He was a millionaire – not just rich, but incredibly successful, one of those who are called “self-made”. He lived in one of the tallest skyscrapers in a modern metropolis. He began with nothing and in ten years created an empire in the field of technology.
But behind the facade of success is loneliness.
He was alone. And the worst thing was that he had long since stopped looking for company.
Until one day he came across information about a woman named Katya.
Katya was an enigma. Her photos were striking: long dark hair, eyes you could drown in, and a smile that could attract attention. They said she used to work in some shadow business, but quit the game. They said she wasn’t afraid of passing, because she had already lost everything.
And it was this – her courage, charisma and awareness that time was stricted- that inspired Maxim to think: “Maybe I’ll hire her? Just for a while. As entertainment. To feel at least a little what it’s like to be alive?”
Chapter 1: First Look
Katya entered to his office in a strict black dress, with a book under her arm. She did not demand money, did not ruin herself, did not play the role of a dog on a leash. No. She sat down opposite him, put her hand on the table and said:
– I know why you called me. But if you think I’ll be your toy – forget it. I can be a friend, a partner, even an inspiration. But not a thing.
Maxim was surprised. He had predicted something completely different. He had predicted her to be sycophantic, to flatter, to use his money as a shield. But Katya… she looked at him as an equal. As if she knew that he was lonely too.
He agreed. No contract. Just his word. And the deal: she stays until he finds what he needs.
Chapter 2: Life Training
Days transfroms into weeks. Katya became part of his world. She delivered him to private galleries, learned to cook with him, made him laugh by telling stories from her past.
“You know,” she said one day, “people spend years trying to make millions, but they never know how to live one day so that it’s worth a lifetime.”
Katya taught him to enjoy the little things: the taste of coffee in the morning, the rustling of leaves in the fall, the first snow, the ringing of a doorbell in a small bookstore.
The more time they spent together, the less Maxim wanted her to leave.
Chapter 3: The Past Brings Up
One evening, when they were standing on the roof, sitting on the floor, hugging each other, and looking at the stars, Katya suddenly stiffened.
“What happened?” asked Maxim.
“We’re not alone,” she answered. “They found me.”
At first he didn’t understand. Then he heard footsteps. Six people.
– I’ve been seeking you for a long time, Katya. Let’s finish this.
He wasn’t ready for this. He was a businessman who had spent his life solving problems with money.
But Katya…
She stood up. Not scared. Not tense. But confident.
– Go away, or I’ll do it again.
Her voice sounded cold and final.
In the end, everyone left. Some were wounded, some simply ran away. Katya stood there, breathing heavily, with blood on her hands.
Chapter 4: Heart and Truth
Finally, Katya told him everything.
About her past in the world of shadows. About betrayal. About how she got out. How she ran. And how the tragedy became not a sentence for her, but a reminder: you have to live now.
Maxim listened without breaking.
“Why did you stay with me?” he asked.
— Because you were lonely, like me. Because you needed what I could give. And because… I wanted to live next to you.
– And now?
– Now I’m scared. Not for myself. For us.
Chapter 5: Love That Changes
Maxim transformed after that incident. He sold most of his assets and handed over management to reliable people. He started to appear less often in business circles and more often in life. He began to help charities, opened support centers for people with serious diagnoses. He began to live.
On the other hand, she started treatment. Together.
Epilogue: The Roof of the World
Two years later, they were standing on the roof of the same tower again.
“Do you remember our first meeting?” Katya asked.
– Of course. I thought you would be my entertainment. But you became the purpose of my life.
She smiled. Kissed him.
– Sometimes fate plays amazingly. Gives us gifts in the form of pain. So that we learn to appreciate joy.
“I love you,” said Maxim.
– I know. And I love you.
