Varya parked her automobile near a familiar residence and checked her watch. She arrived 30 minutes early for her appointment—too early. «No problem,» she thought, «My mother-in-law usually welcomes me.»
She stepped out of the vehicle with a cake box after adjusting her hairdo in the rearview mirror. Lilacs perfumed the air on a bright day. Varya smiled, recalling walking around these calm courtyards with Dima before they were married.
She pulled out the key—her mother-in-law had always demanded she have her own—as she approached the door. Varya softly entered the door to avoid disturbing Anna Petrovna, who was sleeping.
The apartment was silent save for faint kitchen sounds. Varya recognized her mother-in-law’s voice and was going to call her, but the following words stopped her.
«How long can we keep this from Varya?» her mother-in-law said anxiously. Dima, it’s unfair.
Her husband said, «Mom, I know what I’m doing,» claiming he should have been at an important company meeting.
Do you? I think you’re wrong. The paperwork were on the table. Do you want to sell our family business and relocate to America? Therefore, what’s her name? Jessica from the investment fund? Who promises gold mountains in California? What about Varya? She has no idea you’re filing for divorce!
Varya’s numb fingers dropped the cake box, which hit the floor. The kitchen became silent instantly.
Dima, confused, ran into the hallway seconds later. Seeing his wife made him pallid.
“Varya, you’re early…”
«Yes, early,» she shakingly said. Early to discover truth. Or maybe just in time?»
Behind her son, Anna Petrovna emerged, crying and sympathetic.
«My Daughter…»
Varya turned toward the door. She last heard her mother-in-law say, “See, Dima?” The truth always emerges.»
Varya restarted her automobile. Her ideas were clear despite her trembling hands. She called her lawyer on her phone. She would draft divorce documents with Dima. She would not allow her destiny be determined without her input as she legally owned half of the family enterprise. Dima’s father started «Zlatotsvet» 30 years ago. From a tiny studio making custom jewelry, the firm expanded into a respected network of fifteen shops nationwide.
Varya met Dima six years ago as a marketing expert at the firm. After their wedding, she engaged herself in the family company, introducing new concepts, internet sales, and foreign shipping. In three years, her efforts increased the company’s profitability. Dima planned to sell everything?
“Meet me in an hour,” she told her lawyer over the phone. «I have intriguing company selling information. About ‘Zlatotsvet.’»
Varya grinned after hanging up. Perhaps she arrived just in time, not early. Her destiny was in her hands.
After six months, the legal struggle was grueling. Dima met Jessica Brown, a representative of a big American investment fund, six months ago at an international jewelry expo in Milan. Varya later learnt the full story. Jessica spotted «Zlatotsvet»’s potential and said Dima might sell it to their fund and relocate to Silicon Valley to join a new tech company’s board.
Dima, who was always overshadowed by his wife’s success and burdened by family jewelry company traditions, viewed this as an opportunity to succeed. He and Jessica started an affair, and she got him a San Francisco suburb home.
Dima felt convinced he could take over the firm in court since «Zlatotsvet» was his father’s legacy. He misjudged Varya’s thoughtfulness, who saved all the records proving her part in the business’s growth.
Financial records from Varya’s third court hearing showed how its marketing approach and internet sales improved revenues by 200%. Her international contracts increased the company’s worth. Her lawyer effectively exploited this data to show that Varya helped create «Zlatotsvet».
To her son’s amazement, Anna Petrovna supported her daughter-in-law. Her innovations salvaged the family firm when she presented old financial records to court to establish that the company was near bankruptcy before Varya arrived.
The trial lasted almost a year. Company division was a Solomon-like choice. Seven traditional jewelry businesses opened in Dima. Varya gained eight points, including worldwide representatives and the web platform.
“You know,” Anna Petrovna stated following the court verdict, «my husband always maintained that the key thing in business is not inheritance but the capacity to grow. You’ve earned the right to retain his work.
A year after the divorce, «Business Russia» covered the two jewelry enterprises. After the sensational divorce, the investment fund withdrew from Dima’s transfer to America, and Jessica lost interest in the failed Silicon tycoon. In its niche, Dmitry Sokolov’s «Zlatotsvet» remained solid.
Varya’s life changed drastically. She met Markus Stein, the owner of a famous German jewelry design firm, during an international show in Dubai where she displayed her collection. His respect for her work led to a business collaboration and eventually more. Anna Petrovna, who kept her former daughter-in-law close, was the first to observe Varya’s eyes light up as she spoke of new collaborative initiatives with the German partner.
«You deserve to be happy, my daughter,» she said Varya over tea in the kitchen beneath the lilac-filled windows. «And I’m delighted you found someone who recognizes your skills and personality.»
An historic castle near Munich hosted the wedding. In the front row, Anna Petrovna surreptitiously wiped tears of joy as Varya and Markus exchanged rings of their own design, which merged Russian and German jewelry traditions. Varvara Stein’s «New Bloom» opened stores in Milan, Dubai, and Munich, competing with the biggest jewelry brands. Her spouse helped her establish a distinctive style that combined Russian traditions with European elegance.
Varya frequently thought about her 30-minute early arrival. Sometimes the worst luck leads to something better. The most important thing is to persevere and fight for your rights.
