Vera looked at Alexey in bewilderment, unable to believe her ears.
— Lyosha, don’t you understand that you’re making a huge mistake?
Alexey waved his hand dismissively, showing his impatience.
— Let’s skip the extra drama. I’m simply tired of your constant discontent. It’s the same thing every day. Milana is completely different. She’s like a breath of fresh air to me. And you… I suppose I’m too soft with you, giving you time to pack your things and look for a place to live. You realize that you have no right to demand anything, right? You never worked, so you’re not entitled to my money.
— Lyosha, but you were the one who forbade me from working. You said that for a wife of a man of your status, work is considered an unaffordable luxury.
— Yes, I did say that when you were my wife. But now Milana will take your place, so you’ll have the chance to earn a living on your own.
Vera recalled all these words as she stood in the cemetery before the new grave. Alexey’s happiness with his new beloved turned out to be short-lived — only three years. She knew for sure that the last year of their marriage was full of suffering. Alexey’s illness also raised many questions.
He suspected Milana of adding something to his food or drinks. He even started his own investigation and shared it with Vera, but he never completed it…
A month before his demise, Alexey had come to her, apologizing. He talked about his life, looked sick, and her heart ached from his torment. Now, standing in the cemetery, Vera shifted her gaze to the elegant Milana, whose dark-veiled face was accompanied by a young companion.
She had heard the whispers of those present at the funeral, condemning Milana for her insensitivity. Vera decided: the investigation must be continued. Even though Alexey had betrayed her, she still loved him. Yes, he had acted like the ultimate scoundrel, but he did not deserve such a fate. Vera sighed and headed for the exit. At the gate, someone called her. It was Milana.
— I hope you understand that you won’t receive anything from my husband’s inheritance, — she said in an icy tone.
Her face twisted with malice, although Vera had given no reason for such suspicions. They stood in silence for several seconds, like two foes ready for battle. Then Vera turned and walked away, hearing from behind:
— Don’t you dare even try to get anything!
Alexey was being treated at a clinic chosen by Milana, but Vera knew that was only part of the story. It turned out that he was secretly being observed elsewhere, something almost no one knew about. All the details were shrouded in secrecy, and it seemed he was afraid of it being exposed.
— Hello? Vera Nikolaevna, you need to be present for the reading of the will.
— A will? — Vera bitterly smiled. — Could it be that my ex still left me something?
— I’m sorry, Vera Nikolaevna, but it’s impossible to discuss the contents over the phone. Can you come over?
— Of course, I will, — she replied.
Vera smirked: she didn’t need his money, but she was curious to see Milana’s reaction to the reading of the will.
Milana was in an excellent mood, accompanied by the same young man who smirked self-satisfiedly as he met Vera’s gaze. As expected, all the property, including the real estate, was transferred to Milana. However, at the end the notary announced an additional item — a house in a remote village located a hundred kilometers from the city.
Milana burst out laughing:
— An old wife gets old junk! But don’t worry, Verochka, I won’t take away this shack from you. After all, you have nowhere to live — you’re a tenant. Now you have your very own “apartment”!
Vera said nothing, took the documents, and left the office. “The beginning of a little adventure,” she thought as she examined the address.
She had a free day on the weekend, and she decided to go there immediately, wondering why Alexey owned a house in such a forgotten corner.
The journey took almost three hours. Twice she took the wrong road and began to get irritated:
— How can the roads be marked so poorly? No signs, no proper turns.
Finally, she saw the needed sign:
— Finally!
The village was strange: just a few kilometers back there were signs of civilization, and now there were old wooden houses, many of which had long been abandoned. “I wonder which one is mine now?” she thought, comparing it with the photograph. The house stood at the very end of the village. She sighed — instead of a road there was only trodden grass and tire tracks.
Vera slowly made her way along the overgrown grassy road, her car bouncing on roots and bumps. Stopping in front of the house, she sat in the car for a while, surveying the area. At first glance, the building looked abandoned, if not for the matted grass by the porch — it seemed someone visited regularly. And the tire tracks by the gate suggested that cars sometimes drove in.
“Could it be that Lyosha left me a house with tenants?” she wondered. Turning off the engine, Vera decisively got out of the car and headed for the gate, which let out a piercing creak. Startled by the sudden sound, she even flinched. Climbing onto the porch, she found the door unlocked. Smirking to herself — “of course, it’s a village” — she went inside. The assumption that locals might come here and take away everything valuable seemed logical.
However, when she pulled the door and stepped over the threshold, surprise completely overtook her: the air was filled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. That smell in an abandoned house seemed completely impossible. She scanned the room: it was clean and cozy inside, and there was a laptop on the table. The house was clearly inhabited.
— Don’t be afraid, — a familiar voice said.
Vera turned sharply, but all her eyes saw was darkness before everything around her vanished.
— Vera, wake up! I’m sorry for frightening you like that, but I had no other choice.
She struggled to open her eyes. Before her sat Alexey, and Vera herself was lying on a sofa. She reached out and cautiously touched him — he was alive, warm. His appearance had noticeably improved compared to their last meeting.
— Lyosha… did I die? — she whispered.
He smiled gently:
— Of course not. No one died.
— Then whose funeral did we attend recently? — she asked, shocked.
Alexey shrugged:
— A mannequin. A very expensive and high-quality one.
Vera shook her head, trying to comprehend what was happening:
— I don’t understand anything. What’s going on here?
Alexey leaned back in his chair and began to explain. Vera already suspected much. Milana’s lover had returned from India, where, according to Alexey, he had acquired a slow-acting poison. It was the doctor chosen by Milana who had gradually been poisoning him.
At first, Alexey hadn’t suspected that anything was wrong. Suspicion only arose after most of his property had been transferred to Milana.
— You see, I had to do something to stop it, — he continued. — I talked with Mishka, remember his clinic on Vasilevsky? We decided that I needed to “die.” The risk was that Milana might decide to use the final dose of poison prematurely. But everything turned out perfectly. Now there are only a few details left. And I realize that I have deeply hurt you, but you’re the only one who can help me.
They talked until deep into the night. Alexey detailed his plan, and Vera immediately agreed. How could she refuse, looking at her living husband, whom she mourned every night?
That night they spent together. Vera approached him herself, and he silently buried his nose in her hair. The only thing he said was:
— Forgive me.
In the morning, Alexey was preparing to leave. Holding his hand, she quietly replied:
— I forgive you.
Vera watched with a slight irony as Milana’s face flushed with anger:
— What new will? This is complete nonsense! What gifts? Everything has long belonged to me!
— There is reason to believe that something was added to Alexey’s drinks. Otherwise, how can you explain that he transferred to you property that had previously been gifted to other people? — Vera calmly explained.
Milana jumped up, outraged:
— What do you mean by “added something”? It’s all mine, and I intend to sell it tomorrow!
The notary coughed:
— I’m sorry, but the sale will have to be suspended. The situation requires a detailed investigation, so all documentation is temporarily frozen.
Milana shot Vera a spiteful look:
— For this you will pay very dearly, and very soon! — she hissed, grabbing her lover by the hand. — Shall we talk?
— Of course, we’ll talk, — Vera replied impassively.
Milana continued with a smirk:
— Do you think I’ll give you anything? You’re mistaken. I’ve invested a lot of time in your Alexey. You’ll end up in the same place where he is now.
— Are you going to poison me slowly, like him? — Vera smirked.
Milana looked at her intently:
— You’re smarter than I thought. Yes, I was slowly poisoning Alexey to seize as much as possible. But with you, it will be different. The sooner you disappear, the better for me. In India there are poisons that work instantly and leave no trace. Our doctors will never detect them.
She laughed loudly, but suddenly Alexey appeared in the room. When Milana’s lover approached Vera, Alexey struck him swiftly, knocking him out. Milana screamed in horror upon seeing the man she thought was dead and tried to escape. However, people in uniform immediately surrounded her.
Vera began trembling with agitation, and Alexey gently took her hand:
— Thank you. But we still have one unfinished business.
They headed back to the notary. Judging by his reaction, he was aware of all the events and was not at all surprised. Alexey transferred half of his property to Vera, then stood up and quietly said:
— Forgive me. This is the least I could do for you. Perhaps I’ll go to the village. I don’t want to be in your sight.
Vera wandered aimlessly around the apartment. “Why?” she pondered. It would seem she should be happy: Alexey was alive, she was now rich and completely independent. But inside, she only felt emptiness. Something was clearly wrong. And suddenly it dawned on her: she needed Alexey — her Lyosha. Despite the pain, she continued to love him.
Vera hurriedly dashed out of the house, got into her car, and abruptly drove off. Now her path was clear — she knew what she had to do. Upon entering the village, she noticed the first lights appearing in the windows of the nearby houses. Stopping on a small hill, she took several deep breaths to calm herself. Her gaze fell on the window of Alexey’s house, where a soft glow had just lit up.
— Wonderful. Everything is going exactly as it should, — she whispered to herself.
A few minutes later, she parked at the gate, turned off the engine, and slowly got out of the car. Every movement seemed mechanical, as if her body acted on its own while her mind still hesitated. Suddenly, a thought flashed through her head:
“What if he no longer wants me? If his feelings for me have changed?”
But she quickly dismissed these doubts, deciding that everything would soon be clear. Opening the gate, she saw Alexey already descending the porch steps toward her. His eyes were intently studying her face.
— Are you sure? I’ve caused you so much pain. Such things are not easily forgiven, — he said seriously.
— Yes, you’re right, it’s hard to forgive, — Vera replied. — But I’m willing to try. We both can give this a chance.
Alexey embraced her tightly and sighed softly:
— It seems I had to go through all this to understand how deeply I love you. To realize that without you, I cannot live. If you can find room in your heart for forgiveness, I promise: I will never hurt you again.
Vera also sighed, looking him straight in the eyes:
— Lyosha, let’s try to forget everything that happened. Let’s start over. We are young — only forty years old. We have the chance to begin a new chapter of our lives.
Three months later, a trial was held against Milana and her accomplice. Vera couldn’t attend — she suddenly felt unwell. Alexey was in a state of extreme agitation and, as soon as the verdict began to be read, he immediately rushed home. Vera met him with a special, radiant smile.
— Vera, how are you feeling?
— Not “I,” but “we,” — she replied with a mysterious smile.
— “We”? What do you mean? Did someone come?
— Not yet, but in seven months, someone definitely will.
Alexey stared at her face for a long time, trying to comprehend what he had heard, then, astonished, asked:
— Is it true? You’re not joking?
— No, dear. It’s the plain truth.
Alexey, hardly believing his luck, scooped her up in his arms and spun her around in the air as if she were weightless. Finally, setting her down, he said:
— You know, every day by your side becomes more wonderful. I thought I had reached the peak of happiness, but now I see I was mistaken. Life with you is an endless source of joy.
