— You’re still sitting at home? Seriously, Vika? — Igor theatrically raised an eyebrow, lifting his wine glass. — Startup, startup… Seven years after university, and you’re still stuck in your “promising projects.”
Vika felt as if the table had moved away from her. Her parents’ apartment, the festive dinner, the smell of homemade dishes — everything instantly felt alien. She put down her fork. — I have a job, — she said calmly.
— Yeah, sure! — Igor turned to his parents, winking at Aunt Valya. — Sitting at home in pajamas with a laptop isn’t work. It’s an unemployed person’s hobby with ambitions.
Mother gave her son a reproachful look:
— Igor, why do you say that?
— What did I say? — He theatrically shrugged. — I work in a normal company, with a schedule, with career growth prospects.
By the way! — He tapped the rim of his glass with a fork. — I got promoted to deputy department head.
Father nodded approvingly, mother clapped her hands, Aunt Valya congratulated enthusiastically. Vika watched as the salad dressing on her plate spread in an oily stain. — Congratulations, — she said.
— Exactly! — Igor leaned back in his chair with the look of a winner. — Now imagine: I come to work in a suit, hold meetings, and have fifteen employees under me…
— Twelve, — Vika corrected automatically.
— What? — He faltered.
— Your department has twelve people. Three positions are vacant.
— How do you… — Igor frowned. — How do you know that?
Vika shrugged and looked at her phone. Thirteen notifications. The latest from the venture fund Venrock: “Waiting for you tomorrow for the final contract signing.”
— Just know, — she put away the phone. — Go on, tell me how you boss everyone around at work.
— Exactly! — Igor quickly forgot his confusion. — Now I get to decide who to hire. Imagine? I could even take you if you want, — he laughed again. — As a secretary, for example. To sort out documents.
Mother sighed and got up from the table.
— Anyone want seconds? Igor, maybe that’s enough?
— I’m just offering help to my little sister! She’s thirty-two, after all, and her achievements… — he spread his hands expressively.
Vika looked at her brother, her eyes showing no offense — only steely determination.
Behind her were years of sixteen-hour workdays. Computer code written in the pre-dawn hours. One hundred twenty interviews with investors. A series of failures and small victories. — Achievements come in different forms, — she quietly remarked.
— Come on! — Igor condescendingly patted her shoulder. — Don’t be offended.
When I become director, I’ll definitely find you a place. If, of course, you finally learn to keep a work schedule!
A new message made Vika’s phone vibrate. “Documents ready. Deal amount increased. Waiting for confirmation.” She nodded, looking past her brother. After the first startup went bankrupt, she learned to never show anyone her plans.
After the second — not to talk about problems. After the third — to work until the result, no matter what.
— Thanks for the offer, — she said. — But I’m afraid I have to decline the secretary position.
— What’s that? — Igor sarcastically raised an eyebrow. — Even that position requires certain skills, you know?
Vika got up from the table.
— Mom, dad, thanks for dinner. I have to go. Important meeting tomorrow.
— What meeting? — Igor snorted. — With the same genius startup people?
Vika allowed herself a slight smile:
— No. At the tech conglomerate “InnovaTech.” Maybe you’ve heard of it.
Igor choked on his wine. That was the company he worked for.
— There? Why?
— You’ll find out tomorrow, — Vika kissed her parents and calmly left the room.
At home, the final contract revisions from that very corporation awaited her. The contract under which her algorithm was being bought for millions, and she was being appointed head of a new experimental department — a department overseeing her brother’s.
— And this is our new director of the innovation department, — the CEO introduced, gesturing elegantly to Vika.
The glass conference room filled with tense silence.
Twenty pairs of eyes studied the figure in the dark blue suit. Vika stood by the projector — posture impeccable, gaze confident, lips bearing a faint smile. The screen displayed a presentation of her project.
— Thanks to Victoria Alexandrovna, we received an algorithm that literally sees the market’s future, — the CEO’s voice showed undisguised admiration.
— During testing, forecast accuracy reached ninety-three percent. It’s no surprise the board of directors didn’t hesitate for a second.
Vika smoothly stepped to the edge of the stage. Her gaze — attentive but without superiority — scanned the faces in the room, soaking in reactions. Igor was not present — the meeting was for senior management only. — Thank you for your trust, — Vika’s voice was collected and firm. — My team will start work immediately. We will present the first results in a week.
They asked tough, tricky, sometimes openly skeptical questions. She answered clearly, without hesitation. After the meeting, the CEO took her aside:
— Victoria, you will have full carte blanche and the company’s best specialists. Including the technical analytics department.
— Under Igor Alexandrovich’s leadership? — she asked, trying to keep a neutral tone.
— Exactly. By the way, do you know each other?
— Yes, — she nodded. — He’s my brother.
The CEO paused a moment, then burst out laughing:
— What a twist! Does he know about your appointment?
— Not yet.
— Tomorrow’s general meeting will be… interesting, — he smirked.
In the corridor, the secretary caught up to Vika:
— Victoria Alexandrovna, your office is ready. Let me show you.
The spacious corner office with a panoramic city view looked impeccable — glass, metal, minimalism.
A gold-plated plaque on the door read: “Project Director — V.A. Klimova.” Vika ran her hand over the smooth desktop and placed her slightly worn laptop covered with conference stickers on it.
— Want to change anything? — asked the secretary.
— No, everything’s perfect, — Vika smiled. — What time is the general meeting tomorrow?
— At ten in the morning, “Big” conference hall. All departments involved in the project will be there.
Vika nodded and sank into the chair. From the window came a view of the inner courtyard where several employees were smoking and chatting animatedly.
Among them she spotted Igor — he was enthusiastically telling a story, gesturing and laughing. Probably another joke about his “fantasizing little sister with her phantom millions.” Turning away from the window, she dived into the presentation, marking places to strengthen her arguments.
The next morning the conference hall buzzed like a hive. Vika felt curious eyes on her as she stood at the podium next to the CEO.
Scanning the rows, she instantly spotted her brother — in the third row, Igor was bent over his phone, typing with the focused look of someone deciding the fate of the universe.
— Colleagues! — the CEO clapped his hands, and the noise died down. — Today is a special day. I present to you the person who will head our new innovation direction and unite the company’s key divisions.
Igor reluctantly looked up from his screen — and froze as if struck by lightning. Their eyes met, and Vika caught that moment of recognition when her brother’s pupils widened with astonishment. — Victoria Alexandrovna Klimova will oversee the entire “Predictor” project — our main bet this quarter. Under her command will be analytics, development, and tech support.
Blood drained from Igor’s face. His mouth opened and closed silently like a fish out of water. Vika grabbed the microphone with a barely noticeable smile. — Good morning, — she spoke softly, but every word rolled through the hall with remarkable clarity. — For most of you, I am a new face.
My name is Victoria Klimova. For the past five years, I have been developing the system your company acquired last week — with me as a bonus.
A wave of restrained laughter rolled through the room. Some middle managers leaned toward their tablets, clearly googling her name. — Starting today, — she paused briefly, — reporting will be reorganized. All mentioned departments report directly to me. You will receive detailed regulations, deadlines, and formats by evening. Any questions?
Several hands went up at once. Vika answered confidently and to the point. When she noticed Igor’s raised hand, her heart skipped a beat. — Yes, Igor Alexandrovich?
Her brother stood up. His face was unnaturally pale.
— Victoria… Alexandrovna, — he said, stumbling. — I wanted to clarify. Does this mean my department is now… under your control?
— Exactly, — she confirmed. — Do you have any objections?
— N-no, — he slowly sat down.
After the meeting, she deliberately lingered, chatting with heads of other divisions. Igor waited for her by the exit, nervously tapping his fingers on his tablet. When she finally headed for the door, he blocked her way. — Vika, what kind of performance was that? — he hissed. — Did you plan all this?
— I don’t understand what you mean, — she answered coldly. — I got this position because of my work. The very work you mocked for seven years at every family dinner.
— But you didn’t even mention it…
— Were you interested? — Vika raised an eyebrow. — Seems like you were more interested in the prospect of me getting hired as a secretary.
Igor jerked as if slapped.
— Listen, I…
— Victoria Alexandrovna, — she corrected him. — At work, it’s first name and patronymic only.
And I expect an analytical report on current projects from your department by 6 PM today. Personally. — She walked past him toward her office.
Three weeks in the new position flew by like a day. The system Vika built worked flawlessly.
Vika’s brainchild — the innovation department — stunned management with the first analytics results.
The same employees who initially whispered about the “Igor’s connected sister” now straightened their backs and tried to shine with intellect whenever she appeared.
Everyone except Igor. He avoided personal meetings with her, sent reports through the secretary, and sat with an inscrutable expression at general meetings. But he did his work impeccably — Vika had to admit that. On a Friday evening, when the office was nearly empty, someone knocked on her office door. Igor stood there with a folder of documents.
— Quarterly performance report, — he said, placing the folder on her desk. — Finished three days ahead of schedule.
Vika nodded without looking away from her laptop screen:
— Thank you, Igor.
He hesitated to leave. Shifted his weight, then decisively exhaled:
— Vika… Victoria Alexandrovna. Can I talk to you?
She finally looked up:
— I’m listening.
— I was wrong, — each word was difficult for him. — All these years… I didn’t understand the essence of your work. I thought it was something unserious.
Vika leaned back in her chair, studying his face carefully.
— And what changed?
— I studied your platform in detail. It’s… really impressive, Vika. How you structured the forecasting algorithms, how you found non-obvious correlations between parameters…
— I worked on it for seven years, — she calmly reminded him. — Seven years you never missed a chance to mock it at every family dinner.
He hung his head:
— I know. And I’m… truly ashamed.
Vika was silent. In mental rehearsals of this scene — which she had played over hundreds of times during those years — she always felt either triumph or cold satisfaction.
But now inside stirred a strange cocktail of emotions she couldn’t name.
— Those words… I’ve waited a long time for them, — she met her brother’s gaze without the mask of formality. — They mean something.
— I’ll understand if you decide… — he faltered. — That is, if you deem it necessary to replace me in my position. I’ll understand.
Vika shook her head:
— Your department shows excellent results. I don’t fire valuable employees over personal grudges.
He looked at her in surprise:
— Seriously?
— Professionalism above emotions, — she allowed herself a slight smile. — But that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten everything.
— Of course, — he nodded. — I… will try to prove that I deserve to work with you.
— Not with me. On me, — Vika clarified. — And yes, you’ll have to try very hard.
Igor straightened up:
— I’ll manage. And… Vika?
— Yes?
— I really am proud of you. No joke.
She didn’t answer, but when the door closed behind him, she allowed herself a genuine smile.
From her office window opened a view of the evening city — bright, noisy, full of possibilities.
Once she dreamed of proving she was worth something. Now, looking at the scatter of lights, she understood: the most important thing she had proved was first and foremost to herself.
And everything else… was just a pleasant bonus.
