Chapter Fifteen
After Natalya left, there were several associates who wanted to offer Missy their condolences.
They came into the room in ones and twos, expressed their sorrow concerning Yury’s demise and explained how grateful they were that she had survived.
Several even mentioned how Yury had been outspoken about how valuable he had considered his relationship with her.
They told her he often had praised her ability to influence his various business deals.
Many of these men had been with Yury and Missy at one or more of the various social engagements and nightclubs which they had gone to. Everyone was very respectful towards her and Missy was quite pleased about that.
Gavriil Reznikov was very quick to complement her when he came in.
He then said, “Yury told me how the contract he obtained with the Germans for his company Boris-Apteka was the result of you somehow bribing Julius de Weck at the Suisse Bank AG in Zurich. He never shared the details about that but I know he and Julius became close friends afterwards.”
Missy smiled and said, “Yes, after I gifted Julius with a Porsche for his mistress Emilia, things went very well indeed. Please do not tell anyone about that. And do not mention Emilia to anyone either. Julius keeps their relationship a secret which he only shares with those he is very close with.”
“Ahh, that explains a great deal!” exclaimed Gavriil with a smile. “I will be careful not to disclose any of his secrets. Since Natalya is naming me as chief executive for Boris-Apteka, I do anticipate that I will get to meet Julius in the weeks ahead.”
Missy was able to sense Gavriil could be trusted which was why she had revealed what she did.
He was an attractive man in his early forties and she could also sense he was very attracted to her.
She said, “If Julius should happen to ask about me, please tell him I wish him well and that I send my regards to his lovely Emilia.”
“Actually, if you can stay a little longer today … that is, after you’ve met with Yury’s other associates …”
Missy chuckled and said, “How many more of you are there? I hope they will all be as nice as you. Aleksandr Novikoff advised me how certain arrangements which Yury made concerning me are to be changed.”
Gavriil nodded and said, “Yury’s lawyer Nikolai Vassiliev and I have been asked to discuss those matters with you after we have lunch, Missy. That’s why I’m asking if you can stay longer. Once everyone else has met with you in here like this, Alek will bring you down to our executive dining room.”
“So, I won’t be learning about those matters until after lunch. Okay, I can understand how that’s probably best. The suspense does whet my appetite.”
“I’m supposed to bring you to Nikolai’s office where all those arrangements will be clarified,” explained Gavriil. “If you can agree to certain terms, I am confident you will be quite pleased.”
“I see. Of course. I look forward to hearing about those terms.”
After Gavriil left there were several more associates. Then, at last, Alek returned and said, “Please come with me and I’ll show you where our lunch is being served.”
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After enjoying an excellent lunch where Missy had sat near both Alek and Gavriil, it was time for the meeting with Nicolai.
Although there were close to thirty associates at the luncheon, only two of them were women besides Missy.
Natalya was not there and Nicolai had sat far away.
Missy had been gracious and all the conversations had been pleasant enough.
The underlying weight on everyone with Yury being dead did dampen things, of course.
In Nikolai’s office, Missy was formally introduced to Yury’s lawyer at long last. She had been blackmailing him, of course, with the threat of exposure for those funds which he had stolen from Yury’s accounts.
However, she had never made any demands.
She could sense that he now believed she no longer was a threat.
She found that to be rather interesting.
After the introduction, they all took their seats on some comfortable chairs over by a window.
Gavriil then began by saying, “We know you spoke to Natalya today and I’m guessing she told you that she was actually quite okay about your relationship with Yury.
She did not share her reasons for that with us but perhaps she did share them with you.
” He looked at Missy with raised eyebrows and then, when she said nothing, he looked over at Nikolai.
Nikolai said, “After Natalya told everyone about that she then went on to ask the rest of us to describe what payments, if anything, her various businesses might be making on your behalf. She is inheriting pretty much everything, all Yury’s personal assets as well as all his businesses. Thus, they are now her businesses.”
Gavriil added, “She told us she had already reviewed all the personal assets and had determined there were no payments going to you from those. She told us how Yury had explained to her that whatever money he provided his various mistresses with would always be somehow arranged as business expenses. That way, he could take some tax benefits, something he got a kick out of.”
Missy smiled and said, “I see. He was very generous to me but he never explained that side of things.”
Nikolai said, “Rather than explaining what those sources were and how he claimed them all as expenses, let’s get to what Natalya has asked us to do.
She wants us to continue whatever arrangements Yury was making and do so until the end of the year.
She tasked us with continuing to make those a business expense. ”
Missy was quite surprised at this but was now recalling Gavriil’s earlier comment that she would be pleased provided she could agree to certain terms. Before asking about those, however, she wanted to know about Yury’s prior mistresses.
She asked, “When I agreed to be Yury’s mistress, I insisted he show me some documents proving his former mistresses were being provided for.
Are those arrangements being continued? I know he was using one of his businesses in Izhevsk for that. ”
Nikolai smiled and said, “Those provisions are all valid in perpetuity. He had me arrange those but I had no idea that it was because you had demanded it.”
“Good. So, for me … my apartment, my expenses …” Missy looked at each man with one eyebrow raised in question.
Gavriil smiled and said, “After much discussion, it was decided to place you on the board of directors at Boris-Apteka. Since Katalya is the majority shareholder and approves, this arrangement works best. In addition to paying for your apartment and whatever expenses are associated with that, you will receive three hundred thousand euros each month. That will be deposited to your account in Cyprus unless you prefer otherwise.”
“In return, what obligations will I have?” asked Missy. She realized all of this was because Katalya wanted to reward her for not sleeping with Yury. Of course, since Katalya was now a billionaire, this wasn’t costing her all that much.
“You will need to attend board meetings,” replied Gavriil.
“We will also want you to continue influencing our German suppliers and our Swiss bank, since the majority of our business comes from there. We talked earlier about how well you know Julius de Weck. If you could accompany me when I first go to Zurich to meet with him, I know that will be very helpful.”
Yes, Missy was now seeing how all this could work and she was growing excited.
She could continue her spying role in Russia only now doing so as a businesswoman, sitting on the board of this large pharmaceutical and medical supplies company.
Yeah, she could do that. She said, “I can agree to all of this provided I am not needed for a three-week period beginning this Friday. I plan to go away then and will not return until July eighth.”
Both men readily agreed to that and they continued to discuss this new arrangement for another twenty minutes.
Then, when the meeting was breaking up and Gavriil was saying goodbye, Missy said, “I would like to discuss another matter with Nicolai before I go.” Looking at Gavriil she said, “Please tell Alek I will be out in just a few more minutes. You can email me with any questions or concerns while I am away.”
They shook hands and when Gavriil left them, Missy went over and closed the office door. She returned to where Nicolai was waiting and sat back down. He did likewise.
Then Missy asked, “How has Yury’s sudden death affected you, Nicolai?
I know you probably believe I can no longer consider you as one of my resources, am I right?
” That had been her demand when she had confronted him with proof that he had embezzled funds from Yury.
She’d explained she had many resources, all because she was an expert blackmailer.
She’d told him he must now become one such resource for her, “or else”.
Since the “or else” was no longer a threat, she was curious to sense his reaction.
Nikolai studied Missy for several moments and then he answered, “Ah, well, that is true I suppose. Yury was a good friend and I am very sad that he is gone now. I do admit that your threat of exposing me to him is gone as well and thus I can probably ignore any demands from you.”
Missy nodded and said, “Yes, I won’t be making any demands other than this.
You must never divulge to anyone how I was blackmailing you or how I told you that I have become very skilled at blackmailing others.
Should you reveal our little secret, I assure you that it will not go well for you. Understood?”
Nikolai thought about that and realized she was right.
While exposing his embezzlement to Yury was no longer a threat, she did still have proof of his stealing and she might somehow use that to discredit him should he go against her.
He said, “I can agree to your one demand, Missy. You have managed to come away from this with a rather nice arrangement. You have many skills and I know you would make a most formidable foe. I have no wish for us to be enemies.”
“Good, I am glad to hear that,” said Missy. She now had only one more question she wanted him to answer. She asked, “Did you have anything to do with Yury’s death? I ask this because my threat of exposing you did provide you with a motive.”
“No, no! Of course not,” snarled Nikolai, apparently offended by her question.
Missy was surprised to sense that he was not being truthful.
His manner was false and his reaction was all an act.
She was saddened by this since it meant she now might bear some responsibility since it was her threat which had given him motive.
She had never anticipated he would go to such extreme lengths, especially since she had never even made any demands.
Now, she needed to have Lisa and Marie search for evidence which she could later confront him with.
“I will say goodbye then, Nikolai,” said Missy as she stood up to leave. “If you should need me for anything further, you know how to get ahold of me.” She turned and walked out of his office and was pleased to find Alek waiting for her.
“Take me home, please, Alek. This has been an interesting day and I thank you for all that you have done.”
Alek grinned at her and said, “Well, you will be thanking me even more after I give you this. Your new phone is ready.” He handed her the box containing her replacement phone.
Missy was indeed pleased to again have a phone.
She would infect it with her Missy virus right away so Marie could then install all the same software on it as before.
With a sudden inspiration, she said, “This calls for a celebration! Alek, I have changed my mind. I want to invite you and how ever many bodyguards are here to join me tonight for dinner. My treat. If you don’t already know this, I am being placed on the board of directors for Boris-Apteka, one of Yury’s former companies.
Thanks to the generous salary I am being paid, I can afford this. ”
Yeah, she figured the time for mourning was over. Yury was gone and she was not his widow, after all. The paparazzi could show her out eating at a good restaurant surrounded by all these men and that shouldn’t hurt her reputation at all.
Alek was surprised but then he grinned and said, “I must alert my team, Missy. I know they will all be very excited to accept your generous invitation!”