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.