Every morning before heading to work, Eva grabbed a coffee and strolled into the city park across the street from the bank where she worked. Today was no exception. This winter morning was clear, but pretty chilly and cold. Eva took a deep breath of the fresh, crisp air. The city hadn’t fully woken up yet; the roads weren’t jammed with cars, and only a few people hurried along here and there, rushing to their jobs. A pleasant quiet hung in the air… She tilted her head back, admiring the trees with their branches still dusted with shimmering frost. Absolutely stunning… But what mattered most to her was this early winter silence, which filled her with positive energy for the entire workday ahead.
Eva still had some time, so she walked unhurriedly toward a long oak bench, lightly dusted with fresh snow from the night before. But in her warm puffer jacket, she wouldn’t mind sitting there for a bit. Suddenly, she noticed a guy with a hoodie pulled over his head, sprinting full speed and glancing back over his shoulder. Probably running from someone, she thought, stepping aside to the edge of the path to let him pass. He darted by without issue, and Eva watched him go. Then she turned to continue on her way, relieved that he hadn’t bumped into her and her coffee was still safe. But at that exact moment, another man slammed into her, clearly trying to catch up to the fleeing guy. Eva nearly lost her balance, amazed she managed to stay on her feet. Unfortunately, her coffee didn’t survive the collision—it spilled, not on herself or the snow, but all over the stranger.
“What the hell,” the man cursed, jumping back from the scalding liquid now soaking him. “You clumsy idiot, standing in the way… now I’ll never catch him…”
“You ran into me—” Eva started, her voice shaky with shock.
“Moron,” the man kept yelling, hurling insults at her. “Dumbass… why are you just standing there gawking? You’ve ruined my clothes… What a lousy morning, and where did all of you come from to mess up my day? Why are you frozen like a statue?”
The stranger yanked off his black leather jacket, then his white shirt, since the coffee had soaked right through it—he’d been running with his jacket unzipped.
“Are you hurt?” Eva ventured, eyeing the red mark on his chest. “Can I take a look? Maybe I can help somehow.”
“Don’t you dare touch me, you klutz,” he snapped at her again. “Get out of my sight.”
Eva didn’t push it, standing still as she tried to get a grip on her emotions. Her morning was pretty much ruined, and so was her mood.
“There’s no need to yell at me or insult me. It’s your fault—you should’ve watched where you were going,” Eva shot back, then turned sharply and headed toward the bank. She didn’t feel like doing anything else now. “Jerk and a total ass…” she muttered under her breath.
“What did you just say?” she heard him call after her, but she didn’t look back.
Another man jogged past her on the path, then stopped near his buddy.
“Dan, man, what happened to you? Why are you standing half-naked in the middle of the park? It’s freezing, even if spring’s around the corner. You trying to toughen up or something?”
“Screw off, Tony, I’m not in the mood for jokes,” Dan said, pulling his leather jacket back on over his bare skin and tossing the stained shirt into a trash can by the bench. “I barely parked and stepped away from my car when I saw some punk trying to steal it. Good thing I noticed and took off after him. But I couldn’t catch the bastard—he got away…”
“Didn’t the alarm go off?” Tony asked.
“I didn’t turn it on. Thought I’d just grab some cigarettes and coffee real quick and be back. Then this clumsy chick got in my way and spilled coffee all over me. How am I supposed to go to the bank looking like this?” Dan kicked a pile of snow in frustration, venting his anger. “Tell me, why did this morning have to start so badly? I was sure you’d be late too and wouldn’t get me the folder with the documents on time.”
“You know I try never to be late. But just so you know, I’m not in a great mood either. Katya’s pissed at me because during an argument I called her spoiled and unhinged. So I had to call her a cab in the middle of the night. After that, I couldn’t sleep,” Tony admitted, pulling a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and offering one to his friend. “Lately, nothing’s ever right with her. She’s driving me up the wall.”
“I feel you,” Dan said, lighting up. “I need to buy a new shirt somewhere.”
“Stores aren’t open yet,” Tony said, glancing at his watch. “But I can swing by your place and grab one for you.”
“Nah, we’ll waste too much time. I’ll just go to the bank like this and keep my jacket on. I want to solve at least one problem this morning. Did you get all the documents ready?” Dan asked, his tone turning serious.
“Yeah,” Tony nodded. “The folder’s in my car. The bank just opened, so we’ve still got time for a coffee.”
“I’ve had enough coffee for one day. Thanks to that idiot, I had to deal with a real mess first thing in the morning. Let’s go,” Dan said, flicking his cigarette butt away and heading toward the parking lot to grab the papers.
“I thought she was kinda cute, honestly. She’s got this mysterious face, and her figure, those legs… I’d totally hit that and forget all about Katya. Too bad I couldn’t see her hair under the hat and scarf. Wonder if she’s a blonde, brunette, or maybe a redhead. What do you think?”
“I think she’s probably bald,” Dan said, stopping by Tony’s car. “Enough about her. You’re losing your taste if you’re into someone like that. Let’s hit a club tonight instead. We’ll have some drinks, check out some actually hot girls, and pick up a couple for the night. I’m craving something new… Tomorrow’s Saturday, the weekend, so we can start unwinding tonight.”
“What about your girls, Masha and Toma? You bored of them already?” Tony asked, pulling the folder from his car and handing it to Dan.
“They’re dull. Can’t even hold a conversation. Besides their looks, they’ve got nothing going for them. Definitely no brains. So, we’re on for tonight—I won’t be at the office today. You’ll manage without me?”
“Of course… Alright, see you tonight. I’ll give you a call,” Tony agreed. “Good luck at the bank.”
“Hope I get some luck there, at least.”
Eva shrugged off her puffer jacket and hat, then changed her shoes. The unpleasant feeling from earlier still lingered. She tied her long, dark hair into a ponytail, touched up her lips with a bit of gloss, pinned her name badge to her white blouse, and smoothed out her black skirt, which hugged her hips and accentuated her slim figure. Alright, she was ready to take her spot at her desk and start helping clients. Too bad she didn’t get to enjoy her coffee or soak in the morning quiet, breathing in the fresh air. That clumsy jerk had ruined her whole morning, especially with his nasty insults.
“Hey, Eva,” Lesya, her friend and fellow bank employee, greeted her. “I thought I’d be late and get chewed out. Eva, you look down again today. That forced smile on your face isn’t hiding a thing. What’s wrong?”
Lesya quickly shed her winter coat and started fixing herself up. She was a bit shorter than Eva and not as thin as her friend and colleague.
“When did you dye your hair?” Eva asked, dodging the question as she checked out Lesya’s new look.
“Looks good, right? I think platinum blonde suits me best,” Lesya said, adjusting her curls. “It’s all for him. Tonight, we’re finally meeting up. Yevhen invited me to a nightclub. So, be ready to come with me after work.”
“With you?” Eva asked, confused. “Why drag me along on your date? I’ll just be a third wheel.”
“You’ve got it wrong,” Lesya said, linking arms with Eva as they headed to the main hall to take their places at their desks. “You’re coming as a backup. Just sit somewhere in the corner and keep an eye out. If things go south, I’ll signal you, and you’ll come over and get me out of there. Make up some excuse.”
“What could go wrong? You two seem to get along great over the phone, and from the pictures, Yevhen looks pretty handsome. Unless he’s totally different in person. That’s the downside of dating apps—you never know what to expect in real life,” Eva said, settling at her desk. “Don’t worry, I’ll go with you. I just don’t get why a nightclub. He could’ve asked you to a café on a weekend. Tomorrow’s Saturday, after all…”
“Enough, Eva. Let’s not overthink what he could or couldn’t have done,” Lesya said, waving her hand dismissively. Then she leaned in close and whispered so no one else could hear, “If he’s as hot as he looks in his pics, I’m jumping his bones right away. I’ll go home with him, and you can take a cab back on your own. Cool?”
“Whatever you say. But maybe don’t rush into things?” Eva asked.
“I haven’t had sex in two months, and you’re telling me not to rush? You should start looking for someone too, or you’ll end up an old maid. When was the last time you even got any? Bet you can’t even remember.”
“Lesya, go take your spot. Clients are starting to come in,” Eva said, not wanting to continue the conversation on that topic.
The bank where Eva worked had a solid reputation and earned the trust of its clients. Successful local entrepreneurs wanted to do business with this bank, opening accounts and taking out loans. The service was top-notch, which was another big plus.
“Eva,” Nina Volodymyrivna, the branch manager, approached her. “We have a special client today. I need you to give him your full attention and do everything to ensure he leaves satisfied. Take care of every detail and cater to all his requests—work-related, of course. We can’t afford to lose this client. He owns a major freight transport company, and… well, just be at your best.”
“Of course, Nina Volodymyrivna,” Eva nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle everything.”
“I know you will, which is why I’m assigning him to you. I’ll go meet him now,” Nina said, adjusting her blouse. “Just one thing, Eva—don’t lose your head over such a good-looking guy.”
Eva only raised an eyebrow, holding back a smirk. She wasn’t the type to get flustered around attractive men. For the past three years, she hadn’t dated anyone and had no desire to. After her ex-boyfriend had physically hurt her badly, she’d lost all interest in love or being loved. So she brushed off her manager’s last comment, noticing that Nina herself seemed to be the one getting a little starry-eyed.
“Eva Oleksandrivna is one of our best employees. I’m confident you’ll be pleased with both her service and our bank,” Nina said, leading the new client to Eva’s desk. “Feel free to take off your coat—it’s quite warm in here. And if you’d like, stop by my office afterward, and we can have a coffee together.”
“Thanks,” Eva heard a familiar voice reply. “I can’t seem to warm up today, so I’ll keep the jacket on. And unfortunately, I’m a bit short on time…”
He froze the moment he saw the woman who’d spilled coffee on him earlier that morning, the one he’d taken out his frustration on with harsh words, the one he’d called a mess.
“Allow me to introduce you. This is Eva Oleksandrivna, the best financial consultant at our bank, and this is Denys Maksymovych Antypov…”
“Are you sure she’s…”
“I assure you, Denys Maksymovych, Eva Oleksandrivna is the best,” Nina said, leaving them to it.