Perspective (An Exposure Series Novella): Exposure Series Book Four by Annie Jocoby Page B

For her part, she was looking out the window of the limo at the city, and it seemed that she was very impressed.
    “How does this city compare to where you grew up?”
    She shrugged her shoulders. “It’s similar but not the same. St. Petersburg has older buildings that have been around for many years. And beautiful churches with domes. This city seems much more modern, which it is, of course. It doesn’t have the same history as my city does. But it will do. I’m just happy to be out of my father’s business. I really hated working for him. I hated what he does. I hate just about everything about my father. I don’t actually hate him, though. I just hate what he does.”
    “You hate what he stands for,” I said.
    Natalia nodded but looked perplexed. “Yes, I suppose. What does that mean, though? I hate the way that he stands? I do not have a problem with that. He does not have a problem with his posture.”
    I smiled. “No. When a person stands for something it means that…” I found myself struggling to explain the term. I guessed that I always took certain terms and idioms for granted, and I never thought about what they really meant, and how to explain their meaning to a foreigner. “It means that he believes in something.” I thought that was as good of an explanation as anything else.
    Natalia shook her head. “I do not think that is a good description of my father. He does not really believe in what he does, either. He only does it because it makes him very rich. But he does not have any love for it.”
    “Well, even so, since he perpetuates that business, he must believe in it somewhat.”
    “No. Do you think that people who work in slaughterhouses have a love for what they do? My father feels the same way about what he does – it has become a necessity for him. It is a necessity to make the money that he wants to make and it is a necessity for him to retain power. Our father is not a bad man. He is just….” Then she appeared to think of the word that she wanted to use. Then she thought of it. “Misguided. That would be the good word for my father.”
    Misguided. I thought that word was probably the understatement of the year.
    We got to Asher’s home, and Natalia looked around. “Very nice place, Alexei,” she said. “This is even nicer than our father’s home in St. Petersburg.”
    Asher chuckled. “Well, that home in St. Petersburg is one of many that our father owns, of course. This is my only property.”
    “Why is that? You have the money for much more homes in other parts of the world. I know that you cannot come back to Russia to live, but you could buy a home in Europe. Why do you only want to live in America?”
    “I like it here,” he simply said. “It’s safe here. Safer than in other parts of the world.”
    I raised my eyebrows. Natalia announced that she was going to take a nap. “It might be in the afternoon here, but it’s late at night in London. It is going to take me some time to get used to the different time.”
    “Sure,” Asher said. “Let me show you to your room.”
    In about ten minutes, Asher rejoined me in the den. “I saw your expression when I referenced that it’s safer here than in other parts of the world.”
    “Yes. Why do I have the feeling you were taking a big chance when you went to see your father in London?”
    “No. London was fine. My father was there, so nobody was going to get to me while I was there. But I will say that my father has understandings with the families here. He doesn’t necessarily have the same understandings with families in other countries.”
    “So…”
    “If I lived overseas, I would be vulnerable. There are still some very bad men who would love to see me dead. If I lived in Spain or Italy or any other place like that, these men could probably get to me. Or to you. That’s not a chance that I’m willing to take, of course. So, I try not to live in any other countries. I visit these other countries, of