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.

Soon, life picked up pace. Lana began her new responsibilities at her late father’s company alongside Robert. He immediately threw himself into the production department with confident expertise, while Lana took over payment control and client contracts. Little by little, things started moving. Maybe not from a standstill, but definitely out of stagnation. New orders came in, promising proposals appeared, and productivity improved. Weeks passed, then months. Time flew in the whirlwind of work. The new management team settled in and adapted well. Meanwhile, Lana and Robert’s professional relationship gradually turned into something warm and friendly. Yes, she was his girlfriend’s friend—but she couldn’t help secretly sighing for him. Every effort to suppress her attraction failed. In fact, the more she tried, the more drawn to him she became. She knew it was wrong—but couldn’t stop herself. Her own life was on the rise. Nothing was stopping her from building her happiness. Everything was going well—except for one thing: the man of her dreams couldn’t be hers. And no one else even registered on her radar. Her eyes were always searching for Robert. Her heart always pulled toward him. She often admired him from afar—from her office window, around a corner, from the side, or from the gates. Even just hearing his name gave her a thrill. The look in his brown eyes, his voice, his gestures—everything stirred her imagination and ignited a deep desire to win his heart and mind. Sometimes her fantasies carried her so far that she could barely stop herself from making a move. The passion inside her beat like a wild bird trapped in a cage—restless and persistent.

One day, they were having lunch together, and Robert kept trying to call Victoria. She didn’t answer. He set the phone on the table, lost in thought. Lana had a pretty good idea of where his girlfriend was—or rather, with whom. She was tempted to open his eyes and free him from that toxic relationship. But betraying her closest friend wasn’t something she could do lightly. Excusing herself, she left the table and went to the ladies’ room. At the sink, she looked at herself in the mirror, breathing heavily, thinking. There was no doubt—she had fallen in love with Robert. With all her soul and body. And if you really thought about it—they were a great match in every way. They worked together. They could build a beautiful future. There was a house, and a running business! But what about him and Victoria? Happiness? Marriage? Kids? Unlikely. Most likely, in a couple of months, they’d tire of each other and break up. Someone would end up with a broken heart. And if it was Victoria—then Lana’s chances of earning his trust, as a woman, would shrink. If it was the other way around—it would be even harder to start anything with him, knowing the tears her friend had shed. Right now—before they crossed that line where people start to grow into each other, bone to bone—there was still a chance. A tiny one, but It existed.