Payment - страница 4

“Then I noticed the stain on his shirt and remembered how I’d accidentally bumped into him, spilling his drink.”

“That was you?!” Victoria laughed again.

“He told me some drunk girl couldn’t keep her balance and ruined his expensive shirt.”

“I wasn’t drunk.”

“Well, he didn’t know that,” Victoria replied.

Lana’s serious tone finally hit its mark, and Victoria stopped laughing. Studying Lana’s face, she asked gently,

“Are you upset, Lan?”

“No,” Lana answered immediately. She sighed and seemed to regain a little composure.

In truth, Lana was barely containing her anger—not over that one incident, but over the situation as a whole. Suddenly, she realized she was jealous of her brighter, more dazzling friend. It was as if she’d just woken up from a long sleep and realized she was a living, feeling person. A person who had every right to want the things she had only ever observed from the sidelines.

And for the first time, she wanted a man—desperately. She was drawn to him like never before. But he was taken.

Victoria had a kind of magic about her. She attracted not only with her looks but also with genuine warmth and charm. That made her even more irresistible. It was impossible to stay mad at her for long. Her sympathetic gaze and heartfelt concern melted anger and any other negative emotion, which only infuriated Lana more. She loved her friend, admired her—and envied her. And the worst part was, there was nothing she could do to change it.

Later, when Victoria met up with her boyfriend again, she briefly told him about Lana’s situation. They were lying in bed in a hotel room when Robert asked thoughtfully,

“Do they want to hire a manager with a fixed salary or on a percentage basis?”

“I don’t know,” she said, giving him a questioning look. “Why, do you have someone in mind?”

Nodding slightly, he said,

“I could be that someone.”

“You know that stuff, baby?” Victoria asked, surprised.

“I’m head of a department at a small metallurgical plant. And if the pay’s better than what I get now, then why not?”

Her face lit up at the news. Sitting up and folding her legs beneath her, she said excitedly,

“Absolutely! I’ll call and set up a meeting right now.”

“Okay.”

By midday the next day, Robert and Victoria arrived at Lana’s house for a meeting.

“Robert, I’ve hired an auditor who’s going through all the company records. You could start today—just to get familiar with the firm,” said Olga Nikolaevna toward the end of the discussion. “We might continue working with Pyotr Nikolaevich in the future. He may handle our accounting. He’s still considering it. In the meantime, he could introduce you to the production side and explain the details.”

“Yes, that’s a great idea—thank you!” Robert responded right away. “But I’ll need to give two weeks’ notice at my current job,” he explained. He was pleased they’d come to a full agreement.

“Fine, manage your time as you see fit. We’re satisfied with your candidacy,” she assured him.

“Thank you. Still, I’ll start visiting the company when I can—to get familiar with the production and administration departments,” the newly appointed manager promised.

“Agreed.”

They shook hands and said goodbye. Victoria glanced at Lana with excitement, expecting some reaction—but Lana, lips pressed tightly together, gave away nothing.

Soon, life picked up pace. Lana began her new responsibilities at her late father’s company alongside Robert. He immediately threw himself into the production department with confident expertise, while Lana took over payment control and client contracts. Little by little, things started moving. Maybe not from a standstill, but definitely out of stagnation. New orders came in, promising proposals appeared, and productivity improved. Weeks passed, then months. Time flew in the whirlwind of work. The new management team settled in and adapted well. Meanwhile, Lana and Robert’s professional relationship gradually turned into something warm and friendly. Yes, she was his girlfriend’s friend—but she couldn’t help secretly sighing for him. Every effort to suppress her attraction failed. In fact, the more she tried, the more drawn to him she became. She knew it was wrong—but couldn’t stop herself. Her own life was on the rise. Nothing was stopping her from building her happiness. Everything was going well—except for one thing: the man of her dreams couldn’t be hers. And no one else even registered on her radar. Her eyes were always searching for Robert. Her heart always pulled toward him. She often admired him from afar—from her office window, around a corner, from the side, or from the gates. Even just hearing his name gave her a thrill. The look in his brown eyes, his voice, his gestures—everything stirred her imagination and ignited a deep desire to win his heart and mind. Sometimes her fantasies carried her so far that she could barely stop herself from making a move. The passion inside her beat like a wild bird trapped in a cage—restless and persistent.