It was a moment of victory. Anna watched from the side as people admired her work, not knowing who the real creator was. She felt that special joy of being a creator.
“Let me give you a share in the business,” Arkady said three months later, when “Sadovoye” had become one of the most popular spots in the city and there was a line of clients waiting for Anna. “Five percent. You bring in customers, you have your own ideas, and you’re basically leading the department. It’s time to make our relationship official.”
Anna looked at the contract carefully. Owning her own studio, even under the “Kontrast” name, was more than she could’ve hoped for a year ago.
As she signed the paper, she felt her fingers shaking.
“Congratulations, partner,” Arkady said, holding out his hand.
That evening, she and Marina went to the same bar where they used to celebrate small wins.
“I always knew you’d make it,” Marina said, raising her glass. “You’ve had potential since the very first year. It’s just too bad it took ten years for you to find it.”
Anna shook her head.
“No regrets. This journey was necessary. Every step, every mistake made me who I am today.”
She didn’t mention the most important part. All these months, she had been waiting for a call from Igor. First, she was scared of him. Then she hoped.
And then she just waited, like she was waiting for some normal, everyday thing, without getting too excited. But the call never came.
At home, she walked through the rooms that now felt different. Not because she had redone them, but because the space was no longer shared.
Now it was her place, with her things all over the table, her shoes in the hallway, and her favorite cup that wasn’t hidden in the back of the cupboard anymore.
In the bathroom, a photo from the grateful clients of the “Sadovoye” café was hanging on the mirror. In it, she was smiling, holding a glass, in front of her first successful project.
