My Perfect Life

15 Revenge

While planning this meeting, I choose to pretend a clueless, naïve girl that knew shit and wanted to lean on the strong man's shoulder. This act had helped me during my life a lot and I didn't see why it wouldn't be helpful now.

So batting my eyes, looking through tears at my possible alley, I pitifully began:"Mr. Novich..."

"Call me Vladislave honey, we're not strangers here." Yeah, unfortunately.I smiled at him shyly my cheeks grew hotter. I had now to pull my best drama act of my life.

"Vladislav," I tried to spell his name correctly. "I don't know how to say this, but I came to know recently that my husband is stilling money from the company. From you."

I saw something shifted in his eyes, but he kept the same kind of façade on his face."What do you mean, Elizabeth? Don't be scared, you can tell me everything."

I almost snorted, he was well overplaying 'the kind pop act', but I guess it was good he saw me that stupid to buy this.

"Thank you. So, I don't understand a lot but according to this Patrick was stealing from you." I gave him documents from Patrick's safe. "You can compare the sums received into the company's accounts and the sum written in the selling contracts. And there's more. These –" I put the other papers on the table. "Make me believe that he took huge bribes for losing some very profitable deals to our competitors. There may be more to his dirty business, but that's all I've found."

"You want me to believe you didn't know about your husband's business? There's your signature on most of these." He asked me with a sly smile that made me uneasy.

"Yes, I know, but he tricked me to put my name on it. I was stupid not to read what I was signing. Patrick made everything look like it was me. He made me a shareholder and gave me access to all company business but I never was interested in it. He set me up! He tried to steal all the money and fling, living me here to deal with the consequences! And I just wanted a fucking divorce."

All the nerves and hurt from these past days came rushing at once and I felt tears dropping from my eyes.

Vlad Novich just kept studying the papers not bothering with my miserable state at that moment.

"Here, here Elizabeth. Stop crying." He finally looked up at me. He kindly gave me a glass of water and I made a few big sips to calm myself a little. "This is very disappointing."

"Mr. Novich, Vladislav," I quickly corrected myself, "I'll give you back all the money he stole, all the money from Cyprus account. And the company." I sniffed unlady-like and look at him with hope.

He nodded in agreement and was silent for a moment looking at me with his dark eyes. I was sure he could see through me. I hoped he could see I wasn't lying. I squirmed on my chair, fidgeting with my fingers nervously. I'd already destroyed the nail polish on one hand – my old habit, which I thought I had, overcame long ago – and moved to the other.

"Ok," He clapped his palms excitedly startling me a little. "So this is what we gonna do. We don't need this information coming out, that would be bad for the company, our shares would fall and we lost a lot of money. I also don't need any audit organizations coming with their inspections. No cops, no FBI in my business. I'll deal with this on my own. Got it? I trust you to keep your mouth shut Elizabeth." He told me threateningly pinning me with his stare.

"Ok," I squeaked, knowing too well what 'dealing with this Novich's way' meant for Patrick. I didn't know how to feel about that but I knew for sure that he would leave me here to battle for my life without any sorrow. He dug his own grave. So I guess I should settle with the idea of becoming a widow.