Chapter Text
Every single day started exactly the same way for Joan: the alarm went off at 5 AM, she sat up in her bed and tried to reply to the e-mails she got during the night with only one eye open. Then came the painful part when she actually had to leave the warmth of her bed; by the time she managed to do so (around 5:30 AM), Freddie, the nanny arrived with a surprisingly cheerful smile for such early hours of the morning. Then came breakfast, something light but washed down with unhealthy amounts of strong black coffee. She put on her suit and fixed her hair somewhat, usually finishing said chores around 5:55 AM. She slipped into her son’s room and kissed his sleepy little forehead, then she hugged Freddie goodbye good-naturedly. At 6:10, she was already sitting in her Lamborghini, starting the engine.
Owning one of the biggest corporations in England had its perks, but it also had many downsides. Joan couldn’t remember the last time she had a day to herself when she was allowed to just sit back and relax, when she wasn’t constantly surrounded by erratic schedules and notifications. It wasn’t as though that Joan didn’t like the work: she has always been the type that loved a challenge, and preferred it when her brain was occupied. She was a bit of a workaholic, always stretching herself thin to make sure everything was perfect- and while she was still relatively young and could take a lot of pressure, she realized it has started to get to her a little.
It perhaps wasn’t even the amount of work that exhausted Joan; she was used to that. She finished university a year earlier than her peers due to her perfect grades at the age of twenty-one. Right away, she found herself in the leather chair of her late father as the head of Deacon Electronics- the millionaire heiress has claimed her throne. Joan, despite the quiet, reserved exterior, quite enjoyed being in the position of power. There was nothing she loved more than seeing the smug grin dimming on the faces of her business partners, when they realized a seemingly shy woman has masterfully one-upped them. Joan had been on the grind for seven years now; it was her life.
Sometimes, she wished there was more to it, though.
As a first, desperate attempt to fix the somewhat dull quality of her life, she adopted a baby at the age of twenty-four, a decision that freaked the living daylight out of anyone who knew her, and especially her mother. But if Joan put her mind to something, she wasn’t to be stopped or deterred: she wanted a child, but she knew she wouldn’t have time for a proper family, getting married and having kids with her hypothetical wife. So, she ended up making a small family by herself, and no matter how many people called her selfish for it, it was a decision Joan never regretted. Little Caleb was the light of her life, the only thing that could put a huge smile onto her face after a long, stressful day. Joan simply wished she could get more time with him, not just on the weekends.
And she was longing for a deep connection with someone, at last. She couldn’t remember the last time she was on a proper date with someone; she only had time for casual hookups that took her high for the time being, then dropped her down low as soon as the heat of the moment passed. Joan wanted more- real feelings, someone to come home to at the end of the day. Her mother and her colleagues had been nagging her constantly to settle down finally, because she would burn out all alone before she hit her thirties. Joan supposed that could be true, with the pace her life was going. The constant, pushy comments about her non-existent love life certainly didn’t help feel her any less lonely or miserable. If only there was a way to shut them up, just for a little while. Maybe she could lie about having a girlfriend, after all. Who would come and check if that was true? At least Joan could cross one stress factor off her list.
‘’Alexa, am I going to have a good day today?” Joan asked the sound system in her car, half-joking. She asked the same question every morning, and the robot’s reply was always the same:
I’m afraid I don’t have the power to determine the future, Miss.
‘’Yeah, me neither.” Joan chuckled curtly, reaching into her pocket to fish for her identity card. She rolled down the window and pressed it against the sensor of the machine at the garage’s entrance. The same, robotic movements, every single day for the past seven years.
--
Joan was mentally sorting through the tasks for the day when she heard the commotion coming from one of the offices.
She stopped with a frown, backtracking a bit. There weren’t many people inside the building this early in the morning other than her, so it was definitely strange that someone would be making such a noise in the office. It sounded like two people, actually, having a muted but definitely heated argument inside.
‘’…that’s the deal, take it or leave it.”
Whoever was inside, they were doing some kind of side-business, which went heavily against the company’s policy. Joan didn’t expect to be firing people at so early in the morning, but rules were rules, and she never broke those, or took kindly to anyone who did.
It turned out there was a completely different deal going down in there than she expected, because a more familiar voice replied,
‘’Twenty pounds for a fucking blowjob!?”
At Deacon Electronics, there was no place for side-business, fraud and secrets- but there was no place for indulging in the services of a prostitute, either, inside the building that Joan inherited from her deceased father. She wasn’t the judgmental type: anyone was free to do whatever the fuck they wanted, as long as it wasn’t happening at her workplace, under her supervision. Then, it was just like being spat in the eye, majorly disrespected by her employees.
Taking advantage of having keys to every single office, Joan barged in on the couple. She caught Miles, the technician red-handed and red-faced, his pants already open and his hand quite aggressively squeezing the hip of a young girl, who Joan would have deemed a prostitute even if she hadn’t heard the telling sentence about getting paid for blowjobs, judging by the clothes she was wearing- or more like, the lack of them. The skimpy red crop-top resembled more of a bra, and the tiger-striped miniskirt barely covered her ass. She barely acknowledged Joan and continued to angrily glare at Miles, before slapping his hand away with an offended huff.
‘’Joan,” Miles swallowed audibly, scrambling away from the girl. He fumbled with his zipper, trying to save some of his dignity, but it was too late. Joan shook her head with a disappointed frown. She never liked Miles; he was lazy and rude, and Joan was giving him chances upon chances to prove himself. Guess it was really time for him to go on his merry way, away from here.
‘’Don’t even try to explain.” Joan said, hand held up to stop the ridiculous explanation Miles was about to come up with. ‘’What you did here, was a huge breach of our policy, as well as my trust. I hope you allow me to spare you the long legal details, and simply bow your head down and scurry away when I tell you that you’re fired.”
‘’It won’t happen again,” Miles started in a panic, ‘’I swear! She came onto me!” He pointed at the girl who kept glaring at him, burning holes into his skull with her icy blue eyes.
‘’Shut up, you asshole!” She snarled, hands on her hips. ‘’It was you, who dragged me here after my shift ended, then complained about my prices! Bear the consequences of your actions, pig.”
‘’You fucking whore!” Miles yelled. Joan slammed her dossier down on the table, causing Miles to flinch.
‘’Get out of here.” Joan hissed, giving Miles her infamous stare. If looks could kill, Joan would have collected many victims in her life. She could end someone with a cold glare of her eyes, head held high and back straight, making her appear taller and more powerful than she actually was. She could see Miles shrinking. ‘’You’re fired, Miles. I’m going to send you the details about your further payment and your opportunities via e-mail. Now, leave, or I’ll get security.”
Head bowed down, Miles exited the room, but not before spitting at the girl’s feet, who seemed completely unfazed- if anything, there seemed to be a triumphant smirk in the corners of her lips.
Now, Joan allowed herself to take a good look at her. She appeared to be a few years younger than Joan, and she was undeniably beautiful with her long blonde hair and mesmerizing blue eyes, pale skin with rosy cheeks and plump lips. She was skinny, and she held herself with a stance that could be only described as powerful- almost smug. Her back straight, hips cocked and chin raised, she oozed confidence despite the obviously cheap clothing and her ribs slightly visible beneath her skin. She regarded Joan with a curious glance, seemingly not intimidated by the other woman dressed in a sharp suit, with wealth and power radiating from each of her pores.
‘’Did he hurt you?” Joan asked, remembering how hard Miles was gripping the girl. She could see a few faint bruises on her wrists, and she wondered if those were there already, or Miles did them to her. The blonde just shrugged, chewing on her gum like nothing happened.
‘’He was quite the aggressive bastard,” she said, leaning against the desk casually. Her miniskirt slipped further up on her thigh, and Joan’s eyes lingered on pale skin for a second before looking her in the eyes again. ‘’He was very desperate for that blowjob. Thought I could lie and ask for a higher price, but he cashed on quickly. It’s clear I’m a cheaper whore than that.”
There was the first crack in the overly confident façade she put on. Joan could finally see she was shaking a bit, clearly not as unfazed as she pretended to be. Maybe it was a survival tactic, to act like nothing could get to her- it wasn’t all that different from how Joan lived her life, pushing her emotions away and putting on a mask every day to avoid getting hurt. This girl clearly needed that mask even more than she did. Being a prostitute was a difficult, and very dangerous job. She was putting her safety, her life at risk every single day she ventured out to offer her services to potential customers. To survive something like that, you had to develop thick skin and keep a cold head.
The girl looked at Joan again. She raked her eyes over her suit curiously, scanning Joan, taking in every nook and cranny until Joan felt almost naked- it was almost as if the girl could see right through her.
‘’So, you’re the big boss here, huh?” She purred, putting back on her smug smirk to hide the sudden break of character. She licked her lips, causing her red lipstick to fade. ‘’That’s hot.”
Joan wished her cheeks didn’t turn as red as they did. This was clearly just an act, something this girl got down to a t, for the sake of her job. She obviously didn’t find Joan actually attractive; it was a masterful game to get away. Maybe she thought that flirting with Joan might save her from the situation, that Joan might not call the cops on her if she played her part well enough. Sure enough, she sauntered over to Joan, surprisingly agile on her dangerously high heels, and put her hands on the lapels of Joan’s suit jacket, lingering close to her breasts. Joan swallowed thickly, hoping her face remained somewhat stoic. She was so ridiculously touch-starved, yearning so deeply to have someone close, that she was about to fall for the act of a hooker.
‘’Can we forget about this little incident?” She purred, leaning close to Joan. Her hot breath tickled the skin of her neck. Her small hands traveled upwards, resting on Joan’s shoulders. She peered up at her from beneath her lashes, almost innocently. ‘’I can eat you out for free, if you won’t call the cops.”
With all her willpower, Joan pried the girl’s hands off her body, pushing her away gently. It was a tempting offer- she hadn’t even gotten laid too many times, lately- but she didn’t want to take advantage of her like that. It felt all kinds of wrong and dirty to only let her off the hook in exchange of some fun.
‘’I won’t call them.” Joan promised, causing the blonde to breathe a huge sigh of relief. The second the threat of danger was gone, she dropped her act entirely; there was no need to play femme fatale anymore, because now she had the chance to get away with this fairly unscathed.
Except, her eyes suddenly snapped back to Joan, pleading. Another incredible shift in demeanor, and Joan found it hard to keep up. She didn’t like this look in her eyes, that sudden despair. There was something going on with this girl- which wasn’t all that surprising, considering her job, but there was something else, something that made Joan realize she was soon going to be making very bad decisions- and not only because this was easily the most beautiful woman she has ever laid her eyes on, and being this close to her made Joan’s head spin.
‘’Maybe you should,” the blonde said, almost more to herself than to Joan, ‘’I would have a better life in prison.”
Her voice trembled somewhat, but she tried to dismiss it with a little shrug. Joan’s chest suddenly felt uncomfortably tight. She had no idea why this girl decided to suddenly bare her soul to her, of all people, but it made Joan’s heart clench in sympathy all the same. They were the two ends of a spectrum: the one who had all the money in the world, who had all the power, and the one who was probably starving and who was used every single day. Wanting something different, something more, was what they both had in common.
‘’I started pocketing some money,” the girl chuckled, in a bitter, self-deprecating way. She twisted a lock of her hair around her finger, watching with such fascination as if it didn’t belong to her. ‘’My pimp really doesn’t like it. But what the fuck do I get? I have a hot meal once a week. I have to suck dick just to buy myself a second-hand jacket. I live in a cramped motel room with four other whores. What kind of fucking life is this? I’ve been doing this shit for two years, and I’m fucking tired, and why the fuck am I telling you all this?” She snorted, wiping at her eyes angrily. Only then did Joan notice the frustrated tears. ‘’You’re just a millionaire who has more money than what you could use. You don’t understand, and you don’t care. Fuck, I think I’m gonna get my period soon, I’m an emotional idiot today.”
Joan’s head buzzed with all the information she suddenly and unwillingly received. It was certainly strange, that this hooker finally snapped- which she had every right to, obviously- but she chose this morning, and Joan, to vent to. It was a lot to process, but it took nothing away from the fact that Joan felt increasingly sorry for the girl. She was so young- how old could she be, twenty-two, twenty-three? She deserved so much more than the life she had, and whatever happened to her, Joan didn’t blame her for a single second. She was right, even if her life was dull and she often wanted a way out, she couldn’t simply comprehend the hardships this girl was going through on the daily basis.
But she could try and help her, at the least. She wasn’t sure how- she couldn’t just offer her a job here, she would need qualifications, and Joan really doubted she had any. Maybe for the cleaning staff…?
Or, she could help the both of them. She could offer this girl an opportunity that could get her out of this mess of a life she was living, while also giving herself a chance to make her life a little easier. All she wanted was someone to keep her company, someone she could talk to. And maybe she could finally calm down her mother and all those people that nagged on her for being single. Maybe she could dodge more than just one bullet.
‘’I can help you,” Joan started, slowly, watching as the girl’s eyes lit up, ‘’I can give you a job.”
‘’I’m not good at anything.” The girl quickly said, blushing slightly. She scoffed, clearly finding the idea hilarious. ‘’I didn’t even finish high school.”
‘’You won’t have to do much,” Joan promised. She wasn’t sure if this wasn’t a major overstepping of boundaries, if she wasn’t taking advantage of her, too. But this was a chance, and it was completely up to the blonde to take it or not. Joan wouldn’t force her.
‘’I need your personal help. I need someone who keeps me company, comes with me as my piece for dinners and events, someone I can introduce as my partner, and the mother of my child.” Joan explained. The girl choked on her spit, before she burst out laughing, tears spilling from her eyes.
‘’You want me to be your sugar baby?” She chortled, nearly doubling over. ‘’What are you, like two years older than me? Fuck, you’re hardly a sugar mummy, sweetheart.”
‘’I won’t ask you to do anything sexual,” Joan was quick to add, blushing. ‘’It’s all just… pretending. Just for a while. Just until I can actually find someone to settle down with.”
‘’And why is it worth it for me?” The blonde asked, arms crossed. She cocked an eyebrow, watching Joan’s face, amused. ‘’I mean, don’t get me wrong, that’s a nice offer and all, but what’s in it for me?”
‘’Well, first of all, you won’t have to be a hooker anymore.” Joan said, giving her a small, polite smile. ‘’You won’t have to deal with your pimp- if he tries something, you can hand him some money you got from me, and shut him up. You will be living in a mansion, and get everything you want.”
‘’New clothes? Designer ones?” The girl asked, eyes glinting. Joan nodded, smile widening. She had plenty of money to spare- buying a few designer clothes for her was like buying groceries for anyone else.
‘’Even a car?”
‘’Maybe even a car. Anything you ask, I will get it for you. You will get as much money as you want, a warm bed and gourmet food. We don’t even have to be in the same room, like ever. You only have to be close to me when we go out. This is all I’m asking for. It’s mutually beneficial for both of us.”
‘’I guess so.” She replied, then frowned a bit. ‘’You said you have a kid?”
‘’You won’t have to look after him, I have a nanny.” Joan reassured her. ‘’It’s just pretending. Just for show. You know what, let’s see how that goes. Let’s say, if you decide you want to work for me, you will stay three months at first, to see if you’re comfortable. If after those three months you decide you don’t want to do this anymore, you’re free to leave whenever. I don’t want to force you to do anything you don’t want to. I just want to offer you a chance, as well as myself. It’s a win-win, but I need your consent.”
The girl was silent for a while, staring down at her shoes. Joan watched her face, trying to read her expression. After long seconds of utter silence, the blonde grinned.
‘’You know what? I think I would be stupid to miss out on this offer. I don’t have anything to lose, anyway. I’ll take it.”
Joan smiled, and reached for her hand, giving it a small squeeze. Maybe this was a giant mistake- maybe it was the stupidest, most desperate thing she has ever done. But the girl already agreed, and it would be an asshole move to take back her offer.
‘’What’s your name?”
‘’Regina.” The girl replied. She gave Joan a smile of her own, and Joan felt like this was the first genuine one.
‘’Nice to meet you, Regina. I’m Joan.” She said, cheeks warm, ‘’And I guess I’m your sugar mummy now.”