Hello Lovelies.

Finally an update. ❤

I'm excited to continue my modern AU for you.

If you read chapter 1, I've updated it to 1st person perspective, because I feel it is better suited to the way I'm telling this story.

As always, your reviews and kudos are treasured.

What I had expected was an interview, a proper face-to-face with the chance to prove my suitability to my potential superiors. What I had was maybe twenty minutes on the phone with the notorious CEO before he cut me off abruptly. "That will be enough for today, Ms. Du Couteau. I'm perfectly convinced your Father is correct and you will be more than sufficient for the role here." From the moment he spoke I'd noticed that while rich and cultured, his voice carried a certain quality to it, a sense of superiority, as though he held himself above those around him. It seemed to me that it was genuine confidence though, unlike Father's smugness, which always seemed to be from a place of compensating for whatever. As rich and powerful as he, I could only think he had short man syndrome with his insecurities. There was something dark as well in the tone of this Mr. Swain, he was not a man to be trifled with. "Provided you do not prove to be inept in some way I can't predict."

It was probably unwise that I gave in as I felt my temper flare at the unnecessary condescension. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Swain. I can't wait to prove myself sufficiently competent for my future with Noxus Holdings." The sarcasm rolled off my tongue before I could catch myself, my eyes going wide and a hand moving to cover my mouth as though that could undo what I'd said.

There was a long pause on his end and I held my breath, sure that I'd just burned this whole thing to the ground. "Very well, we'll expect you in two weeks. I'll have all the details forwarded to you." I could've sworn he sounded almost amused and I died a little bit inside.

Hanging up, I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks, and was thankful I was alone so no one could see their crimson hue. Had I really just snapped at the most important person at my new employer, the CEO of the company that my whole future hinged on? And he hadn't said anything. Either this was one of those "I like her moxie" types of situations or there would be hell to pay later. The latter was usually the case for me anyway.

It was with that peculiar encounter in mind that I found myself waiting in the lobby of Noxus Holdings wearing a subdued gray suit, hoping to look less like the hot-head I'd proven to be over the phone. I swallowed a nervous exhale and glanced around, a carefully constructed fantasy of an industrial office space from a century ago surrounded me, all glass, and iron, and deco style windows. An escort from my department should arrive at any moment, and I wanted to be damn sure I looked as cool and confident as possible. It wasn't as if the job itself would be a challenge, contracts and fending off lawsuits from angry ex-employees and investors, nothing I hadn't done before.

"Red!" A richly accented, yet horrifyingly familiar and obnoxious voice broke the quiet ambiance of the lobby. The pair of receptionists on duty shot furtive glances toward the source in unison before returning to what they were doing. Standing just in front of the elevator, a black suit with a yellow blouse perfectly accenting her bronze skin, was a woman I'd hoped I'd left behind on graduation day, Samira.

How had I missed that this was where she'd ended up? I'd stayed in touch with some of our old sorority sisters, and they kept me in the loop on a lot of the gossip about everyone. It made a lot of sense though, she had a truly vicious nature, there was no way she wasn't thriving here. I inhaled, feeling a slight twitch in my eye at even this small interaction, and walked toward her. "Hello Samira, it's been a while." My voice remained level and surprisingly pleasant, I just needed to treat her like every troublesome, idiotic client I'd ever been assigned, even if I felt irritation clawing at every one of my nerves. It had always been like that, something about her just grated on me.

"A while!? We haven't talked since the Phi Sigma Tau farewell party." The wind was suddenly knocked out of me as I found myself in a very unwelcome embrace. "Not that anybody saw much of you that night, well except Garen. Not that I blame you, a moonlit beach, a few good drinks, perfect romantic atmosphere." I was freed only to be nudged harshly with an elbow as Samira leered at me in a teasing manner. "And I heard he saw quite a bit of you out there on the sand." The laugh that followed was at least quiet enough that we didn't instantly become the center of attention.

An involuntary snort escaped me and I felt irritation starting to give way to outright anger, my mind buzzing and my vision starting to tunnel. "I'm surprised anyone noticed with the other incident that happened that night." My pleasant mask remained in place but reminding her I wasn't the only one with a story from that night filled me with a sense of petty satisfaction, especially since hers ended with the wail of police sirens.

"What can I say, it was a wild night all around." Her arm looped through mine and she began to drag me toward the elevator. "See, it's just like old times." For a moment I wondered if she could truly be this oblivious to my intended insult. That was answered a moment later she leaned in and violently whispered in my ear. "Don't think you can fuck with me Red. Your Daddy's name isn't going to get everything just handed to you here." I'd just made horrifying mistake number two. There was no way she hadn't been baiting me to see what reaction I'd have. With reckless force, she jabbed the elevator button and spoke in a more audible and warm tone. "I'm sure we'll find ourselves to be best friends all over again."

I nodded silently, not wanting to give her a response that would encourage her further. These last few moments had brought my new reality into stark clarity. I hadn't expected to waltz in and find myself in a top position with no work on my part, but I hadn't anticipated that I'd be met with outright hostility. If it was just Samira that would be one thing, but were there others lurking in the shadows that I'd have to wary of? Maybe deep down I had still had some delusion about the family name being a shield of sorts, those were just entirely shattered. It would get me no further than it already had.

A vintage styled, cage-like elevator came to a stop before us. An insistent tugging on my arm pulled me into it after her, her pleasant smile frozen into place. The doors closed, a cheery ding sounded, and we dropped all semblance of civility to glare at one another. "My dear," my eyes rolled reflexively at the honeyed tone, "we are going to be working very closely. Try not to lash out every time I make a harmless joke. I know you are used to things being smoothed along in the family business." Nails dug into my palm, there was no way she could know the truth, but still, I fought an urge the physically quiet her.

I know a powerplay when I see one, this whole scene had been staged to give Samira a sense of dominance in our new arrangement. And there was no way I could retaliate with her seniority over me. At least not yet. I could feel bile creeping its way up my throat as I realized that if I was going to succeed and build my life of independence, there was nothing I could do about it right now but live with it. There was the small consolation that I gleaned something else from this encounter, if Samira was taking direct action it was because she was threatened. I'd always been the better lawyer, all throughout school and our intern days. It was likely I wouldn't end up having to live with her antics for long. To that end, I released a breath and relaxed my shoulders. "You're right. Let's start this whole thing over. It's good to see you again Samira."

A small noise of approval escaped her and she turned away to face the elevator doors, clearly satisfied with my conciliatory act. Well, even if she had won the battle for today, there was still a war to be fought. Another high-pitched ding and the cage stopped at one of the upper floors. The same aesthetic carried through here, exposed venting ran along the ceiling, gray carpet accented the dark wood and iron-finished metal of the walls, artfully uncovered "antique" light bulbs illuminated anywhere the natural light from those same intricate windows from the lobby didn't reach. "We should really track down Darius and I'll introduce you." There was an implication she was doing me a favor. Another small irritation, the whole department reported to him, it was expected we'd meet. "He's the VP and also head's up the acquisition team along with lega-Ah!"

Samira had turned to speak over her shoulder at me and midspeech was physically halted by a collision with a figure appearing from around a corner. I stifled the laugh that bubbled up, she'd desperately deserved that little impact. "Sorry Sam, don't kill me. Well hello there new and gorgeous." His tone shifted from apologetic to a practiced arrogance somehow in perfect harmony with the goatee he sported, one that I can only imagine he believed was attractive. The obvious leering that accompanied his words left me with the urge to bury my knee in his groin.

"Draven, this is Katarina, she's just starting with us in legal. Should I let your brother know what a warm welcome you're giving his new employee?" The newcomer's face visibly became several shades paler. Interesting, it would seem that Noxus was also a place of family ties. "Kat, this is Draven, head of marketing." For once, I couldn't blame her for the annoyance coloring her words.

A hesitant hand reached out toward me and I made sure to lock my grip on it firmly. Years of martial arts as a hobby had left me with deceptive strength in my small frame. Pale blue eyes widened at the sudden pressure as I smiled sweetly. "Very pleased to meet you Draven."

Shockingly, he returned my smile when I released his hand. "You've got a bit of a spark, I'll bet you fit in just fine. Lookin' forward to working with ya." Wordlessly, Samira led on as Draven waved pleasantly behind us. "Be nice to this one Sam!"

An irritated sigh escaped her, but she waited until we were out of earshot to speak again. "Nicely done," a compliment, he must really rub her the wrong way, "he's harmless, but it's good to keep him on a short leash."

The hallways we passed through lacked the small cubicle farms you would find on the lower floors, instead, there were plenty of offices, conference rooms, and occasionally open-plan shared workspaces for teams who worked closely together. It was in one of those workspaces, bordered by offices, that Samira finally stopped. The buzz of those gathered in the area halted, and all eyes turned toward us. Silence reigned even as the curious examination of the newcomer was evident. "Everyone, this is Katarina, our new team member I told you about." Murmurs welcoming me to the group responded, they were subdued though, as if they were afraid to be too excitable in front of Samira.

Despite the outwardly friendly moment, I kept my face neutral, and voice aloof as I returned their greetings. Any group within a company this high profile would be extremely competitive, and I'd be damned if I was going to start by giving off an air of weakness. They were probably already appraising me, deciding if I was any real threat to their positions.

"I see I'm right on time." A deep voice cut through the subdued chatter and a massive figure approached us. Clad in a simple, but clearly expensive suit, his presence seemed to fill the entire space as he exuded a calm confidence. There was also something familiar about him, I was sure he had been at the family firm before.

"You couldn't give me an hour before checking in, could you?" Indignation caused her voice to go up an octave in pitch, an effect that was quite satisfying for me.

The newcomer's eyes narrowed dangerously, my first taste of the office hierarchy in action. Impatiently he gestured for us to follow, and not wanting to seem daunted by the sparks, I cut in front of Sam, following to an office that was nearby. Once the door was slammed behind us, I realized it was her office, the degree proudly displayed on the wall bearing her name. Tension enveloped the three of us. "Don't start Sam. I'm not trying to babysit you."

She clicked her tongue and muttered in defeat. "Fine, just make it quick."

The full attention of the room fell on me. "Darius Basilich, pleased to finally meet my newest team member." He held out a hand for a much more dignified handshake than the one I gave his brother. "Sorry we haven't had a chance to talk before now, Jericho doesn't always give us a head's up when he's decided something." The gruff words had a frankness and sense of honesty about them that was refreshing. I took note of the use of Mr. Swain's first name, it was good to know who he was that comfortable with.

Releasing his hand, I could recognize that he'd be my first ally here and one that I needed on all fronts. "I believe we've met previously, while I was interning for my father."

In answer, he offered a small, but genuine smile. "Thought you looked a bit familiar. Must have been when I was wrangling Draven out of that mess."

Sam, who had sat behind her desk and started furiously typing, snorted. "Your brother is always into something."

My expression must have faltered because he let out a weary sigh. "I see you've met. Anyway, great to have you on board. It was a shock that Marcus was willing to let one of the kids go."

My stomach crawled as I recalled the last two weeks of verbal abuse I'd gone through, not just from Father, but Cassie as well. All because I dared to leave them. I was never more grateful for my apartment, that space that was mine alone, and no one could spoil it. Leaving the family manor was one of the best decisions I'd ever made. Of course, I couldn't get into any of that, so I just shrugged nonchalantly. "Who would've guessed."

"I'll let you get settled in, we'll talk again soon. Sam, play nice." They glared at each other one last time before he exited.

"You two have a problem?" I ventured. Knowledge was power, so I needed to get the lay of the land quickly.

Laughter met my words. "Nah, Darius and I just have an endless pissing contest. He's alright, but I am going to replace him as the boss's favorite eventually." No surprise it was some obnoxious game of hers. "Anyway, let's get you settled in the office, I'm sure it's not the posh corner you had a Daddy's, but you weren't expecting that anyway." If the thought of returning to him defeated didn't make my stomach heave, I would've knocked her out cold. Instead, I shot her a cold look and followed to my new office; small, windowless, and suspiciously right across from hers. A few seconds later we were joined by a short, pale woman with tight pinned brown hair and ice-blue eyes, about our age. "This is Alyssa, she'll get you set up."

Several hours, and an aching back later, my mind was completely overloaded with passwords, computer systems, and file paths. Stretching, I felt the siren call of the cozy little cafe I'd spied in the lobby. Turning to Alyssa, I could read in her expression she was in the same mind frame I was. She'd proven to be easy enough to get on with, that was one victory for the day. Our backgrounds intersected in a way, she'd come from a family business as well. However, she'd sold her share of the ownership of Ironspike Industries to Noxus on her way through the door. It had been a nice payday and guaranteed her a stable career no matter what. Most would consider it a cold-blooded move, but I could get the perspective that family wasn't always sacred. Besides, she laughed easily enough and had a comeback for every bit of banter. "Hey…"

The door flew open with a sudden violence, Samira standing behind it. "You've been summoned Red." A hefty binder dropped from her arms onto my desk with a resounding thud. "It's been requested that you escort this up to the top floor for Mr. Swain. He wants to read through it before it's presented to the board and he has a hard-on for physical copies."

My heart lurched as I rose from my seat. I hadn't expected it to come this soon, meeting the CEO I'd had the gall to snap at. "Well, wish me luck Alyssa." My voice was deadpan flat and Samira gave me an odd look. Maybe the incident hadn't become common knowledge as I'd feared.

The elevator ride was not nearly long enough as the gilded cage ascended the final few floors to the very top of the building. I stepped out, binder held in front of me like a shield, only to realize that Samira hadn't given directions beyond the floor. An empty receptionist's desk stood sentinel, the occupant clearly out to lunch. Beyond it was a foyer with branching hallways. Hesitantly, I stepped forward to glance down them. "End of the center hall."

The deep voice from nowhere caused me to jump a little. Darius, of course his office was up here too. "Thanks," I ordered my voice to remain cool and collected.

"Let me guess, Sam neglected that bit?" He chuckled slightly. "She really wants to assert herself with you."

"It seems a certain level of ruthlessness is the Noxian way." Some of the tension faded. Despite the fact that he was very nearly a literal giant, Darius was much less intimidating than you would think. In fact, there was almost a warmth to him.

He shrugged. "We buy and sell other companies. We have the whole of another person's world in our hands. It helps to keep an edge about you. Although I imagine it's not a problem with your background."

It would seem that everywhere I went, the Du Couteau name would haunt me. If I wasn't outright reviled for it, I was at the very least, notorious. Father had a reputation for ruthlessness, a reputation that had been handed down the generations with the firm starting with my great-grandfather. "You're not wrong." Even if I was shadowed by the name, the lessons I'd been taught in the cause of that reputation ensured I could be cut-throat when necessary. His words reassured me that even if the name itself couldn't, the legacy of it could definitely serve me here. "Catch you around Darius." I gave him a confident smile and a wave as he headed toward the elevator.

The walk down the hall was short with no other offices present and ended in an impressively large door made of dark stained wood. Before I could give it any more thought, I quickly knocked. "Enter." The voice from the other side sent a shiver down my spine with the combination of confidence and callousness that I recognized from the interview. Again, I couldn't hesitate, so I obeyed the order as quickly as possible. Afternoon sun streamed in from a wall of windows across from the door, throwing the massive desk to the right into shadow. Contrary to the sleek, artistic industrial look of the rest of the building, this office had the look of a cozy personal study. High-backed chairs surrounded a table to the left, bookshelves lined the walls. The L-shaped desk was made of warm cherry wood with brass embellishments and looked like a genuine antique. "Ah, Ms. Du Couteau, we meet at last." Looking up from his computer screen as I approached, he fixed me with a piercing gaze that I would swear could read my thoughts.

My breath rushed from my lungs. That cultured and captivating voice I knew, but the physical reality of him I hadn't been prepared for. Elegant cheekbones and a proud nose gave him a regal bearing, but his high arched eyebrows and deep-set, midnight eyes put it under a pall of severity. The long mane of silken looking, white hair that flowed down his back could've offset it, if not for the scowl he was currently giving me. Overall though, his attractiveness took me by surprise, the elegant silver-fox not the visage I'd been imagining since our call. That fact critically distracted me, leaving me frozen where I was at the edge of his desk far too long. "Well, I don't have all day." Inwardly I cringed, what the hell was wrong with motioned to the binder that I still clutched with a hand that gleamed bronze in an errant ray of sunlight that had fallen over us.

"Right." I passed the burden into that outstretched, lustrous hand.

He all but snatched it from me. "Yes, it's prosthetic. You could ask instead of staring."

My eyes went wide with horror, I hadn't realized that I had been. "My apologies, Mr. Swain." My father's triumphant laugh as I begged to return rang in my ears.

Turning his chair from his monitor, he dropped the binder with violence on the desk and began to thumb through it. The pace was such that it gave the impression it wasn't the first time he'd seen it. "Did you have the opportunity to read through this?" He asked without glancing back up at me.

"No, I hadn't." Mercifully, my voice remained steady.

Turning it toward me, he tapped a fingernail on a paragraph. "Tell me what is wrong with this?"

Leaning down, I skimmed through it quickly, my mind translating the legal jargon without effort. At first glance, it was a contract for our purchase of yet another company. What had he seen in it? What was I looking for? Ah, it wasn't a sentence, it was the whole paragraph. "There's no commitment for the transition from the current leadership. They can dump and run, leaving us without support."

"Very astute." Well, he didn't lose the scowl but there was a subtle note of approval in his voice. It felt like I could inhale again finally, I might still be able to salvage this. "Take it back down to Samira and tell her it will not make it to the Board this week. I want Darius to answer how that was overlooked."

Warily, I gathered back up the binder as he sat back in his chair, on guard as though he were somehow dangerous. "Will that be all?"

"For now." His eyes were drawn back to his monitor, and I began to turn away, sensing dismissal. "Fine enough job for the first day, Ms. Du Couteau." The small compliment halted me mid-pivot, a small touch of warmth blooming in my stomach and a smile tugging my lips with the unexpected approval. I opened my mouth to answer, but was cut off. "Hmm, you know, this should be further reviewed. Samira already has a lot on her plate. Let her know that you'll be taking the lead on this for the department. Darius will bring you up to speed."

The world around me spun. Take that Father, I'm already getting the recognition I had to scrape and fight for every day with you, even when I'd accomplished something. "Will do, Mr. Swain."

I strode from his office, feeling at the summit of the world, but a curious sensation of butterflies filled my stomach. As the door shut behind me, I let myself smile wide. I'd done it, sufficiently impressed him, the CEO with the ruthless reputation, the known hardass, the man with...with those captivating dark eyes. "Reign it in Kat." Furiously I whispered to myself. "You're engaged and you've seen attractive men before." My mind betrayed me though, flooding me with the sensation of having those eyes focused on me as I walked.

Silently lecturing myself, I headed back to the elevator. The sudden vibration of my phone from my jacket pocket shook me from the cycle of my thoughts. Pulling it out, the notification seemed there just to judge me, Garen's smiling face poised next to it. "Hey dear, how's that first day going?"