“You’re nobody without me.”
Anna looked at her reflection and smiled a little.
“I’m somebody without you,” she said out loud. “And that’s all that matters.”
It was a bright spring noon. A nice, light – filled office with the smell of fresh coffee and blooming plants.
Anna was sitting at the desk in her very own “ASdesign” studio. By now, she had split from Arkady. In front of her were the sketches for a new project, a restaurant in a historic building by the river. It was one of the biggest and most important jobs of her career.
The studio was doing great. In two years, Anna had set up a modern office overlooking the city center, put together a team of seven really talented specialists, and built a portfolio that even made her competitors jealous. Of course, not everything went smoothly. There were failed projects, money problems, and conflicts with clients. But each tough time just made her stronger.
“Anna Sergeyevna,” Svetlana said, peeking into the office and holding on to the door frame. “A candidate for the manager job is here. A tall guy in a blue jacket.”
“Okay,” Anna said, finishing the last touch on her blueprint without looking up. “Take him to the meeting room and get him some coffee.”
She checked how she looked in the mirror and went downstairs. The position needed the perfect person, someone who could manage all the projects, deal with even the most difficult clients, and make sure everything got done on time. After the last manager left, the team had been working really hard.
When she opened the meeting room door, Anna froze in the doorway.
Sitting at the table was Igor.
His reaction was just as shocked. His face showed all kinds of emotions, from surprise to embarrassment.
“Anna?” His voice sounded different, without his usual confidence. And he looked different too. His suit didn’t fit right anymore, his hair was starting to turn gray, and the wrinkles were more noticeable.
