- Yes, - Maxim Bigar leaned back in his chair and slightly tilted his head to one side, - you, of course, put on an excellent performance for us. Catherine choked with indignation, rose to her full height, crumpling the raised sheets in her hands. Why did you decide that you could do this job?

— Because I can design any complexity, any style and any price range. - The phrases came out clumsy, the speech sounded jerky. “Here,” she held out the folded sheets, “these are completed projects, recorded by photography. Yes, in my portfolio, the vast majority of work consists of 3D projects alone. But I know for sure: this job is up to me. I have an art education, I can manually make sketches, work out every detail of the interior, but this usually takes quite a lot of time.

- They also say that modesty adorns a person. - Maxim grinned, looked at his friends, hoping for their support, but Arno sat with a sullen look, and Enzo smiled contentedly.

- In vain you are! I don't boast. It never crossed my mind to come and laugh at you. I really appreciate my abilities. The girl boldly glanced around at the men, who for some reason suddenly became silent.

- Okay. We heard everything we wanted. You can be free. - An unpleasant rigidity appeared in Maxim's face and voice. He returned to his papers and with a serious expression began to look through them, making it clear that the conversation was over. We won't detain you anymore. - Without looking at the girl, he casually threw a stack of papers on the table and went to the window, folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the protruding concrete corner.

“Well, what can I say? We need to quietly quickly get out of here and forget about this interview, like a terrible dream.” Katrin’s soul was bad, she felt like she was rolling in the mud. into a bag, sent photographs and sheets picked up from the floor there, went to the exit.

"The main thing is not to look at anyone! Just get out of here as soon as possible."

The door opened and the secretary entered. In her hands she held folders with documents, from which colored stickers stuck out in different directions.

Katrin stepped aside, giving way to the girl, and suddenly found another sheet near the far table. She walked in that direction and squatted down, picked up a photograph that turned out to be an office interior from her latest work, and headed for the exit.

“I am infuriated by upstarts who, once believing in their genius, decide that not a single company can do without their services,” Maxim said quietly, following his gaze with a silver Range Rover that had just swept through the intersection. - How is she dressed? Have you seen it? He continued to reason aloud, mistakenly believing that the girl had left. - It's just awful! It feels like she ran away from some farm. Well, what can a person who has neither taste nor style create? - He chuckled: - Well, just feel sorry for the poor thing! There was such silence in the office that you could touch it, which was completely unusual for his friends. The clue came by itself. No, he wasn't ashamed at all! - Is she still here?

“Yes, I’m still here,” Katherine answered him instead of one of her friends. She clenched her fingers into a tight fist. It stung in the eyes. She blinked frequently. It wasn’t enough for her to burst into tears right now in front of everyone. “And I’m very sorry that I didn’t leave before you started discussing my appearance.

“I’ll ask you,” Maxim turned around and raised an eyebrow haughtily.

- Not! This is what I'm asking you! Katherine shoved the lifted photograph into her bag, forgetting to pick up the sketchbook from the wide arm of Enzo's chair. First of all, I don't need your pity. Secondly, yes, my family lives on a farm, and you are right, we eat what we ourselves have grown on our land. But I'm not at all ashamed of it!

“Listen, save us from this performance! Max curled his lips into a smile.

— Do you think the whole world revolves only around your company? You have no idea what life really is outside of your office! Katrin did not let up, boldly meeting his contemptuous gaze. And you will probably never know. The tears in the girl's eyes dried up, her gaze became mocking, and her lips stretched into a sympathetic smile. - I feel really sorry for you.

- Everything! Enough! Grab your papers and just go! You were clearly told: you are not suitable for us.

Passions ran high, intonations became higher and higher.

- Not. Katherine raised her head proudly. "You don't suit me!" And I am very glad that I will not work for a person like you - a snob and an ignoramus. - And in her hearts she added, not noticing that she had switched to her native Russian language: - The turkey is inflated.

Nadia's tray fell out of her hands, Enzo slid into a chair and even pulled the collar of the sweater over his face, and Arno rushed to the girl, grabbed her by the elbow and forcibly dragged her out of the office. After all, knowing his friend well, he understood that the interview threatened to turn into a good scandal. But for some reason Maxim remained silent. Arno cautiously cast a glance in his direction: a man with a stunned look stood near the window and followed them with his eyes.

In the office, after the door closed behind the secretary with a loud click, there was silence for a long time. No one dared to speak first.

- And what? - Maxim sank into an armchair and put a notebook in front of him, leafed through the written sheet, carefully wrote down "puffed turkey", deciding to find out the meaning of this expression in the near future. He gave the audience a serious look. - The world really does not revolve around our company? Both friends nodded in unison. - Disorder! More work is needed to correct this omission.

The three directors looked at the door behind which the girl had disappeared, looked at each other meaningfully and laughed.

Max, I still want to hire her. Enzo opened his sketchbook to the page he liked, calmly meeting his friend's puzzled gaze. - Let her take care of the design of my office, so to speak, in an individual order.

- You're right! - Maxim began to study the documents on the merger of companies. His gaze glided over the lines, the clauses of obligations, and the enraged face of the girl stood before his eyes. “And you didn't have to tell me about it.