Sasha sat at her desk, her fingers tapping lightly on the keyboard. The room, sleek and modern, was filled with the soft hum of the city outside. She had just finished a presentation for a potential client when the door slammed open. In walked Nina Petrovna, her mother, with a stern expression on her face.
“Did you call in security?” Nina Petrovna snapped, glaring at her daughter.
Sasha didn’t even flinch. “Mom, we’ve been over this. This is my office. Not some family gathering.”
“I’m not just a guest here, Sasha. I’m your mother!” Nina Petrovna’s voice rang out, sharp and unwavering. “And I invested in you. Don’t forget that.”
Sasha sighed, rubbing her temples. “Mom, we’ve had this conversation a hundred times. I send you money every month. You’ve been living comfortably. What more do you want?”
Nina Petrovna crossed her arms, her expression firm. “I want a share in your company. A formal one, with voting rights. I need to be recognized for my contribution.”
Sasha’s eyes narrowed. “Voting rights? What exactly are you planning to do here?”
“Who helped you when you were lost? Who pushed you to get the education you have now? Who sacrificed everything so you could be here? Me!” Nina Petrovna’s voice was full of pride and accusation.
“I know what you did, Mom, and I’m grateful,” Sasha said quietly, leaning back in her chair. “But everything I’ve achieved, I did on my own. You don’t understand the business.”
Nina Petrovna’s lips curled into a smile that was more of a challenge than a comfort. “I may not understand your business, but I understand how to invest. I want my dividends now.”
Sasha’s patience was wearing thin. “You want dividends? You want a stake in my company because you think you deserve it? This isn’t about emotions, Mom. It’s business.”
The tension in the room was palpable. Nina Petrovna stood her ground, her eyes gleaming with resolve. “I want five percent of the profit. And I want an office with a view, just like yours.”
“An office?” Sasha’s voice shook with disbelief. “What are you going to do with an office, Mom? You don’t even know how the company works.”
“I’ll hire a consultant. They’ll explain everything to me,” Nina Petrovna said dismissively. “The important thing is the status. I’m tired of being just the mother of Sasha Kovaleva. I want to be more than that.”
Sasha stood up, pushing her chair back. “You can’t just walk in here and demand things. This isn’t a game.”
“Maybe I’ll take you to court,” Nina Petrovna said, her voice calm but filled with underlying threat. “You think I don’t know how to fight for what’s mine?”
“Mom,” Sasha sighed, shaking her head. “You don’t even know what you’re asking for.”
And just like that, the standoff began. Sasha had faced many challenges in her career, but this was different. This was family. And Nina Petrovna wasn’t backing down.
A few minutes later, Sasha’s husband, Andrei, walked into the room, offering her a bottle of water. “How’s it going?” he asked with a smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“She wants five percent of the company,” Sasha muttered, feeling the weight of the situation settle in. “And an office with a view. Like that’s going to happen.”
Andrei chuckled softly. “At least it’s not a request for a yacht.”
Sasha couldn’t help but laugh, but the worry still lingered. “I don’t know, Andrei. She’s serious. She might actually take me to court.”
Andrei put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a comforting embrace. “We’ll handle it. We’ve been through worse, right?”
Sasha nodded, but deep down, she knew this battle was far from over. And the war had only just begun.