Sonya, in my opinion, it’s easier to implement it than to revive it,” the father remarked.
Sophia was in the parent’s office, reviewing some documentation.
“Dad, who was actually behind the wheel?”
“Oh, there’s a whole story there. Once, my cousin came to see me. She got married and had a son. For a long time, she elaborated on his talents—how outstanding he was and how hard it was for him to find a worthy place in life. In short, we never got along, and so, to avoid making things worse, I offered him this position.
At that time the firm was very small, but I planned to grow. You had just gone abroad for your studies. And you know, initially things went quite well. The guy was educated and had the knack for it. We expanded rather quickly.
The father paused.
“But then something happened in their family, and he abandoned his duties. He disappeared—I don’t know where. But then his little sister reappeared and offered us, instead of a son, his father. She insisted that the father had always supported his son, that he was aware of everything, and that every successful deal Maxim had was thanks to the parent.
Since then, complete chaos has ensued. You understand—we grew here, things in the south were booming. I simply didn’t have enough time to keep up with what was happening. And now, analyzing it, I realize—it’s easier to sell than to revive.”
“Dad, wait. Let’s try anyway. Let me take charge of it. And if it works out, will it be mine?”
“Sonya, why burden yourself with trivial matters? Pick any one of our stable companies. I’ll gladly assign it to you.”
“No, Dad. Those companies are already set up. I want to build something from scratch.”
Gennady Viktorovich smiled.
“Sonya, you’ll just be wasting your time. Although, to be honest, I appreciate your approach. Now I’m sure—you’ve grown into a smart and independent woman.”
Sophia laughed.
“Dad, I’m already 28. Haven’t you forgotten all the years I spent gaining practical experience?”
“I remember everything. But to me, you’ll always be a child.”
“And what will Mom say about my plan?”
Sophia sighed.
“Dad, maybe you should talk to her yourself? I’m a bit scared.”
Gennady Viktorovich looked at his daughter in alarm and sighed resignedly. He was completely unable to say no to either Sonya or his wife, always trying not to upset them.
“What a mess! No one can pass or even get through!”
Sophia shuddered. For a week, she had been working in the office as a cleaner. She didn’t interfere or ask questions—she simply observed. And she figured out one thing: the director was not just a fool, but a crowned blockhead—in other words, a complete amateur.
He allowed himself to give absurd orders just to show off his power. The company’s financial situation was catastrophic. Sonya hadn’t yet fully figured it out, but she was determined to understand everything.
“Sorry, I got lost in thought,” Sophia quickly said as she grabbed the bucket and prepared to leave.
But Viktor Viktorovich stopped her.
“I don’t understand. Who gave you permission to leave?”
Sophia raised an eyebrow.
“What, I have to ask someone for permission?”
Viktor Viktorovich nearly choked with anger.
“You do,” his voice broke into a falsetto. “As long as I’m here, I decide who goes where. Understand?”
“Even to the bathroom you need your permission?” retorted Sophia.
Laughter was heard around. The boss turned threateningly, but everyone immediately pretended to be busy with work. And when he turned back, he found that Sophia had disappeared.
“Well, maybe it’s for the best,” he thought. Viktor Viktorovich always got flustered when someone argued with him.
His mood was completely ruined. “How dare she? A little smartass! I’m a respected person in this city. No one holds a position like mine!” And what position? In essence, he was almost the owner of everything.
Viktor Viktorovich looked around for someone on whom he could vent his anger, but found no one. Lately, he had been trying to keep his temper in check. People simply no longer wanted to work for them. And he hadn’t increased salaries in a long time. He could fire employees in minutes. So he had to restrain himself—even though he hated it.
He went to his office. He still needed to sign a contract with a new supplier—one he had found himself. Such wonderful prices! Yes, the product wasn’t very high quality, but he was merely a middleman, so the bribes went smoothly. And the profit margin, which already warmed his heart, could be pocketed later.
Viktor Viktorovich took the papers and headed to the office where the accountant and economist were working. The doors were always open, as the office was oppressively hot. The air conditioner worked only in his office. In the other rooms it was turned off—allegedly to save money.
“Alevtina Vasilievna, print this,” he ordered.
Sophia was mopping nearby and listening carefully.
“But, Viktor Viktorovich, you know that firm. No one wants to get involved with them. I think, given our situation, it’s not worth the risk,” the accountant objected.
Viktor Viktorovich blushed, then turned pale.
“I! And only I decide what and when the firm does things!”
The woman in the office raised her voice as well.
“And I’m not getting involved in this! With the salary you pay, I could sit at home and occasionally prepare reports for small companies.”
Irina Sergeyevna, the economist who had worked here since its opening, stood before the boss:
“Fire him! But know this—your scheming will eventually come to light.”
Sophia straightened up. Finally, she had found someone who could help her shed light on everything.
Viktor Viktorovich tried to avoid conflicts with the employees in that office. They knew too much. But now he couldn’t allow them to speak to him that way. He alternated between blushing and paling, unable to get a word out.
“Water?”—next to him, as if by magic, Sophia appeared.
And then he exploded:
“What the hell are you doing, running around under my feet all day? Who are you? A cleaner? So you’re cleaning my floors! What exactly do you need in this office? Now, get out!”
Sophia smiled calmly.
“Viktor Viktorovich, perhaps you aren’t aware, but even with cleaners one cannot speak like that.”
Irina Sergeyevna grabbed her bag and headed for the exit.
“Come on, dear, this man is unstable.”
Viktor Viktorovich even stamped his foot.
“Irina Sergeyevna, get back to your place immediately!”
The woman removed her hand from Sophia’s shoulder and smiled at her. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” she thought. Then she turned to the boss and said with pleasure:
“Go to hell, old grump! I’ve never seen anyone dumber than you!”
Viktor Viktorovich’s jaw dropped. They had already left the office, yet he still couldn’t keep silent.
“What’s going on here? I’m going to fire everyone!” he burst out.
Sophia was mopping in the hall, while any trace of Irina Sergeyevna had long vanished.
“Where is she?” the boss roared.
Sophia looked up innocently.
“Who?”
“Our economist!”
The boss was yelling so loudly that his voice cracked.
“I don’t know. And why are you all yelling at me?”
Viktor Viktorovich gasped for air and dashed back into the office. “Just another second, and he would have pounced on that girl,” thought Sophia as she tossed the mop aside. It probably wouldn’t be needed anymore.
She had insisted that Irina Sergeyevna wait for her at the café across from the office.
At the café, the woman was sitting at a table, drinking tea. Her hands trembled slightly.
“Sonya, is that you? You have no idea how bitter I am. I devoted so many years to this firm…”
“Irina Sergeyevna, don’t worry so much. Everything will be fine.”
The woman sighed.
“But where will it be fine, Sonya? When Maxim was the head, everything was different. And where did he go?”
“Well, his own father survived. He got into a scandal with his son for not giving him enough money. He constantly proposed dubious deals that Maxim refused. And then, apparently, through his boss he ended up here.”
“Do you have his contact details?”
“Yes, they must be somewhere. We were very close. A good guy. Sonya, why are you so interested?”
Sophia smiled.
“Perhaps it’s time to introduce myself. My name is Sophia Gennadyevna Severskaya.”
“Severskaya? Wait, that’s the surname of the company’s owner!”
“You’re absolutely right. Gennady Viktorovich is my father. He wanted to sell this company as unprofitable, but we talked and decided to try to save it. Irina Sergeyevna, I want you to understand—of course, you’re not fired, and your salary will be significantly higher. I need your help.”
Irina Sergeyevna looked at her with wide eyes, then smiled.
“You will succeed! I’ll help you with everything. Just promise one thing—fire Viktor Viktorovich in a way that everyone sees it.”
Sophia sighed.
“You see, Irina Sergeyevna, judging by what remains of the firm now, one firing might not be enough. So much money has been invested here, and it’s unprofitable. I think if we dig deeper, we’ll uncover many interesting things.”
“You will definitely find something, Sophia Gennadyevna! I beg you. After all, it used to be so good…” Irina Sergeyevna smiled through tears. “Yes, thank you, Sonya.”
From that day, in a rented apartment, Sophia organized an entire headquarters. She still went to the office to clean, but now with a definite purpose.
Maxim turned out to be not only a programmer and manager but possessed many other skills. Even Sophia, with her education abroad, sometimes found herself at a loss for words.
Now, while cleaning, she was downloading information onto flash drives. One day, when Viktor Viktorovich wasn’t around, she went to clean his office—a task permitted only under his supervision. But, firstly, Sophia felt nauseated around him, and secondly, he probably wouldn’t have allowed her to simply copy data.
She had already hidden a flash drive in her pocket and was mopping the floor (not without reason she had stopped by) when the door burst open and the owner of the office himself appeared at the threshold.
“What are you doing here?” he shouted so loudly that it deafened everyone.
Sophia put on an innocent expression.
“Just cleaning.”
“I forbade tidying up in my office when I’m not here!” he rushed to the desk, reviewed the documents that Sophia had photographed first, and then turned to her: “That’s it! This was the last straw! I’ll wipe you out into dust!”
Employees began gathering around the office. Everyone was curious about the commotion, especially since it didn’t directly concern them.
“What for?” Sophia asked innocently.
“Quickly write your resignation! Without any pay! Get out of here!”
Sophia straightened up. How fed up she was with him.
“Okay. But I’ll come submit my resignation in the morning.”
“Now!”
Sophia smiled.
“In the morning. See you tomorrow, Viktor Viktorovich.”
She walked down the corridor. The employees lined up and watched her with admiration. None of them would dare speak to the boss like that. He had enough connections to put them all on a blacklist.
They barely slept that night. Early in the morning, her father arrived.
“So, what kind of guerrilla headquarters have you organized here?”
After reviewing the documents, he shook his head.
“Guys, this is enough for Ryzhikov to get ten years in prison!”
Maxim coughed.
“Excuse me, but perhaps you’ll allow him to get back everything he has so that… well, we can avoid jail? We’re not on the best of terms, but after all, he’s my father.”
Gennady Viktorovich waved his hand dismissively.
“We’ll figure it out. Let’s go.”
When the office employees saw Sophia, one could paint a picture called “Silent Amazement.” And Sophia had simply returned to her usual style—loose hair, high heels, skinny trousers.
“Hello everyone! Is management here? I’ve come to resign.”
She was followed by Maxim, her father, and Irina Sergeyevna. When the latter was seen, the employees burst into laughter, but the woman put a finger to her lips.
“Quiet! Or you won’t want to see our boss fly out of here?”
Then someone recognized Gennady Viktorovich.
“That’s him! He!”
Sophia flung open the office door without knocking.
“Hello, Viktor Viktorovich!”
He looked up.
“What the…?”
And then he saw his son, then Gennady Viktorovich, and finally Irina Sergeyevna. Judging by his paling face, he understood everything immediately.
“Why didn’t you warn me? Have a seat!”
Gennady Viktorovich shook his head.
“Thank you, but let’s get straight to the point,” he said, lifting a folder. “Here are enough materials and documents to send you to prison for ten years. But you have such a wonderful son who pleaded for you. I know how much money you have in your accounts. You will transfer it all to the company’s account by this evening. Not one extra kopeck—and you’re off to jail. Now, get out of here!”
Viktor Viktorovich stepped back.
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
At that moment, Maxim couldn’t hold it in.
“Dad, do you really want him to go to jail?”
Viktor Viktorovich disappeared from the office. Gennady Viktorovich turned to his daughter.
“What can I say? Well done! Work hard. If you need anything, I’ll help however I can. Besides, it looks like you even have an assistant.”
Sophia blushed.
“Dad!”
“Well then, Dad? Work, work. But also take care of yourself.”
Maxim smiled sheepishly and looked at Sophia.
“Thank you, Gennady Viktorovich, everything will be fine.”
And six months later, when the firm had outpaced all the local competitors, a corporate celebration in honor of Maxim’s and Sophia’s engagement was bustling in the best restaurant in town.
