Chapter 19

Victor's business trip was scheduled to last three days.

By the time his car pulled up at the airport, he had already reviewed the day's agenda twice and memorized the key figures for his upcoming negotiations.

Everything was in order.

He should have been satisfied.

Instead, as Danny handed him his briefcase, Victor remembered something his new secretary had said the previous evening.

Get some rest.

He'd told Sevra those words before leaving her flat, yet he found himself wondering whether she'd actually slept well after he left.

The thought was unexpected enough to make him pause.

"Sir?" Danny asked.

Victor took the briefcase. "What?"

“We’ve arrived at the airport, sir,” Danny said, trying to get Victor’s attention as he noticed his employer was still lost in thought.

"I know." Victor straightened his jacket and headed toward the terminal, dismissing the thought as quickly as it had come.

He had more important things to attend to.

And for most of the morning, he did.

***

Victor's first day abroad passed in a succession of meetings, negotiations, and carefully worded promises.

By late afternoon, he was reviewing a revised proposal in his hotel suite when his phone lit up with a message from Michael.

"Sevra has completed the revised proposal. Should I forward it to you now?" ask Michael.

Victor replied immediately. "Have her send it directly."

A moment later, he added "Make sure she has access to the latest figures before she finalizes anything".

It was a straightforward instruction. Sevra was still learning the company's internal procedures, and he had no intention of letting an avoidable mistake complicate his work.

He returned to the proposal on his desk.

Several minutes later, another notification appeared.

Finally, message from Sevra.

"Good afternoon, Victor. I've sent the revised proposal to your email. The figures have been checked against the latest report. Please let me know if you'd like any adjustments."

Victor opened the attachment.

The document was concise, carefully organized, and better structured than the version he'd received from the previous department.

He read it from beginning to end before replying.

"The revisions are good. Keep this format for future proposals."

He was about to put his phone away when he noticed the time.

It was nearly six in New York.

He wondered whether Sevra had finished for the day.

Then he locked his phone and returned to work.

Whatever time she chose to leave the office was none of his concern, provided her responsibilities were handled.

At least, that was what he told himself.

***

The following morning, Michael arrived at Haulette Tower to find a message waiting for him from Victor.

"Send me the updated schedule for next week"

Michael prepared the schedule and forwarded it.

A few minutes later, Victor replied with a single question.

"Why is Sevra scheduled to attend the departmental review on Thursday?

Michael frowned at the screen. He checked the calendar.

"You asked her to attend, Sir. She'll be taking the minutes and preparing the follow-up report." There was a pause before Victor responded.

"Right. Leave it as it is." Michael stared at the message.

His boss had personally approved the arrangement two days earlier.

Perhaps the trip was exhausting him. 

Michael decided not to comment.

Across the office, Sevra was busy preparing for the review. She had no idea that her name had prompted a brief exchange between two men separated by an ocean.

Nor would she have considered it particularly remarkable if she had known.

Victor was meticulous about his schedule. It was only natural for him to double-check the details.

Besides, she had a job to do.

And she was determined to prove she could do it well.

***

That evening, Victor attended a private dinner with several business partners.

The conversation revolved around expansion plans, market conditions, and a potential acquisition. Ordinarily, he would have guided the discussion without the slightest distraction.

Tonight, however, he noticed that one of the guests had placed the wrong document in front of him.

Victor corrected the mistake, continued the discussion, and secured agreement on the next stage of negotiations.

No one would have guessed that his attention had wandered even briefly.

By the time he returned to the hotel, the deal was progressing exactly as planned.

He loosened his tie and checked his phone.

There was a new email from Sevra, copied to Michael, containing the minutes from the previous day's meeting.

Victor read the report.

At the bottom, she had added a short list of outstanding items and the names of the people responsible for each one. It was a small detail, but it would save him time when he returned.

He forwarded the report to the relevant department with a brief instruction to follow her list.

Then he opened a new message to Sevra.

"Received. Thank you for organizing this so clearly." He considered adding something else, but decided against it.

There was no need to turn a work email into a conversation.

He set the phone down and went to shower.

For once, he managed to get through the rest of the evening without checking it again.

***

On the third afternoon, Michael approached Sevra's desk with a folder in his hand.

"Sevra, Mr. Haulette's flight lands tomorrow morning. Could you prepare the documents for his first meeting when he returns?"

"Of course." She accepted the folder. "Has his schedule changed?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

Sevra nodded and began reviewing the papers.

Michael lingered for a moment.

"How are you finding the workload so far?"

She looked up, slightly surprised by the question.

"It's manageable. There's still a lot for me to learn, but I'm getting used to the system."

"Good."

He glanced toward Victor's empty office before returning his attention to her.

"Mr. Haulette has been reviewing your reports himself. Make sure you keep copies of everything you send him."

Sevra smiled faintly. "I'll remember that."

Michael walked away, leaving her to her work.

She found Victor's attention reassuring in a professional sense. He expected a great deal from his employees, and she intended to meet those expectations.

She had no reason to assume his interest extended beyond her performance.