to me."

"It wasn't my wardrobe that was malfunctioning," she whispered through her teeth. She kept a smile on her face as she applauded with the crowd as Snow thanked the attendees for their generosity. She could feel the fire behind her mother's eyes as she too clapped for the girl. Regina was sure to get a winded lecture from her on the ride back to the penthouse. After a few more minutes Cora began to lead Regina to the exit with the full intention of scolding her for her wallflower tendencies. They were stopped by Snow's enthusiastic shouts. "Look father there she is!"

Like a pink flash Snow appeared and launched herself forward as she wrapped her arms around Regina's neck. A surprised chuckle escaped her as she stumbled back on her heels.

"Thank you so much Regina! No one could even tell my dress had been ripped," gushed Snow.

"It was really no problem Snow," said Regina awkwardly. Public displays of affection weren't something she was used to and Snow wasn't really holding back.

"You have to meet my father!" insisted Snow, her face lit up with excitement. "He'll be so grateful that you helped me."

Before Regina could even protest Snow had already began to drag her through the crowd. She was a lot stronger than her small frame suggested. Regina looked back at her mother desperately but Cora just shrugged her shoulders with a bemused look on her face.

Snow continued to pull her along until they reached a tall, portly man gazing at a painting. He turned as Snow practically leapt onto his arm.

"Daddy this is the woman I was talking about," she said excitedly gesturing toward Regina.

He let his eyes sleazily roam over her body as he reached out to shake out. "You must be the famous bathroom tailor. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm-"

"Leopold Blanchard," supplied Regina, giving his hand a firm shake. "Obviously I know who you are."

Anyone who was anyone in business knew who Leopold Blanchard was. He was one of the most successful investors in the country. He was practically on the same level as Warren Buffet who, if you believed the rumors, he had lunch with every Wednesday. This entire charity ball had been his doing.

"Please call me Leo," he said with a smile. "It's only natural I should be on a first name basis with the woman who spared my daughter so much humiliation."

Regina nervously chuckled as she removed her hand from his grip. "It really wasn't anything special," she insisted. "And I was happy to help Snow. She seems like such a nice girl."

Snow beamed at Regina's response. "Daddy you should ask her to dance."

Regina started to shake her head. "Oh that's really not necessary. It's so late the band is probably ending their set as we speak."

"Then allow me to honor you with the last dance of the night," replied Leopold smoothly. Despite Regina's faint protests he placed a hand dangerously low on her back and guided to her to the dance floor. As they danced he asked her about her personal and work life and she tried to engage in the conversations as best as she could. The Blanchard Fund was a major player when it came to investments for companies like her family's hotel chain. Her mother would be furious if she were to upset its head of operations. So she swayed with the music and smiled up at Leo as she tried not to focus on the fact that he was holding her far too close and his hands were wandering far too often. Luckily for her the dance only lasted a few minutes before she politely excused herself and went to join her mother. The silver lining of the night was that seeing her daughter with such a powerful player had calmed Cora's temper. Regina managed to avoid a lecture for the evening. Still, when she crawled into bed and tried to sleep she couldn't help but shudder at the memory of his hands on her.


The next day Regina found herself nearly giddy with energy. It was her last day in the city and immediately after work she'd be in a car headed back home to Henry. She'd worked all through lunch so she could leave earlier than usual. By 4pm she only had one task left. Getting her mother's signatures on a budget for a new hotel. She practically had a skip in her step as she walked down the hall to her mother's office. A confused look grew on her face when she saw that the door was already ajar. That wasn't like her mother to leave the door open. She slowed her step when she heard voices coming from inside the room. Normally, she'd leave but something told her to stay that day.

"Well, I have to say I never expected to see you here," she heard her mother say.

There was a gruff chuckle. "I promise you I never intended on visiting."

Leopold? Regina furrowed her eyebrows in surprise. What was he doing here? She softly pushed the door open just enough to peer inside. She saw her mother perched against her desk with a seductive smile on her face as Leopold leaned back into a leather chair in front her, his left ankle laying atop his right knee.

"I'll get right to the point then," he said. "There's a dinner tonight with the Blanchard Fund board members and I would like for your daughter to accompany me."

Regina shuddered as Cora just raised her eyebrows. "Regina?"

Leopold nodded. "Yes I'm short a plus one and when I met her at the charity auction last night she seemed intelligent enough to bring around the board."

Cora scoffed at him as she stepped away from her desk. "My daughter has a previous engagement."

Regina released a quiet breath, thankful that she wouldn't have to postpone her weekend with Henry.

Leopold sat straighter in his chair. "I don't think you understand Cora. I know how important it is to you to get those European hotels off the ground this year. And I am willing to invest quite handsomely for your daughter's company."

"Excuse me?" said Cora sending him an amused look.

"For every event your daughter attends with me I am willing to invest in a new hotel with you," he explained smugly. "I won't be footing the whole bill of course but my initial investments will be large enough to attract the wallets of other investors in my position. You'd never have to troll for money again."

Regina brought a hand to her mouth as she felt bile rise up in her throat. Was he actually trying to buy her? Was her mother actually listening? She saw Cora's mouth go into a thin line as she crossed her arms and stared down at the man in front of her. "Leo my daughter is a beautiful, intelligent young woman with a bright future. I won't have her treated like some corner avenue whore who you can rent for the night."

Regina felt relief flood her body at her mother's words. It looked like she wouldn't be playing along.

Cora shrugged her shoulders as she observed Leopold's seething disappointment. "If you're so desperate for her to become your arm candy… then you'll have to marry her."

Regina knees almost failed her as she processed what her mother had just told her. She always knew her mother was desperate for her to find a wealthy husband but she never expected this. Leopold nearly burst into laughter at the absurdity of Cora's request.

"You can't be serious," he chortled. "You actually want me to marry her?"

"Of course," said Cora nonchalantly as she took a seat behind her desk. "And why wouldn't I? You're well-off, stable and perfectly capable of giving her anything she could possibly desire. Like I said before my daughter has a bright future but it will be that much brighter if she has your name to back her."

"And what makes you think I'm willing to give her my name?" Leopold asked with a smirk.

Cora returned his smirk with an added snicker. "Don't think for one second that I don't see through you Leo. You're nearly halfway through your fifties already. I bet you've already begun getting the looks from the board members. The little jokes about how much free time you'll have when you retire. You're getting old Leo and they've started to take notice. You know it won't be long before they start to push you out. That's the real reason you want my daughter on your arm. You need a fresh young face to remind them that you're not dead yet."

Leopold clenched his jaw and balled his hands into fist as he glared at her from across the desk. She noticed his anger and let out a tiny laugh. "There's no need to get upset dear. I'm only stating facts."

She leaned forward in her seat. "And here's another fact. It's going to take more than a few high profile appearances with my daughter to convince them you've still got some fire in your veins. A marriage is a symbol of vitality, of new beginnings. It's a young man's game and you should remind everyone that you're not too old to play it."

Leopold nodded to himself as he considered her words. "And what, pray tell, will you be getting out of this deal Cora. I'm not stupid enough to think you're doing this just for your daughter's benefit."

She sent him a devious grin. "Well I'll be getting everything that you promised before with the added bonus of insurance. I imagine you'll be less willing to run out on me if you're family."

Leopold rolled his eyes and scoffed at her use of the word family.

Cora dropped her smirk and gave him the most sincere look of concern she could muster. "And you're right. I'm not just doing this for my daughter's benefit. I'm doing it for your daughter's benefit as well."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "In what possible way would this farce of a marriage benefit my Snow?"

"By giving her something she's always needed," said Cora with a straight face. "A mother."

Regina saw a dark look come across Leopold's face. "Snow has a mother."

"She had a mother," corrected Cora flatly. "How old was she when Eva died. 11? 10?"

"Eight," Leopold gritted out as his fingers dug into the chair's arms. "And if you value your life as it is you would be wise enough to never speak my wife's name again."

Cora leaned back in her chair. "Whether I speak it or not the chances of your daughter actually remembering her are very slim. She's a young teenager now Leo. This is the time where she'll need a mother the most."

"And you think your daughter is the woman to fill that role?" said Leopold dubiously. "She's only a few years older than Snow herself. She's completely unprepared to be a mother."

"My daughter already is a mother," replied Cora automatically.

Regina's jaw dropped in horror. Her mother was using her son as leverage in this sick deal.

Leopold raised his eyebrows in surprise. "She has a child?"

"Yes," Cora said, nodding with a smile. "She has a son. One she loves quite dearly."

"You're a grandmother?" chuckled Leopold in a disbelieving tone.

Cora glared at him. "He's no grandson of mine. I prefer to think of him as my daughter's favorite mistake."

Regina felt her heart shatter. How could her mother speak about her son, her Henry, so cruelly?

"Though I suppose in this case he would be her greatest asset," Cora continued. "You see, once that maternal instinct kicks in it can be applied to all creatures, regardless of age. I have no doubt that my daughter could care for Snow just as much as she cares for Henry. She's already demonstrated her maternal affection last night, right? Helping your daughter escape humiliation."

"Snow did seem quite fond of her," said Leopold softly. "I suppose having a feminine role model present wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for her."

He looked at Cora curiously when another thought crossed his mind. "And what of Regina's child? Will I be expected to take in her bastard as well?"

"Of course you will," said Cora practically. "My daughter won't stand to be separated from her son but that can be used to your advantage. A new wife along with a new child will make you seem positively youthful in the board's eyes. Besides, there's nothing my daughter wants more than the safety of her child. As long as you control that she'll do anything you say."

Leopold drummed his fingers against the chair as he thought over Cora's arguments. He had to admit her points were quite persuasive and the deal seemed unnaturally tipped in his favor. "I suppose we have a deal then."

Cora grinned at him deviously. "Well then… congratulations on your upcoming nuptials."

Regina stood in the doorway, stunned, as she watched her mother and Leopold shake hands. She couldn't breathe. Her mother had just sold her to a man nearly three times her age. Not just her but her son as well. She rigidly moved away from the door and placed the file she'd brought on the receptionist's desk. This couldn't be happening. She walked robotically to elevator replaying the whole conversation in her head. It went over and over in her head even as she was driven home to her son. Even as she lifted him into her arms and clutched him to her chest.


Henry Mills hated the city. The noise, the people, the smoggy air. He much preferred to stay in his house in the countryside where it was a calm and peaceful. Well it hadn't been as peaceful lately. The birth of his grandson had added a dash of chaos to his once serene paradise but it was a change that he was always thankful for. He spent all his time with the boy ever since his daughter went to work. He'd read to him, sung to him, fed him. The only thing that came close to his love for his grandson was the love he felt for his daughter. Regina and Henry were the two most important things in his life. They were also the reasons he'd even ventured into the city that day.

He sat in the living room of the penthouse rubbing his hand against his cane nervously. When Regina had cried to him about what she'd heard he couldn't believe it. Cora might be cold but there was no she was capable of something so cruel, especially against her own daughter. If this was true, and he hoped it wasn't, he needed to hear it directly from his wife.

He looked up at the sound of her heels against the floor. Cora frowned as she saw him on the couch waiting for her. The only time Henry ever dared to leave the country house was to annoy her with something. "I have to be on a plane to Moscow in less than two hours so if you want something make it quick," she snapped.

"Fine," he sighed. "I want to know why our daughter is convinced that she heard you sell her to Leopold Blanchard for hotel investments."

Cora shook her head as she brought her eyes to the ceiling. "I have always told her that people who eavesdrop rarely hear good things."

Henry stood and stared at her in shock. "Cora… tell me you didn't promise our only daughter to a man who's nearly forty years older than her."

Cora scoffed at him. "You frame it like it's such a tragedy Henry and it isn't. You have to see that."

He shook his head at her in horror. "How could you do this to her? She's our daughter!"

"That's exactly why I'm doing this for her!" declared Cora explosively as she stepped toward him. "I'm trying to make sure that she never has the experience that I had. That she never has to beg for scraps or worry for her future. Leopold Blanchard will make sure that she never wants for anything in her life. He's a billionaire! She should be flattered!"

"You're delusional," whispered Henry staring at her with hard eyes. "And you must be utterly out of your mind if you think I'm going to let you-"

Before he could even react she swiftly reached down and twisted off his oxygen tank. She watched as he began to gasp for air. He fell to his knees as his face started to red.

She kneeled down and observed him with blank cold eyes. "Now Henry I know this might be hard for you to hear over your wheezing but try to pay attention. You… do not allow me to do anything. You have no power in this situation and I won't have you thinking that you do. I am in charge here. I am her mother and I know what's best. This marriage is for her own good and it will be happening. So before you continue to fight it just know that I can get rid of you just as easily as I got rid of the gardener. Now nod your head if you understand."

He glared at her defiantly before bowing his head to give her a small nod.

She smiled down at him evilly. "Good."

She twisted on his oxygen and walked away from him as he took a deep breath trying to fill his lungs. "I have to pack for Moscow now but feel free to stay the night."

He watched her go with angry eyes before standing to his feet. He'd never seen his wife so viciously out of control before. She had to be stopped.

He took a moment to regain his breath before heading for his study. He picked up the phone and dialed a number he'd hoped he never have to use again.

"Eli," he said when the ringing stopped. "It's Henry Mills. Yes I know that it has been a long time. I need another favor…"


So who did Henry call? In the next chapter: Regina deals with the news of her marriage.

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