Saule blinked in surprise, looking from her classmate to his shiny, polished red Porsche, which you would never expect to find in a small village.
"Hello, Vanya," she managed to say, having overcome her shock. "How are you?"
- Hi, Saule. The best of all. And how are you? Are you still joking about ex-boyfriends?
"You could say that," she shrugged. - Where did you get such a car?
- I pumped it! - He replied in a joking tone.
In response, the woman smiled.
- But seriously? "What is it?" she asked.
- Sclerosis crept up unnoticed, didn't it, Saule? Ivanov looked at her with feigned sympathy. - Do you remember our last meeting, when I wanted to invite you to a restaurant, but you didn't even want to let me in the door?
- I remember... - She was embarrassed.
- If you remember, then I said back then that I was a wealthy man. But you, who rent a run-down apartment with two neighbors, didn't need such "beggars" who needed something from you... Now I'm on the Forbes list of the two hundred richest people in the world.
- Uh ... - she was confused, but soon her lips curved into a smile. "That's a good joke... A billionaire living in a village in the Chelyabinsk region...
- You probably don't watch Tutub either...
"I'm looking," she replied. "What about it?"
- I'm also a blogger with three million subscribers. However, I haven't uploaded any new videos in six months. But I'm going to fix this omission soon, otherwise it's scary to go to the mail. When you open it, there are thousands of messages from subscribers asking for new videos and streams and asking where I've gone...
"Uh.".. It is interesting. I didn't know.
- Do you want a joke for your performances? Ivanov narrowed his eyes slyly.
"Come on," Ledge perked up.
- Once I dreamed that I got into the future and lived a whole life. That's where we started dating when you were still working as a surgeon at the clinic. I repaired cars, you worked as a doctor, and we lived happily together. We had five children, and they had grandchildren...
"How awful! Five children..." Saule drawled mockingly. "And then?"
- Then my head was smashed in by a chain that fell off the slipway, and I woke up, leaving you a widow. Then I went to Moscow with the insidious goal of marrying you, but in the end I married someone else...
Sadness was reflected in the Widow's eyes. She forced a smile and said:
"What treachery! You went to Moscow to make me a widow... I'm curious, why did you give up your career as a blogger?
- This is not a 'career', but a hobby. In case you're wondering, my wife and I are divorced. After that, I didn't feel like filming. I threw myself into the business.
- Oh, how! - Ledge perked up. - Why is that? Did you cheat on her?
"On the contrary, she's for me..." for a moment, Ivanov's expression became stern. "Just don't mention my personal life in public!"
"Or what?" The comedian's eyes flashed impudently.
"She seems pretty big already, but you're asking stupid questions," Ivan looked at her like a fool.
His gaze sent a shiver down Saule's spine. She immediately didn't want to mention it anywhere.
- Saule, are you free now?
After a moment's thought, she replied:
- yes. And what?
"Come with me." Let's take a breeze ride to Chelyabinsk. Let's go to a nice restaurant.
- Come on! - she agreed, almost without thinking.
She got into the passenger seat of the Porsche and fastened her seat belt. Vanya accelerated sharply, causing the passenger to be pressed into the seat.
"Are you going to drive fast?"
"Yes, if you're not afraid."
- I'm not afraid, it's just that there are cameras everywhere on the roads. Aren't you afraid to splurge on fines?
- Don't scare the hedgehog with your bare skin...
Ivan pressed the accelerator pedal to the floor.
They drove more than ninety kilometers in half an hour, collecting fines from numerous traffic video cameras. One trip cost at least two hundred thousand rubles, but it gave a lot of impressions to the driver and passenger.
Vanya brought his companion to the most expensive and respectable restaurant in Chelyabinsk. The hall with a luxurious interior welcomed them into its arms. The waiter had no time to escort them to an empty table when a familiar man waved from a nearby table.
- Vanek, hello!
- Oh, what people! Smiling broadly, he held out his hand to shake. - The theme is healthy!
Artyom, who once helped with the installation of a mining program, was sitting at a table with his young companion. A pretty brunette in her mid-twenties, dressed in a luxurious black evening dress with an expensive pearl necklace around her neck, looked curiously at her companion's acquaintances. Saule looked at Artyom and his girlfriend with no less interest.
"Gentlemen, allow me to introduce my companion," Ivanov began. - Saule. Saule, this is Artyom.
Artyom nodded and introduced his girlfriend.:
- Marina. Guys, have a seat.
"Actually, we were going to sit alone, but I can't refuse the company of a good person," Ivanov continued. Looking at his companion, he asked: - Saule, do you mind?
"Why not?" With pleasure. Artem, Marina, pleased to meet you.
"I know you," Marina devoured the couple with keen interest. "You," she said to Ledge, "are a well-known comedian. I've seen you on TV. And you," she looked at Ivanov, "are a blogger, aren't you? Temochka watches your videos.
"I know," Ivan nodded. "How are you doing?"
- great! In recent years, bitka has been well paid off. Now I'm thinking where to invest my finances?
- What's there to think? Only transfer yogurt. If you're building a strategy, like me, on long-term investments: pharmaceuticals, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and nanotechnology. These areas are developing rapidly now.
- I was thinking of investing in Elon Musk's space program. His company is planning to send an expedition to Mars soon. In the future, they are going to build a large hadron collider there for antimatter research.
"You did it wrong... Meanwhile, when else will scientists get the results? I'm afraid only our grandchildren will see them. Without a doubt, antimatter-based energy will be a breakthrough for humanity and bring incredible dividends, but I don't think the results will appear before a hundred years from now.
"So my grandchildren will use the results," Artyom shrugged. "And there's more than enough capital for my lifetime."
The girls listened to the men's conversations with mild boredom, feigning interest.
- Marina, what do you do? Saula politely addressed her new friend.
- I'm a poet. Here, listen to my new verse.
Marina, ignoring the fact that no one was interested, began to read out her work with an expression.:
I came to the pub today.,
There is no reason to be sad.
Pour it hot,
A drink for men!
I'll ask Madame to dance.,
She's so pretty.
I'll spin you around in a whirlwind of love,
On a drunken night.
This is the night for me!
It's a celebration of the soul!
Come on, bartender, pour it!
To put out the fire...
To put out the fire...
Come on, bartender, pour it!
This is the night for me,
It's like a celebration of the soul.
Thigh-length leg section
And the cleavage is intoxicating.
And so on until the morning.
The fire of love...
I woke up in the middle of the night.
There is no reason to be sad.
And I realized it wasn't whiskey.,
And clofelin.
Ivanov laughed heartily and applauded. The applause was picked up by friends. Saule clapped faintly with a fixed polite smile. Artyom clapped a little more lively and more loudly.
"Your Honor," Ivanov bowed his head politely, "you're doing a good job. Please forgive us, we will not disturb your intimacy. Artyom, it was nice to see you. Marina, I'm glad to meet you.
After saying goodbye, he grabbed Saula by the elbow and led her to an empty table. The widow breathed a sigh of relief. Picking up the menu, she widened her eyes at the frightening prices. Even with her good income from performing, she would hardly have gone to such an expensive restaurant on her own.
- I recommend champagne and lobster.
"I'll take your advice," she nodded, slamming the menu shut. - Vanya, who was it?
- Are you talking about Artyom? After waiting for a nod from the woman, he continued: "A good guy, an old acquaintance of mine, a subscriber to my YouTube channel, and just a Chelyabinsk multimillionaire or already a billionaire. I don't know, I haven't been interested in this question for a long time.
"And his girlfriend?"
- What's the difference? - Ivanov shrugged his shoulders. - Wife or lover.
- Really, what's the difference... - Ledge drawled ironically with a touch of sarcasm. - But it's clear that he's a pro... He understands pubs and cloffeline...
"A lover, then.".. How are you doing on the personal front?
"It didn't work out," Saule pursed her lips. - All my efforts are spent on my career and performances...
- I understand...
Somehow, unnoticed, dinner at a restaurant, diluted with casual conversation, turned into a trip back to Badgers and ended in the bedroom of Ivanov's house.
Waking up in the morning in the same bed with Vanya, Saule hurried to escape home to her brother, who had been waiting for her for a long time. As if driven by a pack of dogs, she did not linger in the village, although she seemed to have originally intended to stay with Aslan for a couple of days. She went back to the capital.
After waking up, having discovered the absence of yesterday's companion, Ivan sighed sadly. For a moment, he felt as if he had plunged into a past life. He had the illusion that he was married to Saula again and they were living together. But the illusion was dispelled by the sun and an empty bed.
Ivanov decided to return to running the Tutub channel and plunged into this business with his head.
***
On the morning of May 17th, Vanya was woken up by a phone call. The number was unfamiliar, but he picked up the phone. A dry male voice reached his ear through the speaker.:
- Ivan Ivanovich?
"Who's asking?"
- The head of the Moscow OBEP, Lieutenant Colonel Semenov.
Ivanov tensed after these words. Calls from such people do not bode well.
"I'm listening, sir."
- Ivan Ivanovich, here's the deal... H-hmm... To us... K-heh k-hmm... We have received a statement from a citizen that a certain girl, posing as your daughter, Irina Ivanova, extorted funds from a citizen in the amount of two hundred thousand dollars.
- How is this possible? Are you confusing my daughter with anyone else? I can't believe that she can cheat, especially for the sake of such a small thing.
"So this is your daughter?" - the OBEP employee breathed a sigh of relief.
- I can't say for sure until I see it in my eyes. But one of my daughters has that name. Fill me in, please.
- The bottom line is that Ms. Ivanova borrowed money from her wealthy friends under the pretext that her father would send her money. One of them considered her a fraud, like the world-famous Sorokina, who deceived wealthy people in the United States in the same way. He filed a complaint against her.
- Wait a minute, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, what does a criminal case have to do with it? Since when have the laws of the Russian Federation had time to change, so that the OBEP began to deal with civil law issues? Financial relations between citizens are resolved through civil law courts or settled between citizens themselves. I don't see any hint of fraud here. Just think, the girl borrowed some pennies. Who wrote the statement there?
- Ivan Ivanovich, we cannot disclose such information.
- Yes, you can do everything. Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, you understand that I will be grateful to you, right?
"H-hmm..." the lieutenant colonel pondered on the other end. - In general, this is Peter Derilaska...
- I accepted it. Send me your contacts in telegram. I'm there under the nickname "Yogurt Ivanovich".
- OK. Good day, Ivan Ivanovich. Don't worry, since everything has been clarified, of course, there can be no question of any criminal case.
- Have a nice day, Reverend...
Finding the phone number of a famous businessman is not so easy, unless you yourself are a member of the club. Although Ivanov did not shine at the gatherings of the rich, he could get the contacts of the right people through his security service. Soon, he dialed the phone number of the guy's father.
- I'm listening, who is this? - they answered sharply on the other end.
- Oleg, hello. This is Ivan Ivanov, the owner of Astramedic.
Hello, Ivan," the oligarch's tone softened. "Are you on business?"
- Oleg, tell me, did I cross your path somewhere?
- Hh... I don't recall that. And what?
- I just got a call from the OBEP about something really trivial. They say my daughter borrowed some measly two hundred thousand dollars from your son Peter, and he filed a fraud report against the girl. So I'm wondering why there would be such petty dirty tricks if there's never been a black cat running between us.
- Is that so?! Oleg's voice was genuinely amazed. - It's strange that Peter would make a big deal out of a molehill because of such a small thing... I assure you, I had nothing to do with it. I promise to look into this matter. Mm... I'm sorry, Ivan, but why does your daughter have to borrow money?
- I won't say for sure, but I guess it's because of my harsh upbringing. I allocate small amounts to my daughters for a month so that they do not live in permissiveness and strive for independence. One of them apparently found a workaround to shake the money off the folder. But these are our personal matters, and I'll talk to my daughter face-to-face. I hope there are no disagreements between us? I'll make up for all the pennies from my offspring's pranks.
- I understand you... Don't worry, I assure you that there can be no disagreements between us.
The conversation with the oligarch ended with polite scrapes.
Soon Vanya, surrounded by guards, was rushing to the airport, where a private business jet (a small business class plane) had already been ordered to Moscow.
In the capital, he arrived at Irina's apartment in a rented executive car, again with security. His daughter wasn't at home, but that didn't stop him from opening the door with his spare keys.
A few hours later, Irina came crashing into her apartment. Kicking off her shoes loudly, she padded barefoot into the kitchen and froze in the aisle.
Vanya was sitting across the table from her, sipping tea.
"Dad?" Her eyes widened in amazement. "What are you doing here?"
"Daughter, we need to talk."..
Irina turned pale. In a trembling voice, she asked:
"About what?"
"That's a good question," Ivanov said, setting aside his cup. - For example, why do police officers wake me up in the morning, claiming that my daughter is a fraud who fraudulently steals the money of 'friends'? Such friends are for the bolt and in the museum...
- Dad, I didn't deceive anyone! - She was sharply indignant.
- But did you borrow money?
- Well ... - lowering her eyes to the floor, she shuffled her foot.
- I have already talked with Oleg Derilaska. He promised to talk to his son. You will receive money from me and pay off your debts. But if this happens again, I will cut off your funding and solve your problems yourself.
"Dad," she raised her wet eyes to her father, "are you really going to leave your own daughter to the mercy of fate?"
- A native daughter would ask her father for help if she needed it, and would not borrow money from dubious acquaintances who would strangle themselves for a penny.
"You wouldn't!"
"I wouldn't just give it to you, and you know it perfectly well, but do you really think there wouldn't be a job for you?" Or are you afraid to mess up your manicure and want to be the same slut as most of these majors and hangers-on?
Irina pursed her lips in displeasure and puffed out her cheeks.
- Well, pa-a-a-P...
"You're not fifteen years old to do things first and then think," he gave his daughter a stern look. - Do you want money? Come up with a profitable project for which I will allocate investments to you. Open a restaurant, a bar, build a hotel... Yes, at least something that will bring you income. And live on income. It depends on your efforts and imagination with your sister how well you will live. I'm not going to give you real money just like that, especially after such an irresponsible act. When you start earning money yourself, you will value finances more than the money that came from above for free.
- Dad, but what does the police have to do with it?
- Ira, what were you listening to? I'm telling you, your 'friend' Peter filed a fraud report against you. It's like you're an impostor who, pretending to be the daughter of a rich man, borrowed a large sum from friends that you didn't think to give back. So think about who is your friend, who is your enemy, and who is just like that.
- Petka, you asshole! Here I am for him...
"You're not going to hurt him." You will return the money, and if you are not stupid, you will no longer communicate with such "friends". Or do you have yogurt instead of brains?
"N-no," she shook her head.
- And also, Ira, if I find out that you are taking drugs or participating in questionable machinations, you will go to a monastery!
"A monastery?" Irina made an incomprehensible grimace.
- There is a closed monastery that accepts 'such' children of oligarchs. There, on bread and water, without the Internet and modern benefits, with the help of hard work and prayers, they knock all the sour yogurt out of bad young heads. Of course, you can try forbidden dope if you are attracted to such a prospect, but in this case you know what awaits you. Do you want to go to a monastery?
- No! I don't want to!
"Then think about what you're eating right now." If you foolishly fall under the pressure of the judicial system, you will go to the zone, because I am not omnipotent and I do not twist the laws...
After the May suggestion, Ira took up her mind. She decided to go into business. But she soon realized that she didn't understand anything about it. Having proved her point of view to her father, she received carte blanche to change the paradigm.
Ira dropped out of the Faculty of Anthropology and enrolled in the paid Faculty of Management at the same University that summer.
The two sisters are the same in appearance, but so different in character. Lena liked anthropology. She fell in love with this profession, in which the very charismatic dean of the faculty, Stas Drobyshev, played an important role. Unlike her sister, she didn't like noisy parties. Ira settled down only after threatening to go to a monastery. She believed that her father was capable of fulfilling his promises. At least before that, he always kept his word, and this is an indicator.
Vanya, realizing that anthropology was financially hopeless, promised Lena full support in her endeavors and a good rent upon graduation.
***
In July, the twins went on a trip to Europe. Ivanov flew alone to have a rest in the Maldives. He didn't fork out for a business jet, instead using business class tickets on a regular international flight. When someone he hadn't expected to see sat down in the next chair, his eyes popped out of his head.
"Saule?"
"Vanya?" She looked at him with equal surprise. - hello. Have you decided to fly to the Maldives too? What a coincidence!
- Yes, it's a coincidence...
"Such coincidences," he thought, "do not happen."
He didn't want to believe that their meeting wasn't accidental, but the facts spoke for themselves. Firstly, there is a whole industry of oligarch hunters in the world. Secondly, it's just in their style to put a girl in the next seat of the plane. Thirdly, he and Saule had already met "quite by chance" once. And it happened exactly when he broke up with his wife and finally got out of his den.
What is the probability that a woman he knows, for whom he still has warm feelings, will go on vacation to the same resort on the same day, on the same flight? Vanya would say that this is an absolutely incredible event.
And although the man's mind kept telling him that there was a catch, his heart was telling a different story. He looked at the charming smile of the Widow and could not believe that she could be a fortune hunter. And anyway, who would have thought of setting him up not with a young and pretty girl of his type, but with a famous comedian, his age and acquaintance?
- Have you decided to take a break too?
- I've been dreaming about a vacation for a long time. I love Maldives. I didn't expect to meet you, especially not so unexpectedly.
The pair hooked tongues. Somehow, they got off the plane and went to a bungalow and had an amazing month in the Maldives.
Ivan felt young again, as if he had returned to the past. The time spent with the first woman he loved was more like a honeymoon for the newlyweds.
Ivanov and Lopezova were returning to the capital on a private jet designed to carry a dozen people. The entire plane was rented by Vanya exclusively for the two of them.
They were sitting on a luxurious leather sofa. There is a small bar on the left. The flight attendant provided the VIP passengers with fresh fruits and snacks. The glasses were filled with expensive French cognac.
Saule rested her head on the man's shoulder. Running her finger over his chest, she sighed languidly and said:
- It was magical.
- I agree. You made me feel young. An unforgettable month.
"It would be nice to repeat..." Ledge's eyes flashed. When there was no reaction, she continued, "Vanya, what's going to happen next?"
- Bitcoin will grow, the ruble will fall, and technology will evolve...
"That's not what I'm talking about," she pouted. - I'm talking about us...
- And what about us?
- You are such a good and strong man. I felt happy for the first time in my life.
Vanya was well aware of what his companion was hinting at. But he was plagued by paranoia, which insisted that this did not happen. Such coincidences are impossible. He was afraid to make a mistake, and in both directions. If you express your suspicions out loud, but they are not confirmed, then you can offend an honest woman. If you leave everything to chance, then serious problems await him in the future. His peace of mind and financial well-being will surely be severely and permanently disrupted - this is what he most strongly did not want. So he decided to bluff and go all in.
- Are you saying that you won't mind continuing our relationship?
"You're so prescient," she smiled charmingly. - Vanya, I love you...
The passionate gaze of the woman he once loved almost shook his resolve. Steeling himself, he began in a deceptively calm voice:
- I don't mind developing our relationship myself, but there is one problem...
"Which one?" The Ledge's back tensed. "You said you were divorced."..
- There are no problems on my part. But my security team, while we were on vacation, unearthed some interesting information...
Ledge tensed even more than before. She tried not to show it, but her nerves were like a taut string.
"And what did they find?" "What is it?" she asked innocently.
- They found out that a certain esteemed lady was contacted by a certain person who offered his services to the lady...
"Vanya, you're talking in riddles," Saule's voice trembled slightly.
- I'll tell you straight out. There is a certain organized group that selects girls of a certain mood. That is, those who want to suck yogurt and bathe in chocolate. They collect information about wealthy people, then offer the highly respected lady to get together with the desired object for a fraction of the reward...
"Do you think I was sent to you?" - Ledge was indignant.
- They showed me the correspondence...
Saule's face changed, and this time she quite naturally expressed anger and indignation in a loud exclamation.:
"You hacked my phone?"
This phrase knocked Vanya out of his rut. She said better than any other words that he was right. But he hoped to the last that he was mistaken. During a difficult bluff, he planned how he would apologize. As you can see, in vain.
Once again, he received serious mental trauma from someone he trusted. But nineteen years ago, the current Saule showed her nature. He hoped that the years had changed her for the better. It turned out, on the contrary, that time had made her more cynical and thoughtful.
He struggled to find the next words.:
"I'm sorry, Saule. I've enjoyed being with you, but we're not on the same path. I don't like liars.