Anna stood by the window, holding her son, who had just begun to recognize her face. The difficult day was drawing to a close, and the evening light barely made its way through the curtains. The house was nearly empty: an old sofa, a worn-out nightstand, and a baby crib bought with the last of her money. Her husband had left a few months ago, leaving her alone with an infant and a pile of debts.
Anna didn’t allow herself to cry. Each day was filled with caring for the baby and trying to find some work. Today, fortune finally smiled on her: she was offered a job as a cleaner in a large house on the outskirts of the town. The salary wasn’t high, but it was a lifeline for her.
The next day, after putting her son to sleep, Anna went to work. The house she arrived at was a real palace. Tall marble columns, huge windows, and a sparkling fountain at the entrance. The owner of the house, Mikhail, was a young entrepreneur who had inherited the business from his father. He hardly paid any attention to his employees, completely absorbed in his business.
«Are you Anna?» Mikhail looked at her as she entered the hall.
«Yes, it’s me.» She tried to speak confidently, though she felt awkward in her modest clothes.
«Good. Start with the living room, there was a meeting there yesterday.» He nodded and returned to his phone.
Anna silently nodded and got to work. She wasn’t bothered by the glitter of chandeliers or the expensive carpets. She only saw stains, dust, and rubbish that needed to be cleaned. The work was engaging, helping to distract her from thoughts of her dire situation.
Mikhail occasionally noticed her. He didn’t know why, but his gaze often lingered on how carefully she wiped the dust off fragile figurines or smoothed the creases on the sofa covers. Her movements were quick but precise, and her face expressed total concentration. Once, he even stopped in the doorway of his office, watching her try to reach the top shelf of a bookcase using a small stool.
«Need help?» he asked unexpectedly, startling her.
«Oh, no, thank you!» She nearly lost her balance but managed to stabilize herself. «I can handle it.»
Mikhail slightly smiled, shrugged, and left, but a thoughtful shadow lingered on his face.
Days passed in monotony. Mikhail hardly noticed her, and she tried not to catch his eye. But one day, everything changed.
«Anna, wait.» Mikhail stopped her at the exit. «You’re always so quiet. How are you?»
«Fine, thank you.» She smiled tensely, sensing that the conversation could become uncomfortable.
«Do you have children?» he suddenly asked, looking into her tired eyes.
Anna froze. She didn’t want to tell him, but she couldn’t lie.
«Yes, a son. He’s only six months old.»
Mikhail raised his eyebrows in surprise.
«And you work as a cleaner, leaving him alone?»
«I have no other choice.» Her voice trembled, but she quickly composed herself. «It’s none of your concern.»
He didn’t reply, but their conversation had affected him. That night, he thought long about Anna and her life.
The next day, watching her, he noticed how she paused by a window in one of the rooms. Her gaze held a sadness and fatigue she usually hid behind an indifferent mask. She stood there for a moment, lost in thought, then returned to her work.
In the evening, Mikhail sat in his office for a long time. He replayed the moments he had seen over the past days: her focus, caution, but also the hidden weakness she never showed.
Returning home after work, Anna found a strange note on her door.
«What’s this?» she muttered, opening the envelope. Inside was a key and an address.
«Come to this house tomorrow.» The signature was succinct: Mikhail.
She couldn’t understand what it meant. In the morning, leaving her son with a neighbor, Anna drove to the address provided. The house was small but cozy. Mikhail was waiting for her at the gate.
«It’s sort of a thank you.» His voice was calm, but his eyes betrayed his nerves. «I found out how hard it is for you and decided I could help.»
«But… I can’t accept this.» Anna shook her head in confusion. «It’s too much.»
«Anna, this isn’t charity. It’s… an opportunity. For you and your son.» Mikhail stepped closer. «You deserve better.»
She looked at him, tears welling in her eyes. For the first time in a long time, she felt she wasn’t alone in this world.
«Thank you.» Her voice was barely audible, but it carried genuine gratitude. Her lips trembled as if she was about to cry. Anna hugged herself as if to protect against her own vulnerability. Tears streamed down her cheeks, not just tears of relief but reflecting the weight of the past months. «You have no idea what this means to me… and for my son.» She looked at Mikhail with deep gratitude, causing him to momentarily look away, feeling uncomfortably conspicuous.
Mikhail clenched his hands in his pockets and quietly said:
«Anna, I’ve seen how you work. Seen how you strive, even when it’s hard. This isn’t just help. This is my confidence in you.»
She looked up, surprised by his words. For the first time, someone saw not just her vulnerability but also her strength.
«You don’t know me,» she whispered. «Why are you doing this for me?»
«Because I can,» he replied after a pause. «Because I believe that good should return to this world. And, maybe, I just want you to smile more often.»
Anna chuckled softly, wiping away her tears.
«Smile? It’s been a long time since I could. But you… you’ve made it possible. Thank you, Mikhail.»
Mikhail smiled faintly, but a shadow of sadness flickered in his eyes. He lowered his gaze and quietly added:
«Anna, I understand how you feel. You know, my life wasn’t always like it is now. My childhood…» he paused briefly, deciding whether to continue. «It was difficult. We often had no money. My father left us when I was a child. My mother worked two jobs so we could just live. I saw her exhaustion every day.»
Anna listened attentively, sensing he was opening up to her in a way he might not have done with anyone else.
«I know what it’s like to be afraid of tomorrow because you don’t know how you’ll get through it. As a child, I remember sitting in the dark because the electricity was turned off for non-payment. My mom often skipped dinner, saying she wasn’t hungry, but I knew it wasn’t true. Sometimes we had to eat the same dish for several days simply because we couldn’t afford anything else.»
Mikhail paused as if memories were overwhelming him.
«I know what it’s like to fear for a loved one when you can’t change anything. I remember once my mom got sick but couldn’t go to the doctor because we couldn’t even afford medicine. She lay on the couch, trying to smile at me so I wouldn’t worry, but I could see she was suffering. Those moments are etched in your memory forever. And looking at you, I remember her. My mom. You’re strong, Anna. And you deserve help.»
His words struck right at her heart. Anna felt a wave of warmth and gratitude wash over her.
«You… you don’t have to do this, Mikhail,» she whispered. «But your words… they mean so much to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.»
He nodded, feeling that their conversation was just beginning to weave an invisible thread between them.
Since then, much has changed. Anna started a new life in the house that became her true refuge. And Mikhail, unexpectedly, became part of that life. Their stories were yet to be intertwined in the future, but they were already closer to each other.
