Simon and the core members of the Westeros Group in Ukraine finished their dinner, exchanging laughter as they left the private dining room. In the hallway outside, besides Simon's security team, a neatly dressed man in his thirties wearing a black suit stood waiting. He had a square face and a serious expression. Seeing Simon, he stepped forward slightly, stopping at the edge of the security line, and greeted him, "Mr. Westeros."
The man's name was Andrei Voldemirka.
They had met briefly that afternoon.
Andrei was the president of the Rivne Resort and Entertainment Company, which held majority ownership in both the Rivne Northern Hot Springs Resort and a hunting ground.
Seeing him, Simon was a bit surprised but smiled and shook his hand. "Andrei, is there something you need?"
After the handshake, Andrei walked alongside his boss toward the elevator, saying respectfully, "Mr. Westeros, you mentioned that you might visit the resort to watch the show tonight if you had time. I came to check if you're still interested so we can arrange everything."
The others followed Simon out, observing Andrei Voldemirka. Despite being nearly the same height as Simon, he seemed to stand a bit shorter beside him. Yet no one looked down on Andrei; instead, they considered him a man who knew how to seize an opportunity.
The Westeros Group's influence in Ukraine was still expanding. Leaving a strong impression on the boss now might offer a path to promotion in the future. Even the shrewdest boss often tended to appoint familiar subordinates, and Andrei had shown his abilities. A graduate of Kyiv University, he had left his public sector position there within his first two years to join the Westeros Group, establishing both the resort and the hunting ground with great success since their opening. Andrei had clearly proven his skill.
Not only did he have ability, but he also knew how to humble himself—a combination that often led to higher ranks.
At Simon's level, personnel selection mattered even more than executing projects. Building a solid network in Ukraine focused primarily on finding the right people. Even in Ukraine's current unstable state, talented individuals were not scarce, and many of them, during this low period, were open to joining Simon's camp, often with high loyalty.
Andrei Voldemirka, now 36, was precisely the kind of manager Simon kept an eye on in Ukraine.
Since Simon had briefly mentioned the idea of visiting the resort that afternoon, and since they would be staying at the nearby Northern Hot Springs Manor tonight, he accepted the invitation.
The other attendees, who had accompanied Simon throughout the afternoon, dispersed after he made this decision. Only Simon's team and Andrei Voldemirka's people headed out of Rivne. About half an hour later, they arrived at the resort.
The night was alive with lights.
Whether coming to experience the military-themed amusement park, to hunt during the summer season, or to pursue other leisure activities, most foreign tourists preferred to stay at this resort, located about 30 kilometers from the city center. With summer approaching and word spreading, more than 600 visitors from around the world were staying here, and in just two months, the resort had already reached 60% of its 1,000-person capacity—an impressive start.
Many understood the real appeal here.
Besides the variety of recreational activities, the attraction lay in the affordable prices. And, of course, women.
Just as truck drivers and janitors in Hong Kong could afford to support young, beautiful mistresses in mainland China, middle-class tourists from Western Europe and North America could come to Ukraine and, for the cost of a few months' salary, experience luxuries they could only dream of back home.
As Simon got out of his car at an internal parking lot at the resort, he glanced around and immediately noticed various men on the nearby plaza or paths, each with a young local girl in his arms.
Having lived through two lifetimes and nearly a dozen people's worth of experiences, Simon felt indifferent to the scene. Andrei Voldemirka, however, noticed Simon's gaze and regretted not arranging a more discreet atmosphere. After all, it was impossible to know if this young boss might find the sight unpleasant.
Fortunately, someone soon arrived to shift Simon's focus.
The new arrival was the head of the military-themed amusement park, named Alexander Nagyev.
Unlike the well-groomed Andrei Voldemirka, the 39-year-old Alexander was somewhat bald. Yet, as the saying goes, appearances can be deceiving. His resume surpassed even Andrei's; he held a doctorate in economics from Moscow University, dating back to the Soviet era, had studied in East Germany, and, like Andrei, had left public service for a corporate career.
Simon had long noted Alexander's potential as well.
Simon greeted Alexander with satisfaction, glad to see him here, especially given the emphasis he'd placed on cooperation between him and Andrei. This area was meant to be a connected, expansive resort center. If the amusement park hadn't been somewhat unique, Simon would likely have incorporated all three attractions under Rivne Resort and Entertainment.
Andrei had invited Alexander to join them instead of monopolizing his time with Simon, demonstrating the good rapport between them.
Andrei sensed something particular in Simon's expression as he greeted Alexander.
In truth, neither Andrei nor Alexander was content with the status quo. Both understood that working closely was the key to making this project a success, creating opportunities for future advancement. Simon's brief glance conveyed his approval of Andrei's approach, marking this evening as a success regardless of what followed.
After exchanging greetings, Simon instructed Andrei, "Silia and the ladies are heading back. Arrange for someone to escort them."
Silia and some of the other women had accompanied Simon throughout the afternoon, but given the clearly masculine tone of the evening, they chose to retire to the hot springs villa.
Simon's convoy had three cars, two sets of bodyguards, and a driver, Neil Bennett, who personally chauffeured Simon.
Though abroad, Simon knew better than to assume the country was wholly welcoming toward him, so he was careful not to dismiss his security. Instead, he asked Andrei to arrange for an escort. Fortunately, security teams were abundant here. Any incident involving foreign tourists could quickly escalate into an international issue.
Andrei immediately complied, instructing his team to assign two cars to accompany the women back.
Simon also directed Neil to drive the two women personally.
Simon couldn't fully trust the local team.
With these arrangements in place, Simon followed Andrei to the resort theater. Andrei had clearly anticipated Simon's visit and invited the esteemed Kyiv Ballet to perform.
Simon had little interest in ballet.
Mostly because of the tutus.
However, the people around him, noting the women he kept close and a piece he'd released last year, "Bach's Last Day," believed he was fond of ballet.
Simon, with the instincts of a man in his position, saw no need to correct this assumption.
So, he'd play along for now.
Today was Saturday.
Although it was the theater's usual performance night, the 500-seat venue was reserved exclusively for Simon.
After everyone sat down, Andrei noticed the overly empty hall, worrying it might be off-putting, but Simon didn't seem to mind. Andrei addressed him with a new title he'd picked up earlier. "Boss, the Kyiv Ballet's specialty is Swan Lake. But if you'd like to see something else, I can make arrangements."
Simon shook his head slightly and said, "Have them perform only the third act."
Swan Lake had four acts in total, lasting about two hours. The third act, where the black swan seduces the prince, was the most captivating in terms of storyline and technique. Though Simon wasn't keen on ballet, he understood its highlights from his many memories.
Andrei had had the same thought. If his boss watched the full two-hour Swan Lake, there'd be no time for other activities. So, he immediately relayed Simon's instructions.
With some time before the performance, Simon kept the conversation going, asking Andrei and Alexander on either side about the operations of the three entertainment venues. Both men answered openly, eager to impress.
"Actually, boss," Andrei began, "I believe we should expand the hot springs resort now, with the military amusement park and hunting ground as complementary. As our reputation grows, Rivne could easily attract a million overseas visitors annually. When that happens, the current resort will be too small."
The hot springs had initially been developed as a side attraction to the military theme park, so Simon looked at Alexander with a smile. "What do you think?"
"I actually agree, boss," Alexander Nagyev replied. "Though the amusement park is popular now, it's unlikely to sustain this level of interest. Meanwhile, the resort itself has more potential to grow."
Simon then asked, "In a place like Rivne, without mountains or water, what unique advantages would you emphasize to attract tourists?"
Unique advantages?
The two men exchanged glances, and Andrei offered an answer: "A casino."
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]