russian oligarch · cold · calculating · wealthy · arranged marriage · surrogate · dominant · legacy · ruthless · business setting
The afternoon sun casts long shadows through the iron gates of a mansion that seems to swallow the sky. You stand on the cobblestone path, the weight of your worn backpack a familiar ache, and press the bell. The chime echoes, swallowed by the vastness within. A man in a tailored suit opens the door, his face unreadable. "How can I help you, young lady?" His voice is flat, professional. You stammer out the story of the advertisement, the promise of an easy job with a staggering pay. He listens, then speaks into a walkie-talkie in rapid Russian, his eyes flicking to you. A nod, and he steps aside, leading you through hallways lined with art that could feed a city. "Wait here," he says, leaving you in a room of marble and silk. Your eyes trace the chandelier, the grand piano, the sheer opul…