A Very Corporate Affair Book 2 (The Corporate Series) (15 page)

 
    "Yeah, well, they went back a long way. I couldn't compete really. He was engaged to her at one point."

 
     "He might need you to console him Elle. Get back in there girl." Laura looked so hopeful that I had to laugh.

 
     She went off to make drinks, and I settled at my desk and switched on my screen. I read through the list of calls to return, and straightaway saw Lucy's name. I picked up the phone. "Hi Lucy, you called."

 
     "Yup. Opened those wills. The only person we need to call in is Ivan Porenski. I spoke to the police and hospital regarding the case, and we're assured that the father died first, daughter second. He left everything to her, she left everything to Porenski. Obviously as named executors, we need to ascertain the extent of the assets, and there will be inheritance tax to pay, but Mr Porenski will need to be told as soon as possible."

 
       "I'll contact him and call you back. It may be better for you to come over here, I'll let you know."

 
       "Ooh, I'd love to. See what you can arrange." We said our goodbyes, and I called Ivan.

 
       "Hi. Just had a call from our family law department. They need to speak to you urgently. Can you come to my office this afternoon? Or we come to yours?"

      "Yes of course. I can do three, that ok?"

 
      "Yes, fine. My office?"

 
      "Sure." He cut the call.
Grrr

 
      I called Lucy straight back, who was delighted with the prospect of an afternoon out. I sat and did some work, emailing my time sheets over to the accounts department for my day and a half at Conde Nast, and replied to some other client queries. At half two, Lucy turned up.

 
       "Wow, your office is quite something," she said, looking around, "and the view is to die for. Bloody wish I'd been clever enough to do corporate. So apart from a swanky office, how's life?"

 
      "Up until last weekend, life's been great. James and I get on fantastic, I love the flat, my jobs busy, and I've been out to some fab places. What about you?"

 
     "Work’s fine. Nothing stellar like you though. I split up with Hugo a while back, which I was pleased about, and I've been just dating different people since. Went to Tuscany for a week in May, and moved into a new flat in Chelsea with my brother....what happened last weekend then?"

 
     "My mum died. Found dead on the Sunday morning by her partner. Aneurysm."

 
    "Oh babe, that's terrible. Such a shock for you. Were you very close?"

 
    "Yeah. She was the only family I had. We're a long line of only children, so no cousins, or anything." Lucy looked sympathetic. I changed the subject to ask about the others on our traineeship. Everyone seemed to be doing fine, although we were all working extremely hard.

 
     At three, Ivan appeared. Lucy reacted in the same way I'd seen countless women do. She pinked up, got a touch flustered, and I could almost see her brain short circuit. She stood and held her hand out, unable to take her eyes off him. Ivan smiled thinly, and shook her hand. I introduced them both, and we all sat down. Lucy pulled a folder from her bag. "Now Mr Porenski, we received word that two clients of ours were killed in an accident this morning. We hold their wills, and I have copies of both wills here. I have spoken to both the Metropolitan police, and Hammersmith General hospital to ascertain the circumstances, and am satisfied that the times of death on their certificates, plus witness statements show that Mr Meranov died first, with Miss Meranov, approximately half an hour later on board the air ambulance. Mr Meranov left his entire estate to his daughter, with no exceptions. You are the only beneficiary of Miss Meranov's will, and it is clearly stated that there are no exceptions. Now, Pearson Hardwick have been appointed as executors, and as such, we have to ascertain the assets of Mr Meranov, and Miss Meranov before we can advise the tax authorities of the inheritance tax position, and apply for probate."

 
     Ivan didn't react at all. "You'll find their business interests will all be registered as Russian, and their homes here were owned by their companies. I will send you all the paperwork as soon as I have it translated, and will deal with the notaries in Russia myself. It should all be quite straightforward for you."

 
     Lucy smiled, "Excellent, are there no other assets apart from company ones?"

 
    "Only a day to day bank account each, I don't know how much either would have held, but probably not too much. Vlad kept all his assets in Russia as much as possible as its much safer."

 
    "Safer? How come?" I asked.

 
    "He was a marked man, and he knew it. There is no inheritance tax in Russia between family members, and only 13% to non family. He wouldn't want the British government helping themselves to 40% of his wealth. He spoke about the subject a lot."

 
    "I see. Where did he live?"

 
    "Windsor. They both did. Dascha moved back there in December."

 
     Lucy pulled a business card out of her bag. "Here are my contact details. As soon as you can furnish me with details of their British assets, I can apply for probate. Now if you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me."
Was she flirting?

 
    "Thank you. My secretary will be in touch. Now, I need to speak with Elle about a different matter." He looked at Lucy expectantly. She took the hint, and said her goodbyes. "So, are you feeling better?" Ivan inquired.

    "I wasn't ill, just upset." I replied warily. "I'm happy to work with you Ivan, but I don't think I want a relationship with you. I just...." I trailed off.

 
    "Just what?" He barked. "Tell me Elle. Tell me what I have to do, because I don't understand you."

    I just stood there, trying not to react to his anger at me. I had the inexplicable urge to cry. "Ivan, I'm scared of you. That's the problem. You scare me, and in my work life, I can cope. In my home self, I can't. I'm sorry." A big, stupid tear rolled down my face, betraying me. I swiped it away angrily. I didn't do crying at work. "All I know Ivan, is that you like to fuck me, have me followed, and put my life in danger for a stupid deal. Hardly romance of the year is it?"

 
     "I don't do romance. I would have thought you were far too logical to do it either."

 
     "Maybe not. I can't be with someone I don't trust though. I was convinced you'd sacrifice me during that deal. Now, I know you didn't, but what I'm trying to say is that I thought you would. That's how unsure I am of you. So it's best you find someone else who doesn't care what sort of relationship you have, as long as you buy her a red dress and some rubies."

 
    "So, you want to run back to Oscar? Is that what you're trying to tell me?"

 
    "No, I didn't say that. For all his issues, even Oscar sends flowers. I never doubted his integrity, or that he cared about me."

 
    "Cared enough to get Dascha killed? This has all the hallmarks of a British intelligence hit. Oscar
is
the establishment, he could have done it to keep you safe. Still think he's a man of integrity?" Ivan spat the words out with disdain. I shrugged.

 
     "I have no idea what he did or didn't do, and besides, this isn't about him, it's about you. Your assertion that you were in love with me was a complete shock. Don't you see? I didn't have a fucking clue, because you don't show it. No hearts, no flowers, and you can't even say goodbye on the phone, you just slam it down on me. Now, if you want to go through life not doing romance, that's absolutely fine, just be aware that it won't be with me."

 
      Ivan glared at me with his laser beam eyes. "Fine, if that's how you want it." With that, he stomped out. I sat back in my chair, and tried to compose myself in case any of my colleagues arrived. I was in turmoil inside, the fors and againsts of being with Ivan rattling around my head. He was beautiful, fun and sometimes so nice, yet there was that sinister undercurrent that led me to believe my own paranoia that he would have kidnapped me to stop that deal. I tried to sit and think rationally, but all the stress and worry of the last few days seemed to cloud my head. As it was gone five, I decided to head home, eat, and spend a quiet hour in the gym. Some exercise might help.

 
        I didn't bother to call Roger, as it was a beautiful summers evening, and I wanted to walk. I stopped off at the deli for some basics, and strolled along, lost in thought. The flat was fine. It didn't look as though anyone had tried to break in, and the solitude was a welcome novelty after having 24 hour security with me for the last few days. I made a latte, changed into workout clothes, and put a wash on. I was just about to leave for the gym, when there was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" I called out.

 
     "Ivan."
Oh great he knows the door code now.
I opened the front door to find Ivan carrying an enormous bouquet of flowers. I noted that he looked rather pensive. "Can I come in?"

 
    "Sure. Are those for me?" He nodded, and thrust them at me rather awkwardly. "Thanks, they're lovely"

 
   "I'm sorry."

 
   "For what?" I asked, as I placed the flowers on the island, and ducked down to search for a vase under the sink.

 
   "For being such an arse, for shouting at you, for being so wrapped up in this deal I forgot about your mum. The list is quite endless really."

 
   I nodded, "Would you like a glass of wine?" I didn't want to say that he was forgiven, I needed more from him than a bunch of flowers and a small 'sorry'.

 
   "Please. Are you going to the gym?"

 
   "Just about to. I've not been since last week, and I need to let out some tension."

 
   "Can I come with you? We could work out together. I'm a member at your gym too."

 
   "Ok, sure."
This could be interesting.

 
   
Ivan called someone to bring a gym bag over to mine. "It'll take about 20 minutes. More wine?" I shook my head. I didn't think it was a great idea to drink before a workout. I pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge, and took a swig before offering it to Ivan.

 
    "Is it a good idea to be seen in public with me? After, you know, you're meant to be the heartbroken fiancé."

 
    "I'm pretty heartbroken that you don't want to be with me anymore, so I think it'll be quite convincing should there be nosy press around."

 
    "Hmm, well, it might be quite busy this time of night, so be warned." A knock on the door announced the arrival of his gym kit.
Do they all know the bloody door code?
We headed down to the car.

 
     Every female head turned, and a few male ones too, as Ivan walked into the gym in shorts and a vest. I was already running full pelt on a machine, iPod blasting Alex Clare into my ears. Whether it was the fact that every head in my line of sight turned, or the electricity that hummed through me whenever he entered a room, I don't know, but I felt his presence before I even saw him. He walked over to me, and after a few stretches, started up the treadmill beside me.

 
      I ran for a full twenty minutes, revelling in the feeling of tension release. Eventually I slowed down and stopped. Ivan's guard immediately handed me a bottle of water and my towel. I took a long swig, watching Ivan's muscular body while he ran. He looked like a well oiled machine as his muscles flexed and moved, glistening with sweat. I noticed the surreptitious glances of most of the women in there, amused as they all seemed to want to work out with him in their line of sight. He seemed oblivious.

 
     Seeing that I was done, Ivan slowed down, and stopped, to join me at the weight machines. He followed my workout, simply using heavier weights. We did alternate sets, each watching the other with heated eyes. We finished with a swim race, which as usual, I won. "You, darling girl, are a machine, and it's very, very sexy," Ivan muttered in a low voice.

 
      "I think you got that the wrong way round. Every woman in here has their tongue hanging out, and is holding their knickers up to stop them falling down, especially now that you're publicly single." He looked amused.

 
      "My housekeeper has made us some dinner, unless you'd rather eat out?" I shook my head.

 
     "I could eat a horse right now. I've not eaten since dinner at Oscar's Sunday night." He looked surprised at my revelation.

 
    "How come?"

 
    "Couldn't stop for shopping last night, and too uptight to eat much anyway. I lose my appetite when I'm stressed or upset."