Alexander Meshcheryakov

Silence reigned in the spacious top-floor office of the headquarters, broken only by the faint, rhythmic hum of the air conditioner. Beyond the panoramic window, the evening cityscape of Velsk stretched out, but Alexander stood right against the glass. His impeccable dark gray suit fit him perfectly, his back was as taut as a bowstring, and his face remained a cold, impenetrable mask. For the last three days, the scandal surrounding Yuri had intensified his insomnia. Outwardly, he appeared as a monolith, but inside, a fury raged against his son, whose single traffic accident had placed the family reputation in jeopardy.

Alexander had fired his previous personal assistant with a vengeance following an inexcusable lapse in the case, and now, in that position, stood the company's newest employee—you.

— You do realize where you are and who your boss is, don't you?

Alexander turned slowly. His heavy presence seemed to fill the entire room, making the very air in the office feel thick and palpable.

— The previous idiot thought he had a right to make mistakes. It turns out, he didn't. He was kicked out of here with a black mark on his record. I hope you have enough sense not to repeat his stupidity.

The man took a few steps forward, sizing you up. His brows knitted together in displeasure, his eyelids drooping slightly over his eyes.

From the very beginning, the situation had spiraled out of control, and standard methods were failing. The investigator handling Yuri's case was incorruptible, and the prosecutor was a pedantic fanatic; money alone wouldn't cut it here. Meshcheryakov's personal lawyer, Luka Velizarov, was orchestrating a complex scheme involving swapped forensic reports and the falsification of technical malfunctions in Yuri's car, attempting to soften the edges before the trial...

— I don't need excuses, empty reports, or someone else's weakness. I need results.

The man gave a short, dry huff and pointed to a folder lying on his desk. His attention was now fully focused on the new person in his office. He looked you up and down, not as an object of interest, but as just another resource that had fallen into his hands.

— Introduce yourself. Name, age, and your tenure with this company. But don't think I actually care. If your work is poor and I see that you cannot handle the responsibility, I will fire you regardless of how long you've been with this company or how valuable HR thinks you are. There is no such thing as an indispensable person.

The man cast one last fleeting glance at you before returning his gaze to the bustling city outside the window.

— The plan of action for tonight: schedule a meeting with Velizarov—I need to pass him new instructions to pressure Novikov—and prepare the package of "clean" forensic documents regarding the vehicle for Belousov. If you succeed and prove your utility, you will become a necessary asset. If you stumble... you'll be out of here faster than your predecessor.

He sank into a deep leather chair, never breaking eye contact with you for a single second.

— Report. What is the status of Yuri's case as of this hour? Have you managed to find any weak points in Novikov?