Carmilla felt her body tense up when her mother uttered Lauras name.

"You're awfully quite. So, I'm guessing you know of your mistake." Her mother said coldly through the phone.

"I-well-I"

"Haven't I taught you that stammering is not something we Karnstein do?" Elizabeth said impatiently.

"Yes, you have." Carmilla answered, trying to stay calm. She just couldn't put Laura's career on risk again.

"Well, so can you please explain to me why you pretended not to know my employee? When now I am aware that you're friends? Plus, I did not know that you had friends like her. She seems too bubbly for your type."

Carmilla bit her tongue, trying to stay calm for Laura's sake. "Well, neither did I. But since you know her you do know she's not just all bubbles."

"I do agree, she does have some spunk in her. Now, what has gotten to my attention is first of all your lying, then for you to tell me to help her. Was she aware that you had talked to me before I had a meeting with her today?" Carmilla stayed quite for a while, trying to chose her words wisely.

"I know it was wrong of me to interfere but-" Carmilla didn't get to finish her sentence

"Yes, and I thought you would understand this. With you owning a business and all." Elizabeth said, now clearly getting irritated.

"I am sorry and I do know that it was wrong. Curiosity got the best of me and I know Laura. I wanted to help her, knowing how you treat your employees. You know that Laura has not only talent but passion for this and I just wanted to help a friend out." There was silence on the other line for a couple of seconds and Carmilla could feel her blood go cold. If she got Laura fired because of her mistake the blond would probably never forgive or talk to her again.

"I will let this slide on one condition Carmilla."

"And that is?"

"Never, and I mean NEVER interfere with my work again. We are just starting to build up our relationship again and I am extremely disappointed that you took advantage of that." Carmilla pressed her lips together, feeling even more ashamed now than before. She hated knowing that she had done wrong, but she was also one not to admit that.

"I promise not to interfere with your work again mother." Not even commenting on the rest that had been said.

She heard her mother sigh on the other line and mumble "What am I going to do with you?" but she decided to pretend she didn't hear that.

"Well, that is all. I have to go now. I hope we can meet soon to discuss this manner over coffee in the near future." Carmilla felt herself frown, she hadn't seen her mother in god knows how long and the fact that her mother was suggesting to take a coffee with her was hard to grasp. Whatever Elizabeths therapist had said to her had really seem to work.

"Yeah…sure. Some time next week?" Carmilla asked, trying to sound confident and unemotional as usual.

"Sounds good. I'll contact you when I know my schedule." And with that said she hung up. Carmilla sat still for a couple of seconds with her phone still in her hand. This was not at all the phone call she had been expecting. Nor the outcome. She didn't know how she felt about meeting mother next week, but the real question was how did she find out about her and Laura.

—

Laura let out a frustrated moan as dragged her hand through her hair. She was almost done with her article, just some fixes here and there and she would be done. Laura was a perfectionist and she was starting to feel how tired she was after all these days of working hard on her paper. She took a sip of her hot coco before she saw Natalie standing by her desk.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your work, Miss Hollis." She said politely as she adjusted her glasses.

"Oh, it's fine. Call me Laura." She said with a smile on her face as she put the mug down.

"Yes, Laura it is." She said as politely as usual. "The director wants to meet with you again." She was probably wondering by now why Laura was being sent up so many time to the office.

Laura felt her eyes widen, wondering if this had anything to do about Will's slip up earlier. "Eum…okay. Now?" The blond asked unsurely while Natalie nodded at her. "Okay then…eum yeah. Tell her I'm on my way."

—

Laura knocked on the directors door and heard a faint "Come in." and as usual, Elizabeth was sitting behind her desk with a stock of papers in front of her.

"Miss Hollis, no need to sit down. This will be quick." She said as she looked up at her with cold eyes.

Laura gulped.

"It has come to my attention, after my lunch with Will, that you and Carmilla are, quoting Will, best friends?" Laura frowned slightly at the term best friends.

"Well, yes. Friends, best friends, all the same." She said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"I want to ask you. Were you aware of the phone call I had with my daughter?" She said as she narrowed her eyes at her through her reading glasses.

Laura started feeling her palms sweat up under the stare of her boss. "No, I am not aware of a phone call" Laura lied, but figuring that Will couldn't have known.

The director stared her down for a couple of seconds, but Laura kept her cool, knowing that this was serious and she couldn't goof it off.

"Alright, well then we will leave it at that. However, I do not want your relationship with my children interfere with your position here, nor do I want you to believe that you will be getting any special treatments from me."

"Understandable, professional and personal lives should not be mixed, hence why I didn't tell you about my friendship with Will and Carmilla." The Director looked hesitant for a split second, probably not expecting Laura to take the situation this professionally.

"I will say one thing personal though, and after that we leave this behind." Which made Laura tilt her head slightly in confusion. "Be beware of Carmilla. She is a trouble maker and I don't want any of my employees to end up in trouble. It wouldn't look good for the paper, is that understood?" The blond was taken aback by what she had just told her. Laura didn't really know how to react, she chose to nod quickly instead of saying something, fearing that her words would betray her.

"You may leave now." Elizabeth said, back to her cold self.

Just as Laura was about to close the door behind her she heard the director behind her.

"Before you leave I have one question." The woman said as she looked up at her from her files.

"Yes, of course."

"The first time we met. When you barged into my office, does that have anything to do with Carmilla and our shared last name?" She asked sounding interested.

"Yes…" She answered.

"That is all." The director said coldly. But the smirk on her lips had not gone unnoticed by Laura.