CHAPTER 3
ILAY
Viktor parks in front of a high-end furniture showroom and through the glass windows I can see a woman in a fitted black dress standing near the entrance with a nervous-looking assistant clutching a tablet to his chest.
I step out of the car and walk toward the entrance, and the automatic doors slide open to reveal the woman approaching me with a practiced smile that does not quite hide the tension in her shoulders.
"Mr. Ivanovich, I'm Helena, the design consultant assigned to your project, and this is my assistant David who will be taking notes and coordinating the installation timeline."
David nods at me and his grip on the tablet tightens.
"Let's begin," I say.
Helena leads me through the showroom with David trailing behind us, and the space is massive and filled with desks and chairs and shelves in every style imaginable from modern minimalist pieces to heavy traditional wood.
"I've pulled together some options based on the specifications your assistant provided," Helena says while stopping in front of a display of executive desks. "For your wife's personal office I recommend something that conveys authority while still feeling warm and inviting, and this walnut desk has been very popular with female executives."
I run my hand across the surface and the wood is smooth but the color is wrong.
"Too dark," I say. "She likes lighter tones, warmer, something with a honey finish."
Helena nods and gestures for David to make a note. "Of course, we have several options in that range, follow me."
We move through the showroom and she stops at another desk with a lighter wood grain and soft curved edges, and I circle it slowly while examining it from every angle.
"This one," I say.
"Excellent choice, sir, and for the chair?"
She gestures to a row of executive chairs in various colors and materials including leather and fabric and mesh in black and brown and cream and gray.
I point at a cream-colored leather chair with gold hardware. "That one, but I want it in a dusty rose instead."
Helena blinks. "Dusty rose?"
"Yes, can you do that?"
"We can do custom upholstery but it will take a few additional weeks."
"That's fine, and I also want the hardware changed from gold to rose gold."
David types rapidly on his tablet while Helena continues. "Rose gold hardware, dusty rose leather, got it, and for the conference room?"
"Long glass table that seats twelve with chairs in the same dusty rose to match her office."
"And the reception area?"
She leads me to another section of the showroom with sofas and armchairs and coffee tables, and I examine each piece carefully while running my fingers over fabrics and testing the cushions.
"This sofa," I say while pointing at a curved velvet piece in a soft blush color. "Two of these facing each other with a marble coffee table in between, white marble not gray."
"Noted."
"Now the walls."
Helena looks up. "The walls, sir?"
"I want to see paint samples, something soft but professional, not white since it's too cold and not beige since it's too boring."
