Once a valuable brooch shaped like a chrysanthemum was given by the great empress of the Celestial Empire to a Russian physician—and ever since, it passed down from mother to daughter. But Vatslav Skužatsky’s wife died, and the established order was disrupted: the chrysanthemum ended up with his new wife. She had no intention of passing it to her stepdaughter, and Dasha herself decided to take the family treasure. That was the first crime.
Lenochka was glad to finally rid herself of her mother’s intrusive care and move into a separate apartment. Her attention was immediately caught by the extravagant elderly neighbor, Darya Vatslavovna—nicknamed the Empress. Rumor had it that she owned some kind of treasure, but she never decided on an heir. The girl began to understand: she hadn’t come to this house by accident…