Chapter One: The Interview
Year: 1993
Can you believe it?
I know, right? Who would have thought?
Aren't they enemies?
Why would his daughter want to work for him?
Iris clenched her purse as she sat in the lobby at Gabriel Agreste's office building. People in the lobby were staring at her and whispering to each other. This didn't surprise her. Iris's father was a world renowned fashion designer who hated Gabriel Agreste. Her father hated that he was able to create his own fashion empire at the age of 25. Now they competed with each other.
Iris opened her purse and pulled out a mint and popped it in her mouth. She needed something to calm her nerves. She was about to have an interview with Mr. Agreste himself. It had been a long difficult road. She had gone through two interviews with his company and she hoped this was the last one.
"Miss Desjardins," spoke a secretary.
Iris looked up at the secretary who sitting behind her desk. "Yes?"
"He's ready for you," she spoke and motioned her hand toward his office. Iris took a deep breath and walked over to Mr. Agreste's office. She placed her hand on the door's handle and slowly opened it.
Iris walked into the office and closed the door behind her. The office was huge. When she walked in, she was standing front of his desk. Off to the side was a sitting area by a wall of huge windows. Mr. Agreste was standing in front of one of the windows staring out. He had his hands behind his back. She could tell he was deep in thought about something.
"Please sit down, Miss. Desjardins," he spoke as he faced her. He then motioned her to the sitting area.
Iris stood there for a moment and looked him over. Despite being her father's enemy she had never met him. He was much taller than he appeared on TV. Iris’s lips started to curl a bit. His hair was blond, but she could tell he was starting to go gray. If she remembered correctly he was 29? She was trying so hard not to laugh.
"Well?" he spoke coldly. Mr. Agreste was sitting on one of the couches already. He looked impatient.
"Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Agreste," Iris spoke as she walked over to join him. She sat down on a chair which was across from the couch.
"Likewise," he said and grabbed some papers which were sitting on the coffee table. Silence hit the room as he looked through him. Iris tried really hard not to fidget in her seat. The rumors she heard about him were true. His interviews were nerve racking. When Mr. Agreste was finished reading, he looked at Iris. "My recruiters seem quite pleased with you, Miss Desjardins." He tossed the papers on the coffee table.
Iris tried to think of how to respond to that. She was expecting interview questions by this point.
"I have one question for you," he spoke not telling her to comment. Iris was trying to hold back a look of shock. "Your father is a fashion designer, so why don't you model for him?"
Iris was wondering if anyone would ask her this question. Like her father, she fell in love with fashion at an early age. He was the one who taught her how to sew and design. After high school, Iris went to a fashion school in New York City. Unfortunately, she was never creative enough to become a designer so she turned to modeling. "Because I want to feel like I earned it."
Mr. Agreste just nodded his head.
"My father gave me everything I wanted growing up," Iris continued. "I recently moved back from New York City. My father offered me a modeling job when I told him about my plans. I told him no because it didn't seem fair."
"I see," he said and then stood up and walked away. Mr. Agreste looked like he was conflicted. Iris turned her head and saw him walking over to the door. He opened it. "That will be all, Miss Desjardins. It was a pleasure meeting you."
Iris stood up and walked over to the door. She was confused by his actions. Didn't he want to know more about her?
She stopped to look at him and gave him a friendly smile. "Likewise." She then walked out of the room.
She left the office building and called a cab. When the cab drove up, she opened the door and slid inside. She closed the door and the cab took off after she told the driver her apartment's address.
Iris let out a deep sigh. That was most nerve racking thing in her life. She started to play with her hair. Mr. Agreste didn't seem impressed at all. Iris wondered if her answer was too personal. It was the honest truth. She was tired of being a daddy's girl. It was time for her to make her own life.
The cab pulled up to her apartment building. She paid the driver and go out. Iris walked into her building and headed to her floor. Once she was inside her apartment, Iris changed out of her interview outfit to something more comfortable. She then went into the kitchen to find something to eat. As she was going through her fridge the phone rang. She closed the door and picked up the phone.
"Hello?" she answered.
"Iris," a man spoke. It was her father.
"Papa?" Iris turned to look at the wall clock. It was three in the afternoon. She was surprise her father had time to call her. He was still at work. "Is there something wrong? Aren't you still at work?"
"No everything is fine. I just wanted to see how your interview went."
"Oh, it went great. I will hear from Mr. Agreste in a few days," she lied to her father. She didn't want him to know what happened.
"I see," her father spoke. He paused for a few minutes. "Iris, why did you apply to work there of all places? I can respect you wanting to do your own thing, but there are other fashion designers to work for."
Iris couldn't help but roll her eyes at her father. "Papa, you need to let your grudge go."
"He betrayed me, Iris. He left my company and started his own. He used me to get his name out there."
"You have to start somewhere." Iris leaned over her kitchen counter and started to play with her hair.
"Apply somewhere else."
"No. I like his clothes."
"Iris!"
"Goodbye, Papa." Iris hung up the phone. Her conversation with her father made her lose her appetite. She entered the living area and laid down on the couch. A nap sounded good.
The next morning Iris woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. She sat up in bed and wondered if it was her father. She was getting tired of his grudge. Iris lean over and picked up the phone that was sitting on the night stand. "Hello?"
"Miss Desjardins," spoke a voice. It was Mr. Agreste.
Iris quickly sat up in bed. "Mr. Agreste, it's a pleasure hearing from you." Her heart started to pound in her chest.
"I was quite impressed with your answer yesterday," he spoke skipping the formality. "Most people in your position would take the easy way out."
"Thank you," Iris replied. She wasn't sure how to respond to that.
"Because of that I would like you to work for me. When can you start?
Iris's body started to shake with excitement. "Any time."
"Perfect. I want you in my office tomorrow morning at 8 am."
"Alright."
"Good. See you tomorrow." He then hung up his end before letting Iris respond.
Iris placed her phone back on the receiver. She couldn't believe it. She actually was able to get a job all on her own. Iris got out of bed to get ready for the day.
Subject: ML Fanfic: Wildest Dreams 
