Karen doesn't fidget while Ms. Marianna glances over her resume. Half of it is made up, but Foggy's got connections, friends of friends and former clients who owe him favors, so it'll hold up. Long enough to get the information they need, at any rate.

Unfortunately, even if she does get dirt on the rallying remnants of Fisk's organization, they can only use it for leverage. It won't be admissible in court; Matt had said something about poisoned fruit? She's not Snow White, but she does kinda feel like she's in the crosshairs of an evil queen when Ms. Marianna skims her gaze over to evaluate Karen as dispassionately as she had the resume.

"You're applying for the gallery position," Ms. Marianna says. It's not a question, but she pauses to see Karen's reaction anyway.

"Yes, ma'am," Karen says, straightening her shoulders, lifting her chin. "I've always wanted to run my own gallery, but I need experience, you know..."

Ms. Marianna gives her the echo of a smile. "Oh, I know," she says. "It's nice to see an applicant with real ambition, though. There are far too many idle rich girls who treat the job as a novelty that'll give their art history degrees some legitimacy and provide access to broody young artists or rich, eligible bachelors." She sets Karen's resume aside with a sigh. "And they're right, of course. It's just such a waste of time to repeat the hiring process every six months."

"Well, I'm not one to judge," Karen says, smiling and dropping her gaze. "I kind of had my own 'brooding artist' once." It's not even a lie; her relationship history is pretty colorful.

"To tell the truth," Ms. Marianna says, dropping her voice to a stage whisper, "So did I." Karen laughs, just as she's supposed to, and the other woman's smile becomes warmer, more genuine. Almost like she's not a violent crimelord's fiancee and rumored understudy.

"Well, if it's any consolation, I think I got it out of my system?" Karen offers.

"That's reassuring," Ms. Marianna says, and sighs again. "Sadly, I've already hired another candidate for that job."

Karen sags incrementally. She'd been so sure... "Oh," she says. "Well, thank you for-"

Ms. Marianna interrupts her with an uplifted hand. "However, after your first interview, my hiring manager suggested you for another position. One for which your skillset is better suited."

"Oh?" Karen asks. "And what would that be, Ms. Marianna?"

The other woman's smile gets wider, sly and certain. "My personal assistant," she says, and Karen just barely keeps herself from gaping. She gives Karen another once-over, slower this time. "The job is yours, if you want it - on two conditions."

Karen licks her lips, somehow more nervous at being offered the job than coming in here to begin with. "What- What conditions?" she asks, voice steady through sheer force of will, promising herself a really strong drink after this.

"First, we need to get you a new wardrobe. You seem to have a good eye, but a terrible budget. I'll fix the latter."

"Um, thank you, I don't know what to-"

"It's a business expense," Ms. Marianna says, flicking her fingers in dismissal. "It won't do to have you giving the wrong impression to my business associates."

"Well, I'm still grateful, Ms. Marianna," Karen says. She tucks her hair behind her ear. "What's the other condition?"

"Call me Vanessa." Her voice is rich and warm, lifting all the hair on the back of Karen's neck. "Welcome to the family, Karen."



-- tbc --