Page 58 of Ruthless Serenade
Alexis tries again, her voice gentle and friendly. "I love your T-shirt, Sharon. Are those stars on them? They’re very pretty."
Sharon nods once, almost imperceptibly, but keeps her face downcast.
"You know, when I was little, I had a bunny just like yours," Alexis continues, undeterred by Sharon’s silence. "His name was Mr. Jumpy, and he was always with me, wherever I went."
Sharon raises her eyes just a fraction, peeking at Alexis through her lashes. But as soon as my sister meets her gaze, her eyes dart away, and she shrinks back against me.
"Sharon just takes a while to warm up to new people," I explain, rubbing soothing circles on Sharon’s back. "Right, baby?"
Sharon nods slightly.
Alexis straightens. "That’s okay. We’ve got all the time in the world to get to know each other. Don’t we, Sharon?"
Sharon doesn’t respond, but her grip on my shirt loosens just a fraction. I feel a surge of gratitude for Alexis’s patience and understanding.
"How about we all sit down, and I make us some hot chocolate?" I suggest, trying to diffuse the tension. "Would you like some, baby?"
Sharon hesitates for a moment, then nods once, her head still bowed. I guide her over to the couch, settling her onto it. Alexis takes a seat on the armchair, making sure to give Sharon space.
A few minutes later, as I return from the kitchen with three mugs of hot chocolate, I pause to take in the scene before me. Alexis is still speaking to Sharon, her voice warm and gentle. Sharon sits quietly on the couch, her gaze occasionally flickering toward her aunt. There’s still some tension in her small frame, but it’s less pronounced than before. I never would have expected this, but my sister is doing a surprisingly good job at helping Sharon feel at ease. Watching the two of them share the same space, I can’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, we’re taking the first steps toward healing.
Maybe one day… we might actually function as a family again.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Maron
"Not bad, Korolev."
That’s what I tell myself as I settle back into my leather chair. I’ve just reviewed the latest reports on Tramoxine, and the numbers speak for themselves. Our 'miracle drug' is surpassing even our most optimistic projections. Profits are skyrocketing, and demand is practically endless.
My eyes scan over a chart that shows our market domination. We’re not just ahead of the competition; we’re crushing them. Tramoxine has become the go-to solution for managing mental health conditions, much to the delight of our shareholders.
I glance at my watch. In fifteen minutes, I’ll be attending a board meeting to discuss plans for expanding our production and distribution. I can already feel the taste of victory on my tongue.
As I sit here, thinking about charts, profits, and strategies for market expansion, an uninvited thought breaks through. Mindy. What could she be doing right now? Is she happy? Does she ever think about me?
Stop that, mudak!
I quickly snap myself back to focus. I can’t allow my mind to be elsewhere, at least not right now. This meeting is important and I have to be fully present. Besides, I already asked Pavelto dig up everything he can on Mindy. In just a few days, I’ll know all about her current life - where she lives, if she’s seeing someone, if that little girl is hers – the whole goddamn package. Then, I can decide my next move. Until then, I just have to be patient. Which is not exactly my strongest suit.
Some minutes later, the intercom buzzes, jolting me from my reverie. "Mr. Korolev, the board is waiting for you in the conference room," my assistant’s voice crackles through the speaker.
"On my way," I respond, straightening my tie and grabbing my laptop.
I stride into the conference room like a lion entering its pride. The board members straighten in their seats, their eyes hungry and expectant. Every single one of them is a vulture in a tailored suit, only here for one thing: the promise of green. Lucky for them, I’m about to feed their insatiable appetite.
Sitting in the front row is Igor, my lead chemist. His expression is calm and focused. As I take my seat next to him at the head of the table, the air is taut with anticipation.
"Good morning, gentlemen," I begin talking, my fingers dancing over the remote control. The lights dim, and the presentation flickers to life on the screen behind me. "Ready to have your minds blown?" A small laughter ripples across the room but as the first slide appears, their eyes widen. "As you can see, Tramoxine isn’t just meeting expectations, it’s exceeding them. Profits are up 200% from last quarter."
I tap on the next slide, revealing another dramatic graph. "As you can see here, demand isn’t just going up. It’s reaching astronomical levels." A murmur of recognition echoes through the room.
I click through the slides, each one more impressive than the last. Bar graphs climb like skyscrapers, pie charts bulge obscenely, and line graphs soar off the charts. It’s financial pornography and my audience is getting off on it.
"Here, you will note," I say, gesturing to a particularly gaudy chart, "our market penetration is unprecedented. We’re not just cornering the market; we’re choking the life out of our competition."
By the time I reach the final slide, the board members are practically salivating on the table. I sit down and settle back with a smirk on my face. "Any questions?"
