Chapter 12
The next day, Emma entered the office with a somber expression, having woken up early to finalize the business plan. Regina, worried, asked, "Emma? Please tell me you fine-tuned the differential?"
Emma looked at Regina with a sad gaze, and for a brief moment, Regina's heart skipped a beat. But Emma then flashed a smile and playfully wiggled her eyebrows, attempting some levity. Regina, still recovering from the scare, didn't quite appreciate the attempt at humor. She was more focused on calming her racing heart. "I sure did," Emma added, her smile widening.
Regina sighed in relief. "Did it adjust well?"
"Yes, Ms. Mills, but I have to warn you," Emma stated, her face growing serious. "In order to get to four million in residuals, I had to reduce production costs. This business plan, if followed to the letter, is a huge risk."
Regina was concerned. "But that will compromise our product."
Emma was resolute. "Look, Ms. Mills, I don't know what it is you do. That's not what I know. You asked me to make your business plan work, and that's what I did. You have to decide if that is worth the risk."
Regina turned to Jefferson, who had been sitting in the visitor's chair when Emma walked into the room. "What do you think?"
Jefferson, considering the situation, looked at Emma and asked, "Is there another option?"
Emma sighed. "Not really."
Regina knew that Zelena, her sister, would scrutinize every aspect of her plan. But there was no turning back now. "Well, that's it then," Regina stated. "Well then, explain the adjustments you made to us so we can guard ourselves from my evil sister."
Emma nodded and placed the new and adjusted business plan on the table. She began explaining the changes. Just as she concluded her explanation, Lily informed them of Zelena's arrival and mentioned that she and Cruella were waiting in the conference room.
Emma fought the urge to roll her eyes and waited for Regina's response.
"Hey Reg, why did Zee bring Deville?" Jefferson inquired.
"I told you that she and Zelena were allies. Cruella can't wait to sell my company for parts," Regina explained.
Jefferson asked, "So what do we do? Did you understand the adjustments Emma made?"
Regina opened her mouth to reply but opted for shaking her head instead. "Listen, Emma, you're coming to this meeting with us," she declared, standing resolutely.
Emma was taken aback. Facing Zelena, the woman who despised her, wasn't on her list of things she wanted to do, especially in a professional setting. "Me... but, Ms. Mills!"
Regina sighed, her tone soothing. "Emma, you know exactly what you did. You are the perfect person to explain the adjustments to the plan. Neither Jefferson nor I are economists. Zelena is a financial genius, and Cruella is the VP of finance of this company. They both want to tear this company apart, so I need you to be in there with me."
Emma hesitated but eventually relented. "But, Ms. Mills... Your sister despises me, and she already stated that I was an extra, unnecessary head in this company..."
"Look, Emma," Regina assured her, her voice filled with determination. "My sister can't mess with you. If she does, she has to deal with me. Over my dead body will she touch a hair on your head... do you understand me?"
Emma's heart fluttered once more over Regina's protective words. Regina's assurance bolstered her, and she found herself willing to face Zelena in the conference room.
Jefferson watched Emma hurry to her office to gather her materials and then turned to Regina. "Well done. Zelena came prepared with her financial monster, trying to scare us. But we are going to give her a scare when we bring our monster."
Regina chuckled, but her playful mood didn't last long. "Stop it," she said, swatting her best friend's arm. "Zelena came prepared with her financial wizardry. Let's see what she thinks when we unveil our plan." The three of them headed to the conference room, ready to face the financial challenge presented by Zelena and Cruella.
Regina confidently entered the conference room with a swagger, greeting the room with a cheerful "Good morning" and taking her place at the head of the table.
Zelena, with a sly grin, responded, "Is it really that great of a morning, Regina?"
Regina, unfazed by her sister's sarcasm, retorted, "Yes, it is, in spite of your presence." Lily chuckled from the corner of the room, enjoying the dynamic between the sisters.
Regina shifted her attention to Cruella Deville. "Oh my goodness, Deville, to what do we owe the pleasure of your presence?" she asked with a touch of irony.
"Cruella," Regina's nickname for her, responded matter-of-factly, "Ms. Greene asked me to be with her today."
"Hello, Zee," Jefferson greeted Zelena with a friendly smile, though Zelena seemed more interested in his presence.
"Pleasure to see you, Jeffy, but what the hell are you doing here?" Zelena asked, surprised by his attendance.
Regina stepped in to clarify, "Zelena, you know Jeffy is the vice president of this company and is a fundamental part of my plan."
Zelena, still focused on Jeffy, asked, "What about her?" pointing to the frumpy woman in the corner. She couldn't understand people's attraction to someone like Emma.
"Emma is a crucial member of my team as well," Regina stated, rising from her seat. She signaled for Emma to sit in the chair next to her. "Emma, please sit."
Lily was tasked with getting drinks for everyone, including Emma, who didn't seem particularly thrilled about it. The meeting proceeded.
"Deville is here because she represents a neutral party," Zelena explained.
"Neutral?" Regina scoffed. "Deville works for my company, works for Robin, works for me. I don't know how that's neutral. But please, proceed."
"We want to hear your analysis, Deville," Zelena said, her gaze still locked on her sister.
"Sure," Cruella replied, her attention shifting to the presentation. "I'm afraid that what you have got here is very inconsistent. There are some grave mistakes in the expenditures column, and that could cause a total breakdown of metric goals."
"Of course," Zelena remarked. "When the owners of businesses think themselves financial gurus when they are not, the results leave much to be desired. Now let's see what you're going to say to the women who voted for you."
Regina, with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, acknowledged, "Yes, we know that my previously rushed proposal, widely accepted by the other board members over yours, had some major inconsistencies. But I corrected them, and the goals continue to be the same. I haven't changed them; I will adjust."
Zelena, in mock admiration, quipped, "Oh, you'll adjust? Can you explain what these 'adjustments' are?"
"Certainly," Regina replied, then turned to her secretary. "Emma, you're up."
Emma shuddered as Zelena's eyes bore into her. Zelena's condescending remarks about her role didn't help. She took a deep breath and began to explain, "Let's begin with production costs..."
As Emma spoke, her confidence grew. This was her domain, her expertise. She had excelled in economics, budgets, and projections throughout her life. The fear of facing the dragon or monkey, as Zelena was perceived, began to fade. Emma was determined to shine and show her worth in the face of this challenging meeting.
In the conference room, the financial experts battled it out, with Emma skillfully maneuvering through the traps set for her by Zelena, ultimately emerging victorious. She expertly defended the financial proposal, countering Zelena's doubts and concerns.
Outside the conference room, David, Emma's father, had heard the rumor that his daughter was merely Regina's secretary. Filled with concern, he was on a mission to find her.
August stood his ground, trying to divert David away from the conference room. However, David's determination to find his daughter was unwavering. Just as he reached the door, he heard Emma's voice from inside the room.
"Meanwhile, the proposal before you continues to be the same," Emma spoke confidently. "Twenty million in sales with a gross income of eight million and four million in residuals."
Regina seized the opportunity, encouraging anyone with doubts to address them. David attempted to push the door open, but August managed to keep him at bay.
Zelena, her objections nearly satisfied, voiced her concern about the quality of their work suffering under the proposed plan.
Regina reassured her sister, "Don't worry, our motto is quality over everything else."
Zelena, trying to undermine Emma, commented smugly, "Nice to see that our company is in a secretary's hands."
David, standing just outside the door, listened as Regina asked Emma to introduce herself. Emma proudly stated, "My name is Emma Swan. I'm an Economist with a master's in finance from Harvard, and I worked for the President of the World Bank."
Regina further extolled Emma's qualifications, highlighting her expertise in investment analysis, commerce projections, earnings studies, and free trade.
Seeing the admiration and respect Regina had for his daughter, David decided to leave. He walked back to his car, reassured that Emma was in the right place, where her skills and abilities were truly appreciated by her boss.
After the successful meeting, Regina, Jefferson, and Emma celebrated their victory. Regina and Jefferson were thrilled with how Emma had handled the situation with Zelena, and they made her feel like a valued part of their team. Regina even suggested going out for lunch to celebrate.
"Finally, we have the green light to start the project," Regina said, excitement in her voice. "We can start promoting our commercials this afternoon. But right now, it's lunchtime."
As they discussed their lunch plans, Emma quietly wondered if she would ever be invited to join them. Regina turned to Emma and paused, noticing the hopeful look on her face. She said, "I'll see you later, have a good lunch, and thanks for all of this."
Emma smiled and thanked Regina, but deep down, she longed to be more than just the secretary. Regina and Jefferson left for lunch, and Emma was left alone in the conference room. She hadn't expected an invitation, but she couldn't help feeling disappointed not to have received one.
As Regina and Jefferson made their way away from the conference room, they shared a light-hearted moment of celebration. Their victory over Zelena was significant, and Regina was in a playful mood, teasing her friend about Emma's performance.
Jefferson couldn't help but laugh. "She is so good at what she does," he acknowledged, fully aware of Emma's prowess in handling the financial aspects of their business plan.
Regina, basking in their success, agreed with a contented smile. "Yes, she is."
However, Jefferson couldn't resist a cheeky comment, poking fun at Regina's somewhat stern demeanor. "You survived this because of her, and you didn't even give her a kiss."
Regina playfully pushed her friend, finding his comment amusing. "Shut up, Jeffy."
He continued with his humor, suggesting a lighthearted solution to one of Emma's features. "Yeah, I know her mustache could be prickly, but she could shave it off."
Regina couldn't help but engage in the banter. "If she shaves it, it grows more, dummy," she countered with a smile, momentarily letting go of her more serious side.
Their camaraderie reflected the relief and joy they felt after the successful meeting with Zelena, and they continued their journey with their spirits high. "Let's go, let's go," Regina said, eager to enjoy their lunch and savor their recent triumph.
IEmma sat at her desk, still relishing the afterglow of the meeting with Regina and Jefferson. The kind words, the handshake, and the compliments had left her feeling appreciated and valued in a way she hadn't experienced before. She couldn't help but daydream about the possibility of a deeper connection with her boss, even though it seemed far-fetched given their professional relationship.
Just then, her phone rang, snapping her back to reality. It was Ruby, her friend and coworker, suggesting an alternative to their usual lunch plans. Instead of going to the cantina, Ruby proposed they head to the back lot for a unique experience.
Emma, skeptical about such mystical practices, scrunching her face in uncertainty. She wasn't one to believe in psychic readings or divinations, but she was also open to new experiences.
"I don't believe much in those things; I don't really want to go," Emma admitted, expressing her reservations.
Ruby, however, was more enthusiastic about the idea. "Oh, come on, it's just for fun," she urged, trying to persuade Emma to join in the adventure.
After a moment of contemplation, Emma relented. "Fine... I'm on my way." Despite her doubts, she was willing to go along with her friends and explore this unique outing. As she left her office, she couldn't help but sigh as she remembered the fleeting contact of Regina's hand and the warmth of her recent praise. Her heart was undoubtedly drawn to her enigmatic boss, even if it felt like an unattainable dream.
The group of coworkers had gathered in the lobby, waiting for Emma to join them. They couldn't help but notice the change in her demeanor as she arrived with a radiant smile, seemingly glowing with positivity.
Mulan, always observant, couldn't resist commenting on Emma's newfound radiance. "Ooh, look at you. There is something about you. What happened? Did you win the lottery, get proposed to or something?"
Emma's smile widened, and her happiness was evident. "I have been having the best work day," she confessed, though she kept the details of her newfound joy to herself.
Ashley, curious about the meeting between Emma and Zelena, couldn't help but ask, "Wait, wasn't she meeting with Zelena today? Please tell us, is she trying to take the company from Ms. Mills?"
Mulan added her two cents, acknowledging Zelena's attractiveness. "Yes, please, I need to know if I am about to quit. Because I swear if that crazy gorgeous tall drink of water becomes the president of this company, we are all going down. And you will go down first, Emma."
Emma, keeping her composure, decided to share the news. "Well," she began with a shrug, "it was a possibility, but I fixed it, and it's all good now. That's why I'm... as you say... glowing."
Just as they were engrossed in their conversation, the elevator doors opened, and Lily stepped out, greeting them casually. The group offered a polite but somewhat cold welcome, as Emma had resolved not to engage with Lily more than necessary.
Belle, on the other hand, quickly turned her attention to Robin, who had just arrived in the lobby. She was relieved to see him and wasted no time in requesting his company for lunch. "Oh, thank God, Robin. I thought I was going to have to find somewhere cheap to eat. Will you take me to lunch?"
Robin, always generous, agreed without hesitation. "Yeah, sure, I got you. See you ladies around." With that, he and Lily left the lobby, leaving Emma to wonder why Robin was so accommodating, especially considering his apparent jealousy when it came to Regina's interactions with others.
Belle couldn't help but express her frustration once they were out of earshot. "That... woman," she grumbled, echoing the sentiment of her friends. Granny urged them to move along before she had to return to her work with Maleficent, who had plenty of tasks waiting for her related to the upcoming commercials. The group then hurried to the backlot, ready to explore and have some fun.
Emma watched as Tink twitched in a circle made of blankets and candles. Her lips moved, and finally, the sounds came.
"No, Mulan, there's no man in your future," she said.
"Damn, okay, like... fine. How about a girl, anything?" Mulan responded, wanting companionship more than ever after being alone for so long.
The ladies groaned. "None of us had a good reading today," Ruby stated.
"Sorry, I see what I see," Tink replied.
"Well, you forgot someone," Granny said.
"Oh, Granny, come on in, find information about your ex," Granny declined, saying, "I am retired, thank God. I don't need no man.
"You forgot Emma," the ladies said in unison.
"No, no," Emma said, "I'm good."
"Come on, Emma, it will be fun," they insisted, pulling her into the circle. "Sit just like the rest of us did," they said, chanting Emma's name over and over until Emma settled on the blanket, feeling uncomfortable with the situation.
Emma sat and listened to their chants of "Om" in the background as Tink shook like she was possessed. She scrunched her nose as she watched, disbelieving it all, until Tink said, "Emma, you have a lover you haven't told us about."
Emma's heart stopped. What lover? Was she talking about Neal? Nah. She giggled at the thought. "No, that's not true! I don't have a lover."
"I see a person who is very important in your life." Emma looked at Tink sideways. There were exactly four people, well, five if you add Ms. Mills, but no one knows about that. And she wouldn't know about Henry, her biggest love.
"Well, that would be my son," Emma stated, revealing something she hadn't talked much about, except with Ruby.
"Emma! You're in love with this person. Don't tell me you fell in love with your baby?"
She gasped. "No! Don't even joke about that."
"Well, there is another person who is very important in your life," Tinkerbell said in a trance-like state. "A whirlwind of emotion awaits you with them. I see a relationship that is very strong, one that will be a shock to the very soul. A relationship that will change their life and yours too."
Emma shivered as an energy enveloped her. The warmth and encompassing feeling sent thrills through her. Could it be true? Would someone love her? Would the person she was in love with actually love her back? Of course not. She was getting married to a man. This whole thing had Emma halfway convinced it was nonsense, but she also wanted to believe it.
The group around her was scandalized by the reading and wanted details about the love in Emma's life. Emma had to admit she was curious about it herself. But Tinkerbell said she only felt the energy. "Look, I only saw that they are human," Tink said. "Emma's bi; she's got all this excess energy."
"Tink!" Emma said, covering her face.
"I'm sorry if I outed you," Tink said apologetically.
"I didn't want to be out here," Emma stated.
The group enveloped her in a hug, and someone said, "Aww, don't worry. If anyone makes fun of you or hurts you in any way, we will have your back." Emma smirked at Mulan.
"So, this human... What kind of energy do they have?" Mulan asked.
"What a human!" Tink sighed. "They have a good head on their shoulders, they're intelligent, rich, and very sexy." Emma smirked, knowing exactly the person they were describing. She supposed she carried the energy of that crush on her. Her manifesting Regina Mills as her girlfriend was spreading to psychic readings. "Everything is there in Emma's life. She already likes them a lot. She's completely stuck in love with them."
Emma's eye twitched at the declaration of love from Tink. Ruby narrowed her eyes at her friend and came closer. "If you're so in love, how can you not remember it? Of course you know."
Of course she did, but she couldn't be in love with that person; she was taken. The girls pestered Emma to tell. "Leave the girl alone," Granny insisted. "If she doesn't want to tell, she doesn't have to."
Ashley rolled her eyes. "If she doesn't want to tell, it's because she's in love with her boss." Emma's heart dropped to her belly again. Ashley was so on the nose it was scary. They all were. "Don't let what happened to Mireya happen to you."
Tink shook her head as Emma tried not to hyperventilate in her anxiety. "No, no. Remember that when I told poor Mireya's future, she asked if she had any chance with Regina. And I clearly told her it wasn't going anywhere," Tink stated.
"Wait, what?" Ruby asked, looking at Tink intently.
"In contrast to Emma, the love train will keep on going forward," Tink continued.
"Choo-choo!" someone yelled in the background, and Emma couldn't help but feel nervous. What if all this was true? Was she going to be with Regina one day?
"It's going to change your world when you are together," Tink finished her thought, words that hung over everyone. Each woman felt hopeful that one of them could snag the womanizing Regina Mills.
"Emma!" Mulan gasped out her name. "In a little while, you're going to end up capturing Regina Mills' heart!"
Ashley, a bit more jaded by love than the rest, laughed the loudest. "Oh, please. When Emma snags Regina, I'm going to shoot my shot at Michael B. Jordan!"
Emma had to put an end to this. Too much of the focus on this could break her if and when it didn't come true. "Shut up, guys. Why would you think this person is Regina Mills? Of course, it isn't."
"But wouldn't it be nice, though?" Ruby and Ashley said as they cackled together.
"Regina Mills is just my type," Mulan stated.
"Please, leave the girl alone," Granny insisted.
"That's enough," Emma said; she needed to make it stop. She hoped Killian wouldn't ever find out about this, but he was about to be her scapegoat. "Okay, I admit it. There is a guy I like a lot." Emma smiled wistfully, thinking of the attributes she loved about Regina as she tried to describe Killian, which was nothing like the most elegant woman she knew.
"Who is it?" they asked.
"He's an old classmate."
"Is he handsome?" Emma paused. She needed to lie, but she wanted to describe the real person she loved, attributing the attributes to Killian. "Well, I guess I like him. Other women love him."
"Oh, what's his name?" Belle asked.
"His name is Killian Jones," Emma said without hesitation. She knew Killian would cover for her anytime.
Then a hailstorm of questions descended upon her. "Is he married? Have you slept with him? What does his wife think? Did she catch you?"
"Wait... Hold on," Emma said, shaking her head. "I didn't say we were going out. I like him... But he doesn't know how I feel, okay?"
"It's going to happen, and it will change both of your lives," Tink said. "I told you before, and I will tell it to you again."
Granny reminded them all that they were running late.
But before she headed to her office, Tink pulled Emma aside to talk to her. "Listen, be careful, honey. When I say something will change your life, it's not always for the better." Tink's eyes were worried. "But anyway, this is certain. This person is very important in your life."
Emma nodded and just watched her leave. There were too many coincidences in this reading to be fake. But it couldn't possibly happen, not with Regina. But a girl could dream!
So Emma headed back to her office, choosing to believe.
The A-team hit the ground running, with Regina and Jeffy leading the charge to get the company's work underway. Their first tasks involved appeasing a moody artist and finding a way not to exhaust the entire budget while planning a trip to Mt. Fuji.
As the team dove into their responsibilities, Emma walked into the office, and her heart fluttered at the sight of Regina. She felt as if she were floating on air when Regina asked her to gather the executives for a meeting. What she had just heard about the future she and Regina would have left her utterly smitten, and she was determined not to let her go.
While Emma headed off to prepare for the meeting, Jefferson couldn't help but notice the change in her demeanor. He turned to his best friend, Regina, and remarked, "Did you see that look?"
Regina nodded and admitted, "Yeah, it scares me sometimes. I don't know what to do with that. If only she were more attractive, I'd give her exactly what she wants, but..." Regina shuddered, clearly conflicted about her feelings.
In the meeting, Emma sat between Regina and Jefferson. As the executives gathered in the conference room, Robin walked up to the chair where Emma was seated. However, Jefferson promptly guided him to the chair next to him. Robin watched in frustration as Emma took her seat.
Throughout the meeting, Robin seethed with anger as Regina informed everyone that they had received the green light to proceed with their work. Regina provided financial details and made adjustments. She stated, "From this moment on, all financial information must pass through Emma's hands. You cannot make a move without Emma's seal of approval."
Robin immediately objected, asking, "Now wait a minute. What is this?"
Regina began, "When we were in the meeting, he was dishonest, tried to find flaws in my plan that don't exist, and was disloyal to me from the beginning. I don't think it's healthy to have people who don't believe in what we're doing working here." She leaned back in her chair, asserting her authority. "The information he manages is fundamental for my work and the bottom line. I need it at hand without middlemen. Please give all that information to Emma immediately."
Robin challenged, "Are you taking revenge for her having an opinion?"
Regina responded firmly, "Oh no, Robin. If I wanted to do that, I would have fired Deville already. Right, Ms. Deville?"
Cruella attempted to correct Regina, saying, "Ms. Mills..."
"You may leave," Regina dismissed the older woman and waited until she exited. "That was all I needed from you, Deville."
Regina continued by discussing the addition of two more Directors to the staff to help alleviate Maleficent's workload and facilitate an increase in production to boost the promised revenue. Regina tried her best to placate the temperamental woman, but in the end, the diva got what she wanted.