Lidiya Stepanovna was standing by the door with a bucket when she heard a voice coming from the office: «Just two more weeks, and she’ll do everything I say.» The voice belonged to her daughter’s fiancé. She put the bucket down against the wall—the next conversation made her completely forget about cleaning.
«The most important thing is that her mother doesn’t find out ahead of time. We’ll deal with her later.»
Three days earlier, Lidiya had welcomed Maksim Troshin into their home. Nastya brought out a pie, and her fiancé showed up with a bouquet. Everything was peaceful, until they started talking about the share in the business Lidiya had given to her daughter.
«We’ve decided to live separately,» Maksim announced, adjusting the napkin near his plate. «Buy a house, start our own business. Nastya will need extra cash for that.»
«She has her savings,» Lidiya pointed out.
«It won’t be enough for a decent house. And thirty percent in your company is just a number on paper. She should sell it. I’ve already found a buyer.»
Nastya turned toward the window. Three years ago, her mother had given her thirty percent of ‘Tepliy Len’. Nastya had created her own range of home textiles, found customers, and managed to upgrade their equipment. That share was a result of her work, not just a meaningless number.
«So you’ve already found a buyer for someone else’s property?» Lidiya asked.
«For my future wife’s property,» Maksim answered evenly. «We’ve already talked it over with Nastya.»
«We only discussed the possibility,» her daughter corrected him. «I haven’t made a decision yet.»
Maksim smiled, but his fingers were clenched around his napkin. In the hallway, Lidiya heard him whisper: «Even now, they won’t let you make your own choices.» She closed the kitchen door a little too loudly. Nastya left without hugging her mom.
Lidiya was left standing among the cups set out on the table. Twenty years ago, she used to unload rolls of fabric herself. Now she owned most of the business and two workshops. She’d learned how to manage money, but couldn’t learn to stay out of her daughter’s decisions.
A One-Night Job
That morning, her friend Tatyana, who owned a cleaning company, called. One of her employees who normally cleaned Maksim’s office was sick, and she urgently needed a substitution for the evening. Lidiya volunteered to take the shift herself. Tatyana thought she was joking.
«You do realize he might recognize you?»
«We’ve only met twice, and both times I was dressed in business suits. Tonight, let him see the woman mopping the floors. At least I’ll find out how he talks to people who don’t have money.»
Tatyana reluctantly agreed. The paperwork for a one-off shift was handled at the cleaning company, and the client only received the new worker’s first name. Lidiya put on a smock, tucked her hair into a scarf, and grabbed her cleaning cart. Just an hour into mopping, her back was already aching.
Maksim showed up closer to the evening. With his phone pressed to his ear and wearing an expensive coat, he walked right past Lidiya without looking at her face. In the meeting room, he paused at a table, where a wet ring from a cup was left behind.
«Does anyone even clean in here?» he asked loudly enough that the secretary peeked out from behind the divider.
Lidiya came over with a rag and wiped down the table. Maksim automatically shifted his leather bag away from her.
«Be careful. That costs more than your yearly salary. And don’t open the door to my office without permission.»
Lidia wanted to reply, but the secretary, looking frightened, was standing nearby. Later, the young woman brought a glass of water to the cleaning lady and apologized for her boss:
«He’s having a tough day. He’s completely different in front of clients, very polite.»
That evening, the secretary left, and then a stranger with a briefcase arrived. He went with Maksim into the office; the door stayed slightly open behind them. Lidia was mopping the floor near the threshold and unintentionally overheard their first words.
The Forbidden Surname
«Eight million four hundred thousand,» the stranger said. «Are you sure she’ll agree? I saw the valuation—her share is worth much more.»
«She’s tired of trying to prove to her mother that she’s an adult,» Maksim replied. «I’ll say the money will go toward a shared house. She’ll sign the power of attorney first, then we can calmly deal with the buyer.»
Lidia leaned on her mop. Over the past week, Maksim had twice advised Nastya to ‘get the paperwork done’ before the wedding. Now it became clear why.
«Nastya will definitely ask who she’s selling the share to and why it’s so cheap,» the other man noted. «What will you say?»
«To Sedova,» Maksim replied, then suddenly stopped himself. «No, the buyer will be Lapshin’s company! Zinaida is his co-owner. Don’t mention her surname in front of Nastya.»
«And her mother? She has the preferential right to buy the share.»
«Nastya will persuade her to refuse. The mother would rather give in than admit that her daughter is leaving the business because of her. And if she buys it herself, Nastya will still invest the money in my company.»
Zinaida Sedova used to handle supplier settlements at ‘Warm Linen.’ After an audit, inflated bills for shipping were discovered. They couldn’t prove any personal gain, but Sedova refused to explain her choice of contractors and left saying, «You’ll remember me yet.»
Then the men discussed how to convince Nastya to invest the proceeds in Maksim’s company, with the promise of building a family home. There were no contracts yet—they still needed her consent and the power of attorney.
Lidia finished her shift. She had nothing recorded, just words she’d overheard. She understood: that wouldn’t be enough for her daughter.
When she got home, she called the company’s lawyer and asked him to check into Lapshin and his connection to Sedova. She wasn’t planning to forbid Nastya from selling the share.
Not Trusting Even Your Own Mother
In the morning, the lawyer brought information from the public registry: Lapshin was the head of a trading company, and Sedova was listed as his co-owner. This didn’t prove collusion, but it did confirm their connection.
«Selling a share to an outsider requires following the charter and the rights of other members, and any transaction itself must go through a notary,» the lawyer said. «Nothing can happen without Nastya. But a general power of attorney allows someone else to act in her name.»
That evening, Lidia went to see Nastya. She was arranging invitations and ribbons for the guest gifts. Her dress was still at the seamstress for alterations. When her daughter saw the documents, her expression darkened.
«Mom, again? I asked you not to check up on Maksim.»
Lidia explained where she worked and what she’d overheard. At the words «got a job as a cleaning lady,» Nastya even stopped sorting through the ribbons.
«So you were spying on my fiancé? He’ll find out! Can you imagine what he’ll think of me?»
“I already know what he thinks of you,” Lydia replied. “He’s convinced you’ll sell your share just to spite me.”
“You’ve always made decisions for me!” Nastya’s voice trembled. “You called my first collection a pointless idea. When I asked for a raise for the seamstresses, you spent three months reviewing the expenses. Now you think I can’t even choose my own husband.”
Lydia sat down on a chair. Her daughter was telling the truth: Lydia had only agreed to the first collection after seeing paid orders.
“I was wrong back then,” Lydia said quietly. “Maybe I’m mistaken now too, at least about some things. But there’s the Sedova name that Maxim asked to keep from you. You can check for yourself what that’s about.”
Nastya didn’t look at the statements. She put them back in the envelope and handed it to her mother.
“I’ll talk to him. But please, don’t go to his work anymore.”
That evening, Maxim called his future mother-in-law himself. He didn’t even greet her.
“Quite a show you put on, Lidiya Stepanovna. The cleaner undercover! Now Nastya is crying and thinks we’re all lying to her. Are you happy now?”
“Just tell me why you mentioned Sedova’s name,” she asked.
“Sedova is advising the buyer,” Maxim snapped after a brief pause. “You overheard half of the conversation. Stay out of our wedding.”
The next morning, Nastya texted her mother saying Maxim had explained everything: Sedova was just helping the buyer evaluate the company. «I’m glad we cleared this up.» Lydia wanted to believe her. But her daughter stopped answering her calls, and Maxim told Tatyana not to send that elderly cleaner anymore.
Sign Before the Wedding
Nine days before the wedding, Maxim brought Nastya a draft power of attorney. He placed it on top of the guest list and asked her to stop by the notary office in the morning. Nastya had just come back from a dress fitting and was about to take off her shoes.
“I thought we’d agree on the price first,” she said, scanning the page.
“We did. Eight-four hundred. The buyer’s waiting. After the wedding we’ll go on vacation, and all the papers will be sorted without you.”
Nastya found the line granting her representative the power to sign off on the share transfer, set the sale’s terms, and collect documents. Below it was Maxim’s name. She reread it slowly.
“You want me to let you not only negotiate, but actually sell my share on my behalf?”
“What’s wrong with that? I’m your future husband.”
Maxim reached for the papers, but Nastya held them back. She grew up with her mother’s rule: read carefully before you sign. For the first time, she wanted to double-check someone she loved.
“And do you want the money transferred to your company?”
“Just for now. We’ll buy the land, start building, and get all the paperwork done. Do you trust me or not?”
Nastya didn’t answer. Maxim started clearing the wedding cards off the table, piling them unevenly and pushed them irritably to the wall.
“Your mother’s right about one thing: it’s easier for you not to make decisions. I’ve already made arrangements with people, and now you’re starting to hesitate again.”
After he left, Nastya took photos of the documents and the next day she consulted with an independent notary. They explained to her that the power of attorney itself doesn’t actually sell the share, but with such authority, the representative can carry out the transaction as long as the law is followed. Nastya needed to know the price and buyer in advance.
That evening, Nastya decided to call her mother herself.
«Tomorrow I’m meeting with Lapshin. I want to talk in front of our lawyer. And… you’ll be there, but I’ll be the one answering for myself.»
«Are you sure?»
«For the first time this week, yes. But please, I need to answer for myself.»
At the table where everything was decided
The meeting was scheduled at Maxim’s office. He was expecting Nastya alone and looked displeased when he saw the company lawyer with her. Lapshin greeted them in the conference room, and in front of him was the contract draft.
«We agreed not to mix family and business,» Maxim said to Nastya in the hallway.
«That’s exactly why I brought a specialist,» she replied, opening the door to the meeting room.
Lapshin started talking about the business’s development, but Nastya immediately asked about the price. According to an independent evaluation, her share could be worth about twenty-seven million rubles. While the buyer wasn’t required to pay that much, a discount of nearly three times needed to be explained.
«Do you have any justification for a discount of almost three times?» she asked.
«The buyer is taking on risks,» Maxim quickly answered for Lapshin. «Let’s not turn this meeting into an interrogation.»
Nastya didn’t raise her voice. She simply pulled a second sheet from her bag and placed it in front of Lapshin.
«It says here that Sedova will co-own your company. Why did Maxim hide this when he offered to buy my share through you?»
Lapshin exchanged glances with her fiancé and admitted: Sedova was his business partner and was involved in the negotiations. Nastya slowly folded her hands on the table.
«So the offer of eight million is also coming from Sedova? Why didn’t you tell me?» Nastya asked.
«Maxim asked me not to mention her name,» Lapshin replied dryly. «No one is forcing you to agree.»
Lydia waited outside the door at her daughter’s request. When she heard Maxim’s voice, she came into the conference area. Her future son-in-law recognized her and looked her over mockingly.
«Where’s your apron, Lydia Stepanovna? Not eavesdropping today?»
Her mother paused by the door. Remembering her cleaning scheme made her ashamed, but it was even harder to see Maxim trying to embarrass her in front of Nastya. Lydia stayed silent—her daughter had asked her not to get involved.
«It was you who put on this show,» Maxim said.
«No,» Nastya answered before her mother could speak. «The show was when you told me about the house for both of us while hiding the real buyer’s name from me.»
Maxim was ready to argue, but Nastya stopped him.
«I wanted us not to depend on your mother. Yes, I was hoping to get money for our shared project. What’s so wrong with that?»
«I can sell my share myself,» Nastya said. «But I won’t agree to this price or your power of attorney. In our home, we can’t start with lies.»
Nastya took off her ring and placed it on the draft power of attorney. Maxim reached out to her, but she picked up her bag and left with her mother. In the hallway, he called out to her by name.
Maksim was hoping to land a contract for transporting products from ‘Warm Flax’, but he didn’t get it. After comparing prices and terms, the company chose a different transport provider—without any interference from Lidiya.
Nastya called off her own wedding and personally contacted all the guests. She couldn’t get all the money for the celebration back. On the day when she was meant to get married, she went to the factory. Her mother was sitting at the table with fabric samples, hesitant to speak first.
«I’ve come up with a color scheme for the winter collection,» Nastya said, laying out the samples. «I want to start with a small batch. And from now on, all decisions about my work will be made together—not behind closed doors.»
Lidiya pulled up a chair for her daughter. They debated about the fabric pattern, the price, and the number of sets, but this time, her mother listened until the end.
«Mom, just promise me you won’t make any moves behind my back again. Call me first, okay?»
«Agreed,» Lidiya replied.
That evening, they took the samples to the warehouse. Nastya put her own label on a box, and her mother helped place it on the shelf. Nastya lifted the next box by herself.
