The snow-white dress, shimmering in the sun like a magical waterfall, flowed gently down… It was the most touching moment in Svetlana’s life—to see her daughter in her wedding attire.
«Oh Lord, Natashenka, you are so beautiful! My sunshine!…» she exclaimed, and tears of joy rolled down her cheeks on their own. She couldn’t hold them back any longer.
The girl turned to her mother with a radiant look and smiled shyly. What more could a mother need? To see the happy eyes of her child… Although Svetlana herself had married around the same age as her daughter, Natasha still seemed like a child to her.
In an instant, the past twenty years flashed before her eyes. First, the joyful news of the long-awaited pregnancy… Then the delivery room, where a young woman exhausted by long labor was handed her newborn darling to admire her beauty… Sleepless nights, first steps, childish pranks, kindergarten, school…
And now, before her stands a charming slender girl in a pristine lace dress… How quickly time flies… For a moment, Svetlana even regretted that there would be no more bows, braids, and skirts. But then she caught herself: how could there not be? Grandchildren, after all… Natasha was already expecting a child… This meant a new cycle of life was about to begin for Svetlana, all over again… They say grandchildren are even closer than children because they come into your life at a more conscious age…
The term is still short, but still… You can’t hide such a fact from people, they talk a lot… Of course, a bride being pregnant is not quite traditional… But the modern world erases many conventions and rules. Remembering her youth, Svetlana couldn’t recall a single instance among acquaintances where the bride and groom did not live together before the wedding. So, do these people have the right to judge others?.. They’ll figure it out above… And a new life is always good… As long as the baby is healthy and grows up in a strong, united family…
Although Svetlana had doubts about the latter…
Roma, Natasha’s groom, came from a fairly wealthy family. The future mother-in-law had a good first impression of him: cheerful, sociable, caring, with excellent manners. Svetlana approved of her daughter’s choice. But, having met his parents, she realized who held the reins of power in that family…
Natasha’s future mother-in-law, Margarita Semenovna, was a representative of a noble lineage and was incredibly proud of her ancestry. She always looked down on others, especially on the likes of Svetlana—simple workers. Constantly, on any occasion, she lamented the immorality of modern youth, hinting at «bad blood» and casting meaningful glances towards Natasha.
Her husband, a successful entrepreneur, seemed much more reasonable and preferred to remain silent. He patiently tolerated his wife’s excessive pomp, though it was evident that some of her phrases frankly disgusted him. Any remark of his was met by Margarita Semenovna with a hundred prepared taunts. Arguing with her was pointless. It was easier to agree. And so he agreed… And Roma too… In everything… except Natasha…
It’s amazing how the son of such a domineering and uncompromising woman could go against her will and marry a girl she categorically disapproved of. Svetlana sincerely hoped that it was not just youthful maximalism or a desire to assert himself. She wanted to believe that Roma truly loved Natasha.
From the first glance, Margarita Semenovna detested the timid and modest bride of her son. Svetlana guessed why: she could not forgive Natasha for her poverty and humble origins. The girl grew up in a single-parent family with modest means, which her mother had supported since Natasha was five years old… But were they to blame for how fate had shaped?
Svetlana vividly remembered the day her husband, Andrey, packed his things into his old battered suitcase, which he took on business trips, and, looking down guiltily, muttered at parting:
«Sorry, Sveta, it turned out this way… I have another family there, and a son will be born soon… And I will send alimony to Natasha every month, I promise… Forgive me and don’t be offended…»
How could she not be offended? Besides him and her daughter, Svetlana had no one in the whole wide world. Her mother had died, and she hardly remembered her father.
For Andrey, Sveta had once dropped out of college in another city to settle with him in an old room in a family hostel. The euphoria of mad love gave her a sense of boundless happiness, and such trifles as the lack of comfort did not bother her at all. With a sweetheart, paradise even in a shack…
Soon Natasha was born, who became the center of the universe for Svetlana. Andrey got a good job, although he often went on business trips for a week or more. Sveta patiently waited for him. Everything seemed to be going according to plan… They even managed to save money, as Svetlana had a cherished dream—to acquire their own home, even a small one… The goal was already close…
Svetlana tried not to notice her husband’s nervousness, attributing it to fatigue from endless trips. After all, that’s what a wife is for, to smooth over the rough patches in the relationship, to surround her beloved with care and attention…
A smart wife would not have let things take their course—she would have compared facts, looked more attentively, to intervene in time and save the family… Perhaps Sveta was not very smart… Living in constant suspicions, sniffing at shirt collars, and secretly searching the pockets of a loved one—that was not her style… She always believed that fighting for love was a foolish endeavor. This feeling is either there or it isn’t… Everything should be easy and natural… Can you force someone to love forcibly?
It’s easy to reason like that when it concerns others and not yourself… But when your own husband suddenly starts such a conversation… Like a bolt from the blue… It’s hard… Very hard…
What could the unfortunate Sveta do at that moment? Throw a tantrum? Cling on and not let go? And then what? Chain him to a radiator?
So there she stood by the window, watching Andrei walk away, taking her heart with him…
After realizing such incredible betrayal from the man she loved, depression descended upon the young woman in all its suffocating mass. She wanted to live no more. For several days, she just lay in bed, face buried in the pillow. Total apathy and indifference paralyzed every muscle in her body. She didn’t even have the strength to get up, her legs became wobbly and refused to move, and her spine categorically refused to hold her body upright… A gaping void reigned in her soul… She didn’t even want to open her eyes; the whole world went dark in an instant…
Thanks to a kind-hearted neighbor, who explained to little Natasha that her mom was sick and took her in for a while to her own bustling household of three lively kids of varying ages.
The same neighbor brought sense back to her distraught friend when she saw that she had no intention of returning to reality.
«Sveta, have you lost your mind?» she declared loudly, unceremoniously yanking the blanket off the sufferer, «To suffer so much over some despicable traitor… So he’s gone, so be it… You’re still young and beautiful—you have enough men for your lifetime… Stop torturing yourself, you have a daughter, every day she asks when mom will get better, begging to be with you… Or do you want to quietly die here and leave her an orphan?.. For her sake, get up and go! To new achievements!»
These harsh but fair words, surprisingly, proved effective and achieved their purpose. Sveta imagined the unhappy face of her little girl, worried about her mom, and in the next instant, unexpectedly easily jumped to her feet, shedding the heavy burden of painful emotions.
Indeed, what was she doing, lying down and suffering? After all, she has someone to live for!.. Motivation… No doubt!.. Now Sveta knew exactly what she would do next. She would turn the world upside down, but she would achieve her goals… For her daughter… For herself…
The same neighbor offered her friend a temporary job, until she could find something more lucrative. She recommended her to her boss, who was just looking for a housekeeper for her huge, luxurious apartment in the city center. She needed someone to come clean and cook twice a week. And Sveta went and, somehow, immediately got into it. The new profession was to her liking. She had never been afraid of dirty work, loved polishing windows to a shine or scrubbing pots. In these moments, all heavy thoughts went away. And then there was the satisfaction from the results of her efforts—perfect cleanliness and order.
The new mistress, in turn, recommended Svetlana to her acquaintances, and soon, the woman was in high demand in the richest homes of the city. Her pliable character, honesty, and cleanliness earned her a good reputation. And her culinary talents were beyond praise.
The owners did not stint and tried in every way to thank the lonely woman with a child for her hard work. The pay was good, but it required worn-out work. At first, every morning, Sveta had to persuade herself to get up and start a new working day.
But people get used to everything… And Sveta got used to it…
Andrei, indeed, did not deceive, he faithfully paid alimony, though not much, but they were not superfluous.
When Natasha turned eleven, her ex-husband unexpectedly called. He talked for a long time, asked for forgiveness, reminisced about how good they were together, was eager to come and take them somewhere to start all over again…
But, by that time, Sveta had already put perfect order in her soul, just like at work. Everything was now sorted out, and there was no place left for the ex… At that moment, she had already achieved her goal—she had fulfilled her long-time dream—she bought a one-room apartment and successfully moved there with Natasha. Not a fancy one, of course… But her own… She had no other dreams for the time being…
Receiving a stern refusal from his ex-wife, Andrei disappeared again and never called. But, just recently, literally on the eve of Natasha’s wedding, he sent a bulky envelope with a letter and documents. Its contents greatly surprised the woman.
«My dear Svetochka and Natashenka! Forgive me for everything I have done, and also forgive me for what I did not do… I wanted happiness for myself, but it turned out that I achieved nothing and made others suffer…
If you have received this letter, it means I am no longer alive… Fate has turned out such that now I am dying alone… But I am not complaining, I humbly accept the just punishment…
Natashenka, my daughter! I have always loved you, always remembered you… I just don’t know how to talk about such things over the phone, and conscience did not allow me to come… The pain from our separation tormented me for many years… I still see before my eyes the picture where you look at me with your amazing little eyes and stretch your little hands towards daddy… Lord! How many mistakes I made in my life… How much I didn’t manage to do, didn’t do…
I want to leave you something, Natasha. I haven’t amassed any special valuables in my life, but a few years ago, I bought a house in a village for a small amount of money, wanted to repair it and take you and your mom there, but it didn’t work out… Let this gift be a memory of your careless, but loving dad…
Don’t blame and don’t curse me…»
Reading these lines of touching farewell, Sveta shuddered. Now she understood, this was the house Andrei bought when he called her the last time and wanted to reunite the family… That’s where he was planning to take them…
With sadness, she looked at the papers in her hands—all that remained of her only beloved man, the father of her daughter… Did she do the right thing then, denying him a meeting? Maybe for Natasha’s sake, she should have tried to rebuild everything anew?.. Forgive… Forget… But no, it’s impossible. Betrayal and deception remain forever, a painful scar in the soul, even if somewhere deep in its hidden corners, but still, from time to time, they will remind themselves, poisoning family relationships… You can’t step into the same river twice…
Well, the old resentment died along with the culprit… Let him find forgiveness and peace there…
There was no time left to visit the unexpected inheritance. The pre-wedding bustle captured and swirled around the bride’s mother, so much to do, and work too… But the thought came to keep the ex-husband’s letter a secret from everyone and make a surprise for the newlyweds right at the wedding…
Into the room barged the future mother-in-law, and with a sneer, she looked at the bride.
«Well, yes, breeding and an expensive dress won’t fix it. She was a cleaner’s daughter and remains so. It’s written all over her face—a peasant…
Such rudeness did not faze Svetlana, but Natasha’s eyes immediately filled with tears, and her lower lip treacherously trembled. Just what was needed… Poor sensitive girl, she had not yet learned to build an insurmountable barrier around herself from emotional vampires and trembled at every word addressed to her… No worries… She’ll learn over the years, once Svetlana was like that too…
The mother cast an angry glance towards the future relative and sharply asked:
«Margarita Semenovna, did you want something or just came to gloat?»
«I wanted…» the woman said in a caustic tone, apparently, she had made a firm decision not to leave until she had driven her daughter-in-law to tears— «I wanted my son to have a bride of his own class. Noble genes must remain pure…»
Sveta suddenly remembered a phrase she had overheard from Sergei Vladimirovich’s displeased muttering and immediately blurted out..
Your husband said that you yourself came from a village…» She was very eager to put down this unpleasant, spiteful person on such an important day for her daughter.
This phrase actually hurt Margarita Semenovna; her face unexpectedly turned a crimson red.
«What do you mean, from a village?» she exclaimed indignantly. «My parents lived in an ancient family estate. A mansion is not some hovel like yours… Country bumpkin…»
With these words, she proudly lifted her chin and left the room, slamming the door demonstratively…
But even that was enough for the sensitive bride. Her mother rushed to her and gently hugged her, trying not to crumple the lace on her dress.
«Natasha, don’t be upset. Get married and move away from them. You’ll live separately…»
«Where to live?» the girl nearly cried, pressing trustingly against her mother’s warm cheek. «Roma doesn’t have his own home… And until he finishes college and gets a job, we can’t even afford rent…»
Svetlana was well aware of Margarita Semenovna’s condition for the newlyweds—to live with her in the same house and be under constant supervision. Indeed, the more she learned about her future relative, the more fearful she was for Natasha. She could now protect her daughter and stand up to the haughty noblewoman, but what about when she wasn’t around?… Definitely, Andrei’s will was timely…
«Well, time will tell…» Svetlana murmured mysteriously, stroking her daughter’s hair.
During the registry, Margarita Semenovna was nervously fidgeting and interrupting the registrar. For some reason, she was uneasy. Now that the unwanted wedding ceremony had become a reality, she was internally shaking with indignation. How could it happen that Roma disobeyed her and soon THIS— a grey mouse, a rolling stone—would settle in her house? The whole event seemed like a farce to her, and she couldn’t wait for the ceremonial part to end. Watching her high-ranking guests, she was sure they thought the same and openly felt ashamed of Natasha.
But Margarita Semenovna worried needlessly—the petite, dark-haired bride was well-received by the guests. Her touching look of huge eyes and shy, sweet smile won everyone over without exception.
«What a beautiful couple…» they whispered among themselves…
The evening was booked at a countryside restaurant—luxurious, but very expensive. Of course, Svetlana couldn’t afford to pay half of all expenses and repeatedly suggested to the future relatives to have a simpler wedding. To which Margarita Semenovna contemptuously pursed her lips and muttered through her teeth.
«And what, because the bride is poor, should we invite our relatives and guests to some pigsty?»
Not wanting to respond to rudeness with rudeness, Svetlana silently resigned herself, deciding to give her share in cash. Let the young couple spend it on themselves rather than on a pompous event… But she had another surprise prepared. Natasha’s father’s will was burning her hand, reminding her of itself…
At the restaurant, initially, everything seemed to be going well. Everyone was having fun, except for Margarita Semenovna, of course. She, quite predictably, sat with a displeased expression and watched every move of her despised daughter-in-law, looking for an excuse for another snide remark. But Svetlana decided to ignore the unpleasant woman, let her burst with anger… But when it came to gifts, the overt harassment began anew.
Each guest took the microphone, congratulated the newlyweds, and solemnly handed over their gift, usually money in an envelope. And although Svetlana, as the bride’s mother, should have been among the first to speak, the mother-in-law deliberately didn’t give her a chance, not letting go of the microphone, endlessly inviting only her wealthy guests to the stage.
This situation was already beyond decency; even the guests began to whisper among themselves, seeing Svetlana’s unsuccessful attempts to reach the newlyweds.
Patience was exhausted. After listening to another guest, Svetlana jumped up and practically snatched the microphone from Margarita Semenovna.
«Natashenka and Romochka…» she addressed the newlyweds, holding a plump envelope, «On this day, I wish you love and mutual respect. You are young people with your own interests, and I decided to simply give you money. Spend it wisely. I have another gift—from Natasha’s father—a house in the village. I would like…»
But she didn’t finish speaking, as Margarita Semenovna cunningly grabbed the microphone back.
«A house?» she laughed merrily. «I can only imagine what kind of a flea pit it is… What else to expect from such relatives… She probably even put the smallest bills in the envelope…» she nodded at the gift in the hands of the relative.
«Margarita, you are crossing all boundaries…» her husband tried to scold her, but she didn’t stop.
«So that my Roman, a descendant of a noble lineage, would live in the village, in a half-ruined hovel? That shall not happen!… It’s only your daughter who’s accustomed to such a beggarly life…»
A bitter resentment choked Svetlana. Resentment for her daughter, for herself, for not even being allowed to finish the congratulatory speech she had prepared for two days. But Natasha’s miserable look now worried her more than her own ambitions.
Fear was evident in the bride’s eyes.
Suddenly, Natasha turned pale, trembled, and with a prolonged moan, bent sharply, clutching her stomach.
«Mom…» she whispered with faltering lips, and Svetlana rushed to her.
The guests buzzed around, surrounding the bride writhing in pain, not understanding what was happening. Maybe it was some kind of theatrical scene related to wedding traditions. After all, Margarita Semenovna had been trying to turn everything into a spectacle all day.
«Call an ambulance, quickly…» Svetlana cried out anxiously, bending over her daughter…
Restless, Svetlana paced back and forth in the hospital corridor from one end to the other. Roma was clearly nervous too, but he tried to restrain his emotions, only the white knuckles of tightly clenched fists and an unusual pallor on his face betraying his anxiety… Finally, the doctor came out and told the frightened relatives that there had been a threat of miscarriage and the future mother needed some time under medical observation, and also advised to avoid stressful situations and excitement in the future.
Svetlana just snorted under her breath. Of course, living with such a mother-in-law is constant stress. Something needs to be thought about… I wonder what kind of house Natasha’s father left her…
The owners of one of the apartments where Svetlana periodically cleaned had gone on an unplanned trip, and unexpectedly, the maid had a couple of days off. Without much thought, the woman gathered the necessary documents and decided to go and see the inheritance from her ex-husband with her own eyes. What if the newly minted relative was right, and Natasha received some dilapidated shack in the wilderness as a gift? Or maybe, on the contrary, the accommodation is quite decent; it would just need a bit of sprucing up and she could take her daughter from the hospital directly there, into the fresh air, away from the scandalous mother-in-law…
Of course, she and her daughter had never lived in a private house, let alone in the countryside… What if Natasha likes it? So many people are moving closer to nature… In Svetlana’s youth, everyone was striving for the city, closer to civilization, but recently, there has been a reverse migration… Probably, it’s not so bad there…
Satisfied with the bus ride, she reached it in about fifty minutes. Basically, not long—you sometimes move around the city for longer.
The village seemed quite charming. From the hill where the bus dropped her off, she could see charming houses under colorful roofs, nestled among green gardens and lined up into long streets, ending, in the distance, in boundless sown fields.
Finding the building with the right number, Svetlana was a bit upset. She had hoped that it would resemble one of those cute, well-maintained houses she had seen and be ready for immediate move-in. Here, everything was different. Neglected and abandoned, clearly no human foot had stepped here for many years.
Opening the skewed gate and, with difficulty, making her way through the overgrown weeds to the front door, Svetlana encountered a huge lock and only then realized that it would be difficult to get inside. In desperation, she knocked her fist against the cursed iron that separated her from the interior space she intended to assess today.
Unexpectedly, the padlock made a metallic clank and fell onto the porch, leaving only a rusty loop hanging in the hinge. The door easily creaked open, and the smell of dampness from an uninhabited place hit her nose.
Inside, it was not as terrible. The ceiling was nowhere leaking, the floor quite sturdy. There was almost no furniture in the rooms. Only in the middle of the kitchen stood an old table with peeling paint, and in the bedroom loomed a huge dusty wardrobe. Probably, the previous tenants simply couldn’t move out the massive machine, so they left it here to fate.
Opening the cracked door, Svetlana discovered a pile of some old newspapers and colorful women’s magazines inside. On the lower shelf, about a dozen forgotten photographs were scattered.
Holding one of them out of curiosity to see what the previous owners of this dwelling looked like, Sveta was struck dumb with surprise. She saw Margarita Semenovna, but very young, in a cheap tracksuit from the market, with a messy hairstyle that was fashionable at the time. Grabbing other photos to confirm that it was not a coincidence, the woman looked closely at each card, holding her breath. There was no doubt—it was either her matchmaker or her twin sister if she had one…
After recovering from the shock and reflecting for a bit, Sveta went to meet the neighbors.
It turned out that everyone was at work; only a friendly, thin old lady in a floral scarf, who introduced herself as Maria Fedotovna, came out to greet her.
Having gotten acquainted, Svetlana asked the question that had been on her tongue all this time.
«Who lived in this house before?»
«Yes, it has been empty for about twenty-five years,» the elderly neighbor shook her head, «It was resold three times, but the owners did not stay long…»
«I found some photographs, there was some family…» Sveta persisted, trying to extract any information.
«Ah, those must be the Kurkins,» Maria Fedotovna suddenly remembered and pondered, «It was a long time ago…»
«Were they nobility?» Sveta threw another bait.
The old woman laughed cheerfully, and her kind face got even more wrinkled.
«God no… What nobility? Valka worked as a school janitor, and her husband worked at the sovkhoz… They borrowed money from the whole village and left in an unknown direction, fortunately, the amounts were small… And their daughter Ritka, I think she was about twenty then, was quite a girl. She went around with one, then another. Then she got pregnant by the local tractor driver Stepan and ran off to the city. Always looking for someone richer. I bet, if she knew Stepan would become a farmer, she might have stayed with him.»
This last piece of information completely puzzled the new neighbor. Suspicions began to form in Sveta’s head.
«When was this, can you remember?» she asked with a trembling voice.
The old lady rolled her eyes and began to remember, muttering to herself about the year when Egorich died and there was also a flood—the local river had overflowed its banks for the first time in many years. Finally, the neighbor gave a date, with a margin of a month or two.
It was not difficult to match the dates of Margarita’s departure and Roma’s birth. This fact so shocked Svetlana that she could not recover from the shock for several hours. Doubts and thoughts swirled in her head all the way back.
It turns out, Margarita constantly lies and all this haughtiness and grandeur with which she torments her and Natasha, is just a puff of air?.. Could Roma possibly be the son of a completely different man? And does Sergey know about it?.. There were more questions than answers… Probably better to keep this information to herself, to avoid trouble…
Upon arrival, quickly making Natasha’s favorite soup, Sveta rushed to the hospital to visit her daughter. In the corridor, she met the family of new relatives in full composition. The so-called head of the family, as always, sat apart, engrossed in a magazine, while Margarita Semenovna was mumbling something under her breath to her bewildered son.
Greeting them in passing, the woman entered the room—she was eager to see her sunshine. With a face swollen from recent tears, the daughter sat on the bed, distraught.
«Natasha! What’s wrong?» her mother was frightened, «Is something wrong with the baby?»
She shook her head negatively, trying not to cry again.
Sveta sat closer and took her hand.
«Tell me what happened…»
«Roma…» the future mother sobbed, «Roma asked if this child was his… Said maybe I had been with someone else…»
Her mother jumped up in outrage.
«Roma, your fool… I’ll go tell him right now!»
Bursting into the corridor, she resolutely headed towards her son-in-law, who was still standing in the same place, silently listening to his mother’s speeches.
«Roma, what a fool you are!» Sveta’s keen hearing caught her words, «This girl is leading you by the nose. Look, she’s even preparing for early childbirth… This is definitely not your child… Got knocked up, and now found a fool to take her along with someone else’s offspring…»
Now it was clear where the wind was blowing from, who had put this thought into the boy’s head. Out of indignation, Svetlana could not utter a word. A single thought feverishly pounded in her temples—who was to talk…
Her hands opened her bag on their own and, in the next moment, a heap of compromising photos found in the old house flew right in the face of the schemer.
«What do you think you’re doing? Have you lost your mind?» she screeched, jumping aside.
«Don’t measure others by your own standard…» trying to keep herself together, Sveta declared, «Now I know everything. You come from a backwater village. There’s not a drop of noble blood in your veins… You made up your pedigree and now torment everyone around. You slander my daughter, trying to pin your sins on her… After all, Roman was raised by a non-biological father. And his biological parent is still living in the village you ran away from twenty-five years ago…»
Having blurted this out, she immediately bit her lip… She didn’t want to say it…
«What? That’s all lies!.. Oh, you vile creature!.. Scum!..» the enraged mother-in-law screamed, switching to shrieks and forgetting all about her aristocratic breed. Her eyes filled with blood, her fists clenched, and she was ready to attack the hateful relative who dared to doubt her decency.
Sergey Vladimirovich, who had been sitting indifferently until now, suddenly perked up and listened to Sveta. It even seemed to her that, in the next moment, he would rush to defend his wife. But he just gave her a piercing look and continued to watch the argument between the two women.
This disgraceful scene and the seemingly absurd accusations suddenly evoked memories in the man. A suspicion crept into his soul. Rather, Sveta’s fiery speech awakened this long and deeply dormant feeling and made him reconsider the past. He remembered old reflections about the fact that the son was born prematurely, but was healthy and quite large for a preterm. He had noticed the reaction of his parents, seeing their grandson for the first time. They just silently exchanged glances, but to their credit, never spoke about it over the years and loved Roma as a true grandson should be loved.
Again, the man was overwhelmed by that same feeling of understatement…
Somehow calming his wife, he grabbed her shoulders to take her home. All the way she loudly protested, cursing the mother of the bride with the dirtiest words for such shameless lying and slander, constantly addressing her husband and seeking his support. He just calmly and silently nodded, not taking his eyes off the road. But inside, completely different emotions raged.
The next day he called Sveta and asked for a meeting.
Immediately rushing to the agreed place, the woman looked guilty, avoiding his gaze and hurriedly apologizing for the provoked scandal.
«Sorry, Sergey!.. I shouldn’t have said all that… Don’t worry about it… It’s just… Women’s quarrels… Just felt sorry for my daughter to tears…»
The man stared at her, but was not even thinking of being offended.
«Svetlana,» he asked calmly, «please tell me in detail about these photographs and about the supposed father of Roman.»
For a while, the woman tried to dodge, unwilling to reveal details to further aggravate the situation. But what’s said is said… A word is not a sparrow… The man was not going to back down and was determined to find out the whole truth immediately. She had to enlighten him on the details of her little investigation…
After hearing everything, not a single muscle twitched on the man’s face. But his eyes… They could be read all…
A slight hoarseness in his voice also betrayed inner indignation and tension.
«Svetlana, I beg you, let’s go to that village right now… I really need this…»
He said this in such a tone that the woman understood—if she refused, Sergey would go there himself. And in such a state, it’s hard to predict the consequences. What to do?.. It’s her own fault, couldn’t keep her tongue behind her teeth… Stirred up trouble, now she has to clean it up…
All the way, Sergey was silent, immersed in his own sad thoughts. Sveta didn’t even try to talk to him. He always communicated little, just monosyllabically answering questions. The woman attributed this reticence to personality traits. That’s how he was seen by everyone around…
The farmer’s house, large and solid, was located on the outskirts, next to farm buildings that previously belonged to the local sovkhoz, which had collapsed along with the huge country. Now a strong hand of the owner was felt here. The entire territory and buildings amazed with their well-maintained appearance, with new machinery—tractors and trucks—visible beyond the fence.
Stepan’s appearance matched his farm—huge, muscular with a neat short haircut. But his squinting eyes immediately revealed a cheerful disposition.
Svetlana was even taken aback when she first saw the man—he was almost an exact, albeit older, replica of Roman.
Sergey apparently noticed this undeniable resemblance too, but as always, he remained silent…
Svetlana had to take the initiative.
«Stepan, hello! May I ask you a few questions?» she addressed the entrepreneur warmly.
He didn’t leave his guests at the doorstep and invited them in.
To questions about his long-standing crush on a girl named Rita, he was immensely surprised but told everything, without hiding anything.
«Yes, there was such a girl,» he rumbled in a rich pleasant baritone. «It was a long time ago… I had just started driving a tractor… We dated for just a couple of months… She declared she was pregnant, and I, like a decent man, immediately proposed to her,» he said, spreading his hands in bewilderment, «and she, whoosh, ran off somewhere… I never saw her again… What happened then?» asked the cheerful giant.
Svetlana glanced at Sergey, who sat silently, and tried to change the subject. Scanning the kitchen, she asked:
«So, Stepan, you haven’t married since then? A woman’s touch is missing here,» she noted.
«Well, why not? I was married…» the farmer suddenly saddened, «She died in a car crash… Never found anyone like her again… Here I am, living alone year after year…»
Svetlana looked at the widower with sympathy and softly said:
«I didn’t know… I apologize for the insensitivity…»
«It’s okay,» he reassured her, «time heals…» and suddenly, in a playful tone, he asked, «and what about you, are you married?»
«No, I’m not married,» Svetlana answered, blushing deeply.
«I would definitely ask you out on a date…» he said with a smile, not taking his eyes off the attractive guest.
«Thank you! I’ll think about it…» she laughed and stood up to say goodbye to the cheerful host…
They drove back in silence too. Sergey didn’t even turn on the car stereo. The sky was covered with low grey clouds, and it started to rain. Large drops drummed on the windshield. The windshield wipers worked quietly and methodically, trying to dispel the silence hanging in the cabin.
Svetlana genuinely felt sorry for the man sitting next to her. What’s it like, after twenty-five years, to learn about a huge lie from the woman he trusted all this time? She had experienced something similar… but this situation was many times more painful…
The woman stealthily glanced at the driver, afraid to break the established silence. He seemed to be completely focused on the road, noticing nothing around him. But it was just an appearance. Emotions choked him from the inside, trying to break out. Unable to fight them anymore, Sergey sighed intermittently, and suddenly began to speak… At first quietly, stammering, as if each word was hard for him… And then it burst out… An endless stream of words… Everything that had built up… Everything that had tormented him for many years…
Back then, he was still very young—a good, modest boy from a wealthy family. Everything as it should be—music school, physics and math… Then a prestigious university… It was there he met his first and only love—Anechka.
He vividly remembers the day when she, with a joyful smile on her face, in a light airy dress, all glowing like an angel, fluttered into the lecture hall. He looked into her huge blue eyes and stayed there forever… Holding his breath, he watched her every move. The girl seemed perfect to him in every way, without exception. Beautiful, top student, activist, volunteer… Her compliant, friendly nature was liked by all the classmates. Many guys tried to win her heart, but she just smiled sweetly and offered friendship in return. After all these experienced heartbreakers and lovelaces, Sergey didn’t even hope to catch her attention. Surprisingly, one day, in class, she sat next to him herself.
«Serezha, could you help me with math?» the charmer asked, innocently batting her long eyelashes, «there’s an exam coming up, and I’m struggling with some topics…»
The young man couldn’t believe his luck.
Now, after classes, they bent over one notebook, almost touching heads, and Sergey enthusiastically lectured her on integrals and derivatives. Secretly he breathed in the light fragrance of her perfume, and it was the height of bliss, the happiest and most intoxicating moments of his life. Several months passed, but the shy boy never dared confess his feelings to Anya. He couldn’t find the right moment.
And then, when they were both invited to a party in some club, Sergey decided—this was a sign, that very evening he would tell his beloved Anya everything that was on his mind. Whatever happens, happens…
While the youth partied hard, Sergey wandered around the building, waiting for his crush to arrive. But Anya was nowhere to be seen… By eleven o’clock, completely disappointed and desperate, the guy joined a group of students. They were already quite tipsy, and the party moved to another level, neighboring tables were shifted, new acquaintances sat down, and alcoholic drinks flowed like a river. The last thing Sergey remembers is how a dark-haired girl named Rita offered a toast to a new acquaintance…
In the morning, he woke up in the same bed with that very Rita. His head was splitting from a hangover, his brain absolutely refused to comprehend, and Sergey didn’t immediately understand what had happened. The girl was trembling all over, nervously sighing and whispering that it was her first time… The confused guy didn’t know what to respond, he couldn’t even remember the previous evening… After leaving his home phone number and promising to call back, he rushed off to class…
It turned out that that evening, Anya had been hospitalized with an appendix attack. Dropping everything, he rushed to the hospital, and then visited her every day until she was discharged. One day, gathering courage, he even kissed the girl. And, wonder of wonders! She responded…
It seemed that everything was getting back on track, but the evening with the drinking had its consequences. Two weeks later, Rita found him. She was waiting for the guy at the university steps, and right on the doorstep, in a trembling and breaking voice, declared that she was pregnant and burst into loud tears.
What could a good boy do? Rather, a real man, raised by decent people.
Literally a month later, they had a wedding. And now the married, serious man had to avoid his beloved Anya, looking away when they met, and after classes, he hurried home to his lawful wife, carrying his child…
Years passed, and the young man could never forget his only love. One day, they met, quite by accident. Sergey, now quite a successful businessman, was waiting in a restaurant for his partners for informal negotiations. And then the glass door swung open and in she walked—light, elegant, in a light coat. Anya hadn’t changed at all, still the same angel with huge bottomless blue eyes.
Once again, the man was seized by a trembling feeling, which became even harder to resist than in his youth.
Anya also immediately recognized her former classmate. They talked, laughed, remembering their student years. And then, quite unexpectedly, the young woman confessed:
«I was in love with you, Serezha… And you didn’t notice… It was hurtful when you chose someone else… I suffered for a long time… Even got married out of spite to you…» she laughed sadly. «didn’t last long, though, couldn’t live with someone I didn’t love… Now, I’ve focused on my career. I’ve already made it to branch director…»
Sergey couldn’t believe his ears. What a fool he was! One single, thoughtless act under the influence of alcohol, ruined his happiness… Things could have been different…
This was a turning point in his life. He returned home, not himself. He stared at his wife, who chattered nonstop about the upcoming vacation. No, he had never loved this woman… And could not love… But, glancing at Roma returning from school, he chastised himself. You have a family, a son. What are you thinking about?.. You can’t bring back the past…
He needed to forget, erase even the memories…
That evening in bed, Sergey said to his wife for the first time:
«Rita, I want another child.»
«Serezha! What? We just forgot all these diapers and sniffles… And you want it again?»
«I really want another child!» the husband repeated.
Sergey sincerely hoped that a deliberate addition to the family would strengthen it. But the hopes remained just that. Rita could no longer get pregnant…
Svetlana listened silently, amazed by Sergey’s story. She had never suspected that this man was capable of such feelings and experiences. From the first day of acquaintance, she considered him an emotionless idol, mindlessly following his domineering wife.
And what now?» she asked timidly. «What do you intend to do?»
He smiled sadly in response.
«I’ll do a DNA test… I want to be sure once and for all…»
Pensively frowning, the woman noted:
«But you raised Roma as your own… And he loves and respects you, I know that for sure…»
«Roma, of course, has nothing to do with this… But I have the right to know the truth… I only ask you, Svetlana, not to tell anyone yet about our trip and everything we’ve learned…»
She just nodded briefly in agreement. This time she would watch her tongue and not fall for provocations…
Margarita cast a sharp glance at her husband entering the dining room, but his face, as usual, maintained complete calm, bordering on indifference. Something had changed in his behavior lately, something quite imperceptible… But today it seemed, everything was as usual, so there was nothing to worry about… Sighing with relief, the woman with a commanding gesture pointed to a chair:
«Sit down… I’ll pour you some tea… And what’s that?» she nodded at the paper folder in her husband’s hands, and immediately grumbled discontentedly, not even letting him answer, «Bringing work home now?»
Looking at the woman sitting across from him, Sergey could not understand—how had it happened that they had been together for so many years, yet remained as strangers as before they met. He still knew nothing about her… How could he have lived with someone so opposite to Anya. Dark hair, brown eyes, sharply defined eyebrows. And her voice—piercing, sometimes even unpleasant…
«Can you believe what our newlywed said?» the woman complained while pouring tea, «that she and Roma have decided to move to that flea pit in the village… A descendant of princes in a village… What do you think of that?»
Sergey sincerely did not understand where this obsessive idea of nobility came from. Early in their acquaintance, she had mentioned living in some village, and just a few months later a completely coherent and plausible legend about noble ancestors of blue blood had appeared. She even showed some papers and certificates to everyone…
«Rita!» the man said calmly, «And where are your parents?»
The woman raised her eyebrows in surprise.
«They died… Before we met… I told you…»
Sergey slowly opened the folder with documents he had brought, and pulled out the top sheet with printed text.
«According to my information—Kurkin Semyon Fedorovich died only six years ago…» Rita momentarily lost the power of speech, staring at him with widened eyes in surprise, «And Kurkina Valentina Mikhailovna has been living in a nursing home for several years, and during that time no one has visited her… Probably because their only daughter invented other parents and disowned her blood relatives…»
«These are not my parents…» the stunned woman whispered, continuing to insist on her point, «my parents died… Or do you think I’m lying to you?»
«Well, how could I think that?» the husband smirked, pulling another document from the folder.
«And here’s the DNA test result… ours with Roma… read it…» he said, handing her the sheet.
With trembling hands, the wife took the paper and scanned it quickly. Blood drained from her face, and her chest heaved heavily.
«This isn’t true…» she protested desperately, «They must have made a mistake… I’ve heard there can be mistakes… Even in laboratories…»
Slowly, with measured movement, the husband pulled out his last trump card—a medical report from the hospital.
«And here it says that Kurkina Margarita Semyonovna has had three abortions in the last twenty years…»
This argument completely crushed her and practically drove her to hysteria.
«Yes, yes! I did…» she yelled in her husband’s face, no longer restraining her words, «I didn’t want more children… I want to live for myself, not for others…»
Calmly waiting for his wife to vent her anger, Sergey stood up and declared in an utterly even tone.
«After everything I’ve learned in recent days, I want to tell you one thing—you can forgive lies, but you can’t forgive meanness. There’s nothing left that unites us. I’ve already filed for divorce…»
With these words, he turned around and left…
Rumors spread fast… too fast… All acquaintances turned away from Margarita Semyonovna. Even girlfriends, who used to listen for hours to nonsense about aristocratic roots, no longer answered the woman’s calls.
What about girlfriends, even Roma couldn’t understand his own mother and moved away from her with his young wife.
Left alone, the woman became even more enraged at the whole world that had rejected her. Rage and malice gnawed at her soul from the inside, causing her to commit insane aggressive acts. It was a real nervous breakdown, and relatives had no choice but to send Margarita Semyonovna for treatment in a psychiatric clinic…
Outside, Polkan was barking joyfully. Svetlana pushed aside the curtain and saw a familiar car at the gate.
«Who’s arrived?» Natasha asked, grabbing the legs of little Sasha, who was always trying to crawl away and cause mischief.
«Sergey Vladimirovich has arrived with his wife,» Svetlana announced and picked up the restless grandson while her daughter went to greet the guests.
«Where are you off to, birthday boy?» she exclaimed playfully and lightly tossed the boy into the air.
He laughed joyfully, reaching out his little hands to his beloved grandmother. Today he was turning one, and Svetlana had come early to help set up the festive table. Guests were expected to gather for the celebration…
«Hello!» Sergey exclaimed joyfully, entering the room and tenderly embracing his companion. A youthful blue-eyed blonde extended her hand in greeting:
«I’m Anya. Sergey’s wife…»
«Hello, Anna!» the woman shook her hand, «We’ve all heard about you… My name is Svetlana… Please come in…»
Only then did she notice the guest’s significantly rounded belly under the pristine white sweater.
Catching Svetlana’s glance, she laughed:
«Yes, like that… Sergey and I haven’t told anyone yet—we were afraid of jinxing it… A late child… but better late than never?»
With this conclusion, it was impossible to disagree.
«A child is always good…» Svetlana smiled, happy for the two people who had finally found happiness.
Sergey embraced Anya and, overwhelmed with emotion, loudly kissed her on the cheek. Now he looked completely different, nothing like the phlegmatic, sullen man of before. Holding back feelings no longer made sense, and his eyes, glowing with genuine happiness, confirmed this.
«Where’s my favorite grandson?» the man boomed cheerfully, and Sasha squealed happily, hearing his grandfather.
While the guests were busy with the boy, another grandfather—Stepa—arrived. He kissed his daughter-in-law on the cheek and on the move asked:
«And where’s Roman? I don’t see his car…»
«He’ll be here soon… Already on his way,» Natasha responded.
Stepan approached Svetlana and enveloped her with his large warm hands.
«Hello, wife! I promised I’d make it on time…»
They had been married just a month, and the man terribly liked to call her that—wife… More than a year ago, when Natasha and Roman, unexpectedly for everyone, decided to accept the late Andrey’s gift and settle in the village, Stepan and Sergey helped the young couple with the renovation. Svetlana at that time often met with the farmer, they talked a lot, then decided to go on a date, then another… and then realized they loved each other… Not long ago, they moved in together and formalized their relationship officially.
Now Svetlana was the mistress of a large house. Having lived in nature, she realized that this was exactly what she had always wanted. Wealth, which she no longer had to worry about, the unhurried, measured rhythm of life, a beloved man, her daughter, and grandson right next to her… What else does a woman need for happiness?
«Ah, there’s Romka,» Natasha was pleased, looking out the window.
«Hello everyone!» the young master shouted cheerfully from the threshold. Two women followed him inside.
«Margarita Semyonovna! Hello!» the young mother rushed to the pale dark-haired woman.
«Hello, my dear!» she embraced the hostess and glanced around at the guests, «Hello, hello everyone!» she said in a calm, soft voice.
Sergey cautiously looked at the new guest and instinctively recoiled. He still couldn’t get used to the completely new Margarita after her treatment in the clinic. He didn’t trust those psychotherapists…
The mother-in-law turned around and took by the hand a frail old woman standing quietly nearby.
«Please meet my mother, Valentina Mikhailovna…»
The table was noisy and lively, the beloved birthday boy was the center of attention. Guests congratulated him, joked, and played around.
Sergey occasionally glanced at his ex-wife. Noticing this, she seized the moment and moved closer.
«Sergey, we never talked after I returned…»
«Well, there doesn’t seem to be anything to talk about,» the man countered, resentment firmly lodged in his soul.
«I need to… I need to talk to you…» she said quietly. «The doctor advised it… and I want to myself… to confess… and to ask for forgiveness…»
Such words, even such a calm tone, Sergey had never heard from Rita before. Apparently, they really did put her mind in order in the clinic.
«Yes, it’s all right…» he shrugged, «I’m not offended…»
«You are offended…» the woman replied, «I can see that you are offended… I see a lot now… Things I didn’t notice before… when I only thought about myself…» she sighed heavily and continued, «you may not believe me, but I’m now completely a different person… Rather, I’m now exactly the person I should be… yes, it was in the clinic that I realized I had lived someone else’s life… always inventing something, deceiving, pretending… and in the end?.. In an instant, it all crumbled like a house of cards… and I was left completely alone on these ruins…»
Her ex-husband listened initially with some skepticism, but realizing that all this was not falsehood, but genuinely sincere thoughts, he was moved by her speech.
«Now I see the world completely differently,» the woman said, «Because I still have time to correct at least some of my mistakes… I’ve become friends with Natasha—what a wonderful girl… How did I not notice before?.. Probably, I got lost in my own lies and saw everyone through that prism… I adore Sasha, a little miracle, a part of my son, a part of me… Look, I took my mother from the nursing home, she forgave me… Thank her for that… All that’s left is to ask for your forgiveness…»
Looking at his ex-wife’s tear-filled eyes, Sergey suddenly realized that he no longer felt animosity towards this sincerely repentant woman. He pitied her. And then this feeling was replaced by something completely different. Because how much inner strength and courage one must have to admit their mistakes, understand and accept themselves, and start all over.
«I forgive you, Rita!.. And I’m proud of you!..»
Tears rolled down her pale cheeks in large drops. These were tears of gratitude…
Sergey covered her hand with his and smiled sincerely…
Everyone deserves forgiveness… Only if they truly repent…
And to judge… We will not be the judges..
