Behind the Boardroom Door

Chapter 1

Copyright © 2015  Vittoria Orlova

Dedicated to every working woman around the world.

Be fearless.
Walk boldly.
Believe in yourself.
Dream big.
Negotiate your salary like there is no tomorrow.
Know that you deserve it.

Somebody once told Kristina Belinsky that people’s lives are changed behind boardroom doors. Convinced that her boss was finally going to recognize her blood, sweat, and tears, she waited anxiously for his arrival.

Peering out the floor-to-ceiling window of the boardroom, she inhaled a bracing breath. Her heart was beating quickly, adrenaline pumping through her veins. From the forty-second floor, she could see down the corridor of Market Street in the busy financial district of San Francisco. She was always invigorated by the hum of the city. It was this pace that made her feel alive.

The reflection in the window showed an immaculately dressed woman in a black pinstriped suit. A woman who was always in control, undaunted, and single-minded. A woman who thrived under pressure, sought out new opportunities, and was never afraid to put her hand up to learn something new, even it meant taking a risk.

Kristina had paid her dues, and she knew she deserved a promotion. After all, she had an excellent working relationship with her boss at the prestigious law firm Quantus & Co. and with her expertise, they had seen an exponential growth in revenue due to a rapid expansion in their global footprint. In the three years since she’d been hired as the digital marketing director, she had practically single-handedly implemented a new national marketing strategy. She had a colleague who liked to claim the success as his own, but Kristina knew the truth.

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the thought of what was to come. Kristina ran her hands over the few wrinkles that had pressed into her wool pencil skirt. She adjusted her white pearl necklace so as not to obscure the beauty mark on her décolletage. The sharpness of her blonde bangs contrasted with her soft French twist, yet somehow worked in harmony.

She was pleased with what she saw. At twenty-eight, her natural beauty was complemented by her obsession with healthy living. Her mantra for life—you only get out what you put in—was evident in her gut-busting personal training sessions, which she attended three mornings a week at 5:00 a.m. But her commitment to overachieve in everything showed mostly in her work ethic.

Kristina had witnessed the tremendous sacrifices her family and friends had made to build their careers, so she knew the effort required to claw her way up the corporate ladder. Some of her female colleagues had warned her about the invisible forces that stop women from rising to the top in corporations, but she just dismissed these as fiction. It would be different for her. With dedication, loyalty, and commitment, she would be fast-tracked to the top ranks of corporate America.

In her first year at the firm, she had often found herself alone in the quiet offices well after dark. One night she heard the faint sound of fireworks. She looked out the window to see colorful sparkles light up the sky. Only then was she reminded that it was New Year's Eve. She did not wince or whine. She knew where she needed to be to fulfill her resolution.

“I will be the VP of Marketing,” she muttered under her breath as she slapped the desk.

The boardroom clock chimed five and pulled Kristina from her thoughts. Her boss would arrive soon. After all, his nickname was Punctual Paul.

Kristina considered which chair would be most suitable for such an important meeting. She wanted to sit next to Paul so she could plant a big kiss on his cheek when she heard the good news. She chose one near the door and turned the one next to her so he would gravitate toward it.

Paul Nash, a senior partner at the firm, was her strongest advocate, particularly when she needed support to get her ideas across the line with the board of directors. Kristina remembered a conversation she had with Paul soon after she started working at Quantus & Co. He’d told her that after the first interview he had recognized that she had the X factor. When she had asked Paul what characteristics made up the X factor, he had said, "I just know it when I see it." He told her he’d been ready to hire her as soon as he shook her hand, but the HR manager had convinced him that he needed to follow the corporate recruitment process.

At the time, Kristina had been recovering from ending another destructive relationship. Her ex-boyfriend had systematically ripped apart her self-esteem and confidence with a year of emotional abuse and roller-coaster highs and lows. Paul had thrown her a much needed life vest.

And where was Paul? It was already ten minutes past five.

Looking around, Kristina smiled, almost giddy with delight to be in the room. Crafted exquisitely, the commanding boardroom table stood as strong as an ox in the center of the room. With her fingers running over the high lacquer finish of the boardroom table, she noticed a small crack. Glancing down the length of the table, she realized that it was the imperfections that gave it character.

Kristina clicked her tongue. “Why are we all expected to be so perfect all the time?”

She was startled when she heard the click of the doorknob. And, as if a gust of wind had propelled it, the boardroom door swung open. Her moment had arrived.