– I won’t take you there, there will be decent people, not your level, 🤨 – said the husband, without knowing that I own the company he works for
The mirror in the bedroom reflected a familiar picture: I was mending the pleats of a modest gray dress I bought three years ago in a regular store. Dmitry stood by me, fastening cuffs on a snow-white shirt – an Italian one, as he did not tire of emphasizing at every convenient occasion.
– Are you ready? – he asked, without looking at me, concentrating on the non-existent pollen on his suit.
“”Yes, we can go,”” I replied, after checking for the last time whether the hair was neatly styled.
He finally turned to me and I saw a familiar look of slight disappointment in his eye. Dmitry silently looked at me from head to toe, lingering on his dress.
– Don’t you have anything decent? – he uttered a tone in which the usual indulgence came through.
I’ve heard these words before every corporate event. Each time they hurt, it was as if an injection was not fatal, but unpleasant. I learned not to show how much I hurt. Learned to smile and shrug.
– This dress fits perfectly, – I said calmly.
Dmitry sighed, as if I had failed him again.
– Okay, let’s go. Just try not to stand out, okay?
We got married five years ago, when I had just graduated from economics and he was a junior manager in a retail company. He seemed to me then an ambitious, driven young man with brilliant prospects. I liked the way he talked about his plans, how confidently he was looking to the future.
Over the years, Dmitry has really climbed the career ladder. Now he’s a senior sales manager, leading large clients. The money he earned went to his appearance: expensive suits, Swiss watches, a new car every two years. “”Image is everything,”” he liked to repeat. “”People have to see you successful, otherwise they won’t deal with you. »
I worked as an economist in a small consulting firm, earning a modest salary and trying not to burden the family budget with unnecessary expenses. When Dmitry took me to corporate events, I always felt out of my plate. He introduced me to his colleagues with slight irony: “”So, he brought his grey mouse into the world. » Everyone laughed, and I smiled pretending that I was funny too.
Gradually, I began to notice how my husband had changed. Success has wrapped around his head. He began to disrespect not only me but also his employers. “”I sniff out the junk that our Chinese produce with these suckers,”” he said at home, sipping on expensive whiskey. “The main thing is to present the goods correctly, and they will buy anything. »
Sometimes he hints at some additional sources of income. “”Customers appreciate good service,”” he winked. “”And they are ready to pay more for it. Me personally, you know? »
I understood, but I preferred not to go into the details.
It all changed three months ago when the notary called me.
– Anna Sergeyevna? This concerns the legacy of your father, Sergei Mikhailovich Volkov.
My heart is pounding. My father left our family when I was seven years old. Mom never told what happened to him. All I knew is that he was working somewhere, living his life with no room for his daughter.
“”Your father died a month ago,”” the notary continued. – According to the will, you are the sole heir of all his property.
What I learned at the notary office, turned my world upside down. It turned out that the father was not just a successful businessman — he had created an entire empire. An apartment in the center of Moscow, a country house, cars, but most importantly – an investment fund that owns shares in dozens of companies.
Among the documents, I found a name that made me shudder: “”TradeInvest”” – the company where Dmitry worked.
The first few weeks i was shocked. Every morning I woke up and couldn’t believe that all this is reality. I just told my husband that I changed my job – now I work in the investment industry. He addressed it with indifference, just said something about hoping the salary will be at least as low as it was.
I started to understand fund matters. Economic education was very helpful, but most importantly, I found it really interesting. For the first time in my life, I felt like I’m doing something important that really matters.
I was especially interested in TradeInvest. I asked to meet with CEO Mikhail Petrovich Kuznetsov.
“”Anna Sergeyevna,”” he said, when we were left alone in his office, “”I have to say honestly: the company is not going very well.”” Especially problems with the sales department.
– Tell me more.
– We have one employee, Dmitry Andreev. Formally, he has large clients, big turnover, but almost no profit. Moreover, many transactions are a loss. There are suspicions of violations, but there is insufficient evidence yet.
I asked for an internal investigation. Without mentioning the true reasons for your interest in this particular employee.
The results of the investigation came in a month. Dmitry really appropriated the company’s money, negotiating with clients about “”personal bonuses”” for reduced prices. The sum was impressive.
During this time I managed to update my wardrobe. But, being true to herself, she chose unbroke things – just now they were from the best designers in the world. Dmitry didn’t notice the difference. For him, everything that did not scream about the price remained “”gray mentality””.
Last night, he announced that they had an important corporate event tomorrow.
– Reporting dinner for top management and key employees, – he said it is important. – There will be all the management of the company.
“Understood,” I replied. – What time do you need to be ready?
Dmitry looked at me with surprise.
“”I won’t take you there, there will be decent people there, not your level,”” he stated, without knowing that I owned the company he works for. – You understand, this is a serious matter. There will be people who decide my fate in the company. I can’t afford to look… well, you get the picture.
– Not quite.
– Anna, – he tried to soften the tone, – you are a beautiful wife, but you are lowering my social status. Around you, I look poorer than I am. These people should see my equal.
His words hurt, but not as sharp as before. Now I knew my worth. And knew his worth.
– Okay, – I said calmly. – Entertain yourself.
This morning Dmitry left for work in a high mood. And I put on a new Dior dress – dark blue, elegant, that emphasized my figure, but remained discreet. Did a professional makeup and styling. When I looked in the mirror, I saw a totally different person. Confident, Beautiful, Successful.
The restaurant where the event was held, I knew, was one of the best in town. Mikhail Petrovich met me at the entrance.
– Anna Sergeyevna, glad to see you. You look so beautiful.
– Thank you. Hopefully today we can summarize and make plans for the future.
The hall was full of people in expensive suits and dresses. The atmosphere is business but available. I have interacted with the heads of other units, met key employees. Many knew me as the new owner of the company, although it was not public information yet.
I noticed Dmitry as soon as he entered. He was in his best suit, with his new haircut, and looked confident and important. I looked around the hall, clearly assessing the attendees and my place among them.
Our eyes met. At first he didn’t realize what he was seeing. Then his face turned from anger. He is determined to see me.
– What are you doing here? – he hissed when he approached tight. – I told you it’s not for you!
– Good evening, Dmitry, – I replied calmly.
– Get out of here immediately! You put me to shame ! – He spoke quietly, but furiously. – And what kind of masquerade is this? Did she put on her mouse rags again to humiliate me?… Continuation below in the first comment 👇
