Lucy took a shaky breath as she prepared to knock on the looming door to her father's office. Her heart was still pounding from the meeting with Libra and Capricorn, but she had business to attend to. Capricorn had left her at a street corner, telling her to gain her father's confidence.
'Guess now's a good a time as any,' she thought, drawing up her courage and knocking on the thick wood. A muffled sound came from inside that Lucy took to be a "Come in," and she entered. She felt jittery as she walked through the door. She tried to ignore how starchy her blouse was, or how restrictive her skirt was. She shuffled up to her father's desk, and tried to maintain eye contact with his confused stare.
"Hello, Father," she said, trying to keep her voice strong in the face of the action she was about to take. "I'm here to apologize for my behavior these last few months. I've been upset, and I realize now that I shouldn't have taken out my anger on you." Lucy's heart rate was erratic, and she felt like she was betraying someone, but she didn't know who. "I would like to ask your forgiveness, and a second chance."
The silence in the air was electric as her father's gaze searched her face. Lucy was determined not to let him find whatever he was looking for.
After a small eternity, the closest thing to a gentle smile Jude was capable of touched her father's lips. "My Lucky Lucy. I knew you would come around." Lucy didn't react, but it didn't seem to faze Jude. "I'm glad you see how foolishly you were acting. It's good that hoodlum was taken when he was, or you might never have come to your senses."
Lucy grit her teeth. "Yes, Father." She tried to steady her boiling blood, but it was a real effort. "What would you have me do to start my training in the company?"
Her father stood and walked around his desk, gesturing to her to follow him to the door. "I will return you to Cobeson's son's company. He did well with you before all this mess began, and I believe you could learn from him. I will keep in touch with both of you to track your progress."
Lucy's brain glitched. "Wait, I won't be working with you?" Her father turned slightly, and Lucy felt a little revolted at the tenderness in his face. It was such a… fatherly look, one he didn't deserve to give after everything he'd done to her.
"One day we will work together, my Lucky Lucy. But first we have to get you there, and I have to keep running the company so it will be there for you." He turned back and knocked sharply on a door Lucy had never seen before. He entered without waiting for permission, and they walked into a spacious office.
'Reason number 492 why a mansion is terrible to live in,' Lucy thought. She should have explored her house more, so now she wouldn't be so caught off guard. It was far from one of the more luxurious rooms in the house, but it was hardly austere. True to the Heartfilia reputation, Lucy figured. She followed her father to the desk, where a voice was talking on the phone. The chair was facing the wall, making Lucy roll her eyes from the dramatic buildup. She already knew it was Jacob in the chair. He was just trying to impress her father.
"No, thank you." The chair spun around to reveal, of course, Jacob. He ended the call and put on a terrible surprised face. His mouth was even in an actual 'O'. "Mr. Heartfilia, sir. I didn't hear you come in." His eyes flitted to Lucy, and she was pleased to see his expression sour slightly. His voice, however, was still as gracious as ever. "And Miss Heartfilia, what a nice surprise."
"Hey Jacob," Lucy said, as casually as she could. His nice guy mask broke for a split second at her lack of formality, but it didn't break completely. 'Damn,' Lucy thought, her one hope at amusement dashed.
"Cobeson, I'm entrusting her training to you. She needs to know everything about the company from the ground up, and all of our contacts and affairs. Especially about the local contacts."
Jacob gave Jude an undecipherable look. "All of them, sir? She is just starting, after all, and we shouldn't trust her so—"
Lucy caught her father's eyebrows draw together, and bit back a smile. Jacob was in for it. "Jacob, are you insinuating I shouldn't trust my own daughter?"
Immediately Jacob was spluttering out gibberish. "No—Sir, I—It's just—"
"Good," her father said, but he didn't look appeased. Lucy put on her best hurt face when he turned to look at her. "I'm sorry, my dear. That was unnecessary for you to hear, but let it be a lesson to you. You will always be seen differently because you are a woman, and that is especially a challenge in the business world. But you can use it to your advantage, as well." He put a hand on her shoulder before he strode to the door.
As soon as the door thumped closed, Lucy put on her bitchiest smile and turned to meet Jacob's anger. She leaned back on the desk and gave him a mean look. "Okay, Mr. Cobeson. Teach daddy's girl everything she needs to know."