Revenge – served cold - стр. 17

And yet I was sure that both times he talked to women. Different ones, moreover. He couldn't have told his wife he had to go back to work. As I pondered this thought from every angle, I was once again immersed in a survival quest called, "The Road Home at Rush Hour!"

Ramila's phrase after I told her about my meeting with Dimitri was vivid and nerve-wracking. However, it could only be repeated in decent society with prepositions and interjections.

I sat in the kitchen, climbing on a chair with my legs, and mindlessly chattering with a spoon in my tea. I felt like a rag doll.

“ You know, it's probably a good thing that everything turned out this way," she said calmly.

I looked up at her in bewilderment. What could be good in what happened? The man I love turned out to be a pig. And I found out about it, when nothing can be fixed.

“ Are you laughing?” I asked in a shaky voice.

For the first time all evening I wanted to cry.

“ Imagine if you had given birth to a child by him," Ramila suggested.

I immediately did what she told me to do, and tears ran down my cheeks.

“Maybe that's the reason? I wanted to wait.”

“ Don't talk nonsense!” Ramilya burst out.” No man has ever managed to bind anyone with this. Yes, maybe he would have gotten married. But then he would mock her all his life. You bet, the calculating predator had bound him hand and foot. Ruined his life! And a wedding is no indicator of fidelity and happiness. He would've kept on going.”

" Listen to you, there are no good men in this world."

" There are a lot of good men. But women love assholes."

Having stamped on both men and women at once, Ramila grabbed my glass and threw the cooled tea into the sink. I leaned back in my chair, not the least bit upset. My food wasn't good today, and I couldn't even swallow a cookie. Just the sight of it made me sick.

" So Dimitri didn't see you, and that's good. See, I was right about you getting a job at this office."

" Dimitri's the manager, and I'm the secretary."

" Dimitri's a jerk, and you're an asshole. The secretary is the closest person to the boss. You'll be with him for twelve hours. Helping him. Cover for him. And as a result, he'll treat you better than the rest of us. Imagine the controversial question, "who gets the lucrative assignment?" And you say, "Julia's more responsible," and that's it.

" Am I gonna get fired? " I suggested sarcastically.

" They'll listen to you," Ramilya said.

I, deciding not to argue, nodded in agreement. I felt resentment in my soul. I loved him so much, and he was just taking advantage of me....