At precisely 5:40 a.m., Natalia Banshikova woke up, got dressed, washed up, and by 6:00, she stepped out of her room.
Another day had begun at the Hot Springs Estate.
Just as she left her room, she encountered Marta Beknarts, a tall, brown-haired woman with striking blue eyes. Marta, one of the estate's maids, was officially Natalia's assistant in her role as the estate's housekeeper. But in practice, things weren't quite as they appeared.
Seeing Natalia, Marta, showing little deference to her supposed superior, promptly pulled a list from her clipboard and handed it over. "Natalia, today's food delivery will arrive shortly. Here's the list. Please check everything."
Though Marta had the title of assistant, she often seemed to be in charge. Natalia was aware that Marta, likely around twenty-five, was a top graduate of Kyiv University and had previously received formal butler training in London. Before Natalia's arrival, Marta had been in charge of the estate's daily operations.
When Natalia first arrived, Marta had cautiously tested her limits, soon realizing that Natalia was capable of little more than basic housework. Naturally, Marta had resumed control, reporting most matters directly to Eve Bessonoskova and seldom consulting Natalia.
Yet Natalia didn't feel undermined.
She knew she wasn't capable of managing the estate. Being here already felt like a dream, and if she made any mistakes, she wasn't overly worried for herself. After all, she and that man were divorced, and even if she were asked to leave, finding work in Rivne wouldn't be any worse than before.
But Natalia didn't want her daughters to suffer because of her mistakes.
Rumor had it that this powerful man had once done exactly that—punishing parents for their misconduct, which had resulted in some girls losing access to a life they had scarcely dared to dream of before.
Accepting the list from Marta, Natalia gave a polite smile and said, "I'll go check right away."
With that, she headed outside.
Marta watched her leave, a slight smirk on her lips before she turned back to her tasks.
With over thirty people residing in the estate—including maids, guards, and other staff—the food requirements were considerable, even if their appetites weren't large. Deliveries arrived daily to meet this demand.
Accompanied by four other maids, Natalia left the servants' quarters and headed to the main gate, where a small refrigerated truck had already arrived.
After the security guards conducted a thorough inspection, the truck—driven by a woman—was allowed just inside the estate's checkpoint. The goods were unloaded, meticulously sorted and counted, from fresh meats, eggs, vegetables, and fruits to seafood, much of which reportedly came from an organic farm established west of Rivne just last year.
Though Natalia didn't understand much about the sourcing, she knew this level of quality was something most people couldn't access.
After checking the delivery, Natalia and her team made several trips to bring the dozen or so boxes of food into the main kitchen. Following the work, Natalia volunteered to help the other maids with breakfast preparations, though there was little she could contribute. While the maids had received culinary training, she herself had little skill, only able to help with tasks like washing vegetables.
At 7:00, breakfast time arrived—not for the staff, but for the girls.
Natalia continued helping by serving breakfast, a simple task that also allowed her to see her daughters.
The girls' schedules were remarkably relaxed. Unlike Simon's strict training program for his personal staff, the girls here faced few restrictions. Aside from three hours of classes each morning and afternoon, their time was mostly free.
They were essentially given free rein.
There were, of course, unspoken rules, which the girls had to intuit themselves. Observers monitored their behavior, and any serious transgressions would naturally have consequences.
In a dining room within the main villa, Galina and Eve Banshikova arrived around seven, joining six or seven other girls and their mother, who was in the middle of serving breakfast.
The sisters paused when they saw Natalia.
Natalia's face lit up as she greeted them. "Galina, Eve."
Aware of the mixed looks they were getting from other girls, the two could only awkwardly greet her back. "Mom."
Then, a girl in a red dress sitting nearby couldn't stifle a snicker, making the sisters feel even more embarrassed. Smiling smugly, she pushed away her salad and turned to Natalia. "Natalia, the dragon fruit tastes awful. I don't want this salad. Bring me some congee, a fried egg, and a veggie sandwich instead."
Though she spoke imperiously, Natalia responded with her usual gentleness, nodding. "Of course, Yulia."
As if encouraged, the other two girls sitting with Yulia also requested changes to their breakfast, drawing Natalia's attention away from her daughters. Galina, standing near the door, turned red with embarrassment. Her younger sister Eve glanced at their mother, then at Galina, before lowering her head, nervously scuffing the floor with her shoe. She only moved toward the table when Galina gave her a nudge.
The main villa had three dining rooms, of which this was the largest. Besides Yulia and her two friends, four other girls sat on the opposite side of the table.
Seeing the sisters hesitantly take seats at the end of the table, one of the four girls couldn't help but speak up. "Stop being silly, Yulia. If Simon knew you were wasting food like this, he wouldn't be happy."
Invoking Simon's name immediately silenced Yulia and her friends. Still, Yulia was quick to retort, "I just don't feel like eating salad today, and besides, it won't go to waste," she said, looking at Natalia. "You'll eat it, right, Natalia?"
Natalia was about to nod automatically, but noticing her daughters' discomfort, she hesitated, eventually opting to say only, "I'll get you new breakfasts."
Gathering their plates, she carried the tray over to her daughters, who were seated nearby. Before she could speak, Galina pointed to the other two maids who had just entered to serve the other four girls. "Mom, you go ahead. We'll take care of it."
Natalia opened her mouth but said nothing, turning and quickening her steps as she left the room.
When Natalia had left, Galina glanced over at Yulia's group and accidentally made eye contact with Yulia, who stuck her tongue out defiantly. Then, turning to the girl who had spoken up earlier, Yulia smirked and said with a touch of bravado, "Hey, did you hear? Yesterday, Lazarenko was assassinated."
The girl she was addressing, also named Natalia but with the last name Gromova, gave her a blank look, catching on to Yulia's underlying motive.
Yulia Alekseyeva was from a low-ranking civil servant family in Kyiv. Since being selected by Simon, Yulia's father, Bartots Alekseyev, had recently been promoted, going from a minor city government employee to a secretary in the new Department of Foreign Policy Management in Kyiv—a department directly accountable to the president.
It was a leap forward, far beyond any standard promotion, effectively a quantum leap for a low-ranking bureaucrat. This foreign policy department was one of the core government bodies directly under the president's purview, bypassing parliament and the prime minister's cabinet, which suggested a special purpose.
In a time when most other girls' families were still struggling to find their footing, Yulia's father's ascent made her feel distinctly superior. Now, mentioning the assassination of Lazarenko, she was itching to boast.
After all, her father had joined Kyiv's inner circle.
If the other Natalia took the bait, Yulia would quickly steer the conversation to her father's new position.
The estate's first group of girls—ten in total—had naturally split into two groups. Both Yulia and Natalia Gromova had been part of Simon's initial selection of eight, but the two cliques were now clearly delineated.
Yet, Natalia Gromova proved to be a poor target for Yulia's bragging; if she had been speaking to Galina and Eve, her effect would have been stronger. Natalia simply rolled her eyes, unfazed.
Knowing Yulia's intent, Natalia gave her a pointed look and shot back, "You seem a bit full of yourself. You know what they say—children reflect their parents. With your attitude, it's not hard to guess what kind of person your father might be. Don't be surprised if you're sent packing one day."
Caught off guard, Yulia fired back. "My father knows how to handle things. What about you? Any word on your family yet?"
Natalia shrugged. "I'm not the type to flaunt every little thing."
"Oh really?" Yulia scoffed. "Come on, tell me—has your father gotten any special assignments, or is your mom joining you here as another maid? Ha!"
Her pointed remark left Galina and Eve wincing as they tried to blend into the background.
As the two maids finished serving breakfast to Natalia's group and left, Natalia Gromova daintily picked up her utensils and gave Yulia one last dismissive look. "None of your business."
"Whatever!"
"Hmph!"
Breakfast lasted until nine, followed by a rest period.
The girls chatted, laughed, and gossiped.
At nine, classes began: two sessions of English and one of ballet.
Simon hadn't intended for these girls to excel academically, so the curriculum focused on practical skills. That said, any girl who wanted to take her studies seriously was welcome
to do so.
One girl, Anna Belkovska from Odessa, took her studies very seriously. The fifteen-year-old spent most of her free time in the estate's library, a place other girls avoided, and upon mentioning it to Eve, she was given her own high school-level curriculum.
While the girls were in their morning classes, Eve Bessonoskova arrived at the estate with several others.
The estate's security was strict; even the girls' female relatives weren't allowed entry without permission. Only Eve had the authority to bring people in.
And Eve did not take this responsibility lightly.
The group she brought today, all dressed in attire identical to Simon's personal staff, exuded a palpable authority that set them apart from the estate's staff. They spoke English, confirming their identity.
They were part of Simon Westeros's personal team.
The estate was immediately abuzz.
While the girls attended classes, Eve's security team conducted a thorough inspection. Marta, who had taken on much of the management role, followed them closely, growing excited as she pieced things together.
There was only one reason for this level of preparation: Simon Westeros himself was coming.
The anticipation was quickly confirmed.
Although no official announcement had been made, the estate's security had now been handed over to the new team. Even more telling, Eve's sister, Lyudmila Bessonoskova, also arrived unexpectedly.
Knowing her sister's personality, it was clear that Lyudmila wouldn't come without reason.
Since becoming Simon's woman, Lyudmila had received her own property in Rivne. Though not as luxurious as the South Villa or Hot Springs Estate, her property was nonetheless opulent and entirely hers.
With her own estate, she usually avoided mingling with the other girls here.
But her presence now left little doubt.
Lyudmila's arrival all but confirmed Simon's imminent visit, and the estate's inhabitants began quietly preparing themselves.
Even Natalia Banshikova was no exception.
Though she was thirty-six, Natalia's appearance and figure remained impressive, especially after recent time spent in such luxurious surroundings. She had noticed that nearly every woman at the estate—from young girls to sophisticated maids, and even the teachers conducting classes—was beautiful and elegant.
And, there was an unspoken fact: she and her daughters were here together.
The unsettling reality was that all these women were here for Simon's pleasure.
Even if she was just an ordinary woman with little worldliness, she couldn't help but feel nervous at the thought of what might happen.
She had no idea how to handle such a situation.
It was July 19, a Friday.
The Atlanta Olympics were set to open, but Simon had little interest in them. Over the past week, he had traveled across London, Paris, Berlin, and Geneva, attending various bond-promotion events, only arriving in Rivne that evening.
However, rather than heading straight to the Hot Springs Estate, Simon attended a reception in Rivne to host the Westeros system's core staff in Ukraine.
And to address the recent assassination of Lazarenko.
While the girls at the estate might have gossiped about it over breakfast, for those with a keen sense of politics, it was an incident that could easily spark a seismic political shift.
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