Capitulo 18

The next morning, Emma was ready. She was determined to go into the building, finish the reports, and have them all ready by noon. Killian was also working on it while she traveled, and he would send it to her once she was in.

However, she didn't anticipate the extra scrutiny placed on security. Graham was outside the building, taking note of the exact times of arrival for each of the ladies in the Secretarial pool. "Oh, see, it's 8:04, you're already late. I guess you're going to get another point taken off."

Annoyed, Emma said, "Well, in that case, you can go ahead and tell Miss Mills since I was late four minutes, I was sent home. And she can just come get her reports for today's meeting at my house. Because you stopped me and made me late."

"Oh, wait..." Graham hesitated, realizing the consequences. "She will fire me for that… I'll say that you were on time. Please come inside."

Emma quirked a brow. "That's what I thought," she said and breezed past him, determined to make up for lost time.

Regina sat at her desk, engrossed in her work, when Lily walked into the room. Without looking up, Regina said, "Emma, FINALLY!"

"Emma, hardly!" Lily retorted as she stood in front of Regina.

"What do you want?" Regina asked, clearly irritable.

"I just came back for the approval on the meal for the board meeting," Lily stated.

Regina groaned, not wanting to deal with this right now. Emma walked in, focused on the file in her hands. "Good morning, Ms…" She stopped short upon seeing Lily standing in her spot.

"Emma, did you finish the reports?" Regina inquired, her morning already on high alert. She rose to her feet in anticipation.

"No, Ms. Mills. I told you I would have it ready by noon. I stayed up until 4 to work on it, slept a little, and I am going to finish it here," Emma stated.

"Fine, that's fine," Regina said, sitting back down. "But hurry, please. This is so important."

"Yes, Ms. Mills," Emma said, scurrying into her cubby hole.

"Regina…" Lily said, shaking her head. "So, the menu?"

Regina didn't even look up from her work. "Yeah, that's great. Order that," she said, dismissing the brunette.

Jefferson came into her office shortly after, and Regina and he entered the conference room together. "Lily asked for us to move in together," Jefferson said as they walked in.

Regina laughed. "Oh, she's got you ensnared."

"Don't even joke about it," Jefferson stated. "She even wants me to promote her to assistant. She can't stand that Emma has a higher position than her."

Regina shook her head. "Don't tell me a gorgeous creature like Lily is jealous of a plain Jane. All Emma has is her achievements. Sheesh."

"Well, it's easy for you to say; you're at the top," Jefferson stated. "Just imagine if Emma got your job."

"Whatever, what does she expect you to do with Mulan?" Regina asked.

"She wants me to move her to be your secretary," Jefferson answered.

"That would be awesome. I'd love her in that position, and I can get rid of that nuisance."

"No, no… don't do that to me," Jefferson pleaded. "You want her to have more ways to sink her teeth into me? No way!"

"You shouldn't have slept with her in the first place," Regina stated.

"Come on, Regina, she was just a flower sitting right there ready to be plucked," Jefferson said.

"And that's why you are in the predicament you are in," Regina said as Mal and Robin walked into the conference room.

"Regina, it wasn't enough that you wasted my day of casting, why are you wasting my time to come to this stupid little meeting before the meeting?"

"I'm sorry, Mal," Regina said humbly, knowing how to deal with this particular brand of woman. "I just needed to discuss a few things before the big meeting, please sit down."

"Thank you," Robin stated, taking his seat as far away from Regina as possible, making it a point to show that he feels replaced by Emma. Regina didn't really care.

"As you know, this is the first conference with the board since I started, and I know you are concerned about the standing of the company."

"Of course, we're concerned," Mal stated. "You've left it all in the hands of that ugly little bitch you call a secretary. And it's not just a matter of looks but a matter of tastes because all of your recent decisions have been horrendous."

"You can't deny that she has you brainwashed," Robin interjected. "The company is flailing, but if she tells you that it isn't so, you believe her."

"I am well aware of what is happening with the company," Regina interrupted the rants. "That's why I brought you here. To hear you out."

Once she said that, the executives let out a litany of grievances that Regina didn't know they were aware of. She explained them away as best she could, but they continued.

"Robin, Mal, please don't vent your frustrations out in the board meetings," Regina pleaded. "We can discuss this together afterward. It looks bad, but we are okay, the company has gains you will see in the report during the board meeting."

"Okay, fine," Mal said. "My lips are sealed, but I'm telling you right now Regina, we are in your hands. Now I am going to go and film this commercial with an amateur actress. Ciao." The older woman breezed out of the room like she came in.

"Hey, Hyppogriff," Lily said, peeking into the room. Emma turned to her, impressed at the big made-up word the dumb brunette dug up. "Cruella wants to see you in her office right now.

"Can't I'm busy," Emma said, continuing her work.

"Well, she says she has relevant information for your little report," Lily said.

"Then why not just bring them to me?" Emma asked.

"She is a vice president. You haven't even gotten your promotion yet, who do you think you are?" Lily stated, trying to put Emma in her place.

The plain woman rolled her eyes. "Well, I'll have to let Ms. Mills know…"

"Don't bother, she is in a very important meeting right now," Lily interrupted. Emma sighed and stood to do what Lily asked, turning off the computer on her way out of the room.

She walked into Cruella's office, and the old woman ignored Emma. She ignored her for as long as she could stand because it wasn't long. "Ms. Deville, did you need to see me?"

"Eh… yes, have a seat," Cruella said, pretending to work.

"I don't have time to sit. What did you need to give me?" ignored again, Emma turned toward the door. "Well, we'll talk later."

"Nonono… wait," Cruella stated. "I think you are going to need today's transactions. I'll print them off for you."

Emma sat dumbfounded at this for a moment before deciding she could print them off herself and walking away from all of it. On her way back, Lily stopped her and distracted her, giving her piles of things. "These things have numbers on them; you might need to include them." Emma frowned and put the pile on Lily's desk and began to sort through the piles.

"Stop looking through it, just take copies of them," Lily stated. "Go, go!"

Once they were done, Regina pulled Robin aside. "Babe, this has got to stop," Regina said, leading him away from the others.

"It's your relationship with Emma; you give her too much slack, and she has become untouchable," Robin stated.

"What do you want me to do? Do you want me to fire her on the spot?" Regina asked.

"I don't want you blinded by her," Robin expressed. "She could be brilliant, but she has absolutely no class."

Regina snorted. "And you think that Lily has class? Don't you think all the things she said to Emma were a bit classless? Or by getting through lies and intrigues, all the things Emma gets through her hard work?"

Robin sighed. "I suppose you're right. I already talked to her about that."

"Just how you tell me not to be blinded by Emma, I'm begging you not to let your perceptions be poisoned by Lily," Regina stated.

"Can I ask you for something else?" Robin said, his voice lowering a bit, a quality Regina knew meant he was done fighting. "Give me a kiss."

"No," Regina said, her voice taking on the same quality. "Two…"

Robin smiled. He loved it when she was affectionate; it meant that he meant something to her. He leaned forward and kissed her twice, and Emma walked into the conference room carrying the stacks Lily gave her.

The two moved away from each other, Robin with a glint of annoyance. "What are these for, Ms. Mills?" Emma asked.

"Shouldn't you be working on the reports?" Regina asked.

"Yes, but Lily said you wanted me to add this. But none of this is anything I need," Emma stated.

Regina looked at Emma. "I told her no such thing."

Emma rushed over to her office. There was no one there. She sighed and went to get into her computer to continue her work.

Regina's desk phone rang. "Hello?" She answered.

"Ms. Mills, your mother and father have just arrived." Ruby said on the other end.

"What do you mean they are here?" Regina said.

"Yep, they just walked in and are getting on the elevator as we speak." Regina could hear the fake smile on Ruby's lips as she said it.

"Fuck me…" Regina said dropping the phone and heading toward her side door frantically. "Emma!"

Regina hurried into her assistant's office. "Emma, they are here… how much longer?"

"Uh…" Emma stated. "Someone has been in my computer."

"What do you mean someone has been in your computer?" Regina asked.

"They changed my passwords, and I can't get in," Emma stated. "The worst time for this to be happening."

"Oh my god!" Regina said, getting closer to Emma. Then the computer completely crashed. Regina screamed a blood-curdling scream.

Emma rattled as Lily ran into the office. "What happened?"

"What do you want, Lily?" Regina roared.

"I just came to let you know your parents were here," Lily said a little spooked.

"I know!" Regina screamed. "I know they are here."

"Oh, okay…" She said and looked over at Emma. "Are you okay?" she asked the younger woman as she looked pale.

Emma had crawled under the desk and unplugged the computer. Lily laughed to herself as the girl scrambled to save her skin. "I'm fine," Emma stated, picking up her iPhone and texting someone.

Emma had an inkling of what had happened, but she was not sure. And couldn't accuse anyone. So she took the brunt of Ms. Mills's fear and went on to Plan B.