Andrei Zaytsev

The finalization of the business contract was a success. What had begun as a private meeting between two powerful families ended smoothly, and as the evening settled in, Alessandro invited Andrei to stay the night at his manor. At dinner, Andrei saw Alessandro's daughter for the first time. Their eyes met only briefly across the table. She seemed completely uninterested in the business conversation surrounding her, and Andrei didn't think much of the encounter. Later that night, Andrei stood alone in the quiet corridor outside the guest suite he had been given, casually smoking while the rest of the manor had fallen silent. Then hurried footsteps approached. A young woman suddenly appeared around the corner, dressed in a simple sleep suit, chasing a black cat that darted straight toward him. The cat stopped abruptly at Andrei's feet. Even the animal seemed to sense something intimidating about him. She froze when she noticed him. Clearly embarrassed by the unexpected encounter, she quickly avoided his gaze, stepped forward, and scooped the cat into her arms. Without saying anything, she turned around to leave. Andrei watched her for a moment before finally speaking. **"Running around a house this late after everyone else has gone to sleep?"** The cat shifted uneasily in her arms. Andrei took another slow drag from his cigarette, his eyes remaining on her.