All Amazing Babies

Anya had always felt like a stranger in her own home. Her mother clearly favored her older sisters — Vika and Yulia — showing them much more care and warmth. This injustice deeply hurt the girl, but she kept her resentment inside, constantly trying to please her mother and get at least a little closer to her love.

“Don’t even dream of living with me! The apartment will go to your sisters. And you’ve looked at me like a wolf cub since childhood. So live wherever you want!” — with these words, her mother kicked Anya out of the house as soon as she turned eighteen.

Anya tried to argue, to explain that it was unfair. Vika was only three years older, and Yulia five. Both had finished university paid for by their mother; no one had rushed them to become independent. But Anya had always been the odd one out. Despite all her efforts to be “good,” in the family she was loved only superficially — if that can be called love at all. Only her grandfather treated her kindly. He was the one who had taken in his pregnant daughter after her husband abandoned them and disappeared without a trace.

“Maybe Mom is worried about my sister? They say I look a lot like her,” Anya thought, trying to find an explanation for her mother’s coldness. She had tried several times to have an honest talk with her mother, but each time it ended in a scandal or a tantrum.

But her grandfather was a real support to her. Her best childhood memories were linked to the village where they spent summers. Anya loved working in the garden and vegetable patch, learned to milk cows, bake pies — anything to delay going back home, where every day she was met with contempt and reproaches.

“Grandpa, why does no one love me? What’s wrong with me?” she often asked, holding back tears.

“I love you very much,” he answered gently but never said a word about her mother or sisters.

Little Anya wanted to believe he was right, that she was loved, just in a special way… But when she turned ten, her grandfather died, and since then the family treated her even worse. Her sisters mocked her, and her mother always sided with them.

From that day on, she never got anything new — only hand-me-down clothes from Vika and Yulia. They mocked her:

“Oh, what a fashionable top! Wipe the floor or for Anya — whatever’s needed!”

And if their mother bought sweets, the sisters ate everything themselves, handing Anya just the wrappers:

“Here, silly, collect the wrappers!”

Her mother heard it all but never scolded them. That’s how Anya grew up as a “wolf cub” — unnecessary, always begging for love from people who saw her not just as worthless but as an object of mockery and dislike. The harder she tried to be good, the more they hated her.

That’s why, when her mother kicked her out on her eighteenth birthday, Anya found work as a hospital orderly. Endurance and hard work became her habit, and now at least she was paid — though little. But here, no one hated her. If you’re not met with malice where you’re kind, that’s already progress. That’s what she thought.

Her employer even gave her a chance to get a scholarship and train as a surgeon. In the small town, such specialists were sorely needed, and Anya had already shown talent while working as a nurse.

Life was hard. By twenty-seven, she had no close relatives. Work became her whole life — literally. She lived for the patients whose lives she saved. But the feeling of loneliness never left her: she lived alone in a dormitory, just like before.

Visiting her mother and sisters was a constant disappointment. Anya tried to go as rarely as possible. Everyone would go out to smoke and gossip, and she would go to the porch to cry.

One day at such a moment, a colleague — orderly Grisha — approached her:

“Why are you crying, beautiful?”

“What beautiful… Don’t mock me,” Anya answered quietly.

She considered herself plain, a gray mouse, not even noticing that at almost thirty she had become a petite charming blonde with big blue eyes and a neat nose. The awkwardness of youth had disappeared, her shoulders straightened, and her light hair, tied in a strict bun, seemed to want to break free.

“You’re actually very beautiful! Value yourself and don’t hang your head. Besides, you’re a promising surgeon, and your life is shaping up well,” he encouraged her.

Grisha had worked with her for almost two years, sometimes giving her chocolates, but this was their first real talk. Anya cried and told him everything.

“Maybe you should call Dmitry Alekseevich? The one you recently saved. He treats you well. They say he has many connections,” Grisha suggested.

“Thanks, Grish. I’ll try,” Anya replied.

“And if that doesn’t work, we can get married. I have an apartment, won’t mistreat you,” he said jokingly.

Anya blushed and suddenly realized he was serious. He saw not a pitiful orphan, but a woman who deserved love.

“All right. I’ll consider that option too,” she smiled, feeling for the first time in a long time that she was not a “workhorse” or unnecessary, but a beautiful young woman with everything still ahead of her.

That same evening, Anya dialed Dmitry Alekseevich’s number:

“This is Anya, the surgeon. You gave me your number and said I could contact you if there were problems…” she began and hesitated.

“Anya! Greetings! How wonderful that you finally called! How are you? Although, you know, let’s better meet. Come over, we’ll have some tea and talk about everything. We, older folks, like to chat,” the man warmly replied.

The next day was Anya’s day off, so she went to see him immediately. She honestly told him about her situation and asked if he knew anyone in need of a live-in caregiver.

“You understand, Dmitry Alekseevich, I’m used to hard work, but now I feel like I just can’t take it anymore…”

“Don’t worry, Anechka! I can get you a surgeon’s job in a private clinic. And you’ll live with me. Without you, I wouldn’t be here now,” he said.

“Oh, of course, Dmitry Alekseevich, I agree! But your relatives won’t mind?”

“My relatives come only when I’m gone. They only care about the apartment,” the man replied sadly.

So they started living together. Two years passed, and a romance blossomed between her and Grisha, often continuing over cups of tea. But Dmitry Alekseevich didn’t like Grisha and never missed a chance to tell Anya:

“Sorry, dear, but Grisha is a good guy, just weak and too impressionable. You can’t rely on someone like that. Try not to get too attached to him.”

“Oh, Dmitry Alekseevich… It’s too late. We’ve already decided to get married. By the way, he jokingly proposed to me two years ago. And now I’m pregnant…” Anya joyfully announced, almost glowing with happiness. She had learned this news recently but immediately added, “But you’re still very important to me! I’ll visit every day. You’re like family to me.”

“Well, Anyutka… I’m not feeling well. Here’s what we’ll do: tomorrow we’ll go to the notary, and I’ll register a house in the village in your name. You’ve always loved rural life. Maybe it will be your dacha… or you can sell it if you want.”

He hesitated, not finishing his sentence, and frowned.

Anya tried to object: it was too much, he would live a long time yet, better to leave the house to his children. Although in the last two years they had visited him only once. But Dmitry Alekseevich was adamant.

Anya was shocked when she found out that the house was in the very village where her beloved grandfather had lived! His house had long been demolished, the plot sold, and strangers lived there now. But the fact she now had her own little corner there stirred warm feelings and memories.

“I don’t deserve this, but thank you very much, Dmitry Alekseevich!” she sincerely thanked him.

“Only one thing: don’t tell Grisha the house is in your name. And don’t ask why. Can I ask this of you?”

He looked serious, and Anya nodded, promising to comply. How to explain the origin of the house to Grisha was still an open question, but she could say she had reconciled with her mother.

Later, Anya learned that Dmitry Alekseevich, besides suffering stroke consequences, also had cancer. He refused surgery. In the end, Anya helped organize his funeral and moved in with her future husband.

Problems began closer to the seventh month of pregnancy — by then they had already lived together for six months.

“Maybe you should work a bit? Before the baby is born,” Grisha suggested.

By that time, Anya had temporarily left the clinic where Dmitry Alekseevich had gotten her a job. She thought she could live on savings, counting on Grisha’s support. But his words surprised and hurt her.

“Well… maybe…” she answered uncertainly. It was unpleasant since she bought the groceries, and Grisha turned out to be stingy. But the child was growing in her belly, and she didn’t want to give up the wedding.

But a week before the scheduled celebration, while Grisha was not home, an unfamiliar woman entered their apartment with her own key.

“Hello. I’m Lena. Grisha and I love each other, and he’s just afraid to tell you. So I’ll say it: you’re no longer needed,” said a tall, skinny blonde confidently and assertively.

“What?! Our wedding is in a few days! We’ve paid for everything!” Anya stammered in confusion. She had taken on most of the expenses to hold a modest celebration at a café.

“I know. No problem. Grisha will marry me. I have connections at the registry office; we’ll arrange everything quickly,” Lena brazenly declared, as if it was already decided.

Lena didn’t plan to leave. When Grisha appeared, he only muttered:

“Anya, sorry… Yes, it’s true. I’ll help with the baby but can’t marry you.”

“We’ll do a paternity test,” Lena added, putting her hand on Grisha’s shoulder.

“What paternity test?! You’re my first and only!” Anya shouted and rushed at him with fists.

“She’ll scratch you up, silly! She’s almost thirty but acts like a little girl!” Lena scoffed.

Grisha stood silently, not defending Anya, just awkwardly looking down. It became clear: everything depended on Lena; he was just a passive observer.

Anya began packing her things. There was no point fighting for a man who easily gave up on her. Lena added that she and Grisha had dated long ago — she was married then but now free. Anya was just a temporary replacement until the “dream woman” was available.

She could have demanded explanations from Grisha, but what was the point if he let Lena come and do it for him?

“So the house came in handy after all,” Anya thought.

The house really was good, though it had no running water. But the stove was excellent — her grandfather had taught Anya everything needed for village life. It was livable. Only how to give birth alone? Well, there was still time; she would figure something out.

Firewood was stocked, the shed was sturdy, and even snow lay in front of the entrance, ready to be cleared. The woodpiles were full — a real find in such cold!

It was good Dmitry Alekseevich had introduced her in advance to the neighbors as the new mistress and wife of his son. No unnecessary questions.

Anya, of course, called her mother and sisters. As usual, they didn’t disappoint — they advised her to give the baby to an orphanage and “next time don’t get involved with just anyone before the wedding.” They also gossiped about how Grisha hadn’t returned the money for the wedding, half of which she had paid.

But no one knew about the house. Now Anya could hide from everyone and gather herself.

It was terribly cold; she didn’t even take off her down jacket. But when she began raking the coals in the stove, she noticed the poker hit something hard.

Anya took off her gloves and pulled out a wooden box that had been blocking the firewood. It was neatly sealed, with large letters on the lid: “Anya, this is for you.” She recognized the handwriting immediately — Dmitry Alekseevich’s.

Inside were photos, a letter, and a small box. Her hands trembled as she opened the envelope and began to read:

“Dear Anechka! You should know that I was your grandfather’s brother. And one of those he asked to take care of you.”

From the letter, it became clear: many years ago there was a serious rift between the grandfather and Dmitry, but before dying, the elder brother found him and asked him to find Anya after she turned eighteen. He also left her an inheritance that his daughter would hardly ever give away.

Dmitry could not find Anya immediately — her mother and sisters hid her address. But fate brought them together in the hospital when he was undergoing treatment and she was his doctor. He wanted to tell her everything earlier but didn’t have time. So he decided to give her the house that her grandfather had bought from him while alive, knowing his daughter would never leave anything to the granddaughter.

Another shock awaited in the letter: it turned out her mother was not her biological mother. Anya was the daughter of her late sister, whom she hated and envied. In the photo — young mother and father, smiling, hugging a little girl. Anya survived because she was with her grandfather on the day of the accident.

In the box lay five-thousand-ruble notes left by the grandfather. Touching them warmed her heart. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Now she and her baby were safe!

When Anya lit the stove, it seemed to her that all her fears, betrayals, and resentments disappeared in the flames. She would start over — for the baby and for herself.

Of course, in time she would forgive those who hurt her. But she was done with them. This house would be her refuge.

Dmitry Alekseevich always said a good house should belong to someone who values it. He said he built it in his youth with his own hands, from the best materials.

“Not a house, but a wonder! It will stand for two hundred years!” he often repeated. The village was reachable by bus — two stops away.

Yes, the pay was low, and help with the baby was still uncertain. But the main thing — she had a roof over her head, savings, a profession. She was young, beautiful, and she would have a son!

For the first time, Anya felt she was truly a happy person.

Lisa knew that planning a wedding was a nerve-wracking business. She had read articles about it, listened to friends. But no one warned her that the biggest problem wouldn’t be the cost of the restaurant or choosing a photographer, but her future mother-in-law, Valentina Petrovna. The woman seemed to have made it her mission to turn every day of preparation into a test of endurance.

“This dress doesn’t suit you,” Valentina Petrovna declared when Lisa showed her photos of the wedding outfit. “It’s too revealing. In our family, brides dressed more modestly.”

Lisa clenched her phone in her hand, feeling her jaw muscles tense. The dress was quite decent—covered shoulders, floor length. But she didn’t argue.

“All right, Valentina Petrovna. I’ll think about it.”

“And this menu of yours…” the mother-in-law continued, flipping through restaurant printouts. “Who’s going to eat these foreign salads? People are used to proper food. Olivier, herring under a fur coat. Everyone understands that.”

Maxim, Lisa’s fiancé, sat nearby in silence. Sometimes he nodded to his mother, sometimes he gently stroked Lisa’s hand to reassure her. When Valentina Petrovna went to the kitchen to brew tea, he whispered:

“Don’t pay attention. Mom’s just worried. She wants everything to be perfect.”

“Maxim, your mother criticizes every decision we make,” Lisa replied quietly. “The dress, the menu, the flowers, the music. Only the guests are left, and I’m sure she’ll find something to say about them too.”

“Oh, come on. She means well.”

Means well. Lisa had heard those words a hundred times already. When Valentina Petrovna objected to fresh flowers in the bouquet—means well. When she demanded to invite her friends whom Lisa didn’t even know—also means well. Apparently, in Valentina Petrovna’s mind, doing good meant turning someone else’s wedding into an expression of her own ideas of how things should be.

The guest list became the next battlefield. Lisa had carefully put it together—relatives, friends, colleagues. Forty people, just as planned. But Valentina Petrovna made her own adjustments.

“And where is my cousin Klavdiya Ivanovna?” the mother-in-law asked, studying the list. “And neighbor Uncle Petr? He’s lived next to us for forty years.”

“Valentina Petrovna, we agreed on a small wedding,” Lisa explained. “The restaurant is designed for a certain number of people.”

“Then remove someone from your side. My relatives must not be offended.”

Maxim was silent again. Lisa looked at her fiancé, hoping for support, but he looked away. In the end, they had to exclude two of Lisa’s friends to make room for distant relatives of Valentina Petrovna, whom Lisa had seen maybe twice in her life.

The day before the wedding, when Lisa thought all major decisions were made, Valentina Petrovna called with new demands.

“Lisa, dear,” the mother-in-law’s voice was syrupy, but Lisa had learned to detect a catch in that tone. “I looked at the seating chart. They put me at the edge. That’s not right.”

“Where would you like to sit?”

“Next to the newlyweds, of course. I am the groom’s mother. The most important guest after you.”

Lisa closed her eyes and counted to ten. The seats next to the couple were given to the bride’s parents and the witnesses. Logical and traditional. But apparently, Valentina Petrovna thought traditions should bend to her wishes.

“All right,” Lisa gave in. “We’ll figure something out.”

“That’s my girl. I told you—it all must be right.”

“Right,” according to Valentina Petrovna, meant a complete reshuffle of guests. Lisa’s parents moved one seat over, the witness was moved across the table. It wasn’t very comfortable, but the mother-in-law was pleased.

On the morning of the wedding, Lisa woke up to a call. The clock showed half past six. It was Valentina Petrovna.

“Lisa, sorry for the early call. I have something important.”

Lisa sat up in bed, trying to fully wake up.

“I’m listening.”

“I was thinking about Maxim’s speech. He must thank me for his upbringing. And also say that without a mother’s blessing the family won’t be happy.”

“Valentina Petrovna, Maxim wrote the speech himself. We’ve rehearsed it several times.”

“Rehearsals don’t matter! Content is what counts. Write down what he must say.”

Lisa wrote it down. Then rewrote it when Valentina Petrovna called back in half an hour with additions. And the third time, the mother-in-law called from the hairdresser’s to check if Maxim would remember to mention family traditions.

“Did your mother call?” Maxim asked when they met at the registry office.

“Three times. With important corrections to your speech.”

“Oh, that. Well, I’ll say something suitable. Don’t worry.”

Don’t worry. Another classic Maxim phrase. As if problems disappear if ignored. But today was the wedding, and Lisa decided not to worry—at least for a few hours.

The ceremony at the registry office was solemn. Lisa recited her vows, looking into Maxim’s eyes, forgetting for a few minutes all the problems with preparation. This was why they had started all this—to officially become a family. But when it was the bride’s turn to speak, Valentina Petrovna sighed loudly.

Not just sighed, but loud enough for everyone to hear. And shook her head as if doubting what was happening. Lisa faltered for a second but continued the vow. Maxim pretended not to notice.

After the ceremony, the guests went to the restaurant. Valentina Petrovna commented on the car decorations all the way.

“My niece’s flowers were prettier. And the ribbons wider.”

At the restaurant, the banquet began. Lisa hoped that her mother-in-law would behave more restrainedly at the table. But Valentina Petrovna clearly believed that a wedding was the perfect place to voice opinions.

“The salad is oversalted,” the mother-in-law announced after tasting the appetizer. “And what kind of sauce is this? Too spicy. Who came up with this?”

Guests nearby exchanged glances. Lisa felt her face flush. Maxim smiled, pretending his mother was just expressing her opinion about the food. Although everyone else heard the criticism clearly.

“Valentina Petrovna, would you like to try the fish?” Lisa offered, hoping to distract her mother-in-law.

“The fish isn’t bad. But the garnish is raw. The cook must be young and inexperienced.”

The toastmaster tried to entertain the guests with games and toasts. Valentina Petrovna participated actively, but each game was accompanied by comments about how such entertainment was done at weddings in their family. Naturally, better.

“Our toastmaster was a real actor,” the mother-in-law told the guest at her table. “Not like now. Young people don’t know how to organize celebrations.”

Lisa clenched a napkin in her hand, trying to keep smiling. Maxim leaned over to his wife from time to time and whispered:

“Hold on a bit more. It’ll be over soon.”

But it seemed Valentina Petrovna was just getting started. After the main courses, the toastmaster invited guests to give wishes to the newlyweds. Several friends gave warm speeches. Lisa’s parents wished happiness and mutual understanding. And then Valentina Petrovna stood up.

“May I have a word?” she addressed the toastmaster. “On behalf of the groom’s family.”

“Of course!” the host rejoiced. “The floor is given to the groom’s mother!”

Valentina Petrovna stood, took a glass, and scanned the hushed guests. Lisa felt her heart beat faster. Something in the mother-in-law’s expression suggested the speech would not be ordinary.

“Dear guests,” Valentina Petrovna began solemnly. “Today is a special day. My son Maxim has found a life partner.”

So far, so good. Lisa relaxed a little.

“Maxim is my golden boy. Smart, hardworking, caring. That’s the son I raised.”

Guests nodded in agreement. Maxim smiled modestly.

“And now he has a wife. Lisa.”

Valentina Petrovna turned to the bride, and something unkind flashed in her eyes.

“I hope Lisa will learn to cook with age. She can’t just sit in the office all the time. Family requires care, not a career.”

The hall froze. Lisa felt her cheeks flush. Valentina Petrovna continued, oblivious to the silence:

“A man needs a homemaker, not an office worker. To cook soup, clean the house, have children—that’s true female happiness. And these modern girls only think about work.”

Several guests exchanged confused glances. Someone nervously chuckled, unsure whether it was a joke or the mother-in-law was serious. Valentina Petrovna, encouraged by the reaction, went on.

“Of course, Lisa is still young and silly. But I will teach her right from wrong. Show her how a real wife should behave. The husband is the head of the family, the wife is his helper.”

Lisa’s friends sat with stone faces. The bride’s parents lowered their eyes to their plates. Maxim looked down at the table, clearly hoping his mother would stop herself. But Valentina Petrovna was in her element.

“I had university friends like that—all careerists. And where are they now? Lonely old maids. And I raised a wonderful son, created a strong family. Because I knew the priorities.”

Lisa slowly got up from the chair. The bride’s movements were calm, almost too calm. Valentina Petrovna, absorbed in her speech, didn’t notice what was happening in the hall.

“So I wish the young couple understanding. Maxim, be stricter with your wife. And you, Lisa, obey your husband and mother-in-law. Then the family will be strong.”

Lisa walked over to the table with the cake. The three-tiered beauty stood on a separate table, decorated with creamy roses and bride and groom figurines. The bride carefully removed the top tier with the decorative figures and took it in her hands.

The guests watched Lisa’s every move but didn’t yet understand what was happening. Valentina Petrovna finished the toast and raised her glass:

“To the newlyweds! To family traditions!”

At that moment, Lisa approached her mother-in-law and silently smashed the creamy top tier of the cake right into Valentina Petrovna’s face. White cream with roses smeared across the mother-in-law’s cheeks, nose, and forehead. Pieces of sponge stuck in her hair.

Valentina Petrovna screamed in surprise and recoiled so sharply that she fell back into her chair. Maxim turned pale and froze with his mouth open. The hall fell into complete silence for several seconds.

The first to clap was a young guy from Lisa’s friends. Then several others joined. Then the applause spread among the guests, exploding into an ovation mixed with whistles and cheers of approval.

“Bravo!” shouted someone from the table.

“About time!” added another voice.

Valentina Petrovna sat in shock, wiping cream from her face with a napkin. Cream had even gotten into her ears and on the collar of her dress. The bride and groom figurines lay on the floor next to her chair.

“Lisa! What are you doing?!” Maxim finally managed to say.

Lisa calmly put the rest of the cake on the table and headed for the exit. The bride’s movements were measured, without fuss or hysteria. The wedding dress rustled on the parquet floor, the veil fluttered behind her. Lisa reached the hall’s door, turned, and looked at the guests.

“Sorry for the disturbance. Please continue the celebration.”

The bride left the restaurant and stepped outside. The fresh evening air pleasantly cooled her heated face. Lisa sat down on a bench near the restaurant entrance and took a deep breath. Inside, she felt a strange relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders.

A few minutes later, Maxim ran out of the restaurant. The groom’s face showed a mixture of confusion, anger, and disbelief.

“Lisa! Are you crazy? How could you do that to my mother?”

Lisa looked at her husband calmly.

“If you wouldn’t stop your mother—I will defend myself.”

“But she’s my mother! You shouldn’t do that! In front of everyone! At our wedding!”

“Maxim, your mother humiliated me in front of the guests for half an hour. She said I was stupid, incompetent, that a career is bad. And you stayed silent.”

“But Mom didn’t mean to hurt you! She was just sharing her opinion!”

“Sharing her opinion?” Lisa stood up from the bench. “Maxim, your mother called me a silly girl who needs to be taught right and wrong. In front of all our friends and relatives. And you think that’s okay?”

“Well… maybe she didn’t express herself very well…”

“Not very well? Maxim, we plan to live together. If you can’t protect your wife from insults by your own mother, what kind of husband are you?”

Maxim was speechless and confused. Sounds and conversations of the guests came from the restaurant. The celebration continued—but without the newlyweds.

“Lisa, come back. Apologize to your mother, and everything will be fine.”

“Apologize? For what exactly?”

“Well… for the cake. It didn’t look good.”

“And who should your mother apologize to? For humiliating me at our wedding?”

Maxim was silent again. The answer was obvious—Valentina Petrovna was not going to apologize. And her son was not going to defend his wife from his mother’s attacks.

“I see,” Lisa said quietly. “Then I’m going home.”

“How home? We have a wedding! The guests are waiting! And the wedding night!”

“What wedding night, Maxim? After what happened today?”

Lisa called a taxi through an app on her phone. The car arrived quickly. Maxim stood nearby, not knowing what to say. The bride got into the car and left, leaving the groom alone near the restaurant.

At home, Lisa carefully took off her wedding dress, hung it in the closet, and changed into home clothes. She turned on the kettle, brewed herbal tea, and sat at the computer. Online she found information on how to annul a marriage in the first days after registration.

It turned out the procedure was quite simple. Lisa printed out a sample application and carefully filled in all the fields.

Maxim called several times, but Lisa did not answer. Then messages arrived:

“Lisa, what are you doing? Mom is shocked. The guests are asking where the bride is.”

“Mom says she’s ready to forgive you. Just apologize nicely.”

“Lisa, answer! We got married today!”

Lisa read the messages and turned off her phone. Tomorrow morning she would go to the registry office to file for annulment. And she would sell the wedding dress online—maybe she’d find a girl luckier with the groom’s family.

Outside, an ordinary evening of an ordinary day began. No one suspected that somewhere in the restaurant the wedding continued without the bride, while the culprit of the celebration calmly drank tea at home, planning a new life without her mama’s boy husband and his uncontrollable mother.

Marina adjusted the blanket over the sleeping Dima’s face and slowly climbed the stairs. The key turned with difficulty in the lock. The hallway was dim, with an unfamiliar woman’s jacket hanging on the coat rack and women’s boots on the floor. From the bedroom came muffled voices — her husband Denis’s voice and an unfamiliar woman’s.

“My marriage was a mistake,” Denis said irritably. “I was with Marina out of pity. Now it’s going to be different with you.”

The woman giggled — a high, broken sound, like a bird’s trill.

Marina slowly sat down on a chair in the hallway. Dima stirred, sensing his mother’s tension. At her feet was a bag with baby things — shirts, diapers, tiny socks. Six days ago she had given birth to a child, and today she returned to a stranger’s home.

Three years ago, life had seemed completely different. The school where she taught Russian had become her second home. It was there she met Denis three years ago — he had come to teach math and lead preparation courses for the Unified State Exam. Tall, with attentive eyes, he always carried a book. “I read on the subway,” he explained, and it seemed so right.

She couldn’t take her eyes off his — attentive eyes with little wrinkles at the corners. Everyone in the teachers’ lounge immediately noticed their attraction. Lilya, the history teacher and her best friend, teased:

“Our new math teacher is checking you out!” Marina blushed, feeling shy. She had always been a “good girl.” After her parents’ divorce, her grandmother raised her with strictness and respect for traditions. “The most important thing for a woman is family,” she repeated. And Marina believed. So sincerely that even at thirty-two, her dreams were simple: a little house, a husband, a child.

Denis courted her beautifully. He picked her up after work, brought coffee during breaks, read Brodsky’s poems to her. At their first kiss under the school streetlight, she felt — this was the very happiness she had dreamed of. “You’re special,” he said. And she believed.

“Marry me,” he said six months later, offering a simple gold ring. “I know we’ll be happy.” The wedding was modest, at a café near the park. They rented a small apartment. A tiny kitchen where they drank tea in the evenings, a couch where they fell asleep holding each other, shelves with their shared books — Marina felt like nothing else was needed for happiness.

When the pregnancy test showed two lines, she couldn’t wait for the evening to tell her husband. Denis spun her around the room, gently laid her on the couch:

“Now you’re the main treasure,” he said seriously, stroking her belly. “Our champion must grow up in peace.”

But a week later, he started insisting:

“Quit your job. You need to focus on yourself. I’ll provide for everything.”

Marina hesitated. A teacher’s salary was small but gave stability and independence. But Denis was adamant. “I’m a man, I must take care of you,” he said in a tone that brooked no argument.

And she believed. She wrote her resignation, cleared her desk in the teachers’ lounge, said goodbye to colleagues. Director Valentina Sergeevna just shook her head: “The door is always open if you change your mind.”

The first months of pregnancy felt like a fairy tale. Denis came home with bags of fruit, massaged her tired feet, kissed her growing belly. He called their future son “our champion,” made plans. Marina melted with happiness and didn’t notice how every day she depended more on her husband — financially, emotionally, completely.

At the seventh month, everything began to change. At first subtly, then increasingly obvious. Denis started staying late at work.

“You need to rest more,” Denis kissed Marina on the forehead and adjusted the pillow behind her back. “I bought peaches, your favorite.”
“You’re late today,” Marina rubbed her huge belly. “The baby already went to sleep, didn’t wait for daddy.”
“Olympiad kids,” sighed Denis, arranging fruit in a bowl. “Regional round is coming up. The principal asked to help the laggards.”
Marina nodded. The seventh month was hard — swelling, back pain, constant fatigue. Days dragged slowly in the empty apartment. TV, books, social media, cooking — that was her whole world now.

At first, she didn’t notice the changes. So what if he didn’t kiss her in the morning, didn’t ask how she felt, forgot to buy milk… Fatigue, work, stress — it happens to everyone. She tried to be the perfect wife — cooked his favorite dishes, complained less about morning sickness, smiled more.

But when coming home late — sometimes past ten p.m. — became the norm, something inside her warned.

“Maybe I should come to your work?” Marina suggested at breakfast. “I miss the school.”

Denis choked on his coffee:

“Why? You can’t overexert yourself. And the subway, the crowd… No, Marina, don’t even think about it.”

She remembered that evening in minute detail. Denis went to the shower, leaving his laptop on the kitchen table. The screen blinked — a message arrived. Marina glanced at the notification out of habit. Inna: “I miss you, my dear.”

Something inside broke. Her hands trembled as she opened the chat. Hundreds of messages, photos, hearts. “Sweet dreams, my dear,” “Tomorrow same time?” “Miss you to the point of shaking.” And photos — a young woman with long red hair. “You are my light,” Denis wrote. “I have never been so happy,” he admitted. “Soon we will be together,” he promised.

The bathwater was still running. Marina closed the laptop and walked to the window. Inside her, something seemed to shatter — into tiny, prickly shards piercing her heart with every breath.

She said nothing to Denis. Not that evening, not the next day. She had no strength for a scandal or to leave. Where to go with a huge belly? What money to live on? What would people say? She felt trapped — helpless and dependent.

She kept silent. Pretended nothing was happening. Cooked dinners, washed shirts, kissed him goodnight. Then the contractions began — two weeks early.

Dima was born strong and healthy. Marina looked at his tiny face and felt something change inside her. As if with the child, a new Marina was born — one who would no longer tolerate lies.

On the day of discharge, she waited for her husband all morning. The nurse had already finished the paperwork when a message arrived: “Urgently called to the college. Can’t come. Take a taxi or find someone.” No apologies, no explanations.

Marina called her friend Lilya. She arrived within the hour, with balloons and a toy for Dima.

“Is everything okay?” Lilya asked, packing Marina’s things into her old Lada.

“Everything’s fine,” Marina lied, looking out the window. “Denis is just busy today.”

Lilya’s apartment was small but cozy. Lilya gave Marina and Dima the living room sofa, taking the fold-out bed in the kitchen herself.

“Maybe you should call him?” Lilya asked while helping make the bed with clean sheets. “He’s probably worried.”
“I doubt it,” Marina carefully laid sleeping Dima in a makeshift cradle made from a large basket. “But yes, it’s time to move on.”

The next day she packed baby things, folded diapers and shirts into a bag, and a strange calm took hold of her. As if everything was happening not to her, but to someone else. Dima, as if sensing his mother’s mood, slept quietly, occasionally smacking his lips in sleep.

“I’ll give you a ride,” Lilya insisted.

When they arrived at the building, Marina suddenly asked:

“Don’t see me off. I’ll manage on my own.”

The entrance smelled of familiar dampness and cabbage from the first-floor apartment. Marina slowly climbed the stairs with the baby. Opening the door, she entered and immediately heard muffled voices from the bedroom.

“Denis?” Marina called, shifting awkwardly with the bag and child in her arms.

Her husband came out, buttoning his shirt. His face was irritated, his gaze sliding past her.

“Marina, you understand, I have a different life now. I can’t drag you and your son along!” Denis said without looking at her. “I need to think about myself.”

Her heart tightened into a lump. The air suddenly thickened, impenetrable. “Your son,” echoed in her mind. Not long ago, Denis said “our champion,” and today — “your son.”

 

From the room came a woman’s voice: “Honey, who’s there?”

Marina did not shout. Did not make a scene. Now it was absolutely clear. Her husband had another woman. And neither she nor the child was needed.

She simply quietly left the apartment, gently closing the door behind her. A stranger’s life. Strange people. Strange pain.

Dima woke and whimpered. Marina pressed him to her chest.

“It’s okay, baby,” she whispered, barely believing her own words. “It’s going to be okay.”

Lilya’s sofa creaked with every movement. Marina lay looking at the ceiling, listening to her son’s steady breathing. In the morning she woke up a different person.

“I’m filing for divorce,” she said at breakfast, spreading butter on bread. Her voice did not falter.

Lilya set down her cup:

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. And I’m going back to work.”

That same day, Marina filled out the court application, visited child services, found a lawyer’s contacts. Action gave her strength. Every step was like a brick in a house being rebuilt.

Then she called the school principal and arranged a meeting.

“Marina Sergeevna!” the school principal Valentina Sergeevna greeted her with open arms. “We need you so much! I just have a half-time position and sixth-grade classes.” Lilya helped find a nanny — her aunt, recently retired and adored children.

Valentina Sergeevna, learning of Marina’s situation, expedited the paperwork for a service apartment on the first floor of the school dormitory. Now she had her own registration and housing from work — small but her own. Marina wiped windows, arranged the few belongings while Dima slept in the stroller.

“For us, the most important thing is stability and independence,” she whispered, hanging diapers.

Denis didn’t show up at the divorce hearing. Of course he didn’t. Divorce, responsibility, a son — too mundane for him.

He sent a lawyer who monotonously explained that “his client does not deny obligations but is in difficult circumstances.” The judge — a middle-aged woman with a tired face — monotonously read the decision:

“Considering the defendant’s absence… in accordance with article… dissolve the marriage… order alimony of one quarter…” The alimony was arranged, but Marina did not count on it. In the evenings, after putting her son to bed, she sat at the laptop. At first writing guides for her students, then articles for pedagogical journals and educational websites: “Effective Methods for Preparing for the Literature Unified State Exam”… “A Systematic Approach to Studying Russian Poetry”… “Text Analysis: A Step-by-Step Algorithm”…

One day she tried recording a video lesson.

“You have talent,” Lilya said after watching the recording. “Try sending it to educational platforms.”

She was noticed — invited to host webinars, develop teaching materials for an online platform. The money came — small but steady.

The first webinar fee was small but earned by her. She spent it on a new crib for Dima. The second — on winter boots for herself. The third bought a colorful bedspread to hide the worn sofa. Then followed other orders — articles, video lessons, reviews of textbooks.

“Marina Sergeevna, can I ask a question?” Katya, an honor student from 9B, stayed after class. “I saw your lessons on ‘Znayka.’ It’s so cool! How do you manage everything?”

Marina smiled:

“When you know what you work for, you find both strength and time.”

In the evening, bathing Dima in a small tub, she caught her reflection in the mirror — a thinner face, but eyes alive and shining. Nothing like three months ago.

“You know, baby,” she whispered, kissing her son’s wet crown, “I think we’re managing.”

Two years passed. That morning started with the usual bustle. Marina packed Dima’s things while he focused on assembling his new puzzle.

“Mom, look, it’s a rocket!” the boy proudly held up a piece. “It’s going to fly to space!”
“It definitely will,” Marina kissed his head. “And now we’re going to Anna Petrovna’s kindergarten. Mom has an important day today.”

The teachers’ lounge smelled of fresh coffee and pastries. Open House Day was always a little celebration.

“Nervous?” Lilya adjusted Marina’s blouse collar. “They say a commission from the education department will come. They want to include your guide in the federal program.”

Marina smiled:

“Not anymore. I like sharing what I know.”

The classroom was full — parents, colleagues, methodologists. Marina gave a lesson on Silver Age poetry. Students raised their hands, argued, quoted poems. Her blog “Living Lesson” was now known by thousands of teachers across the country.

“What unites these poems?” Marina swept her gaze over the class and froze. Denis stood in the doorway. A worn jacket, a receding hairline, a folder with documents under his arm. Their eyes met, and time seemed to stop.

She finished the lesson mechanically. Applause, congratulations, handshakes — all in a fog. Denis waited in the corridor.

“You look good,” he said instead of greeting. “I saw your webinars. Impressive.”

“Thank you,” Marina crossed her arms. “What brings you here?”

He stepped closer:

“I want to see my son.”

Marina looked at her ex-husband. Memories flashed in her mind: empty apartment, lonely evenings, his mocking “my marriage was a mistake”…

“You know,” she looked him straight in the eyes, “Dima has a family. Me. And we’re doing well.”

“You can’t forbid me from seeing my son!” Denis raised his voice. “I have rights!”

“And Dima has the right to stability and love,” Marina replied calmly.

She turned and walked down the corridor. Her back was straight, her step confident.

“Marina!” Denis called after her.

She turned:

 

“I have to pick up my son from kindergarten. We’re going to the planetarium today.”

A week later, messages started arriving from Denis. At first demanding: “We need to talk,” “He’s my son.” Then pleading: “I didn’t realize what I was losing,” “Let’s start over.”

Marina silently deleted them without reading to the end. Only when a long message came saying Inna had left him (“that bitch said I’m not worth her”), she smirked and showed the phone to Lilya.

“Well, well,” her friend chuckled, “finally someone smarter than you.”

“Hey!” Marina playfully nudged her elbow. “I’m not stupid either. Just trusting.” In the evening, after another flood of messages from Denis, she took out the registry office certificate and sent him a photo: Dima’s birth certificate, where the “father” field was blank, and the surname was hers.

The phone rang a minute later. Marina calmly declined the call and put it on silent. Dima played with blocks on the carpet, scrunching his forehead amusingly from concentration.

“You know, son,” Marina sat down beside him, helping build a tower, “sometimes the best answer is silence.”

The laptop screen glowed on the table — an unfinished webinar for high school students, an application for a teaching contest, a letter from a publisher offering to write a textbook.

The small apartment was filled with evening sounds: the washing machine humming, water flowing through pipes, children’s voices from the playground outside the open window. Their new life — simple but real.

“We’ll manage, won’t we?” Marina asked her son.

Dima smiled happily and handed her a block.

— If you don’t take your son to his father tomorrow, I will throw both of you out of the house! I don’t want to deal with your snot and tears at night! Do you understand me?

The words struck Veronika like a slap, stinging her cheeks more painfully than a smack. She was sitting on the edge of their shared bed, her back to Stanislav, rocking the feverish, restless Kirill who was asleep. The three-year-old boy was breathing heavily, sweat covered his forehead, and from his chest came occasional plaintive, strained sobs — not a tantrum, but the agonizing cry of a sick child. The fever didn’t go down despite the medicine given an hour ago. Veronika felt with her hand how hot his little body was, and her own heart clenched with helplessness and anxiety. Behind her, on his half of the bed, her husband was tossing and turning, grinding his teeth.

She knew he wasn’t asleep. She heard his irritated snorting, sharp turns from side to side, demonstratively shaking the mattress. This had been going on for a good hour since Kirill’s temperature rose again and he began crying in his sleep. Stanislav was silent, but the air in the bedroom literally crackled with his restrained rage. Veronika instinctively tried to muffle the sounds, holding her son tighter, whispering some incoherent consolations in his ear, but the fever and pain did their work — Kirill could not calm down.

And then — an explosion. He didn’t just say it — he growled it, jumping out of bed so sharply that the springs creaked in protest. Veronika flinched and turned around. Stanislav stood in the middle of the room, lit by the dim nightlight — tall, tense like a stretched string. His usually handsome face was now distorted with anger. His eyes flashed like lightning. In his hand, he clenched a pillow — his pillow, which he apparently had just torn off the bed.

Veronika hadn’t even managed to say a word when he threw the pillow forcefully against the opposite wall. A dull thud — and the pillow slid down in a shapeless heap on the floor. The gesture was so unexpected, so wild in this quiet night room filled only with a child’s cry and her own anxious breathing, that Veronika froze for a moment. Was this the same Stas who six months ago carried Kirill on his shoulders in the park, laughed at his clumsy attempts to throw the ball into the hoop, patiently read the same tractor book to him ten times in a row? The same one who promised her before the wedding that Kirill was like his own son, that he had always dreamed of a boy and was ready to become a real father to him? Three months of official marriage had erased that idyllic picture completely, as if it had never existed. The mask of the perfect stepfather and loving husband had fallen off, revealing an ugly, selfish core.

 

Stanislav stepped toward the bed, looming over her. His shadow fell on her and the child — large, threatening.

— I asked you, do you understand me? — he hissed, lowering his voice to a dangerous whisper that sent chills down Veronika’s spine. — I’ve had enough of these nightly concerts! I work, I need to rest, not listen to this howling! Tomorrow! And I don’t want to see his face here! Take him to his daddy, let him babysit!

Veronika slowly lifted her eyes to him. The shock began to fade, giving way to cold, ringing indignation. She hugged her son tighter, as if trying to protect him not only from illness but also from this wave of hatred coming from the man who had recently sworn love to both of them.

— Stas, are you out of your mind? — she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. — What father? You know perfectly well that Igor lives a thousand kilometers away, he saw Kirill only once in his life, when he was a month old. He pays alimony irregularly, after scandals. He doesn’t care about his son, you know that well! Where would I take him? Especially now, when he’s sick!

She said what was obvious, what they had discussed many times before the wedding. Stanislav always agreed, nodded sympathetically, sighed, called Igor an irresponsible bastard, and promised that he, Stas, would never be like that, that Kirill was his son. Where did all that go?

— That’s not my problem! — Stanislav cut her off, with no sympathy in his voice, only icy irritation. — I don’t care where his daddy lives or what he wants or doesn’t want there. I only care that I can’t sleep in my own house because of your child! You’re the mother — so solve the problem. If you want to live here — get rid of him. Out of sight, out of mind. Tomorrow morning pack his things — and off you go. To daddy, grandma, boarding school — anywhere! But no more of him here!

He looked down on her, his jaws clenched tight, his eyes showing that same expression of disdainful superiority she had begun noticing more and more in recent weeks whenever he was displeased. And now the object of that displeasure, of that disdain, was her sick, helpless son. And herself.

Stanislav’s words — “boarding school — anywhere!” — hung in the stale bedroom air like a poisonous fog. Veronika looked at him, and there was no more confusion in her eyes. Deep inside, a cold, furious fire was burning. Boarding school. Her son. Her sick, little Kirill. This man, her husband, had just suggested sending her child to a boarding school because he disturbed his sleep. Realizing this didn’t just hit her — it scorched her through and through, burning the last remnants of illusions, the last grains of hope that this was just a moment of weakness, bad mood, fatigue. No. This was his true face, and it was disgusting.

— You… — she began, and to her own surprise, her voice sounded even, without a tremble, only with icy notes that made Stanislav twitch his shoulder slightly. — Did you really say that? About boarding school?

He hesitated for a moment, possibly not expecting such a calm, almost steely reaction. But he quickly recovered, putting on the mask of righteous anger again.

— So what? — he snorted, crossing his arms defiantly. — I’m just offering options. If you can’t handle your child yourself, maybe there are people who can do it professionally? I’m not obligated to put up with this every night! I married you, not your problems with your… offspring.

“Offspring.” The word cut Veronika to the core. He had never spoken like that before. Always “Kiryusha,” “sonny,” “our boy.” Now — “offspring.” She slowly, very carefully so as not to disturb the sleeping Kirill, began to get up from the bed. Every movement was deliberate, full of inner resolve.

— You know, Stas, — she said, now standing in front of him, looking him straight in the eyes, now almost on the same level, — I think I made the biggest mistake of my life believing you. When I decided you could become part of our family with Kirill.

She stepped aside toward the dresser where her things and some children’s clothes lay. Stanislav watched her, his face tensed.

— What are you planning? — he asked, a worried note creeping into his voice. He apparently expected tears, pleas, excuses, but not this cold calmness and action.

— I’m planning to do what I should have done much earlier, — Veronika replied without turning around. She pulled out a drawer and took out her travel bag, which she hadn’t used for a long time. — We’re leaving. Right now.

Stanislav let out a short, angry laugh.

— Where do you think you’re going in the middle of the night with a sick child? Running to mommy to complain? She’ll throw you out herself when she finds out you left your husband because of a child’s crying.

Veronika turned, the bag in her hand looked unexpectedly heavy.

— It’s none of your business where I go, — she cut him off. — The main thing is to get as far away from you as possible. I won’t let you humiliate me or my son anymore. You’ve shown your true face, Stas. And it disgusts me.

She moved toward the crib standing in the corner, intending to take Kirill’s warm jumpsuit. Then Stanislav lunged at her, grabbing her arm above the elbow. His fingers dug into her skin like a vice.

— I said, you’re not going anywhere! — he growled in her face, his eyes narrowing with rage again. — You’re my wife! And you’ll do what I say!

For a moment, Veronika was scared. His face was too close, twisted with anger, his grip painful. But the fear was quickly replaced by a flash of fury. She jerked her arm sharply, and to his surprise, he didn’t hold her. The strength born of desperation and maternal instinct was unexpected.

— Don’t you dare touch me! — her voice broke into a scream, but it was a scream not of fear, but of rage and warning. — If you touch me or my son again — you’ll regret it badly, Stas! Very badly! I’m not that defenseless sheep you apparently thought I was!

Stanislav stepped back, stunned. He looked at her like a stranger. This woman, who had always been so soft, so compliant, now stood before him like a fury, ready to protect her child at any cost. Her eyes burned with such fire that he involuntarily felt uncomfortable. He realized he’d gone too far, that direct aggression wouldn’t work now. And he instantly changed tactics.

A suffering grimace appeared on his face. He ran a hand through his hair, sighed as if carrying all the burdens of the world on his shoulders.

— Nika, what are you saying? — his voice suddenly became coaxing, almost pitiful. — I’m not doing this out of spite. I’m just tired, my nerves are shot. Work is hard, I don’t get enough sleep… And Kirill crying on top of that… I love you both, you know that. Didn’t I take care of you? Didn’t I try to be a good husband and father? Remember how good we were before… before all this.

He tried to take her other hand, but she pulled it away as if from fire.

— Don’t, Stas, — she said tiredly but firmly. — No need for these plays. I understand everything. Your love and care were just a game while it was convenient for you. While Kirill was healthy, obedient, and didn’t cause you “inconvenience.” But as soon as he got sick, as soon as some patience and sympathy were required — all your “love” evaporated. Only naked selfishness and irritation remained.

— What are you talking about? — Stanislav started getting angry again, seeing his attempt to play on guilt failed. — You’re just a bad mother, that’s all! You can’t calm your own child! You probably do it on purpose to annoy me! To show who’s boss here! You thought I’d dance to your tune and your brat’s? No way! I’m a man, and in my house it will be the way I say!

He raised his voice again, his face beginning to flush. But Veronika was no longer afraid. She looked at him with cold contempt. Every word he said only strengthened her conviction in the rightness of her decision. She saw through him — his immaturity, his egocentrism, his inability to feel basic compassion. The mask was completely torn off. Underneath was a monster.

— Bad mother? — Veronika repeated quietly, but her voice carried such blatant, icy sarcasm that Stanislav involuntarily recoiled. She took another step toward the dresser, ignoring his attempts to resume accusations. — Am I a bad mother because my child got sick and cries? Or because I ignored for three months how you turned from a “loving stepfather” into an irritated, selfish tyrant?

She turned to face him, her gaze direct, harsh, leaving no room for his manipulations.

— Let’s remember, Stas. Who begged me to move in faster because “he couldn’t wait for us to become a real family”? Who swore to Kirill, looking him in the eyes, that he would be the best dad in the world? Who took him on weekends to the zoo and amusement rides, took pictures hugging him and posted them with captions like “my favorites”? Was all that a lie? Just a show to get me?

Stanislav curled his lips in a contemptuous sneer. The mask of a loving man slid off completely, revealing the face of a cynic tired of pretending.

— And you believed that? — he snorted. — Well, then you’re even dumber than I thought. Of course, it was a game. Men have to tell women what they want to hear, especially if a woman has… a baggage. I thought you understood that. I expected after the wedding you’d somehow calm your puppy down, keep him in check. So he wouldn’t interfere with my life.

— Keep in check? Interfere with life? — Veronika shook her head, overwhelmed by a strange, cold calmness, as if she was watching a disgusting scene from the outside.

— He’s three years old, Stas. He’s a child. And he was the perfect child — quiet, obedient. Until you started hissing at him for every fallen block, until you started grimacing demonstratively when he laughed too loud. He just got sick! His temperature is almost 40, he’s in pain, scared! And you… you suggest throwing him out or sending him to a boarding school!

— Yes, I suggest it! — Stanislav barked, losing control again. — Because I’m fed up! Fed up with your child, his snot, his toys all over the apartment, his night screams! I’ve put up with it for three months, pretending to be a dad, enough! I want a normal life! I want silence! I want my wife to belong to me, not to be forever busy with her brood!

Kirill whimpered again in the corner — softly, plaintively, as if reacting to the adults’ shouting. Stanislav threw an angry look at him.

— See! It’s starting again! Can’t stand it!

— I hear it, — Veronika answered calmly, approaching the crib and adjusting the blanket on her son. She didn’t look at Stanislav, but every word was addressed to him. — I hear my sick child crying. And I hear you too, Stas. And I finally understood what kind of person I brought into our home. What kind of monster I almost made the stepfather to my son. Thank you for this revelation. It came late, but better late than never.

She straightened and looked at him again. There was no hatred in her eyes, only cold, ice-like disgust and firm determination.

— You’re right about one thing. This can’t go on anymore. This circus really needs to end.

Stanislav looked at her, not fully understanding what was happening. He was used to women in such situations either crying, yelling, or trying to appease him. But Veronika stood before him calm, collected, as if having made a final decision. And that scared him more than any scream. He felt he was losing control, that his usual tricks — pressure, accusations, attempts to evoke pity — no longer worked. She looked at him as if he no longer existed for her as a close person, as if he was just an unpleasant obstacle in her way. And that annoyed him even more.

 

— Circus? — Stanislav shifted from foot to foot, his fists involuntarily clenched. He felt the ground slipping from under his feet. This cold, distant Veronika was unfamiliar to him and scared with her impenetrability. He expected anything — hysteria, pleas, even insults back — but not this icy statement of fact. — Do you even realize what you’re doing? You’re going to leave me, your husband, because of a child’s tantrums? Who would want you with that… baggage? You think there’s another fool like me ready to put up with someone else’s son?

He tried to put as much venom and contempt as possible into his words, wanting to hurt her, make her doubt, fear the future. He wanted to see at least a shadow of fear or a glimmer of regret on her face. But Veronika slowly walked to the wardrobe and took out a small sports bag. She opened it on the bed next to the sleeping Kirill and methodically began packing children’s things: a couple of spare bodysuits, warm pants, socks. Her movements were calm, almost mechanical.

— You know, Stas, — she said without turning her head, her voice just as even and cold, — just a few hours ago, I probably would have been scared of your words. I would have thought about how hard it would be alone, how awkward in front of my parents, what acquaintances would say. But you cured me of all those fears so quickly and efficiently. You showed me something much scarier — life with a person capable of such meanness, such cruelty towards a defenseless child. Life with you. And compared to that, everything else seems like a trifle.

She zipped up the children’s bag, then took her own bag lying on the floor, and calmly began packing the essentials for herself: change of underwear, jeans, sweater, hygiene items. Stanislav watched her, and helpless rage boiled in his chest. He didn’t know what to do. Shout? He had already shouted. Threaten? His threats no longer seemed to work. Grab her, stop her by force? Something in her icy calm, her straight back, her determined gaze told him this would be a bad idea. That she really was capable of what she warned about.

— So that’s it? — he croaked, feeling his mouth dry. — You’ll just take off? Erase everything we had? Because I just want to get some sleep in my own house?

Veronika turned, the bag in her hand. She looked him straight in the eyes, and her gaze was full of such cold, annihilating contempt that Stanislav involuntarily shrank.

— There was nothing between us, Stas, — she said clearly, each word falling like an ice drop. — There was an illusion that you so carefully created. And that I, foolishly, took at face value. And you want to sleep? Well, now no one will bother you. Sleep peacefully. Enjoy the silence. Enjoy your home, where there is no more room for “snot and tears.”

She went to the crib carefully, so as not to wake the child, picked up the sleeping Kirill. The little boy murmured something in his sleep and snuggled close. Veronika adjusted his hat.

— And about your ultimatum… — she paused, looking at his face twisted with anger. — “If tomorrow you don’t take your son to his father, I will throw both of you out of the house! I don’t want your snot and tears at night!” Remember? I understood, Stas. I understood everything perfectly. Consider your wish granted. We’re leaving. Only you’re not throwing us out. We’re leaving ourselves. From you.

She moved to the door. Stanislav watched her go, his face crimson, his jaw muscles twitching. He wanted to shout something, do something, but the words stuck in his throat. He saw her retreating back, the fragile figure with the child in her arms, and understood it was the end. Complete and unconditional. He lost. Not to her — to himself, his anger, his selfishness.

When Veronika was already in the hallway, putting on shoes and throwing on her jacket, he still found the strength to squeeze out:

— And where are you going now? Do you think someone’s waiting for you with open arms?

Veronika, already opening the front door, paused for a moment. She didn’t look back.

— That’s none of your business anymore, Stas, — her voice came calmly and detachedly, as if speaking to a stranger. — For me, you no longer exist.

The door closed behind her. It didn’t slam — the lock just clicked quietly. Stanislav was left alone in the bedroom, where a few minutes ago passions had boiled. Now there was deafening, oppressive silence, which he so longed for. But this silence brought no relief. It was empty, cold, hostile. He looked around: the disturbed bed, the pillow he threw by the wall, the empty crib. He was alone. And that realization was much scarier than any child’s cry. The rage boiling inside him began to be replaced by emptiness and a dull, muffled hatred of himself, which he would never admit. He got what he demanded. Silence. And absolute, ringing loneliness…

— Sveta, here’s the thing. Mom needs help: the balcony windows have to be washed — she can’t manage it herself anymore. And groceries need to be bought for the week, the list is quite long. Can you go today?

Kirill entered the kitchen wearing casual sweatpants and a crumpled T-shirt, radiating that relaxed weekend vibe. He went to the water filter, poured himself a glass, barely noticing his wife as usual. Svetlana was sitting at the small table by the window, slowly sipping her morning coffee. Sunlight played on the tablecloth in whimsical patterns, but her gaze was focused somewhere inward.

This wasn’t the first time she’d been asked for something like this. It had started with innocent errands: “Sveta, pass some bread to Mom,” “Can you drop by with some medicine?” Then it turned into regular trips across town with heavy bags, thorough cleanings at her mother-in-law’s, and even minor repairs that Anna Lvovna insisted “only someone young and agile could do.” Meanwhile, Kirill hardly ever showed up to his mother’s place. He always had things to do, was tired, or simply “didn’t feel like it.” “Well, you’re free,” he’d say, and Svetlana would sigh and go. She dragged bags, cleaned, fixed things, patiently listening to her mother-in-law’s complaints about her health, prices, neighbors, and… how “poor Kiryusha got the short end of the stick.”

— Kirill, — her voice sounded surprisingly calm, but there was steel in it, enough for him to turn his head. — I’ve already told you. I’m your wife, not your mother’s assistant, and certainly not a free housekeeper. If Anna Lvovna needs help, especially something serious like this, why don’t you go yourself? You have the day off, don’t you? Or did you forget?

Kirill blinked, confused. Usually, conversations like this ended with Svetlana agreeing after a little persuasion.

— Well… I thought you… — he stumbled, frowning. — It’s not difficult! Women’s work — washing windows, buying groceries… You know better than me how to handle this.

Svetlana grimaced, and that smirk promised trouble.

— “Women’s work?” — she repeated sarcastically. — Interesting. So carrying five-kilogram bags of potatoes and then hanging out on the seventh floor scrubbing dirt off windows is now exclusively a woman’s duty? And you’ll be resting at home, saving your strength to settle comfortably on the couch in the evening?

 

Tension in the room grew. Kirill sharply set his glass down on the counter. His face began to redden.

— What are you starting again? I just asked! You know, Mom is alone, her age, it’s hard for her! Instead of help — hysterics!

— Hysterics? — Svetlana raised an eyebrow. — So my unwillingness to be a slave is “hysterics”? Listen carefully.

— What else?

— I’m your wife, not a running girl! If your mommy needs help — you should go and help yourself!

— What does that have to do with me? I told you…

— She’s your mother. Yours. And if she’s really struggling, it’s your duty as a son to help her. Or do you think the son should dump all this on his wife? By the way, I’m not asking you to help my mother. Her problems are mine, and I handle them myself. So, darling, take the list, the rag, the bucket, and go to your mother. You can even use my gloves if you don’t have your own. I’ll take care of my own business. No more of these “requests” will be accepted. Got it?

Kirill looked at her like she was an alien. The familiar order was breaking down. Svetlana always gave in. But now — coldly, decisively, without options.

— Do you even understand what you’re saying?! It’s disrespect for elders! For my mother! — he raised his voice, stepping forward.

Svetlana didn’t flinch.

— No, Kirill. This is self-respect. Basic self-respect. If you don’t understand this — that’s your problem.

She stood up, calmly walked around the table, and left the kitchen, leaving him alone among the sunlit spots, broken comfort, and a sudden thought: the world was no longer so comfortable.

Kirill wasn’t going to give up. He followed her into the living room where Svetlana deliberately sat down with a book. He stopped in the doorway, clenching his fists, his face burning with anger.

— You just decided to refuse like that? — he hissed. — Decided you don’t have to listen to my requests? To my mother? Is that normal for a wife?

Svetlana slowly lowered the book.

— And you think it’s normal, Kirill, to shift your son’s duties onto your wife? — she asked without raising her voice. — You talk about your mother, but somehow forget that she’s yours. She has a son. An adult, healthy one, with a day off. Why does this son send his wife instead of helping himself, while he plans to spend the day on the couch?

— Because before no one minded! — Kirill almost shouted, stepping sharply into the room. — You always helped, and everything was fine! What’s changed? Maybe you think you have a crown on your head now or imagine yourself special?

— What’s changed is that I can’t do it anymore, — Svetlana answered calmly. There was no anger in her voice — only deep, long-accumulated fatigue. — I’m tired of being a convenient helper for both of you, not a full human being. Tired that no one considers my time, strength, or desires. You say: “You always agreed.” But have you ever thought about what it cost me? How many times I sacrificed my plans, my rest, even my health, just to please you and your mother?

Kirill snorted and waved his hand as if shooing away a pesky fly.

— Oh, here come the sacrifices again! A real saint martyr! Nobody forced you. You went willingly. So you must have been comfortable with it!

— I went because I wanted to keep peace in the family, — Svetlana said bitterly. — Because I hoped you’d appreciate it, feel how much I do. But you took it for granted. As if I’m obligated to serve all your relatives. And you know what’s interesting? My mother has never once asked you to come help her with windows or the garden work. Even though it’s hard for her too. She understands that we have our own life. But your mother, along with you, somehow sees me as a kind of free resource to use on demand.

 

— Don’t compare them! — he snapped, his face twisted with anger. — My mother always tried for us! And now, when she asks for help, you behave like this? That’s just selfishness!

— And who’s going to think about me if not me? — Svetlana looked him straight in the eyes, without fear or guilt. Only confidence and resolve. — You? Who doesn’t even notice how I look after the next “help” to your mother? Or Anna Lvovna, who after cleaning starts telling how the neighbor’s daughter-in-law even bakes pies every day? No, Kirill. That stage is over. I will no longer be a doormat everyone wipes their feet on, hiding exploitation behind words like “duty” and “help.”

Tension grew. Kirill felt himself losing control. His usual status, his right to command and influence — everything was collapsing before his eyes. He was used to Svetlana being soft and compliant. But this woman with cold eyes and a firm voice was throwing him off balance.

— You’re just ungrateful! — he gasped, outraged. — We come to you with all our hearts, and you… You appreciate nothing! You don’t care about our feelings!

 

— Oh, feelings! — Svetlana laughed, but there was no joy in that laugh. — When was the last time you cared about my feelings, Kirill? When I crawled home after a whole day at your mother’s, and you just said: “Good. Did everything get done? Well done.” My needs? My need to rest, to simple human attention — was that taken into account? No. It’s much easier to have a wife who silently does everything she’s told.

Kirill paced the room like a trapped beast. His usual tactics of pressure, accusations, and reproaches didn’t work. It only made him more furious.

— Fine, — he finally stopped, breathing heavily. — If you don’t want to be nice about it, it’ll be different. Now you’ll hear my mother’s opinion!

He took out his phone and quickly dialed. Svetlana sat calmly, a slight shadow of contempt on her face. She knew this move — the “heavy artillery” of the mother who’s always on the son’s side.

After a few seconds, Anna Lvovna’s displeased voice came through:

— Kiryusha, why are you calling so early? I’m just measuring my blood pressure, trying not to worry.

— Mom, can you imagine what’s going on?! — he began loudly so Svetlana could hear every word. — I asked Sveta to go help you with windows and groceries, like usual. But she threw a tantrum! She says you’re my mother, so I should go and “work hard” myself, and she’s not a running girl! Can you imagine?

A heavy silence hung. Svetlana smiled inwardly. She knew how her mother-in-law liked to show outrage with pauses.

— Whaaat? — finally Anna Lvovna stretched the word out, voice full of fake surprise and triumphant indignation. — So she said that? About me?!

— Yes, Mom, exactly! — Kirill took over. — She says you’re my mother, not hers, and I should take care of you! And she’s tired! Nonsense! I’m shocked!

— Well, Kiryusha, young people… — the mother-in-law’s voice became plaintive. — I thought the daughter-in-law was like family… But she’s like that…

— Give me the phone, — Svetlana asked evenly.

Kirill looked at her like a winner.

— Afraid? Want to apologize to Mom?

— Give me the phone, — she repeated, and in her voice was such cold certainty that he wilted a bit and handed her the phone, putting it on speaker.

— Hello, Anna Lvovna, — Svetlana began calmly, professionally. — I heard your conversation and want to clarify the situation.

— Svetočka, dear, what’s wrong with you and Kiryusha? He’s so upset… Why are you like this with him? And with me… We’re family.

— Anna Lvovna, if you really need help, especially physically demanding help like washing windows and carrying groceries, then you need to ask your son, — Svetlana continued firmly. — He has the day off, he’s healthy, and it’s his duty as a son to take care of his mother. I’m his wife, not your housekeeper.

— Sveta, dear, you’re the lady of the house… — the mother-in-law sang, now with a note of irritation. — Kiryusha is a man, he has other tasks. He provides for the family…

— I work too, Anna Lvovna, — Svetlana interrupted. — And my day off is just as valuable. I’m not going to do regular work for your family for free. If it’s hard for you to clean, you can hire a cleaning service. That’s a real solution.

— Cleaning service?! — Anna Lvovna was outraged. — To let strangers into the house? People will judge! They’ll think son and daughter-in-law forgot about me!

— I don’t care what strangers think, — Svetlana replied firmly. — I care about my right to my own life and rest. And I won’t allow myself to be manipulated anymore, hiding behind age or supposed frailty. If Kirill is ashamed to help his mother himself or thinks it’s beneath his dignity — that’s his problem, not mine.

A tense silence hung on the line. Only the heavy, uneven breathing of Anna Lvovna was audible.

— So that’s how it is? — she finally hissed, and there was no softness left in her voice. Only cold anger and resentment. — Decided to show who’s boss in the house? Well, Svetočka… I won’t leave it like that. If you’re against family, against order, against respect for elders — I’ll come myself and settle it. We’ll have a serious talk. You’ll learn how to behave!

With a loud click, she hung up. Kirill shot Svetlana a victorious look: now we’ll see how long you stick to your guns. And she just put the phone on the table. She was ready. It was only the beginning.

Forty minutes later, the house was rocked by a sharp, insistent knock — as if they were trying to break down the door. Kirill, who had been nervously pacing, rushed to open it. Svetlana stayed in her chair, though inside she was trembling. But her resolve was iron — she wouldn’t show weakness.

— Mom! Finally! You have no idea what happened here! — Kirill shouted from the hallway, full of indignation and righteous outrage.

Anna Lvovna entered the living room like a hurricane. Her cheeks were flushed, eyes blazing, scarf half-slipped from her shoulders. Everything about her screamed readiness for battle.

— Come here, girl! — she lunged at Svetlana, who calmly stood up to meet her. — What do you think you’re doing?! How dare you boss my son around?! How dare you talk to me like that?!

— Hello, Anna Lvovna, — Svetlana replied, keeping her outward politeness, which only made the mother-in-law more furious. — Glad you came. Now we can talk calmly, without misunderstandings.

— Talk?! — she shrieked. — I have nothing to discuss with a woman who’s rude to her husband’s mother! We took you into the family, and you turn out to be a snake! And where was Kiryusha when you said that?

 

— He was right there, Mom! — the son supported her. — He says I should wash your windows myself! That she’s not obliged! Can you imagine?

— I didn’t just “say that,” Kirill, — Svetlana calmly corrected. — I told the truth. You’re this woman’s son. So it’s your duty to care for her. And if you think your wife should do it for you — then you’re either lazy or not a man at all.

— How dare you?! — Anna Lvovna gasped. — My son works! He has no strength! And you sit at home doing nothing!

— I work too, Anna Lvovna, — Svetlana’s voice hardened. — And I earn no less than your son. And my home is not a free service center for your family. You raised a man who can’t make decisions without you. And I’m tired of being part of this system, where I’m forever a helper and a scapegoat.

Her words hit like slaps. Kirill faltered, unsure what to say. His mother trembled with rage.

— I gave him my whole life! Didn’t sleep nights! And you come in ready-made and judge me?!

— Precisely because you gave him everything, he remains a dependent child, — Svetlana didn’t give her a chance. — He should have become independent long ago. But you preferred to keep him on a short leash. And I will no longer be part of this family theater.

Kirill finally exploded:

— Shut up! — he shouted, stepping forward. — You crossed all boundaries! My mother is a saint! And if you don’t like it, you can leave! I choose my mother! She’s the only one I have, and there are plenty like you!

Those words were the final blow. Svetlana looked at him with a long, cold stare.

— Fine, Kirill, — she said quietly but firmly. — You made your choice. And now I know what you’re worth. I want nothing to do with you or your mother. Pack your things. Or you can go to her right away. I don’t care. This nightmare is over.

She turned away, making it clear the conversation was finished. Behind her, the hysterical shouting of mother and son continued. But Svetlana no longer listened. She looked out the window where a new day was beginning. A huge burden lifted from her shoulders. Ahead was the unknown. But there was freedom. And behind her were two people who lost not just a daughter-in-law or wife — they lost their chance for a normal life, finally closing themselves off in their toxic union.

From this moment on, I’ll tell you more in detail!” Nastya murmured with interest, carefully wiping dust and cobwebs off her face. True chaos reigned in her temporary hideaway.

Sitting in that awkward position was extremely uncomfortable: she felt like sneezing, and her legs had long fallen asleep. But even such discomforts she was willing to endure in order to learn the truth about her husband’s intentions.

Boris was talking loudly on the phone, completely unaware that his wife was at home. He had just entered the apartment, even though he was supposed to be at work. His voice was so distinct that Nastya, who happened to be home during the day, could hear every word. And yet, he apparently had no inkling of her presence – as she had hidden in the closet.

Nastya had returned home specifically for the folder with documents that six-year-old Polina – the little hooligan – had tossed upstairs a week ago. The girl had merely been playing “hide and seek” with her mother’s important papers as a joke. It was probably her way of grabbing the attention of the parents she rarely saw. “Let them search together and then praise me,” the little one had decided.

The documents had gotten wedged between the wall and the cupboard, and now, to retrieve them, she had to move the heavy furniture. Nastya had repeatedly asked her husband to help her, but he constantly found new excuses: either he was busy, or tired, or promised to do it tomorrow.

“I’ll call my brother on my day off – I can’t manage on my own anyway,” Boris declared once again, demonstrating his infantile approach to matters.

Nastya, however, was of a completely different temperament – active and decisive. Therefore, when her boss demanded the contracts for the latest deals, she made the only correct decision: drive home personally and sort out this problem.

“I’ll bring them right now!” she confidently told her boss and set off for home.

“Long overdue! You’ve been feeding me promises for a week now!” grumbled the displeased boss.

To Nastya’s own surprise, she managed to shift the cupboard. Perhaps the strength came from her anger toward her husband. Besides the folder, she found several long-lost items and a thick layer of dust.

“I’ll quickly run the vacuum, then head to work,” the woman thought. “Let Boris put the cupboard back in the evening.”

However, her plans were interrupted by a sudden sound – Boris had entered the apartment while still talking on the phone. He was entirely absorbed in his conversation.

“What is he doing here?” Nastya wondered, crouched with the folder in her hands.

Her curiosity grew when she caught snippets of the conversation. It turned out that Boris had deliberately taken time off work so that no one would interrupt his “delicate conversation.”

“What delicate conversation?” Nastya pondered, straining to listen.

Now, leaving her hiding place would have been reckless. Nastya decided to stay hidden and find out with whom exactly her husband was having these “delicate” conversations.

“Go ahead, dictate the number – I’m writing it down,” Boris continued. “Of course, I’ll call you later! How could I not report back? Yes, I’ll tell everything!”

After a short pause, he spoke again, this time more formally:

“Hello! Can I have a paternity test done at your facility?”

At those words, Nastya froze, overcome with shock.

“What?!” she whispered, unable to believe her ears. “Come on, explain in more detail! What is he up to? What kind of test is this? Whose paternity? Is he doubting that Polina is his daughter? Or does he have someone else?”

Meanwhile, her husband continued his conversation:

“Understood. And how much will it cost? And how fast will I get the results? That expensive? This is nothing but a rip-off! I understand, it’s not just a regular blood test… I’m not a child who needs everything explained to me! Okay, how long does the procedure take? Yes, understood. And what materials are needed? Hold on, I’ll write it all down…”

Nastya stood, holding her breath, recording every word Boris said. Her thoughts raged: should she come out now and give her husband a good dressing down or wait and listen until the end? His intentions seemed obvious, but one important question remained: who was the subject? Could it be that there really was someone else besides their daughter?

After finishing the call with the clinic, Boris immediately redialed his mother. Now everything became clear – the first call had been to her. Boris’s tone took on the apologetic air familiar to Nastya when he spoke with his strict mother. It was a reminder of his childhood, when a stern woman had raised her two sons with particular severity. Though he loved his mother, it seemed Nastya believed he feared her a bit. And now, by all appearances, he was executing her orders, coordinating every move with her.

“Hello, Mom, I found out everything. Yes, I just called. They explained what needs to be done. But can you imagine the price they asked for? I’m just in shock! How can they rip people off like that? We’re only trying to learn the truth. We have that right,” Boris began, clearly already feeling guilty.

After waiting for his mother’s response, he continued, “Thank you, Mom! I knew you’d help with the money. Without that, Nastya would immediately suspect something amiss. She’d ask where I spent so much money. And you know I’m not good at lying.”

His words completely threw Nastya off balance.

“He’s not good at lying! Truly!” she whispered, barely holding back her indignation. “And who is this sly one that makes you suspicious? Spill your secrets, you scoundrel! Lay all your cards on the table!”

Nastya needed to find out whom her husband suspected – was it Polina, their daughter, or was it a child born out of wedlock? The answer could change everything.

She recalled how she had met Boris. It had happened purely by chance. He had approached her in a bar where Nastya, along with her friends, was celebrating receiving their diplomas. They were having such a carefree time, dancing with such bright energy that those around them applauded.

“Girls, hooray! We’re now lawyers!” they joyfully exclaimed, infecting everyone around with their enthusiasm.

And then a rather modest young man, watching their merriment from afar, invited Nastya for a slow dance. From the very first moment, he charmed her with compliments, declaring that he had never met a more beautiful woman.

From that moment, their romantic acquaintance began. Boris wooed Nastya with special passion, repeating daily that he was madly in love and couldn’t imagine life without her. However, Nastya was not in a rush to tie the knot, so she agreed only two years after their meeting.

For her, family was not the main goal in life. She dreamed of a career, of achievements, and financial independence. But fate had other plans: a year after their wedding, she learned she was pregnant. Polina was born – a little girl they both cherished with all their hearts. Nastya had always felt that Boris was even more attached to their daughter than she was. He spoiled her immensely, forgave all her mischief, and allowed almost everything. Their resemblance shocked all their acquaintances – they were like two peas in a pod. “There’s no need for a DNA test here,” people often said when they saw them together.

So why, then, was Boris now beginning to doubt his paternity? These thoughts tormented Nastya. Had these doubts haunted him since Polina’s birth? Or was it not about their daughter at all?

Her head pounded from the tension. It turned out that she knew nothing about the man with whom she had spent so many years.

“Mom, you really came up with something clever with this test,” Boris continued, outlining his intentions. “Of course, before taking such a serious step, one must be one hundred percent sure that Danilka is my son. I have no doubts about Polina – she’s like a sister to me. But this boy… He doesn’t resemble me at all, and that raises concerns.”

“Traitor! When did you ever have such doubts?” Nastya, still hidden behind the cupboard, seethed.

“So there really is a child on the side. Lika and Danilka… What an interesting life you have, Boris! And I thought you loved us – me and our daughter.”

Nastya took a deep breath, striving to remain calm even though inside she was boiling with anger. Meanwhile, Boris continued talking with his mother:

“Yes, Mom, you’re right. Before making a decision – to leave for Lika and the child – I have to be sure that he is indeed mine.”

Nastya had long suspected that her mother-in-law was meddling in their relationship, trying to sow discord between her and Boris. The woman clearly harbored little love for her granddaughter Polina, unlike her elder son’s children. Polina, sensing this, also did not strive to get close to grandma Zhenya. She much preferred spending time with her parents.

Realizing that not only was Boris cheating on her, but he had also managed to father a child on the side, was a true shock to Nastya. And his plans to leave her and their daughter for a new family – that surpassed all her expectations.

The woman was so stunned by what she had heard that she was even afraid to move. If her husband noticed her now, she would simply lose control. The only way out seemed to be to kill him on the spot. But to prevent that, she needed to calm down quickly, gather her thoughts, and weigh all her options. Only then could she decide how to take revenge on this traitor.

“Mom, you know, after the incident with Sergey from our department, when his wife claimed during the divorce that their son wasn’t his, I started to treat this matter with caution. That was a long time ago. And it’s as if you read my mind. If everything is confirmed, a new life awaits me – with a new wife and the son I’ve always dreamed of.”

With these words, Boris left the apartment, and Nastya finally managed to get out from behind the cupboard and stretch her numb legs. In her hands she still clutched the folder with documents that needed to be delivered to the office. That was exactly what she would now do, and on the way she would decide on her next actions. For what she had learned promised nothing but divorce, property division, and a life for Polina without a father, whom the girl adored.

In the toughest moments of life, Nastya always switched to rational thinking. That trait had helped her overcome stressful situations many times. And now, during her ride to work, her mind began working exactly that way.

She recalled the argument with her future mother-in-law that had taken place a week before the wedding. The reason had been trivial, but Evgenia Alekseevna had not held back and revealed her true attitude toward her daughter-in-law:

“Who are you? Where did you come from? You spoil everything! You’re turning my son against me!”

At that time, Nastya had only silently endured the attacks.

“Angela – now that’s a different matter! She’s such a good girl, she loves Boris! And you… Where did he ever find you?”

“Angela! Of course, it’s her!” Nastya suddenly realized. “Lika from Boris’s conversation – that’s Angelika! The very ‘good girl’ who perfectly fits under the control of the mother-in-law.”

This discovery made the woman shake her head. Now everything was falling into place: her mother-in-law had never refused to realize her dream of having that very girl by her son’s side.

“So, war it is!” Nastya declared confidently aloud. “I never officially declared it, but I have been preparing for it from the start.”

After that pre-wedding quarrel, Nastya had even refused to accompany Boris to the registry office. Convincing her had been extremely difficult.

“Alright,” she had said then. “But I have one condition. It’s the guarantee that one day you – like your dear mother – won’t betray me.”

“I agree to anything!” Boris had passionately replied. “I’m not going to betray you!”

“Then let’s finalize the purchase of the apartment we chose today. We have the money – what’s there to wait for? Let’s register it in my name. Before the wedding. Do you trust me? If not, let’s draw up a notarized contract specifying the amount you invested. I’ll never cheat you, but if anything happens – you’ll have a document. Agreed?”

“Yes! Write it down!”

Nastya quickly drafted the text of the contract, noting that she would sign it at the notary’s office the next day. However, she never remembered it again afterward. That document held no legal force, but the apartment purchased before the marriage remained her personal property.

Back then, they were happy and didn’t anticipate any betrayal. Now, having handed the folder with documents to her boss, Nastya headed to the lobby with its soft sofas and green plants, where the staff could relax. There she dialed her mother-in-law’s number.

“Hello?” replied Evgenia Alekseevna in noticeably gruff tones.

“Listen carefully! Unlike your son, I don’t need to wait for the paternity test results. I already know he is cheating on me,” Nastya stated calmly.

“What? How can you be so sure?” Evgenia Alekseevna exclaimed, startled.

“That doesn’t matter. What is important is: I do not know where your Lika and her child live, and I’m not interested. But starting today, Boris will no longer live in my apartment. And I will file for divorce today,” the woman asserted firmly.

“What—your apartment?! Have you lost your mind? This is a shared apartment! Boris invested just as much as you did!” Evgenia Alekseevna protested angrily. “If you’ve decided to divorce, then prepare for property division!”

“No, this apartment belongs solely to me. And we won’t share it. Perhaps Boris never told you because he was afraid of your negative reaction. But that’s your problem.”

“What are you even saying? This is just stupid lying!” the mother-in-law refused to believe.

“I’m not lying; that’s just not in my nature. The facts are: we bought the apartment before the wedding, and it’s registered entirely in my name. With your family, one must always be on guard – that’s why I took care of myself in advance. See? It wasn’t for nothing!”

“This just can’t be! I’ll call Boris right now and find out everything!” Evgenia Alekseevna fumed.

“Please, do. And tell him that his belongings can be picked up from the neighbors this evening. Polina and I will go to my parents’ place, so as to avoid scenes that might traumatize the child.”

After hanging up, Nastya decided it was time to go home and get rid of everything that reminded her of the traitor. The divorce papers could be filed later – it was now quite easy, just a matter of opening the internet and acting.

When Boris returned home after work, a surprise awaited him. He had expected a serious conversation, unable to believe that Nastya could really do such things. He even had his excuses prepared, but reality exceeded all his expectations.

There was a new lock on the door, and next to it a note informing him that his belongings were in apartment No. 17.

Gathering his bags, Boris went to his mother’s place. Lika and her son were temporarily living with her, and living with them would be strange, especially considering that the paternity test had not yet been done, and there was no certainty that Danilka was his son.

“How could you so foolishly lose your money?” Evgenia Alekseevna shouted at him. “Where will you live now? With me? And what, are you planning to drag Lika and the child here?”

“So far, there’s no other option. We’ll figure something out later,” Boris shrugged.

“You’ve already ruined everything once! Now you have to deal with it on your own. You’re left without a home and money. And you know what? I’ve never liked your Nastya from the very first day I met her. What a despicable and unprincipled person she is! I won’t let this go!”

“Yes, unprincipled,” Boris agreed, lowering his head. “She once promised me…”

Evgenia Alekseevna stared at her son with concern while he nonchalantly dined at her kitchen table. His wife had just kicked him out of the house, yet he behaved as though nothing special had occurred.

“Mom, why are you looking at me like that? Who else but you was pushing me against Nastya? Who was trying to set me up with Lika after all these years? And now you say that we are blameless?” Boris remarked between bites.

“How dare you blame your own mother for everything! Come on, son, keep it up! Say that I wished you harm, not happiness!” Evgenia Alekseevna couldn’t contain her emotions. They bubbled within her, making her visibly agitated.

Everything was going terribly wrong. But, as they say, water wears away stone. Once, three years ago, on the occasion of Boris’s daughter’s third birthday, the old story took a new turn.

Then, after a small celebration of Polina’s birthday, Boris decided to drive his mother home.

“Son, do you remember Angelika?” his mother asked casually, glancing out the car window at the houses passing by.

“Angelika? Of course I do. But isn’t she married? As far as I know, everything is fine with her,” Boris replied in surprise, having long forgotten about the girl he had dated before Nastya.

“No, Boris, things aren’t fine with her. Quite the contrary – terribly bad. Her husband turned out to be a scoundrel, abandoned her without money. Thank goodness they didn’t have children,” Evgenia Alekseevna answered sadly. “Now she lives with her mother.”

“How do you know all this? Do you still keep in touch with Antonina, her mother? Why, Mom? Wasn’t one person enough in the past?” her son reproached.

“We never really stopped communicating. You know, I owe Antonina my life. If it weren’t for her, I’d be sitting behind bars because of debts,” sighed Evgenia.

“Come on, stop dredging up the past! That was a long time ago. Forget it and don’t talk to her anymore. She’s a real manipulator. And she keeps you on a short leash!”

“It’s not that simple, son…”

—

Evgenia Alekseevna’s thoughts drifted back fifteen years. At that time, she was working as an accountant in a shady private company. At first, it seemed she had hit the jackpot – her salary was twice as high as in a government job. However, it soon became clear why.

The woman had to turn a blind eye to numerous legal violations by the management. Not only did she silently observe them, but she also signed documents that could have landed her behind bars. One day, they simply set her up, claiming that she owed the company a large sum.

How she managed to get out of that situation, Evgenia still did not understand. She had to borrow money to cover the debt. And then Antonina – a neighbor she only knew superficially – entered the scene. After the death of her general husband, the woman was left with considerable savings, and she readily agreed to lend the needed sum.

Antonina practically latched on to Evgenia, making her her constant assistant. Every day she called her over: sometimes to help with household chores, sometimes to go shopping together, or just to chat. Evgenia complied without protest because she knew – only this woman was willing to wait patiently until she repaid her debt.

“I’m not rushing you, Zhenya. You’ll pay back the debt gradually. I understand – you have two sons and a useless husband who just sits at home. Where would you get money from? If he were even a little useful, I wouldn’t have to put up with him by my side. Kick him out!” Antonina admonished, watching Evgenia mop the floor in her spacious apartment.

Six months later, Evgenia’s husband indeed left her. Perhaps he realized that his wife had completely succumbed to the domineering neighbor. Or maybe he simply found someone else – a woman who was always there, baking pies and listening attentively.

One day, Evgenia invited Antonina along with her daughter Angelika to her birthday. The girl was turning eighteen then. She turned out to be quite enterprising and immediately took an interest in Boris. From that moment, Antonina began actively matchmaking her daughter with Evgenia’s younger son.

“Zhenya, imagine what a pair they would make! Your Boris is smart and easygoing – the ideal qualities for a husband. And studying at the institute shows his prospects. Of course, I would have preferred someone else for my daughter, but she fell in love with Boris. What can you do,” Antonina coaxed, trying to use her influence over Evgenia on her son.

Boris, young and carefree, paid some attention to Angelika for a couple of months. But fate intervened – he met Nastya. Although the future wife took a long time to commit, keeping him in the dark for almost two years, Boris never gave up.

Antonina came to despise Evgenia for allowing her son to choose another. She held her responsible for Boris’s decision to marry Nastya.

“I remember, dear, that you never returned the full sum to me. I can take you to court. All the receipts are in order,” she threatened Evgenia.

“What can I do, Tonya? He just doesn’t listen to me. But I will work off my debt to you. Ask me anything – I’ll do it,” Evgenia A. nearly burst into tears.

Eventually, the situation subsided. After Boris’s wedding, Evgenia learned that Angelika had also gotten married.

—

Years later, Antonina reappeared in Evgenia’s life, announcing that her daughter had divorced. The reason – unrequited love for Boris.

“They must be together, and that is not up for discussion! How to achieve that – I don’t care. You are a cunning woman; come up with something so that my daughter never cries alone again!” Antonina ordered enthusiastically, waving old receipts in Evgenia’s face.

Antonina did everything possible to bring Boris and Angelika together again, who now called herself Lika.

“Sounds simpler and is trendier!” she explained when visiting Boris’s mother.

Boris was already there – a situation deliberately set up by his mother-in-law had led to their meeting. The table was overflowing with food and drinks, and the former lovers found themselves in a romantic setting.

“Well, I’m off. My friends have invited me to the theater,” Evgenia Alekseevna said with a smile, leaving them alone.

“Good for you! You did the right thing! If they end up together, I’ll burn all the receipts and forget about the interest,” Antonina praised over the phone.

“Enough already! You’re getting on my nerves!” Evgenia snapped, hanging up.

But Boris soon reconciled with Nastya and no longer wished to see Lika, despite all his mother’s insinuations.

Evgenia tried to influence him by other means. She said that Nastya wasn’t a match for him, that his wife didn’t take care of herself and didn’t love him as Lika could.

“Mom, we have a daughter. I love both my wife and Polina. Stop interfering in our relationship,” his son pleaded.

“And what if Polina isn’t yours? Are you sure?” his mother pressed further.

“Come on, you’ve got to be kidding! She’s an exact copy of me!” Boris argued.

Everything seemed hopeless. But as the saying goes, water wears away stone. One day, Evgenia Alekseevna accidentally saw her son and Lika together. They were sitting in a car near her house. The woman laughed, flirted with Boris, and then they even kissed.

—

Half a year ago, Antonina called Evgenia and announced that Lika had given birth to a son by Boris.

At Antonina’s shrill shouts, Evgenia Alekseevna’s blood pressure spiked.

“What, you want a child to grow up without a father? I’ll drag you all to court, one by one!” she raged over the phone.

“Calm down, I’ll take care of everything,” Evgenia replied, trying to seize control of the situation.

After hanging up, she realized: this woman would never let her go. She would manipulate her until her dying day. Then she decided to call her son and devise a plan.

“Son, you know Lika has a son, right?” began Evgenia.

“Yes, I know. We’re in touch,” Boris answered calmly.

“Are you absolutely sure it’s yours? Answer honestly.”

“How could I know for sure? She says it’s mine, and the timing matches. But where’s the guarantee?” he philosophically noted.

“What will you do if it really is yours? They won’t leave us alone, you understand.”

“I’ll go to Lika. She’s been calling me for a long time. Besides, things with Nastya have been growing increasingly difficult these past months. It seems she has fallen out of love with me – all she does is nitpick. I do love Polina, though. Well, I’ll pay alimony like everyone else.”

“And you’ll have to split the apartment with Nastya. You don’t really plan to just give up your share, do you? That’s another problem. After all, you’ve stirred up quite a mess,” his mother declared accusingly, forgetting her own role in this story.

“Mom, that’s an even bigger problem than you think,” Boris sighed, remembering that the apartment had been registered in Nastya’s name a few days before the wedding. Fortunately, his mother still did not know about it.

“I’ve got an idea. Perhaps you won’t have to part ways with your wife and daughter. And with these two, we’ll shut their mouths for good,” Evgenia Alekseevna announced excitedly.

“What?” Boris asked, seemingly indifferent by now regarding whom to live with. “Just don’t tell me you’re planning something illegal!”

“Don’t joke around – now’s not the time. We need to do a paternity test!”

“What test?” he asked in surprise.

“Find out if you’re the father of Danilka. Understand now? If you’re the father, you’ll raise the child. And if not – we’ll prove that they were wrong and get rid of them once and for all. You’ll save the family.”

“That sounds not bad at all! Give me the number of the clinic where I can do it. I’ll call from home so that no one overhears,” Boris rejoiced.

But who could have predicted that Nastya, who was at home at that very moment, would inadvertently hear his conversation? Such was fate.

—

That very day, Nastya gathered the things of her unfaithful husband and sent him off to his mother, having changed the locks on the apartment. After all, on paper, it belonged only to her.

“Are you satisfied now? Sitting there like a beaten puppy. How could you so foolishly agree to her conditions? To give up your money for the purchase of an apartment and allow it to be registered in Nastya’s name? I simply cannot believe my ears!” Boris’s mother berated him furiously.

“Mom, enough. The past is the past. How else would I have persuaded Nastya to marry me after the scandal you instigated? Right now, I need to concentrate on getting that paternity test done as soon as possible. Only then will I decide whether to move in with Lika and the child.”

“Act! Who’s stopping you? Tomorrow, go to her, fetch the necessary materials for the analysis, and do everything quickly and quietly.”

Learning that Boris had left his wife and temporarily taken refuge at his mother’s place, Lika and her mother Antonina were ecstatic.

“You’re doing the right thing! Here you have your son and the woman you love. I always knew, Boris, that you and Angelika loved each other. That marriage was a mistake. But now, everything will fall into place. You’ll get a divorce, split the apartment, buy a new place – and you’ll live happily!” Antonina gushed, not suspecting that her plans would collapse because of one simple fact: Boris had no share in the apartment he and Nastya shared.

Evgenia Alekseevna emphatically advised her son to keep the paternity test matter a secret. Thus, he acted cautiously, following his mother’s advice. Now, all that remained was to wait for the results and start planning the future.

—

“Mom, the results have come! They sent them to my email, and the paper version can be collected later,” Boris announced hastily in the evening.

“Well, then? What does it say?” Evgenia Alekseevna burst out of the kitchen into the living room, where her son was lazily sprawled in front of the TV.

“Hold on… I’m reading. Let me see…” Boris stared at his phone’s screen.

As he read the message, his face grew increasingly surprised and confused.

“It says… No match at all. Zero percent… What does that mean, Mom?” he asked quietly.

“That means you were deceived by your perceptive Lika! She’s as cunning as her mother! They tried to pin someone else’s child on you, you villains! I’m going to shove that document right in their faces! Now the end of your little celebration is here, Antonina!” Evgenia Alekseevna screamed in outrage.

“How can that be… I ruined my family for her sake… Abandoned my own daughter…”

“You didn’t abandon your daughter because you decided to. You were simply booted out because you talk too much and don’t watch your words. If Nastya hadn’t found out about the test, you would still be sitting at home – happy and unsuspected,” her mother retorted with a snort.

Boris looked utterly lost, unable to reconcile his emotions with his mother’s. His future now seemed murky. He understood that he would have to pay alimony for Polina and try to see his daughter as often as possible. But for that, he needed Nastya’s agreement. The rest of his life seemed bleak and joyless.

The boomerang had returned to his life – as inevitable as ever. It was a pity that earlier, when he was running from his wife to Lika, he hadn’t been wise enough to consider the consequences.

By the way, Lika stubbornly refused to give up for a long time. She continued to cause a ruckus, coming to Boris with her son. She insisted that everything had been arranged and intended to conduct an independent expert examination. She even threatened to go to the television to expose Boris’s “unprincipled” nature.

He fully understood that he had acted wrongly. But now, there was no way to fix the situation.

— Who is this? — Sergey Alexandrovich asked coldly as soon as Anna entered the house, tightly holding a small baby wrapped in a soft blanket against her chest. There was no hint of joy or surprise in his voice. Only irritation. — Do you seriously think I will accept this?

He had just returned from another business trip that had lasted several weeks. As usual, he was immersed in work: contracts, meetings, endless calls. His life had long become a series of business trips, conferences, and flights. Anna knew this even before their marriage and accepted this lifestyle as a given.

When they met, she was only nineteen. She was in her first year of medical school, and he was already a mature, confident man — respectable, successful, reliable. Exactly the kind she had once dreamed about in her school diary. He seemed to her a support, a rock behind which she could hide from all troubles. She was sure: with him, she would be safe.

That’s why the evening that was supposed to be one of the brightest days in her life suddenly turned into a nightmare. The moment Sergey looked at the child, his face became alien. He froze, then spoke — his voice ringing sharp in a way she had never heard before.

— Look for yourself — not a single feature! Not mine at all! This is not my son, do you understand?! Do you think I’m stupid enough to believe this fantasy? What are you up to? Trying to hang noodles on my ears?

His words cut like knives. Anna stood, unable to move, her heart pounding somewhere in her throat, her head buzzing from fear and pain. She could not believe that the person she trusted with all her heart could suspect her of betrayal. She loved him completely. For him, she had given up everything: career, dreams, her former life. Her main goal was to give him a child, to create a family. And now… he was reproaching her like an enemy.

From the very beginning, her mother warned her.

— What did you find in him, Anyuta? — Marina Petrovna often repeated. — He’s almost twice your age! He already has a child from his first marriage. Why be a stepmother if you can just find someone who will be an equal partner?

But young, in love Anna didn’t listen. For her, Sergey was not just a man — he was fate, the embodiment of masculine strength, a support she had long sought. Without a father she never knew, she had spent her life waiting for exactly such a man — strong, protective, a real husband.

Marina Petrovna, of course, was cautious about him. It was natural that a woman Sergey’s age would see him more as a peer than as a suitable partner for her own daughter. But Anna was happy. Soon she moved to his large, cozy house where she dreamed of building a life together.

At first, everything really seemed perfect. Anna continued studying medicine — as if fulfilling her mother’s cherished dream, who once wanted to become a doctor but couldn’t because of an early pregnancy and the disappearance of the man who became her daughter’s father. Marina raised Anna alone, and although the daughter never knew a father’s love, that void pushed her to seek a “real” man.

For Anna, Sergey became that person — a figure replacing the absent father, a source of strength, stability, family. She dreamed of giving him a son, creating a full family. And then, two years after the wedding, she found out she was pregnant.

This news filled her life like spring sunshine. She shone like a flower. But for her mother, it was a cause for concern.

— Anna, what about your studies? — Marina Petrovna asked worriedly. — You won’t quit everything, will you? You put so much effort into your education!

There was truth in these words. The path to medicine was not easy — exams, courses, constant stress. But now it seemed distant. Ahead of her was a child — living proof of love, the meaning of her whole life.

— I’ll return after maternity leave, — she replied softly. — I want more than one. Maybe two or three. I need time for them.

Such words stirred anxiety in her mother’s heart. She knew what it was like to raise children alone. Experience taught her caution. So she always believed: you should have as many children as you can manage if the husband leaves. And now her fears were coming true.

When Sergey threw Anna out like an unwanted guest, Marina Petrovna felt something important inside break. For her daughter, for her grandson, for the shattered dreams.

— Has he lost his mind?! — she cried, holding back tears. — How could he do this? Where is his conscience? I know you — you would never betray!

But all her warnings, years of advice, and anxious words crashed against her daughter’s stubbornness. Now she could only bitterly state:

— I told you from the start what he was like. Didn’t you see? I warned you, but you went your own way anyway. Here’s your result.

Anna had no strength for reproaches. A storm raged inside her. After the scene Sergey threw, only pain remained in her heart. She never thought he could be so cruel, so capable of throwing such humiliating words in her face. They burned into her memory, especially sharply the day she brought their son home from the maternity hospital. Then she still thought — their son.

She imagined a different picture: how he would hold the baby, thank her for giving birth, hug and say now they were a real family. But instead, she got coldness, anger, and accusations.

Reality turned out crueler than she could have imagined.

— Get out, traitor! — Sergey shouted furiously, as if losing the last shreds of humanity. — Did you have someone behind my back? Have you completely lost your mind?! You lived like a princess! I gave you everything! It was a real fairy tale — and this is how you repay me?! Without me, you’d be crammed in a dorm with some failing student, barely finishing medical school! Working somewhere in a forgotten clinic! You’re incapable of anything else, understand?! And you brought someone else’s child into my home! Do you think I’ll swallow this?!

Anna, trembling with fear, tried to somehow stop his anger. She begged, said he was wrong, that she had never cheated on him. Every word was a thrown stone hoping to hear reason in his eyes.

— Seryozha, you know your daughter, remember what she was like when you brought her home from the hospital? — she pleaded desperately. — She didn’t look like you right away! Babies aren’t born looking alike. Resemblance comes over time — eyes, nose, manners. You’re a grown man, why can’t you understand such simple things?

But his face remained cold as ice, as if his soul had left his body.

— Not true! — he sharply cut her off. — My daughter was an exact copy of me from the first minute! And this baby isn’t mine. I don’t believe you anymore. Pack your things and leave. And remember: you won’t get a single penny from me!

— Please, Seryozha! — Anna sobbed. — He’s your son, I swear! Do a DNA test, it will confirm everything! I didn’t lie to you, hear me? I would never do this… Believe me, at least a little…

— Like I’m going to run to labs and humiliate myself?! — he roared in rage. — Do you think I’m such a fool to believe you again?! Enough! It’s over!

Sergey Alexandrovich finally locked himself in his paranoid certainty, in a world full of accusations and lies. He did not want to hear pleas, arguments, or even the voice of love. His truth was one, and no one could break through that wall.

Anna had no choice but to silently pack her things. She gently took her son in her arms, looked back one last time at the house she wanted to make a family hearth, and left. Left into the unknown, into a bottomless void from which it was almost impossible to escape alone.

She returned to her mother — there was no other way. Crossing the threshold of her childhood home, Anna finally allowed herself to cry.

— Mommy… how foolish I was… so naive… forgive me…

Marina Petrovna did not cry. She knew she had to be strong now. Her voice was strict, but each word was full of care and love.

— Stop whining. You gave birth — we’ll raise him. Life is just beginning, understand? You’re not alone. But you must pull yourself together. Don’t you dare quit your studies. I’ll help. We’ll manage with the child. What are mothers for if not to pull their children out of trouble?

Anna could not say a word. Her heart was full of gratitude that words could not express. Without her mother, without that firm support, she would have simply broken down. Marina Petrovna took care of the baby herself, giving her daughter a chance to finish university and start a new life. She did not complain, did not reproach, did not lose hope — she kept working, loving, fighting.

And Sergey Alexandrovich, the man Anna once considered her whole life, truly disappeared. He didn’t pay alimony, didn’t care about their son’s fate, didn’t give any news. He just left, as if their past together was only a hallucination.

But Anna stayed. Only now, not alone. She had a son. And she had her mother. Perhaps here, in this small but real world, she first found true love and support.

The divorce was a real tragedy for Anna. Something inside seemed to collapse, and everything happening felt like a nightmare with no way out. The man she had planned her whole life with suddenly cut all ties, as if there had never been love, trust, or endless evenings dreaming of the future.

Sergey had a difficult character, often bordering on obsession. His jealousy had long become a painful trait that destroyed many marriages. However, meeting Anna, he skillfully hid his true self, presenting her with a carefully crafted story that his previous marriage ended over money disagreements.

And Anna believed him. She couldn’t imagine how prone he was to jealous outbursts and how easily he lost control over even the slightest, most innocent gesture.

At the very beginning, everything seemed perfect. Sergey was attentive, caring, romantic. He gave expensive gifts, flowers without reason, always asked how she was. Anna was sure she found her one and only.

But when Igor was born, a new chapter began. Anna fully devoted herself to the child, trying to surround him with care and love. But when her son grew older, she realized she had to think about herself too. She decided to return to university because she wanted to become a true professional, not just a graduate.

Her mother, Marina Petrovna, supported her in every way. She took care of her grandson, helped financially and morally. The first work contract was an important victory for Anna. Since then, she supported the family herself, living modestly but with dignity.

The chief physician of the clinic where Anna started working after graduation immediately noticed her potential. In the young woman, there was determination, inner strength, and a desire to develop. The chief physician, a woman with vast experience, saw in Anna the reflection of dreams she herself once could not achieve.

— Becoming a mother early is not a tragedy or an obstacle, — she once said, looking at Anna with warmth and approval. — It’s your strength. Your career is ahead. You’re young, your whole life is ahead. The main thing is you have a backbone.

These words became a ray of light for Anna in a dark time. They warmed her and instilled faith in the future.

When her son turned six, during one of the visits to his grandmother, kind Marina Petrovna, the senior nurse, said with sympathy:

— Anna, it’s time to think about school. The year will fly by — and Igor will be in first grade. And now, to be honest, he’s not ready for the school workload. Without proper preparation, it will be very difficult, especially nowadays.

These words added another worry to those already on her shoulders. But Anna did not let fear win — she always acted even when afraid. In the following months, she fully focused on her son’s development. Lessons with tutors, revising daily routines, creating a comfortable environment at home for studying — all became part of her new reality.

— I wanted to promote you for a long time, but I couldn’t before, — Tatiana Stepanovna, the chief physician, admitted once. — You understand — without experience they don’t promote here. Everything must be based on facts.

She paused as if gathering her thoughts, then continued:

— But you have talent. It’s obvious right away. Not just ability — a real medical gift.

— I understand perfectly and am not trying to argue, — Anna replied, her voice confident and grateful. — On the contrary, I sincerely thank you for your support. You helped me more than anyone else. Not only me — you were there when Igor needed help. We will never forget it.

— Oh, stop it, — Tatiana Stepanovna gently waved it off, slightly embarrassed. — Enough with the pathos. The main thing is for you to justify the trust. I’m counting on you.

— No doubts at all. I’ll do everything possible — and more, — Anna assured her. Her words were not just beautiful phrases — they were backed by every step, every decision.

Over time, Anna’s reputation as a doctor grew. The young surgeon quickly earned respect from colleagues and trust from patients. Every review was full of admiration. Sometimes Tatiana Stepanovna wondered if there were too many compliments.

But even on the day a person from the past entered her office, Anna remained composed. Her face stayed calm, her voice confident.

— Good afternoon, come in. Sit down, tell me what brought you here, — she said, indicating the chair opposite.

The visit was painfully unexpected. Sergey Alexandrovich, following a recommendation about the city’s best surgeon, did not expect that the initials hid her. He thought it was a coincidence. But opening the door, he recognized her immediately. No doubt remained.

— Hello, Anna, — he said quietly, with a slight note of inner excitement, taking an uncertain step forward.

The meeting happened against tragic circumstances. His daughter Olga had been suffering for almost a year from a mysterious illness that no one could diagnose. No tests or specialist consultations gave results. The girl was exhausted, her strength nearly gone.

Anna listened carefully to Sergey’s story without interrupting. Then, strictly and professionally, she said:

— I’m truly sorry you’re in this situation. Especially painful when a child suffers. But we cannot delay here. A full examination must be done urgently. Time is against us — every day can be decisive.

Sergey nodded. He knew — this time they found the right doctor.

— Where is Olga today? Why did you come alone? — Anna asked, tilting her head slightly, looking intently into his eyes.

— She’s very weak… — he whispered barely audibly, as if he himself didn’t believe the words. — So tired she can’t even get out of bed. It’s a real struggle.

He spoke restrainedly, but Anna, as an experienced doctor, felt behind that external coldness a deeply hidden anxiety. Behind the seeming composure raged a storm of feelings he desperately tried to control.

— I was told you are one of the best surgeons. A top professional. If that’s true — help. I beg you. Money doesn’t matter. Name any price — I’ll do whatever it takes, — he said tensely, as if throwing a last chance.

Years passed, but he remained the same — still convinced any problem could be solved with effort… and money. He didn’t even bother describing his daughter’s condition in detail — as if thinking his own grief was enough to make everything clear without extra words.

Igor’s name never came up in their conversation. As if he didn’t exist. That might have hurt before. Now Anna just noted indifferently: old grievances were in the past.

She was a doctor — and that meant more than any personal relationship. A professional does not divide patients into theirs and others. She must help everyone in need. Nevertheless, Anna wanted Sergey to understand: she was not all-powerful. So later, in moments of despair, he would not blame her for failing.

— I can’t even imagine how I’ll live if she doesn’t make it… — he suddenly uttered, and these words affected Anna more than she expected.

She gathered herself, remaining professionally distant. Preparation for the operation went as usual — with maximum precision and attention.

A week later the girl was examined, all tests collected. Then Anna called Sergey. Her voice sounded clear and firm:

— I agree. I will take the operation.

Silence hung on the other end, broken by a trembling voice:

— Are you really sure?.. What if something goes wrong? What if she doesn’t survive?..

— Sergey, we have to try, — she said firmly. — If we just wait — it will be like a death sentence. Do you want to watch her slowly fade away?

He didn’t answer but nodded — like a man accepting the inevitable. It was not surrender but conscious consent.

On the day of the operation he came with his daughter. He did not leave the clinic for a minute, as if his presence could influence the outcome. When Anna came out of the operating room, he rushed to her, his eyes mixed with fear and hope:

— Can I see her? Even for a minute! I need to talk to her!

— You’re talking like a child, — Anna replied lightly reproachful. — What kind of conversation do you think about now? She just woke up from anesthesia, will rest a few more hours. The operation was successful. No complications. Soon she’ll be moved to the ward. Come tomorrow — you’ll see her.

It was true. Sergey did not sleep all night, tormented by terrible thoughts and dark images. But he did not argue. For the first time in many years, he did not throw a scandal or demand immediate access to his daughter. He just nodded and left.

It was unexpected. The old Sergey would have exploded: “How come?! I’m her father!” But now he understood — yelling would not help. The only thing he could do was trust.

And that night he did something that used to seem ridiculous and unnecessary. He knelt and began to pray. Not to doctors, not to fate — he begged for a miracle.

Sergey Alexandrovich lost faith in a happy outcome. All his strength was exhausted, and now he was alone with a harsh reality where there was no consolation, only hopelessness.

He returned home like a broken man. His legs barely held him as if he had lived a whole life in the last day. But he did not allow himself rest — barely pausing, he gathered himself and headed back to the hospital.

— May I see my daughter? — he asked the tired-faced doctor. Outside, the city was immersed in deep sleep, streets deserted, only lanterns flickered through the damp fog. But Sergey noticed none of it. Neither cold nor time nor space — his thoughts were entirely about Olga.

By then, the girl had regained consciousness. Her condition improved noticeably, although weakness remained. Seeing her father at night, she was genuinely surprised:

— Dad? What are you doing here at night? Is it even allowed to receive visitors now?

— I just couldn’t sleep until I knew how you felt. I had to see you, — he answered, a little embarrassed. — Wanted to make sure you’re alive, that you’re better… even a little.

At that moment, Sergey suddenly and sharply understood what it meant to be a father. What family was. How little true family he still had. And the bitterest realization — that he himself destroyed most of what was valuable — twice, by his own will or weakness.

When dawn cautiously touched the city with its first rays, father and daughter said goodbye. After a long and deep conversation Sergey went out into the corridor — exhausted, but somehow a little relieved inside. But barely a few steps later, Anna suddenly appeared before him.

— What are you doing here? Explain! — her voice was sharp, almost irritated. — I clearly said — visiting patients outside visiting hours is forbidden. Who even let you in?

— Sorry for breaking the rules, — he said quietly, lowering his eyes like a schoolboy caught by a strict teacher. — It was my initiative. I just asked the guard… He had nothing to do with it. I begged. I had to see Olga. Make sure she was okay…

— Same old story? Thought money would help you get through any barriers? — Anna sighed reproachfully. She paused, then, as if shaking off irritation, added: — Okay, doesn’t matter. You came, saw, made sure. Now you can consider the task done.

Without waiting for an answer, she passed him and entered Olga’s room. She stayed there about half an hour, while Sergey remained in the corridor. He wasn’t going anywhere.

He didn’t expect what awaited him in her office. What happened next shocked him.

When the door swung open and Sergey appeared in the doorway, Anna raised an eyebrow questioningly. Fatigue was clear in her eyes.

— You’re here again? — she said with mild annoyance. — What happened?

In his hands was a large bouquet of fresh flowers filling the air with a light spring scent. Under his jacket, he held a neatly folded envelope — inside was gratitude expressed not just in words but in deed.

— I need to talk to you. It’s important, — he said seriously, meeting her gaze.

— Okay, but not for long, — she agreed, nodding. — I don’t have extra time.

As if by habit, she opened her office door and gestured him inside. And at that moment Sergey realized: either he speaks now or never dares again.

He stood hesitating, unable to find words, not knowing where to start or what thought to grasp so the conversation would take shape.

But fate, as if hearing his inner call, intervened. The door slammed open and an eleven-year-old boy full of energy and indignation ran into the room.

— Mom! I’ve been standing in the corridor for half an hour! — he exclaimed, pouting and angrily looking at his mother. — I called you, why didn’t you answer?!

That day was reserved for her son — no operations, no urgent calls. Work took most of Anna’s time, and every minute with Igor was a small bright island in an ocean of duties. Now she felt a pang of guilt — again she had broken her promise, let the child down.

Sergey froze as if doused with ice water. He looked at the boy, unable to look away — as if he saw not just a child but a living reflection of the past.

And finally, he managed to say:

— Son… my little son…

— Mom, who is this? — Igor frowned, casting a suspicious glance at the man. — Has he lost his mind? Talking to himself?

Anna tensed inside. The thought boiling within her was full of pain: here he was — the very man who once accused her of cheating, abandoned them, disappeared as if they never existed, crossed them out of his life like a spoiled page.

But she clenched her teeth, holding back tear-inducing words. Her heart ached, but in her chest still flickered a spark of something alive — faint, but real.

Sergey was tormented by regret and fear. He didn’t know if he deserved a chance to fix everything. Didn’t understand why he, of all people, was given the opportunity to return. But he was immensely grateful — for every dawn, for every night spent in hope.

Elena was folding the kitchen towels — new ones, with a delicate floral pattern — when the phone vibrated. She sighed: four missed calls from Katya, a friend from work. It was probably nothing important. Elena returned to the cupboard, but the phone vibrated again.

“Lena, why aren’t you answering?” Katya babbled. “Did you know that Antonina Pavlovna has a jubilee on Saturday?”

Elena froze, holding the towel tightly in her hand.

“What jubilee?”

“She’s turning seventy-five. Svetka called me, she’s invited with Dimka. She says Antonina sent invitations to everyone two weeks ago.”

The towel slipped from Elena’s hands. Thirty-two years of marriage to Igor, and she had never missed a family celebration. But now, Antonina’s jubilee — and nothing.

“Maybe they forgot?” Elena whispered, though she didn’t believe it herself.

“Forgot? Svetka says there’s a guest list for twenty people. Everyone’s invited: Igor’s brothers with their wives, even their former neighbor from the fifth floor.”

Elena sat down on a stool. Memories rushed back: how she had taken care of her mother-in-law after her gallbladder surgery, how she had given up her vacation days so Antonina could get new dentures, how she had babysat her grandchildren when everyone else was busy.

“I’ll tell you what,” Katya continued, “it’s all because of that cake last New Year’s. Remember how you bought the wrong one?”

“Katya, the cake has nothing to do with it. She just… always thought of me as an outsider.”

The front door slammed — Igor had returned. Elena quickly said goodbye to her friend.

Her husband walked into the kitchen, shaking the rainwater out of his hair like a boy. Elena looked at the wrinkles around his eyes, the familiar features. Thirty-two years together. And still — an outsider.

“Igor, is your mom having a jubilee on Saturday?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

He froze in front of the fridge, not turning.

“Yeah, something’s planned.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Igor opened the fridge and studied its contents as though he was seeing them for the first time.

“Mom doesn’t want a big celebration. Just the closest family.”

“Closest family,” Elena repeated, echoing his words. “And I’m not part of that?”

“Lena, why start this? You know mom. She has her quirks.”

“Quirks?” Elena felt a surge inside. “I’ve been tolerating her quirks for thirty-two years! These aren’t quirks, Igor, this is… this is…”

She couldn’t find the right word and just waved her hand dismissively.

“I helped her after her surgery when you were on a business trip. I gave up my vacation time so she could get new dentures. I babysat her grandkids when Irka went on a holiday. Thirty-two years of trying to be a good daughter-in-law. And this is how it is?”

Igor rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Lena, do you really need to count every little thing? Who owes whom?”

“I’m not counting!” Elena’s voice trembled. “I just want to be part of the family. Your family. Is that really too much to ask?”

Igor sighed deeply and sat down on a chair.

“Listen, you’re exaggerating. Mom just wants a quiet celebration.”

“Quiet? For twenty people?” Elena felt every word scrape her throat. “And even the neighbor from the fifth floor is invited!”

“How do you…?”

“Does it matter how?” she grabbed the kitchen towel and began frantically wiping the already dry countertop. “Thirty-two years, Igor! What did I do wrong? Tell me!”

Igor reached for her hand, but she pulled away.

“Lena, you know mom. She still thinks you took me away from her.”

“Took you away?” Elena laughed bitterly. “You were twenty-five when we met! Not five!”

She remembered the first time she entered Antonina’s house, how she tried to make a good impression, baking a pie from her grandmother’s recipe. But her mother-in-law just pressed her lips together and said, “We don’t cook like that in our family.”

“All my life,” Elena continued, “I’ve tried to please her. And what has she done? Remember how she told everyone I was raising Deniska wrong? Or how she told my parents I couldn’t cook? And you’ve always stayed silent, always! You maintained neutrality!”

“So what do you want me to do?” Igor’s voice grew irritated. “Should I fight with my mom over some party?”

“Not over the party!” Elena exclaimed. “Over the way she treats me! The fact that your mom hasn’t considered me part of the family for thirty-two years, and you let it happen!”

She turned toward the window. Outside, the rain drizzled, gray and dreary, just like her mood.

“Lena, stop dramatizing,” Igor walked over and awkwardly put his arms around her shoulders. “Do you want me to talk to her? Maybe it’s just a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?” Elena freed herself from his embrace. “No, Igor. That would have been a misunderstanding if this was the first time. But now… now this is just a slap in my soul.”

The following days, Elena walked around in a fog. At work, she smiled through clenched teeth, at home, she stayed silent. Igor tried to smooth things over, but every argument only intensified the pain.

“You have no idea how upset she was last year over that cake,” he said Thursday night as they were having dinner. “Mom thinks you did it on purpose.”

“On purpose?” Elena put down her fork. “I went to three bakeries to find a gluten-free cake because she’s allergic!”

“But you know she only likes meringue, and you got the one with cream.”

“Because they were out of the meringue ones!” Elena felt tears welling up in her eyes. “Do you really think I spent half a day looking for a cake just to purposely get the wrong one?”

Igor fell silent, and that silence spoke louder than any words.

On Friday evening, Elena went into her son’s room. Deniska had come for the weekend. He was lying on the couch, glued to his phone.

“Denis, grandma’s jubilee is soon.”

“Yeah,” he responded without lifting his eyes from the screen. “Dad told me.”

“And you’re… going?”

Denis finally looked up at her.

“Grandma asked me. What, I’m not gonna congratulate her?”

Elena nodded, trying to hide her disappointment. Even her son didn’t notice the injustice.

“Of course,” she said quietly. “Of course, congratulate her.”

Saturday came, and the house was empty. Igor and Denis left in the morning, loaded with gifts and flowers. Elena was left alone. She aimlessly wandered through the rooms. In every photo, Antonina Pavlovna stood slightly apart.

Elena ran her finger along the edge of a photo frame. It was a family picture from five years ago — Deniska’s wedding. She wore a blue dress, Igor was in a sharp suit, the newlyweds were glowing. Antonina Pavlovna looked like she’d been forced to drink vinegar.

“Even on such a day,” Elena whispered, speaking to the photo. “Even at my grandson’s wedding.”

She remembered how her mother-in-law had pulled her son aside and loudly, for everyone to hear, said, “At least my grandson married a decent girl, unlike some.” And how Igor stayed silent once again.

That evening, Igor and Denis returned, drunk and happy. They smelled of expensive perfume — Antonina Pavlovna’s.

“How was it?” Elena asked, trying to keep her tone neutral.

“Great!” Igor flopped into a chair. “Mom was so happy. You should have seen how she lit up when we…”

He stopped, noticing the expression on his wife’s face.

“Sorry, Lena. I didn’t think.”

Denis awkwardly shuffled in the hallway.

“I think I’ll go to sleep,” he mumbled, disappearing into his room.

“Say hi to mom from me,” Igor added after a pause.

“Hi?” Elena felt her insides clench. “She remembered I exist?”

“Lena, come on…”

“No, you come on!” She couldn’t hold back anymore. “Stop pretending everything is fine. Your mother humiliated me. Again! And you don’t care!”

“I do care,” Igor stood up from his chair. “I just don’t want to be stuck in the middle. You both…”

“What are we both?” Elena interrupted. “Finish your sentence! What are we both?”

Igor rubbed his temples.

“You’re both too emotional. You’re making a mountain out of a molehill.”

“Ah, I see,” Elena gave a bitter smile. “So my pain is just ‘making a mountain out of a molehill’?”

She turned around and went into the bedroom, slamming the door.

Ten days passed.

Elena and Igor spoke coldly, businesslike. Denis left. Life returned to its usual rhythm.

Elena stopped calling her mother-in-law on Sundays like she used to. She stopped asking about her health. And strangely enough, instead of guilt, a strange sense of relief washed over her. It was as if she had taken off a heavy backpack she had been carrying for thirty years.

On the eleventh day after the jubilee, Elena’s phone rang. The screen showed “Antonina Pavlovna.” Elena froze, unsure whether to pick up the call. The phone kept ringing, and she stared at it as if it were a venomous snake. Finally, she decided to answer.

“Hello?”

“Lena, hello,” her mother-in-law’s voice sounded unusually soft. “How are you, darling?”

Elena closed her eyes. “Darling.” In thirty-two years, Antonina Pavlovna had never called her that.

“Hello, Antonina Pavlovna. I’m fine, thank you.”

“I’ve gotten so sick,” Antonina Pavlovna’s voice took on a plaintive tone. “After the jubilee, I collapsed. My blood pressure is all over the place, my heart is pounding, and I can’t walk.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Elena responded. “Have you seen a doctor?”

“Doctors? They just take your money and don’t help. I need to go to a sanatorium, to recover. Igor said you had some vacation saved up?”

Elena felt a chill run down her spine. Now she understood.

“Yes, we were saving for a trip to the sea,” she replied cautiously.

“Darling,” Antonina Pavlovna’s voice turned even sweeter, “you know how I feel about you. You’re like a daughter to me. I would never ask, but the situation is so tough…”

“Like a daughter,” Elena repeated mentally. Thirty-two years, and she had never once been called a daughter. And now — this.

“Does Igor know about your request?” she asked.

“No, don’t worry!” her mother-in-law sounded anxious. “He’s so worried about me, I don’t want to upset him. We’re both women, we understand each other.”

Elena was silent. Images flashed through her mind: giving money to her mother-in-law, postponing the trip to the sea she had dreamed of for three years, Antonina Pavlovna at the sanatorium, boasting to her friends about how she had cunningly extracted money from “that upstart.”

“Antonina Pavlovna,” Elena’s voice was unexpectedly calm, “how much do you need?”

“Oh, darling, the ticket costs forty thousand, but if I could at least get half…”

“No, I’m not asking about that,” Elena interrupted. “I’m asking how much more humiliation do you need from me? How many more years do I have to prove that I deserve to be part of your family?”

A deafening silence hung in the air.

“How dare you…” her mother-in-law faltered, then her voice suddenly turned cold as usual: “So, you’re refusing to help a sick old woman?”

“I’m refusing to be used,” Elena replied firmly. “You didn’t invite me to the jubilee. But now you remember me when you need money.”

“How dare you!” Antonina Pavlovna shrieked. “After everything I’ve done for you! I gave you my son!”

“Gave me?” Elena laughed bitterly. “You didn’t give him to me. Igor and I chose each other. And you… you’ve spent thirty-two years trying to prove I’m not good enough.”

“I’ll tell Igor everything! He’ll have to choose between us, you’ll see!”

“Tell him,” Elena replied calmly. “I’m no longer afraid of the truth. Respect should be mutual, Antonina Pavlovna.”

She hung up the call and sat there for several minutes, staring blankly. A strange cocktail of emotions swirled inside her: shame, relief, fear, and… pride?

That evening, Igor returned. By his face, Elena knew the call from his mother had already happened.

“What have you done?” he started as soon as he entered. “Mom’s in hysterics! She says you were rude to her, refused to help!”

Elena took a deep breath.

“Sit down, Igor. We need to talk.”

They sat at the kitchen table until midnight. Elena spoke calmly, without accusations, just telling him how she had felt all these years. How she had tried, how she had hoped, how she had hit a wall of alienation. Igor started off defending himself, then got angry, and finally just listened.

“What do you want from me?” he finally asked. “You want me to give up on my mother?”

“No,” Elena shook her head. “Just don’t demand that I be an endless donor. Emotional, financial, whatever. For someone who doesn’t respect me. Stand by my side. Just once.”

Igor was silent for a long time, rubbing his temples.

“You know, I always thought I was staying neutral,” he finally said. “But now I realize it was… cowardice. Pure cowardice.”

Elena gently touched his hand.

“Not cowardice. The desire for everyone to be happy. But it doesn’t work that way, Igor.”

“And what now?” he looked at her wearily.

“Now, we’re going to learn to respect boundaries. Mine, yours, your mother’s. I won’t bend anymore to please anyone. But I also won’t ask you to choose between us.”

The next day, Igor went to his mother. He returned grim but calm.

“I talked to her. I told her we wouldn’t give any money for the sanatorium. And from now on, she has to respect you if she wants to see both of us.”

“And how did she react?”

“At first, she threw a tantrum,” Igor smiled weakly. “Then she started blaming you for everything. But when I was about to leave… she cried. For real, not fake. She said she was afraid of being left alone.”

Elena felt a stab of sympathy.

“We won’t leave her,” she said quietly. “We just won’t let her boss us around anymore.”

A week later, Antonina Pavlovna called again. This time, she called Igor right away. She asked him to bring her medicine. Igor brought it, and Elena came along. Her mother-in-law greeted her warily, but without the usual coldness.

“Would you like some tea?” she asked awkwardly.

“Yes,” Elena nodded.

They sat together, sipping tea with cherry jam, talking about the weather, health, and news. Not a word about the jubilee, not a word about the sanatorium. Elena felt that something had changed. Not in Antonina Pavlovna. In herself.

Maxim Artemyev adored his balcony. Especially on Friday mornings, when the city was still slowly digesting the last hours of the workweek, and he was already free — a successful head of a bank department who had been the first to slip away from the weekday bustle, eagerly anticipating the long-awaited weekend.

The air smelled of ozone after the night rain and the sweet pollen of blooming lindens. Maxim took a sip of his cooling coffee and glanced at the corner of the balcony where his fishing gear stood neatly. A new spinning rod, a shiny reel, a box filled with lures of all shapes and colors — a fisherman’s pride, almost like a collection of rare wines.

His phone vibrated in his pocket. It was his mother calling.

“Hi, Mom,” he answered with a smile.

“Maximushka, will you drop by? I baked some pies — your favorites.”

“Of course, I’ll stop by. Just for a bit — the guys are waiting at the dacha by the lake.”

“Fishing again?” His mother’s voice held a mix of concern and gentle reproach. “Maybe bring a girlfriend along? You’re thirty-two now!”

“Well, Mom, we talked about this. As soon as I find someone — I’ll introduce her. Okay, love you, I’ll be there soon.”

He hung up and exhaled thoughtfully. This “fishing” wasn’t just a pastime — it was their sacred tradition. Pavel’s dacha, barbecue, sauna, campfire, and endless men’s talk. Pavel and Grisha, his longtime friends from university days, already had families: one had a daughter growing up, the other was expecting a child. And every time they met, they teased Maxim:

“So, the last bachelor of the bastion — ready to surrender?”

“Our eagle’s still fighting off the chains of family life,” Pavel laughed, patting him on the shoulder.

Maxim just smiled in response. He wasn’t fighting. He was waiting.

“I’ll marry only for true love,” he said seriously as the car left the city behind. “The moment I understand — that’s her. The one. The only one. The one I want to be one with, to breathe in unison.”

“Oh, Max, you’re such a romantic,” Grisha drawled from the back seat. “That only happens in girls’ books. Real princesses don’t exist.”

“But I believe they do,” Maxim replied firmly, watching the road stretch away.

At the dacha, after the sauna and the first barbecue, the conversation picked up again. Girls from neighboring plots kept walking by, throwing playful glances at the three friends.

“Let’s test your theory of ‘fate’ in practice?” Pavel suggested slyly. “Let’s play a staring contest: whoever blinks or looks away first loses.”

“And what’s the bet?” Maxim accepted the challenge willingly.

“The loser has to go to the highway and propose to the first woman he meets. Right there.”

Confident, Maxim agreed. But maybe the beer hit his head or the sun played a cruel trick — he lost. When a tall blonde woman passed by, he caught her gaze, smiled involuntarily, and then looked away. The friends howled with delight.

A man’s word is his bond. Half an hour later, they were driving on the highway. Maxim’s heart pounded with a mix of shame and wild excitement. A few kilometers from the dacha, they spotted a solitary figure at a table with greens and berries. A short woman in a cotton dress, her headscarf tied tightly so her face was barely visible.

“Well, groom, go for it!” his friends nudged him.

Maxim got out and approached. The woman looked up at him — frightened but clear, strikingly blue eyes. He noticed her hands were covered with burn scars. Without a word, she took out a notebook and pencil and handed them to him.

“What do you want?” was written in neat handwriting.

Maxim hesitated. All his rehearsed words vanished. Before him sat a fragile, silent woman, and he felt like the worst scoundrel.

“Sorry… This is a stupid bet. My friends and I wanted to see how much a person could lose their mind. And now I need to… propose to you.”

He expected anything: anger, mockery, even contempt. But the woman only paused for a second, then slowly nodded. Maxim couldn’t believe his eyes. She tore a page from the notebook and handed it to him. On it was an address.

The next day, tormented by conscience, Maxim went to the given address. He found a small house on the edge of the village — neat, with geraniums in the windows and lush peonies by the fence. On the bench by the gate sat a woman with a stern but kind face.

“Are you here for Vera?” she asked without unnecessary words.

“Yes. Maxim.”

“I’m Galina Sergeyevna, her grandmother. And what are your intentions?”

Maxim lowered his eyes.

“I acted like an idiot. It was a foolish bet. I wanted to explain…”

Galina Sergeyevna sighed.

“City folk… For you it’s a game. But her life isn’t sweet. Did you see her hands? That’s from a fire. Her parents died back then, and I pulled Vera out of the flames. Her face was hurt too… She lost her voice from the shock. Since then, she doesn’t speak — only writes.”

At that moment Vera came out of the house. Seeing Maxim, she stopped, clutching the notebook to her chest.

“I came to apologize,” he said, looking straight into her blue eyes. “And to say that if you haven’t changed your mind… I agree. The marriage will be a sham, of course. We’ll register it, live together a little, then divorce. But I’ll help as much as I can — financially, in every way.”

He didn’t even understand why it mattered so much. Something about her silence, her strength and fragility at the same time, touched him deeply.

Vera quickly wrote something in the notebook and showed it to her grandmother. She read it for a long time, then looked at her granddaughter, then at Maxim.

“Well… If that’s her decision. Only one condition, dear: don’t hurt her. She’s my only one. Hurt her — you’ll pay.”

The registration went quickly. Maxim organized everything precisely and efficiently, like at work. He picked up Vera and her grandmother from the village. Only four people were at the registry office: the newlyweds and two friends, Pavel and Grisha, who still couldn’t believe what was happening.

Vera wore a simple but elegant cream dress. A veil pinned to a small hat covered her face. This mystery gave her a special, tender beauty. When the registrar pronounced them husband and wife, Maxim, caught up in a sudden impulse, lifted the veil’s edge and touched her lips with his.

He felt her shiver. And at that moment felt a strange, aching feeling inside — not just pity, but a kind of tenderness he hadn’t expected to feel.

After the ceremony, they simply returned to Galina Sergeyevna’s, where simple country food awaited them — potatoes with mushrooms, fresh vegetables. That dinner held more warmth than all the restaurants Maxim had ever been to.

As the evening drew to a close and it was time to leave, Vera looked at him. For the first time, he saw her true smile — not with her lips, but with her eyes. They shone with such warmth and gratitude that it took his breath away.

And suddenly he realized: he didn’t want to leave. His sham wife was becoming more precious to him than he had imagined.

Back in his quiet, almost lifeless apartment, Maxim couldn’t sleep. He paced around the room as if trying to break free from the closed circle of his thoughts. His head buzzed with memories — of the chance meeting on the highway, of the paper with the short note “I agree,” of her frightened gaze and his foolish, childish promise.

Embarrassment, shame, pity, and some strange, unclear attachment intertwined in his soul. He felt lost, as if someone had turned a page in his life without asking permission.

In the morning he decided: he needed to tell someone. So he went to his mother.

Nadezhda Petrovna, a doctor through and through, knew how to listen so that even the most intimate words found space in her presence. She didn’t interrupt or judge, just sat quietly while Maxim told everything — haltingly, mixing up details, but honestly.

“Mom, what should I do?” he finally asked, his voice trembling.

“What is there to do, son?” she answered softly. “You stirred this mess. You took responsibility for a living person, for a girl life hasn’t spared. You acted like a boy… now be a man.”

She came over, put her hand on his shoulder. Not harshly, but firmly.

“Conscience is not a toy, Maxim. You can’t run away from it. You gave her hope. And now what — will you leave her there, all alone?”

Maxim lowered his head.

“Go. Take your wife.”

Those words became his point of no return. He understood: his mother was right. That same day, he returned to the village. Convincing Galina Sergeyevna didn’t take long — she saw the glow in her granddaughter’s eyes every time Vera saw Maxim.

When they were alone so Vera could pack her few belongings, something unexpected happened. The girl slowly approached him, hesitated as if gathering courage, then took off her headscarf. Then she unbuttoned several buttons on her blouse.

Maxim froze. Before him were scars — terrible, red, winding across her neck and cheek. Vera looked at him with pain and fear — afraid to see disgust.

But he didn’t look away. He stepped forward, very carefully kissed Vera’s forehead, right above the scar. It was the first real moment of trust between them. Vera closed her eyes, and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

Vera’s meeting with Nadezhda Petrovna was warm and sincere. Maxim’s mother embraced the girl like her own, looked into her eyes, and said:

“It’s okay, dear. We will manage. The scars will fade, I will find the best specialists. And you will speak again. I believe in this.”

That night they dined together in Maxim’s apartment. He watched Vera shyly but happily smile at his mother and understood: it was the first time in many years she felt part of a family. And he had created that family for her.

Months of treatment began. Nadezhda Petrovna kept her word: the best doctors, modern procedures, therapy. Maxim took Vera to every consultation, sat with her in clinics, held her hand when she was in pain or scared. He became patient, attentive, caring — a completely different man.

The scars gradually lightened, her skin softened, and Vera grew ever more beautiful. But her voice returned slowly. The fear she had held inside for many years did not let go easily. She still communicated through her notebook.

However, their life was filled with new meanings. Every weekend they visited Galina Sergeyevna. The grandmother saw how her granddaughter blossomed and finally accepted Maxim as family. They worked together in the garden, drank tea on the veranda, made plans. Vera, leaning on his shoulder, listened to their conversations and smiled — happily, truly.

One day in the park, they met Pavel and Grisha. They were amazed.

“Is that really Vera?” Pavel couldn’t believe it.

“Yes,” Maxim smiled, hugging her. “My wife.”

Grisha whistled.

“Wow… That’s a transformation.”

“This isn’t a sham,” Maxim added quietly. “This is love.”

Pavel’s wife handed her baby to Vera. At first, she recoiled, but then, encouraged by Maxim, cautiously took the child. Such deep, untapped love sparked in her eyes that Maxim’s heart tightened.

And in that moment he realized: he wanted her to hold their child in her arms.

Time flew. And then — the long-awaited event: Vera became pregnant. Those nine months were their happiest time.

The labor began at night. Maxim fussed, helped, trying not to show his anxiety. And then a miracle happened: Vera, who hadn’t spoken for years, suddenly screamed in pain. And in that cry was not only pain — but awakening, liberation.

“Ma-ma!” she cried out.

She listened to her voice, then screamed again — this time with joy. She could speak. She was whole again.

A few hours later, their son was born. Small, crying, perfectly alive. When Maxim heard her voice on the phone:

“Max… We have a son. I… I love you…”

He stood in the hospital corridor and couldn’t hold back tears. It was the happiest day of his life.

A year passed. A quiet evening. Little Artyom slept in the nursery. In the kitchen, Vera, now speaking freely, laughed and told stories. Nadezhda Petrovna and Galina Sergeyevna knitted booties. Maxim stepped out onto the balcony — the very one where it all began.

He looked at the city lights and thought about how unpredictable fate is. He sought perfect love in romantic stories but found it in a silent girl with scars on her hands. He journeyed from shame to responsibility, from duty to true love.

Vera came up behind him and hugged him.

“What are you doing here alone?”

“Thinking…” he smiled, turning and kissing her. “About how lucky I am.”

He looked into her shining eyes and understood: fairy-tale love really does exist. But to find your fairy, sometimes you first have to become a real prince — not because you’re handsome, but because you’re ready to stand by her when the pain outweighs the joy.

And he became that prince.

Grandfather left me an old house in the village in a dilapidated state as an inheritance, while my sister got a two-room apartment in the very center of the city. My husband called me a failure and moved in with my sister. After losing everything I had, I went to the village, and when I entered the house, I was literally struck with amazement…

The room in the notary’s office was stuffy and smelled of old papers. Anna sat on an uncomfortable chair, feeling her palms sweat from nervousness. Beside her sat Elena — her older sister, dressed in an expensive business suit with a perfectly done manicure. It seemed she had come not for the reading of the will, but for an important meeting.

Elena was scrolling through something on her phone screen, occasionally casting indifferent glances at the notary, as if eager to leave. Anna nervously twisted the strap of her worn-out bag. At thirty-four, she still felt like the timid little sister next to confident, successful Elena. Working at the local library was not well-paid, but Anna loved her job and enjoyed it.

However, others treated this profession more like a hobby, especially Elena, who held a position in a large company and earned significantly more than Anna made in a whole year. The notary, an elderly man wearing glasses, cleared his throat and opened a folder with documents. The room grew even quieter. Somewhere on the wall, an old clock ticked softly, emphasizing the tense atmosphere.

Time seemed to slow down. Memories suddenly came to Anna’s mind of how grandfather often said: “The most important things in life happen in silence.”

— The will of Nikolai Ivanovich Morozov, — he began in a monotonous voice that echoed around the small office.

— I bequeath the two-room apartment on Tsentralnaya Street, house 27, apartment 43, together with furniture and household items, to my granddaughter — Elena Viktorovna.

Elena didn’t even lift her eyes from the phone, as if she already knew in advance that she would get the most valuable thing. Her face remained calm and expressionless. Anna felt a familiar pain in her chest. It happened again. Again, she was second.

Elena was always first, always getting the best. In school, she studied excellently, then entered a prestigious university, married a wealthy businessman. She had a stylish apartment, an expensive car, fashionable clothes. And Anna? She always remained in her older sister’s shadow.

— And also, the house in the village Sosnovka with all the buildings, outbuildings, and a twelve-hundred-square-meter plot of land, I bequeath to my granddaughter — Anna Viktorovna, — the notary continued, turning the page.

Anna flinched. A house in the village? The very one, almost falling apart, where grandfather had lived alone in recent years? She remembered it vaguely — had seen it only a few times in childhood. At that time, the house seemed ready to collapse any moment. Peeling paint on the walls, leaking roof, overgrown yard — all caused anxiety.

Elena finally looked away from the screen and glanced at her sister with a slight smirk:

— Well, Anya, you at least got something. Although, honestly — I have no idea what you’ll do with this junk. Maybe you’ll tear it down and sell the land for dachas?

Anna was silent. The words stuck in her throat. Why did grandfather decide this way? Could it be he also considered her a failure who didn’t even need a new house? She wanted to cry but held back — not here, not in front of Elena and that stern notary who looked at her with barely noticeable sympathy.

The notary continued reading formalities, listing the terms of the will. Anna listened distractedly, not fully grasping what was happening. Grandfather had always been a fair man. So why did he now divide the inheritance so unfairly? Finally, the formalities were over. The notary handed each sister the necessary documents and keys.

Elena quickly signed all the papers, neatly placed the keys in her stylish purse, and stood up. Her movements were confident, businesslike.

— I have to go, I have a meeting with clients, — she said without even looking at Anna. — We’ll be in touch. Don’t get too upset — after all, you got at least something.

And she left, leaving behind a light trail of French perfume.

Anna sat in the office for a long time, holding the keys to the village house. They were heavy, iron, rusty at the edges, old-fashioned, with long teeth. Completely unlike the elegant keys Elena received. Outside, her husband — Mikhail — was already waiting. He stood by his worn-out car, smoking and impatiently looking at his watch.

Irritation was clear on his face. As soon as Anna came out, he stubbed out his cigarette with his foot.

— So, what did you get? — he asked without any greeting, not even saying hello. — Hopefully, at least something worthwhile?

Anna slowly told him the contents of the will. With each word, Mikhail’s face grew darker.

When she finished, he just stood silently, then suddenly punched the car hood.

— A house in the village?! Are you serious? You ruined everything again! Your sister gets an apartment downtown worth at least three million, and you — some wreck!

Anna flinched at his rudeness. Earlier, Mikhail rarely swore, but lately, he had become more irritable, especially when it came to money.

— I didn’t choose anything, — she tried to defend herself, her voice trembling. — It was grandfather’s decision.

— But you could have influenced him! Show him that you deserve more! Talk, explain the situation!

— No… You were always too quiet a mouse.

— Always standing aside, incapable of anything. You can’t even get a decent inheritance.

His words cut like a knife. Anna felt tears welling up. Seven years of marriage, and he talks to her as if they were strangers.

— Mikhail, please don’t yell at me. People are watching.

— Maybe we can figure something out with this house? — she quietly suggested, looking around.

— Figure something out? What can you figure out with a wreck in the middle of nowhere? Nobody will give even a hundred thousand for it. Maybe tear it down and sell the land.

Mikhail sharply got into the car, slammed the door loudly, started the engine, and was silent the entire way home, muttering something occasionally. Anna looked out the window and thought about grandfather. Nikolai Ivanovich was a kind, taciturn man. He worked as a tractor driver on a collective farm, then a train engineer, and after retiring, moved to the village Sosnovka.

He said the city was stuffy, but the air was clean in the village, and finally, one could live for oneself. Anna remembered visiting him in the summer as a child. Grandfather taught her to distinguish edible mushrooms from poisonous ones, showed places where strawberries and raspberries grew, talked about birds and animals.

He never raised his voice at her or forced her to do what she didn’t like. He was simply there — kind, calm. Thanks to him, Anna felt needed and significant. Grandfather often repeated:

— You are special, granddaughter. Not like everyone else. You have a delicate soul; you can see beauty where others don’t. It’s a rare gift.

Back then, Anna didn’t understand what he meant. Now those words seemed like cruel mockery. What was special about her if even her own husband considered her a worthless failure? At home, Mikhail immediately turned on the TV and buried himself in the news. Anna went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

While peeling potatoes, she pondered what to do next. Maybe really try to sell the house? Although who would buy a half-ruined house in an abandoned village without proper roads? She remembered that almost no young people were left in Sosnovka — everyone had left except the elderly who refused to leave their native land.

There was no store, and the post office worked once a week. Complete wilderness. During dinner, Mikhail was silent, occasionally glancing at the TV. Anna tried to start a conversation about weekend plans, but he replied shortly and dryly. Finally, he put down his fork and looked at her seriously:

— Anna, I’ve thought a lot today. Our marriage didn’t work out.

— You don’t give me what I want from life.

Anna lifted her eyes from the plate. Her heart was pounding.

— What do you mean?

— I need a woman who will help me succeed. Not someone who works for pennies in a library and inherits some wrecks. I’m 37.

— I want to live well, not save on everything.

— You knew who you were marrying. I never pretended, never hid who I was.

— I know. And that was my mistake. I thought you would become more ambitious, find a good job. But you stayed a gray mouse, content with little.

Anna felt like everything inside her was breaking.

— And what do you suggest?

— Divorce. I’ve already consulted a lawyer. Meanwhile, you can live with friends or in your wonderful village.

The last words he said with such mockery that Anna shuddered. Mikhail got up from the table and headed for the door.

— Wait, — she quietly asked.

— What about everything we had? Seven years together. Our dreams.

— Seven years of mistakes, — he cut her off without turning around.

— By the way, Elena is right — you’re not the one for me. She is a smart, practical woman. Not like…

He didn’t finish, but Anna understood. He meant Elena.

“Of course, Elena. Successful, beautiful, rich Elena. And now with an apartment downtown. So you… you chose her?” Anna barely whispered, feeling cold inside.

— We’ve just been talking a lot lately, — Mikhail answered calmly. — Her husband is often on business trips, she feels lonely. And I find her interesting. We have similar views on life. She understands me.

What does “striving for the best” mean? Anna stayed at the table, looking at the man she had lived beside for seven years. Was this really the same Mikhail who once gave her flowers on her birthday, complimented her, promised to be there always? Now he seemed like a stranger, indifferent, even cruel. Like a mask had fallen from his face, revealing the true nature.

— Pack your things, — he said without a trace of emotion.

— Tomorrow evening, I want you gone for good. I’m registering the apartment in my name; there won’t be any problems.

With those words, he left, leaving Anna alone at the table opposite the cold dinner. She sat, unable to believe what was happening. In one day, she lost everything: hope for a good inheritance, husband, home. Only an old building in an abandoned village remained, about which she remembered almost nothing.

That night, Anna couldn’t sleep. Lying on the couch in the living room — she didn’t have the strength or desire to go to the bedroom — she reflected on her life. Thirty-four years old. What did she have? A job no one valued, a husband who left for her own sister, and a sister who always considered her a failure. And now this mysterious house in the wilderness, about which she knew almost nothing.

She recalled childhood years, rare trips to grandfather. Then the house seemed huge and a little scary. It had many rooms, old furniture, smelled of wood and something unfamiliar. Grandfather took her around the house, telling stories about the past, about those who lived here before. But that was so long ago that the memories had turned into vague, blurry, ghostly images.

— I completely forgot… — Anna whispered, looking at photographs. — I loved coming here. Why did I stop?

She remembered. Elena always found reasons not to visit grandfather. Either plans with friends, exam preparations, or something else important. And the parents didn’t insist, saying the older daughter was already grown and could decide how to spend holidays. Anna stopped asking too — didn’t want to seem intrusive.

And grandfather never complained. He called on holidays, asked about things, always said he was glad to hear from them. But sometimes a sadness sounded in his voice that she didn’t notice then, but now recalled with pain in her heart. Anna carefully put the photos back and closed the drawer.

The house grew quieter, dusk was thickening outside. She felt tired. The day was too heavy, too full. She just wanted to lie down and forget everything for a few hours, not think about a shattered life. Anna returned to the living room for her suitcases and dragged them to the bedroom.

She took out pajamas and essentials, then went to the bathroom. To her surprise, everything was in order — clean towels, soap, even a toothbrush and toothpaste in new packaging.

— Someone clearly prepared for my arrival, — Anna thought. — But who? And why?

After washing and changing, she lay down in grandfather’s bed. The bedding smelled fresh and herbal. The mattress was comfortable, the pillow soft. Anna lay in the dark, listening to the night sounds of the village: somewhere an owl hooted, leaves rustled, a cat purred under the window.

For the first time in many months, she felt safe. No Mikhail with his irritation and reproaches. No Elena with her contemptuous looks. No colleagues who considered her work unimportant. Only silence, peace, and a strange feeling that the house accepted her like family.

— Grandfather… — she whispered into the darkness. — If you can hear me… Thank you. Thank you for leaving me this house. I don’t know what I’ll do with it, but right now it’s the only place where I can be myself.

Sleep came slowly. Thoughts wandered: she’d have to arrange documents, decide whether to stay here or sell the plot. Call work, explain the situation. Start a new life. But all that seemed distant and not so important. Now the main thing — she found refuge.

A place to stop, catch her breath, and figure out what to do next. Grandfather’s house greeted her like an old friend, and for the first time in a long time, Anna felt she was not alone. Falling asleep, she recalled grandfather’s words that she was special. Back then, those words seemed just an expression of an old man’s love for his granddaughter.

Now Anna thought: maybe grandfather really saw something in her that others didn’t? Maybe by leaving her the house, he knew what he was doing?

— Tomorrow, — she promised herself. — Tomorrow I’ll understand everything. Definitely understand.

And with that thought, she finally fell into a deep, peaceful sleep she hadn’t known for a long time.

Anna woke up to bird songs. The morning sun shone outside, and the whole world seemed different — not as gloomy and hopeless as yesterday. She stretched in bed, feeling rested for the first time in months. In the city apartment, cars, neighbors, and construction constantly woke her.

Here there was such silence that only birdsong and leaf rustling could be heard. Anna got up and approached the window. Morning transformed the village — the sun gilded the tree tops, dragonflies danced in the air, somewhere in the distance a cow mooed.

Behind a crooked fence, she saw an overgrown garden. Anna spotted apple trees, pear trees, currant bushes. Everything was overgrown with grass, but under the thickets she could make out neat paths and beds.

— Grandfather worked hard here, — she thought. — And now it’s all forgotten.

She quickly washed, dressed, and went downstairs to the kitchen. Indeed, there were fresh products in the fridge — someone had clearly cared about her arrival. Anna brewed coffee, fried eggs, and sat down to breakfast by the window, admiring the view of the garden.

While eating, she kept thinking about who could have cleaned the house and bought the groceries. Maybe grandfather asked some neighbors to look after the house? Or had a housekeeper? But where would a housekeeper come from in such a wilderness?

After breakfast, Anna decided to thoroughly inspect the house in daylight. Yesterday she was too tired to pay attention to details. She started with the living room, carefully examining the furniture, pictures on the walls, trinkets on shelves.

Old photographs hung on the walls in frames — grandfather in his youth, his parents, some relatives Anna didn’t remember. One photo especially caught her eye. It showed this very house many years ago. It looked new and well-kept, with blooming flowerbeds and neat paths around it.

People in festive clothes stood near the house — probably grandfather’s family.

— What a beautiful house it was! — Anna muttered. — And what a wonderful garden!

Continuing the inspection, she noticed antique dishes in the cupboard — porcelain plates with patterns, crystal glasses, silver spoons. Everything was cared for and polished. In the drawers of the dresser lay yellowed letters, documents, other papers grandfather had kept for years.

Anna reached the sofa and suddenly stopped. Something was unusual about it. It stood a bit oddly — not parallel to the wall, but at an angle. As if it had been recently moved and not quite put back properly. She approached and noticed one pillow lay differently than the others.

Carefully lifting it, Anna gasped. Under the pillow lay a white envelope. On it, in grandfather’s handwriting, was written:

“To my beloved granddaughter Anechka.”

Her heart raced. Anna took the envelope with trembling hands. It was sealed, but the seal was old — clearly the letter had been here for a long time. Carefully opening the envelope, she pulled out a sheet of paper folded into quarters. The handwriting was unmistakably grandfather’s — neat, old-fashioned, with characteristic curls.

Anna unfolded the letter and began reading:

“Dear my Anechka. If you are reading this letter, it means I’m no longer here, and you have come to our house. I knew you would come. I knew it would be you, not Elena. Because you were always special, and I saw it. You must be wondering why I left you the old house, and Elena the apartment. You probably think I was unfair to you. But believe me, granddaughter, I left you much more than any apartment. Remember how you asked me about treasures in childhood? You always dreamed of finding treasures buried by pirates or robbers…”

Anna paused, rereading the last lines. Her heart beat so loudly she could clearly hear it in her chest.

“A treasure?” she thought. Grandfather was talking about a real treasure?

She continued reading:

“I spent my whole life collecting what I leave to you. I gathered bit by bit, hiding it from everyone. Even your grandmother, may she rest in peace, did not know the whole truth. I worked not only as a tractor driver and train engineer. I had another business that no one suspected. After the war, many families left villages, moving to cities. They sold or simply abandoned their homes along with their belongings.

I bought valuable things from them for pennies — antique jewelry, coins, items made of precious metals. At the time, almost no one understood their true value. Later I sold these items in the city to collectors and antique dealers. But the most valuable I kept for myself. Gold jewelry, old coins, precious stones — all this I hid and saved for you.”

“Because I knew you were the only one in our family who would understand that real treasures are not money, but memory, history, and connection to ancestors. My treasure is buried in the yard, under the old apple tree — the very one where we sat together, and I told you stories. Dig one meter deep, one and a half meters from the trunk, towards the house. There you will find a metal box.”

“Anechka, this treasure is your real inheritance. What will help you start a new life, become independent, fulfill your dreams. But remember: wealth should make a person better, not worse. Don’t become like Elena, for whom money is more important than family and human relationships. I love you, my dear granddaughter. I hope you forgive your old grandfather this little trick. Your grandfather Nikolai.”

Anna finished reading the letter and just sat there, holding the paper. A treasure. A real treasure buried in the yard. Grandfather had spent his whole life collecting treasures and hid them especially for her.

— It can’t be… — she whispered. — This must be a joke.

But the handwriting was unmistakably grandfather’s, the paper worn and old, and the details in the letter too precise. He really knew her character, remembered their long-ago talks about treasures. And the very apple tree in the yard — the one where they sat. Anna looked out the window. Behind the house stood an old sprawling tree — the largest in the garden. Under its branches was a bench where she once sat as a child, listening to grandfather’s stories.

“One and a half meters from the trunk towards the house,” she repeated the words from the letter.

“Depth — one meter.”

Her hands trembled with excitement. What if it was true? What if grandfather really left her a treasure?

But even if so — where to get a shovel? What would neighbors think if they saw her digging in the yard?

Anna went out onto the porch and looked around. Neighboring houses were barely visible — most were empty. The only sign of life was smoke from one chimney about two hundred meters away. From there, her plot was not visible.

Walking around the house, she found a shed. The door creaked but gave way. Inside were old gardening tools — shovels, rakes, hoes. All rusty but usable. She took one shovel and headed toward the apple tree.

Approaching the tree, she reread the letter: “One and a half meters from the trunk, towards the house.” Anna measured the required distance in steps, stood in the indicated spot, and stuck the shovel into the ground. The soil was soft, loose. Probably there used to be a flower bed or vegetable patch.

Anna began digging carefully so as not to damage anything. The work went slowly — physical labor was unfamiliar to her. After half an hour, her hands and back were already sore, but she did not stop. The hole deepened, but no sign of a find appeared.

“Maybe grandfather was wrong about the coordinates?” she thought and tried digging slightly to the left, then slightly to the right. The soil was the same everywhere — ordinary garden earth with roots and small stones.

An hour passed. Then two.

Anna was sweating, tired, her hands covered in blisters. But she did not give up.

Grandfather couldn’t have lied to her. He was an honest man. If he wrote about a treasure — then the treasure existed.

Suddenly, the shovel struck something hard.

Anna froze. Then cautiously started clearing the earth with her hands. Under the layer of soil, the edge of a metal object appeared.

— Got it! — she exclaimed and began digging with doubled energy.

In a few minutes, the box was completely freed. It turned out to be small — about thirty by forty centimeters, heavy, obviously containing something inside. The lid was tightly closed but not locked. Anna carefully pulled it out of the hole and put it on the grass.

Her heart pounded as if it wanted to jump out of her chest. She slowly lifted the lid and froze.

The box was filled to the brim with gold. Gold jewelry, coins, ingots. The metal shone in the sun with all shades of yellow. Anna had never seen so much gold at once.

She carefully took one piece of jewelry — a massive gold necklace with precious stones. It was heavy, cold, genuine. Then she took a handful of coins — old, with unfamiliar inscriptions and images. Some were clearly very ancient.

There were also gold rings, bracelets, earrings, pendants in the box.

Everything was carefully wrapped in soft cloth so they wouldn’t damage each other.

Grandfather had clearly collected this collection for a long time with love.

Anna sat on the grass by the box, unable to believe her eyes.

She really found a treasure.

A real one, like in children’s fairy tales.

And it now belonged to her.

— How much could this be worth? — she whispered, looking at the jewelry.

— A million? Two? Three?

She tried to estimate. The gold in the box weighed two or three kilograms. Gold prices were high now. Plus the antique value of the pieces. Plus precious stones.

— It’s a fortune, — she said aloud. — I’m rich. I’m really rich.

The realization did not come immediately. First, there was shock at the find. Then surprise, joy. Then a slow understanding of what it meant.

She was no longer dependent on Mikhail.

No need to endure his humiliation.

No need to look for a rented room.

She could buy an apartment — any one she wanted.

She could travel.

Study.

Do what she liked.

Help others.

Live the way she always dreamed.

— Grandfather… — she whispered, looking up at the sky. — Thank you. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for this treasure.

Carefully putting the jewelry back, she closed the lid. She had to hide the treasure in the house until she decided what to do. Find an appraiser. Find out the exact value. Arrange everything properly legally.

But the main thing — she had to get used to the idea that her life had changed drastically.

Just yesterday, she was a forsaken woman who had nothing but an old house in an abandoned village.

And today, she became the owner of a real fortune.

Anna lifted the heavy box and carried it into the house. In the hallway, she thought about where to hide it best. Finally, she placed it in the bedroom — in the closet, behind the clothes.

After hiding the treasure, she sat on the bed and took out her phone.

On the screen were several missed calls from an unknown number and one message from Mikhail:

“When will you pick up the rest of your things?”

Anna smiled.

Just yesterday, such a message would have thrown her off balance, made her feel guilty. But today it seemed funny.

Mikhail didn’t know what had happened.

Didn’t know who his ex-wife had become.

She didn’t reply.

Instead, she called work and reported that she was taking an unpaid leave indefinitely. The librarian was surprised but didn’t ask questions — Anna was a responsible employee and had the right to rest.

Then she went online and started searching for information on how to appraise antique jewelry and how to legally sell such valuables.

Anna found several organizations in the regional center specializing in these issues, noted their contacts to call in the morning. The day flew by unnoticed. She kept checking the box in the closet was still there. She couldn’t believe — was it really true? Had she really found the family treasure? In the evening, she reread grandfather’s letter.

She was especially touched by the part that said wealth should help a person become better, not worse. Grandfather was wise and understood that money was only a tool, not a goal itself.

—I won’t become like Elena, — Anna promised herself. — I won’t forget where this wealth came from and who left it to me. I must justify grandfather’s trust.

The night passed peacefully. Anna slept soundly and saw kind dreams. In the dream, grandfather came to her, smiled, and said he was proud of her, that he knew she wouldn’t let him down.

The next morning, she woke up with clear thoughts and plans. The first thing was to determine the value of the find.

Then she had to decide whether to sell everything at once or in parts, how to arrange documents properly, what taxes she would have to pay.

She called one of the firms specializing in antique appraisal. The specialist agreed to come to Sosnovka tomorrow. Anna warned that the collection was large and valuable, so an experienced expert was needed.

“Tomorrow it will become clearer,” she told herself.

“Tomorrow I’ll find out how rich I am.” Meanwhile, she decided to take care of the house and garden. Now that she had funds, she could turn this place into a real family hearth — the way it had been, judging by old photos.

Grandfather gave her not just a treasure — he gave her a chance to start a new life.

The next morning, exactly at 10, a foreign car arrived at the house. A middle-aged man in a strict suit with a briefcase — Sergey Vladimirovich Kozlov, an antique expert from the regional center — got out.

“Anna Viktorovna?” — he asked, approaching the gate.

“Yes, that’s me. We agreed about the collection appraisal.”

He looked around the house attentively, noted the antique furniture, and nodded approvingly. The belongings were well kept.

“Where is the collection itself?” asked the expert.

Anna led him to the bedroom, took the box from the closet, placed it on the table, and carefully opened the lid.

Sergey Vladimirovich whistled in surprise.

“Oh my God! Where did this come from in the village?” he muttered.

“This is grandfather’s inheritance,” Anna replied. “He collected it all his life.”

The expert put on gloves and began carefully extracting the jewelry one by one.

He examined each piece through a magnifying glass, checked stamps, weighed on scales. Worked silently, only occasionally making notes in a notebook.

Finally, he said:

“This is a unique collection. It includes items from different eras. This necklace — 18th century, handmade. The coins are also very valuable, especially the Byzantine ones — they are extremely rare.”

Anna listened breathlessly. With every word, her heart beat faster.

“And how much could this all be worth?” she couldn’t help asking.

The expert put down the magnifier and looked seriously at her:

“I can only name the exact amount after lab analysis. But preliminarily — only the gold here weighs more than three kilograms. Plus stones: emeralds, rubies, sapphires. And significant antique value of some items. Approximately — no less than 15 million rubles. Possibly more. Some items may be worth a fortune at auction.”

Anna felt dizzy.

“15 million… That’s much more than she imagined. With this money, she could buy several city apartments, a good house, a car, ensure a comfortable life.”

“Do you want to sell the collection?” asked the expert.

“My company cooperates with serious buyers. We can organize an auction or find private collectors.”

Anna shook her head:

“No, I’m not ready yet. I need time to think.”

“I understand,” said the expert. “But I advise you not to keep such valuables at home. Better — a bank safe or special storage.”

He left his business card and preliminary report.

When he left, Anna sat in the kitchen for a long time, drinking tea and digesting what she heard.

15 million. She was not just rich — she was incredibly rich.

But for some reason, she felt no joy. Only anxiety. Big money — big responsibility. Grandfather was right: wealth should make a person better.

“What now?” she asked aloud.

How to manage this inheritance?

The first thought was to restore the house and garden. Make this place what it once was — a home full of life and warmth.

Second — help those in need. The village had lonely elderly people who had it hard. She could help with groceries, medicine, repairs.

And as for her personal life — Anna realized she didn’t want to return to the city. Here, in Sosnovka, she felt inner peace she never knew in the city bustle.

Maybe she should stay here forever?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a phone call. The screen showed Mikhail’s number. Anna hesitated but answered.

“Hi, how are you?” came his voice.

“Fine,” she answered briefly. “What do you want?”

“Listen, maybe we rushed the divorce? Maybe we should discuss everything again?” he said unexpectedly.

Anna was surprised. A few days ago, he had kicked her out of the apartment, calling her a failure. And now he was proposing reconciliation.

“Where did that change come from?” she asked.

“I realized I was wrong. I yelled, was rude. You’re not to blame for how grandfather divided the inheritance. And the house in the village isn’t so bad. You can make a summer house, relax in summer.”

Anna smiled. It was clear — Mikhail was up to something.

“And what do you propose?” she asked.

“Come back. Forget everything. Start over. The house can be rented to vacationers — will bring income.”

“And did you happen to discuss this idea with Elena?” Anna continued.

Pause.

“Well… she may have mentioned something,” he answered uncertainly.

Anna understood. Elena probably learned about the district development plans or rising land prices. And now she and Mikhail wanted to get her back to control the real estate.

“And if I don’t want to come back?” she asked.

“Don’t be silly. What will you do alone in the village? There’s no work, no shops, no civilization… You’re a city girl.”

“Maybe not a city girl,” Anna replied. “Maybe I like it here.”

Mikhail tried to persuade her further, offering children, moving, a better apartment. But Anna listened and marveled how she hadn’t noticed the falseness in his words before. Every offer sounded staged. He spoke not out of love, but out of greed.

“Alright, I’ll think about it,” she said calmly.

After the call, she laughed for a long time.

“Misses me, he says… The man who kicked me out now misses and offers family.”

The next day, Elena called. Anna expected the call.

“Anya, hi! How are you settling in the village?” her sister began sweetly.

“Fine. And you?”

“How’s the apartment?”

“Good. You’re not calling just like that, right?”

“Mikhail said you made up. I’m very glad!” Elena said.

Anna snorted mentally but kept calm externally:

“Not made up yet. Discussing possibilities.”

“I see, you’re hurt because of Mikhail. But nothing serious happened between us,” Elena tried to justify herself.

“Then why are you calling?” Anna asked directly.

“I want to help. I found out — they plan to build a cottage settlement in your area. Your plot can become much more valuable.”

“So that’s it,” Anna thought. Elena hoped to get part of the inheritance.

“I propose: I handle the sale. I have contacts in realtor companies. We find a good client, sell it at a high price. Split the proceeds — you get half, I get half for work.”

Anna almost laughed. Elena offered her half the price of her own plot, considering it generosity.

“And if I don’t want to sell?” Anna asked.

“Don’t be silly. What will you do with that wreck? Live in the city, buy a normal apartment with the money,” Elena replied.

“Elena, did you happen to discuss all this with Mikhail?” Anna asked directly.

“Well… maybe I mentioned,” her sister answered, trying to sound casual.

“I see. But it’s in your interest. We just want to help you,” she added.

“Yes, I understand everything,” Anna replied dryly. “I’ll think about it. Just don’t delay. While construction hasn’t started, you really can make money. After that, prices may fall.”

After talking with Elena, Anna finally understood what was happening: Mikhail and her sister thought she was a naive woman easy to trick. Their plan was simple: bring her back to the city, get control of the house and land, sell the land profitably, leaving her crumbs.

“How wrong you are,” she said aloud. “And how very wrong.”

Anna opened the closet, took out the box with grandfather’s treasures, and again carefully examined each item. Every piece was a true work of art, every coin a piece of history. Grandfather had collected this beauty all his life. Now it all belonged to her.

“I won’t give a single thing to Mikhail and Elena,” she decided firmly. “Neither jewelry, nor house, nor land. They will get nothing.”

A week later, Mikhail came to Sosnovka. Anna saw his car from the window and went out to meet him. He looked confident and even pleased.

“Hi, Anya!” he smiled broadly and tried to hug his ex-wife, but she stepped back.

“Why did you come?”

“For you, of course! I already miss you. Get ready — we’re going home.”

“Who said I agreed?”

“Enough whining. Look how you live. In what a wilderness! And the house is so shabby.” Mikhail looked at the yard with obvious dissatisfaction. “Although the plot is not bad. Elena’s right — something interesting can be built here.”

“What if I say I like it here? That I want to stay?”

He laughed.

“Don’t be silly. What will you do here? What will you live on? You have no money.”

“How do you know whether I have money or not?”

“Anya, you worked as a librarian for twenty thousand rubles a month. What money?”

“Maybe I saved a little for a rainy day.”

“But it won’t last long.” Anna smiled.

“What if I say I now have more money than you can imagine?”

“Where would they come from? You only got this house from grandpa.”

“Only the house,” she agreed. “But grandpa turned out to be wiser than we thought.”

Anna told him about the treasure. At first, Mikhail didn’t believe, then laughed, but when he realized she was serious, he turned pale.

“How much?” he demanded.

“15 million rubles. Maybe even more.”

Mikhail was silent for several minutes, then spoke in a soft tone:

“Anya, you understand that such money must be invested properly? I can help. I have business experience. We can start a business together, develop.”

“Remember what you said to me a week ago?” Anna interrupted.

“About me being a failure? That was an emotional outburst, I didn’t mean it.”

“And remember how you kicked me out? Told me to pack?”

“Anya, let’s forget the past. Start over. With this money, we can do anything.”

Anna looked at him with pity.

“You know, Mikhail, I really loved you. Thought you were a good person. But you turned out greedy and calculating.”

“You mean…”

“That a week ago you thought I was a failure, and today, learning about the money, you consider me worthy of your love again. That’s not love — it’s greed.”

Mikhail tried to argue, but Anna no longer listened.

“Tell me, do you really want to be with me? Or with my money?”

“Anya, you can’t do this. We lived together for seven years.”

“Those seven years showed who you really are.”

She turned and went into the house. Mikhail ran after her, shouting, begging, threatening. But she didn’t even look back. At the gate, she stopped and coldly said:

“Get off my property. Don’t come here anymore. We’ll finalize the divorce in court.”

“You’ll regret this!” he shouted. “Such money can’t be kept by one woman. There are people worse than me.”

“Maybe,” Anna answered calmly. “But that will be my problem. And you — leave.”

Mikhail shouted a little more, then got into the car and left, slamming the door loudly. Anna went inside and felt incredible relief. That chapter of her life was over. No more humiliation, no more excuses, no more feeling worthless. She was free.

Later that evening, Elena called. Her voice was irritated.

“Mikhail told me about your find,” she started without preamble. “You think you’re so smart?”

“Smart enough not to let myself be fooled,” Anna answered calmly.

“Do you even remember who always helped you? Who supported you? Me — the older sister. I have a right to the inheritance.”

“Elena, grandfather left you an apartment. Me — a house. Each got what he chose. He didn’t know about the treasure. If he had known, he would have divided it equally.”

“The treasure was on the plot. So it’s mine. You must share. We’re sisters.”

“Sisters,” Anna agreed. “But do you remember how you treated me all my life? How you called me a failure? How you rejoiced when I got the worst things?”

“That’s a different matter.”

“No, it’s the same. You always got the best and considered it fair. And now that I got lucky, you demand to share. That doesn’t happen, Elena.”

“I’ll sue. Prove the will was made with violations.”

“Sue,” Anna said calmly. “But keep in mind: now I have money for good lawyers.”

Elena grumbled some more and angrily hung up. Anna turned off the phone and went out to the garden. The sun was setting behind the trees, painting the sky golden and pink. Birds sang, flowers and freshness smelled.

“Grandfather,” she whispered, “thank you for everything. For the house, the treasure, the chance to start a new life. And for teaching me to distinguish real people from fake ones.”

She took out her phone and dialed the number of a construction company from the regional center:

“Hello, my name is Anna Morozova. I would like to order restoration of an old house and landscape design for the plot. I won’t spare money, quality and attention to detail are important.”

Six months later, the house was completely different: restored, painted, with a new roof and a neat garden. Flowerbeds, paths, gazebo — everything was lovingly restored. The house became what it was in the best times.

Anna did not return to the city. She stayed in Sosnovka, opened a small library in one of the premises, helped local residents, engaged in charity. She sold part of the gold, kept some as a family heirloom.

Mikhail tried to regain half the property through court — but lost. The divorce went quickly. Elena also filed claims, but the will was properly drafted, and the court sided with Anna.

Anna was happy. She found her purpose, gained confidence and independence. Grandfather was right: she really was special. She just needed time to understand it.

Every evening, sitting in the garden under the old apple tree, she thanked grandfather for his love, faith in her, and wisdom.

The treasure he left was not just gold. It was the key to a new, real life.