Payment Lily Rizk

“Good morning.”

“And to you…”

“Something wrong?” Victoria asked, stretching and yawning like a flexible little red-haired cat.

Lana lowered her eyes.

“Not really…”

They lived in a dormitory connected to a small factory. The girls were doing their internship after graduating from the Rostov Institute for Entrepreneurial Protection. They shared a tiny room for two. It had only the bare essentials—a table with chairs, a wardrobe, and two beds—but it was enough for them.

Lana was sitting cross-legged on her bed, lost in gloomy thoughts. After a while, she looked at her friend and asked:

“How was your date last night?”

Victoria stood up and, tossing her head slightly, replied:

“I think I drank a bit too much. But otherwise, it was great—as always!”

She opened the wardrobe door against the wall, rummaged through the shelf, pulled out a towel, and slowly left the room. As she walked away, she threw over her shoulder:

“Lanushka, put the kettle on—we’ll have some coffee!”

Left sitting in place, Lana watched her go with a gloomy expression.

Half an hour later, they were already having breakfast—sandwiches and coffee. Victoria was doing her makeup at the same time, looking into the small mirror in her powder compact.

“Soon, I’ll have my own beauty salon,” she said dreamily, brushing her already long lashes from below upwards.

“Uh-huh…”

“Well, come on, tell me—what happened with you?”

“Nothing,” Lana muttered, stirring her lukewarm coffee with a spoon, her head lowered.

Victoria set her makeup aside and looked at her friend attentively.

“Didn’t work out again?”

Without lifting her eyes, Lana shook her head.

Smirking slightly and thinking for a moment, Victoria suggested:

“How about we give you a little makeover? New hairstyle, some makeup, hmm?” A spark lit up in her eyes.

Lana looked at her with a sullen expression.

“You think that’ll help?”

“I’m sure of it!”

That evening, the girls went to a disco at a private club called Mona Lisa, where they were let in thanks to one of Victoria’s good connections. As planned, Lana’s hair had been styled into long wavy curls, she had bold makeup on, and she wore a beautiful turquoise dress that showed off her figure.

When they entered, Lana’s eyes widened at the variety of fashionable and attractive people. A mix of perfumes hit her nose. Judging by her slightly bewildered look, it was clear she had never been to a place like this before.

“Oh, relax already!” Victoria said, tugging at her sleeve.

Someone then pulled Victoria aside, and she shouted to Lana, pointing toward the far end of the room, telling her to go to a reserved table. Then she disappeared into the crowd.

Lana slowly made her way through the dancing bodies, watching her step and trying not to bump into anyone. Suddenly, a guy grabbed her arm, stopping her. He started dancing and motioned for her to join his circle. Rhythmic lights shattered into beams, rapidly switching from darkness to bright flashes, creating a slow-motion effect. Everything around her felt surreal, as if she were dreaming. The thundering bass mixed with the hum of voices and noises pounded not just in her head but seemed to vibrate through her whole body. As she turned, her elbow accidentally knocked into a man holding a drink.

“Damn it! Are you drunk?!” she heard the guy shout behind her.

Turning around quickly, she saw a dark-haired man wiping a spilled drink from his light shirt with a napkin. He gave her a furious look and grumbled something under his breath.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” she said loudly. The man leaned in to hear her better. At that moment, Lana caught the scent of his cologne and something else… She closed her eyes, inhaling with delight. Something strange happened inside her, as if something clicked. She suddenly wanted to stay in that position—with her lips near his neck—forever. But he straightened up. Throwing her a brief glance, he gave a faint smile.

His features softened, and she realized he wasn’t angry anymore.

That look from his brown eyes and his smile left her dazed. She parted her lips and stared at him.

Just then, the persistent dancer yanked her arm again, more forcefully this time, and pulled her into a dance. Spinning unexpectedly, she lost her balance and fell against his chest like in a fiery tango. But instead of being thrilled, she was furious at the interruption of her magical moment with her dream man. She shoved the dancer away and snapped:

“Are you crazy? What the hell are you doing?!”

Unfazed, the guy kept dancing. Biting his lower lip, he started tracing the outline of her body with his hands. He squatted down and slowly rose again, mimicking the movements of a snake—completely ignoring her obvious outrage. Lana was both bewildered and slightly amused by his antics. After a few seconds, she lifted her arms and started moving in sync with the beat. Wasn’t this what she came here for, after all? She quickly glanced at the young man she had just apologized to, hoping he would notice and appreciate her. But unfortunately, the brown-eyed stranger was gone. Lana sighed in frustration and turned back to her dance partner. After a couple more tracks, a slow song began, and the dance floor thinned out. Lana decided to take a break and finally reached the reserved table. She placed the sign aside, and two minutes later, a waiter approached, asking her name and offering a menu. She ordered water, not daring to get anything else. Still, some drinks and appetizers were served. Around that time, Victoria reappeared.

“I thought you weren’t coming back,” Lana said, slightly offended.

“Sorry, darling, had to pay for the evening somehow,” her friend shrugged, pulling a drink closer to herself.

“Vika, were you just with the owner of this place?” Lana asked wide-eyed.

“Almost. With his close friend. We were sitting at that table,” she pointed somewhere deep into the hall. Then, sipping her cocktail, she narrowed her eyes and added, “You dance beautifully, by the way. Kostya said he’d love to see you here more often.”

“Kostya who?”

“The guy you were dancing with,” she said before taking another big sip and choking on the strength of the drink. Her throat tightened, and her eyes squeezed shut.

Lana sat there, mouth agape, staring at her. So it was Victoria who had sent that dancer her way… A minute later, a man approached and invited Victoria to dance. She turned away and made a face, but then instantly flashed him a dazzling smile, placed her hand in his, and rose gracefully. He led her to the middle of the hall, drenched in romantic light.

Victoria was a stunning girl. Her green eyes, framed by thick lashes and long arched brows, were irresistible. No man could withstand her charms. One look into those eyes, and he would be lost forever. Her beautiful face was complemented by a slender body, a narrow waist, and curvy, seductive hips. Whenever she walked among other girls, she was sure all the men’s eyes were on her. But Lana was also quite attractive—a tall, slim girl with long light brown hair usually braided over her shoulder. Still, she felt she lacked allure and sex appeal. Over time, she had become more and more conscious of her perceived flaws. These thoughts fed her insecurity, especially after repeated failures in her love life, pushing her deeper into self-doubt. Victoria had been her friend since childhood—first classmates, then college mates. They enrolled together and, after graduation, even did their internships side by side. Everyone who knew them saw them as sisters, a pair of “Twix,” Siamese twins. This, despite their completely different lifestyles and personalities. It amazed even them how they’d managed to stay close for over a decade.

Lana’s parents were wealthy and respected people in Rostov. Her father, Viktor Alexandrovich, owned a small metalwork factory making gates, fences, and similar items. The business did well, and the family lacked nothing. He had money—and mistresses—though he tried not to hurt his wife. Olga Nikolaevna, Lana’s mother, perhaps weary of his lifestyle, also had her own affairs. Left to herself, their daughter found peace in her friendship with the prettiest girl in class—then college. She even chose the same university as her beloved Vika, so they wouldn’t be separated.

Victoria, on the other hand, had no such privileges or family prestige. She preferred not to talk about her parents. They barely made ends meet, and whatever they earned went straight to booze. They lived in an old house inherited from her father’s parents, likely untouched since it was built. She ran away after high school and never returned. Her parents had another child—Igor—who was constantly in and out of prison for robbery and assault. Victoria had to survive on her own. As she grew up and realized that her looks drew attention from men, she figured out how to use it to her advantage. And she did. She learned how to seduce and manipulate men.

Lana watched the dancing couple thoughtfully. “That must be the friend of the club’s owner,” she thought. The man, pleasant-looking and slightly above average height, was gazing at Victoria with affection, confidently leading her across the dance floor.