— So, what else do you want from me? — The short phrase was laced with so many hissing and whistling sounds that it came out sounding downright menacing.
Yet, there was nothing oppressive or frightening about the setting of their conversation. It was a charming little café, decked out for the pre-Christmas season with an artificial tree adorned in blue and white tones and twinkling garlands draped across the windows.
Small tables were graced with blooming poinsettias, and the walls were decorated with quaint retro-style pictures. Her father had a fondness for this kind of unassuming kitsch. One could forget the very existence of a relic like the Soviet Union, but people whose childhood and youth had unfolded in those times often felt a pang of nostalgia for the past. Even if, back then, their breakfasts weren’t black caviar but rather “exotic eggplant spread.”
— I want you to get your act together! You’ve got just six months left to finish your degree. I’ve transferred you to the best university in the city. You don’t even have to attend lectures in person, so at least make the effort to listen to what the professors are saying online. And complete the assignments they send you!
— I’m not wasting my time on that nonsense, — she muttered, inspecting the intricate design on her nails. Fresh from the manicurist, she’d paid a fortune but was thrilled with the result. And here was her dear old dad, ruining her mood with his lectures. As if dragging her away from her beloved London life wasn’t enough, now he was trying to preach to her. Well, he’d picked the wrong person to mess with!
— And what, pray tell, do you wish to spend your precious time on? — her father asked sarcastically, sipping his vile herbal tea. He’d even given up coffee, determined to live to a hundred just to deny her the satisfaction of inheriting his fortune anytime soon.
— I don’t know, I’m still searching for my true calling, — Eva beckoned to the waitress: — Could I get two more of those pastries, please? And a coffee with sugar!
— You should cut back on sweets, — her father remarked pointedly. — Or you’ll end up as heavy as your mother.
— Don’t you dare bring Mom into this, or I’m getting up and leaving right now! — Her eyes flashed with a dangerous glint.
— You’re not going anywhere. We’re not done talking!
A pretty, doll-like waitress glided over to their table, offering a practiced smile as she placed a plate of pastries topped with chocolate cream and a cup of strong coffee in front of Eva. While she fussed around their table, both father and daughter sat in tense silence. Even after the waitress left, the conversation refused to flow.
— Look, Dad, let’s make a deal, — Eva broke the silence first. — You stop forcing me to study, and just buy me a degree. What I’ve learned in England is more than enough for a lifetime. Back here in Ukraine, I’m not going to pick up anything new or interesting. Those online lectures are a waste of everyone’s time.
— And then what? — Her father looked at her expectantly. — I buy you a degree, and you keep frittering away your time, searching for this mythical ‘calling’ of yours? Don’t you think you should do something with your life besides partying?
— Put me to work at your company. I could be… say, your deputy…
Igor Alexandrovich let out a derisive snort:
— Eva, darling, do you have any idea what my deputy’s workday looks like? He’s in the office by eight in the morning, and if he’s lucky, he gets home by eight at night. Sometimes, he even works weekends. He hasn’t had a vacation in two years…
— So that’s how you exploit your employees? And no one’s complained yet? — Her perfectly shaped and tinted eyebrows, courtesy of a recent tattoo, shot up.
— For the salary they’re paid, they’re willing to work day and night without a break, — Virsky replied. — But you wouldn’t go for that. And I’m not about to hire you just so you can strut around in a miniskirt, distracting all the men and annoying the women!
— Fine, then I’ll be a freelancer, work from home, — Eva agreed with ease. — Got any remote positions?
— Oh, sure, you’ll work hard. I remember very well the last time you ‘found’ yourself a job…
That was just before Eva had moved to London. They’d had a huge falling out, and she’d refused to take any money from him, declaring she’d earn her own living.
For a few weeks, they hadn’t seen each other. Then, some business partners from out of town came to visit Igor Alexandrovich. He decided to arrange a cultural outing to the theater and, to balance out the all-male group, hired services from a well-known escort agency. Imagine his shock when, at the meeting point, three women arrived with the agency representative—and one of them turned out to be his own daughter. Of course, they managed to hush up the scandal at the time.
Shortly after, Eva left to study abroad. But ever since, he’d been terrified of another unpleasant surprise from his heiress that might leak to the ever-present journalists.
He didn’t want to take her on under his direct supervision. He knew it wouldn’t end well. At the same time, he realized that if she tried to find work on her own, it would likely be even worse.
Eva had grown into a completely unpredictable person. In that, she was just like him. In his youth, he’d pulled plenty of stunts himself, only settling down after forty… But he was a man, and society often turned a blind eye to the antics of men. For a young woman, though, many missteps could be unforgivable…
— Listen, — he said, softening his tone a bit, — I’ve got an idea. How would you like to be the editor-in-chief of a glossy magazine?
Eva’s eyes widened. In that moment, he recognized the same funny little girl he used to bring candies and tangerines “from the bunny,” the one who believed in Santa Claus until she was eight.
— Are you kidding? — she asked skeptically. — I’m such a mess, I don’t know anything, I can’t do anything. Aren’t you afraid your magazine will go bankrupt?
— If you’re scared of wolves, don’t go into the woods, — Igor Alexandrovich quipped. — But I’ll make you editor on one simple condition…
— What condition?
— For the next six months, until you get your degree, you’ll work there as an intern. Nothing too hard—they’ll give you assignments, places to go, things to write about. You love all those social events, so you’ll be mixing business with pleasure.
— Maybe, — Eva looked thoughtful. She was carefully searching for a catch in her father’s words. He couldn’t just turn so agreeable and accommodating out of the blue. — So, I work as an intern for six months, and then I become editor-in-chief right away?
— On one condition, my dear. If, during that time, you diligently perform your duties, don’t pull any stunts, and your direct supervisor has no complaints about you. Otherwise, I’ll have to go back on my promise.
— And what if I don’t like it there? — Eva asked defiantly.
— Then you’ll go back to hitting the books. No lounging around at home. It’s either study or work! I’m not supporting freeloaders.
— What kind of magazine is it, anyway? — Eva’s curiosity was piqued. She’d never in her life bought or read a glossy magazine. Why bother when there’s the internet?
Her mother, on the other hand, adored those shiny, colorful weeklies and monthlies, spending hours flipping through them, reveling in the twists and turns of other people’s deceptively perfect lives…
— It’s aimed at a male audience. I only recently acquired it. The previous owner was obsessed with showbiz, but I want to turn it into a serious, prestigious publication. For mature, professional men. It’s called ‘Gentleman.’
— Oh God, what a cliché name!
— If you become editor-in-chief, you can change it to whatever you like, — Igor Alexandrovich smiled with satisfaction. It seemed he’d finally managed to spark his daughter’s interest. Maybe now her energy would be channeled in the right direction.
— Dad, you phrased that wrong. Not ‘if,’ but ‘when.’ Because it’s only a matter of time!
— I hope it’ll be easy for you to stick to the terms of our agreement, — Virsky took a final sip and set his cup aside.
— Pfft, challenges! — Eva rolled her eyes. — Consider the editor-in-chief position already mine!
— Well, we’ll see about that. You can start work on Monday. The paperwork and a list of your responsibilities will be sent to your email. Take care!
And with that, he quickly stood up and left the café, leaving Eva alone with her pastries and her newfound career plans…