«Dear court, have you still not realized that this cunning woman decided she could just snatch a part of the company and property honestly earned by our family?!» shouted the mother-in-law, jumping up from her seat.
«Zinaida Pavlovna, please sit down. We will certainly hear you out, but later,» the judge said irritably, calming the agitated woman. «Valeriya Sergeyevna, in your statement regarding the case, you mentioned that Ruslan Viktorovich asked you to invest the money from the sale of your grandmother’s apartment into the business. Do you have any documents to support this fact?»
Valeriya paused for a moment. She had no documents to confirm the transfer of money. She sold her grandmother’s apartment to prepare for a serious heart operation for her mother. Then, a quota for free treatment became available, and she was put on the waiting list for the surgery. That’s when Ruslan insisted on opening another branch, arguing that this amount could be multiplied several times.
«There are no separate documents confirming this fact, but there is a receipt for the transfer of funds to the company’s account,» Valeriya said sadly.
«Very interesting, there could be hundreds of such receipts. She was our accountant!» Ruslan declared boldly, looking at his wife with hatred.
«No need to shout, you will also have a chance to speak,» the judge noted, looking sternly at the man.
«May I ask Valeriya Sergeyevna a question?» asked the husband’s family lawyer.
«Yes, please,» the judge replied, looking sympathetically at the woman.
«Valeriya Sergeyevna, you claim you sold the apartment to invest the money in the development of the construction company. However, an external audit shows that the company was doing very well and the multimillion-dollar profits confirm this. As an accountant, you must have been aware of the financial status of the company. Why were additional funds needed from outside if the Shuvalov family business was already flourishing?» the lawyer asked cunningly.
«The idea was to open a new branch, and we didn’t want to divert assets from the main business,» Valeriya responded nervously, aware that Ruslan’s lawyer was a real shark in his field.
«I see. But, for example, the receipts for the transfer of funds to the contractor who was renovating the building and offices in the main office at the time the branch was opened show that there were indeed free funds in the company’s accounts,» the lawyer triumphantly said, handing the printouts of the bank documents to the judge.
Valeriya felt as if she were falling into an abyss. As if in a dream, she watched her lawyer, who was doing his utmost to prove that she had invested her money in the company. But Ruslan’s side brought witnesses who confirmed that it was false, that the accountant had specifically ensnared the son of the late owner of the company to gain access to the family’s wealth. The mother-in-law venomously stated that the daughter-in-law was a deceitful swindler, often caught red-handed when trying to conduct financial fraud.
Valeriya’s head spun from everything happening. It seemed as if the judge’s office had shrunk, and the walls were closing in on her so tightly that it became hard to breathe. A feeling of doom and fear for the future crawled into her soul and tore everything inside with cold, steel claws as the judge read the decree in which Valeriya’s claim was dismissed and, after the divorce, she was left with nothing.
«So, it didn’t work out to strip us bare?» the mother-in-law sarcastically asked as she passed by the woman.
«Why are you doing this to me?» Valeriya asked with tears in her voice.
«I told my husband, God rest his soul, that you were a tricky girl and liked to pocket others’ money too much. Couldn’t fool him, so you took on my son. You need to know your place. Or else life will punish you, as you see,» Zinaida Pavlovna hissed evilly, looking at her former daughter-in-law with contempt.
«But you know I invested all the money I had saved for my mother’s surgery in the company. What am I supposed to do now?» Valeriya asked her mother-in-law in horror.
«You yourself said that the surgery would be done for free. Valeriya, stop playing the pity card! You lived in luxury at our house! Do you seriously think we owe you anything else? Shameless! I’m glad you and Rusik don’t have children, so forget about us. Thought you were the smartest? I promise – no one in this city will hire you! And change your last name!» Zinaida Pavlovna expressed her thoughts and, snorting, walked into the corridor.
Valeriya looked around bewildered: her lawyer was gathering papers, her ex-husband quickly turned away and rushed out of the room, only the judge, an attractive elderly woman, looked at the girl attentively and, passing by, said:
«Hold on, Valeriya. You are a smart girl, and everything will be fine in your life. I am sure of it. My experience tells me that life sometimes brings very big surprises.»
Valeriya’s lawyer approached her and assured that he was going to appeal the court’s decision and obtain a retrial, but of course, for a certain fee, which the client did not have. However, she already understood that fighting against the Shuvalovs was futile in any case.
Valeriya stepped outside. The city was swept by cold February snow, twilight was falling, and lights were turning on in the windows of the high-rises. People hurried home to their little world of familiar square meters. For the last two months, Lera had rented an apartment close to the office, but soon the date for the next rental payment was approaching, and she had no money. She had resigned from her job of her own accord, immediately after breaking up with Ruslan. Her financial reserves were small – enough to rent an apartment for two months and pay for a caregiver for her mother. She had even been drastically saving on food for the last couple of weeks. She had hoped her husband would return her money, so when he refused, she filed a lawsuit, confident that the law was on her side. But it turned out that the law favored those with good connections and false witnesses.
Lera suddenly felt an overwhelming fatigue and thought how nice it would be to just disappear from this life. But then she burst into tears, imagining what would happen to her mother if she took such a drastic step.
For some reason, she remembered her childhood. They had lived very poorly, but Lera only realized this when she grew up. Her mother, who had raised her without a father, did everything possible to make her daughter happy. She always had the most beautiful dresses, made from old clothes of her mother’s and grandmother’s. She never felt deprived. Her mother worked as a janitor at a school, and on weekends sold knitted socks and scarves at the market, and took orders for sewing clothes. Lera loved her dearly and always tried to please her with good grades; she was an obedient and kind girl. After graduating from school, she easily got admitted to university on a scholarship, choosing to study economics.
Valeriya ended up at the Shuvalovs’ company for an internship in her fourth year of university. The head of the firm, Viktor Stepanovich, immediately noticed the smart girl, offering her a job. With paternal care, he talked about the rules of doing business, admired her grasp and ability to assess risks, create business plans, and make necessary calculations. After six months, Lera felt like a fish in water in conducting tenders, signing contracts, preparing estimates, and handling tax issues.
Several times in the office, she encountered the owner’s wife, who looked suspiciously at the beautiful young woman who had become virtually Viktor Stepanovich’s right hand. She suspected that Valeriya was the boss’s mistress, but he would twirl his finger at his temple when his wife voiced her nasty thoughts.
Zinaida Pavlovna was not interested in her husband’s business but loved to give orders to his subordinates, each time repeating that it depended on her whether they would work there.
The spouses often argued about their son Ruslan, who just couldn’t finish university, continuously taking academic leaves, and constantly asking for money for entertainment. The mother, fervently, defended her only child, convincing her husband, who demanded that the son get involved in the business, that the boy still had time to immerse himself in work.
One day, as Lera was leaving the office, she bumped into a handsome young man. He politely held the door for her and joked that he never believed in fairy tales until he met a real fairy. She blushed then, but his beautiful brown eyes immediately captivated her. The next day, the same guy was waiting for her on the street after work. That’s how their romance began. They spent a lot of time walking around the city, eating ice cream, laughing, and riding on a riverboat. The girl did not immediately realize that her Ruslan was the son of Viktor Stepanovich.
Madly in love, she was very happy and did not understand why the owner of the firm was so skeptical about the moral qualities of his only heir. Only later, when the veil of passion fell from her eyes, did Lera begin to analyze their relationship and saw what she had previously refused to notice. Ruslan could disappear for several days without warning, then come up with some excuses, brushing off her worries. There were often incidents when he would drive completely intoxicated. He upset Lera when he joked that he couldn’t wait for his father’s death to inherit his money. And his ability to solve all problems was also annoying – he would call his mother for any reason, and she would get everyone on their feet if her son needed something.
Valeriya’s mother, listening to her daughter’s stories about her beloved, shook her head and asked her to think carefully before tying her life to such a man. But the girl was blind then—she was drawn to Ruslan and did not want to see her lover’s faults.
Viktor Stepanovich, on one hand, was pleased that Lera would become his daughter-in-law, but on the other, he did not hide from the girl that his son was a good-for-nothing. Meanwhile, Zinaida Pavlovna smiled sweetly at the future bride and enthusiastically took charge of organizing the wedding. The entire local elite was invited. From Valeriya’s side, there was only her mother Irina Gennadievna and two university friends. During the wedding, while giving her best wishes, the mother-in-law laughingly said that the Shuvalov family were simple people and did not mind marrying even the children of janitors.
The mother was very offended and left the wedding despite Lera’s pleas to stay. The outraged girl asked her young husband to talk to his mother, but he declared that his mother-in-law simply did not understand jokes. Viktor Stepanovich then got terribly angry at his wife, they had a fight, which caused the man to have a heart attack, and he was taken to the hospital. Two days later, this wonderful man was gone.
Subsequently, Zinaida Pavlovna constantly tried to jab her daughter-in-law, reminding her that it was her family that had driven the elder Shuvalov to death.
The company officially passed into the mother-in-law’s hands, and she began to lead, issuing some absurd orders and dragging the successful business down. Valeriya explained to her husband that if his mother did not change her management principles, the company would soon collapse.
Ruslan did speak to Zinaida Pavlovna, and she allowed the daughter-in-law and son to join the management. The firm specialized in large construction projects and largely depended on tenders. Lera, with her experience working with Viktor Stepanovich, skillfully prepared the necessary documentation, managed the accounting, and dealt with issues of opening branches. Ruslan occasionally came to the office, complaining that he found paperwork boring. Most of the time, he claimed to be on sites, overseeing construction processes.
After six months of married life, during which the spouses only met late in the evening, the girl realized that her choice had been mistaken—Ruslan had courted Lera specifically, at his mother’s advice, to win his father’s favor. She decided to have a difficult conversation with her husband, but suddenly a neighbor of her mother called and said that Irina Gennadievna had been taken away by an ambulance.
The diagnosis was grim—she needed heart surgery, which could only be performed in a capital city clinic. Their region did not have enough quotas, so money had to be found for paid treatment. Valeriya made a quick decision—she still had her grandmother’s apartment in the city, which she sold as quickly as possible. Ruslan was by her side all this time—accompanying realtors during showings, negotiating with potential buyers, driving Lera to the hospital, and she felt they might still become a normal family.
But a few weeks later, the treating doctor called and said that additional quotas had been allocated, so in four months, Irina Gennadievna could be taken to the capital for free treatment. The girl shared the good news with her husband, who immediately began persuading her to invest the money from the apartment sale in opening another company branch in a neighboring region. Lera initially refused because she wanted to renovate her mother’s house and keep the money for post-operative rehabilitation, but her husband reasonably claimed that the expansion would bring good income, several times exceeding the invested amount.
That’s how Valeriya first ran out of money, and a few days later, returning home in the afternoon for documents forgotten in the morning, she discovered that Ruslan had a mistress.
Pretty secretary Katya from one of the branches, who was then covered with a blanket, foolishly muttered something, and her husband, clearly not expecting to see his wife, said that Lera should not make a tragedy out of this situation and that it was normal, as all men need freedom.
Shaking off the unpleasant memories, the girl slowly wandered through the city, trying to figure out what to do next. She needed to earn money for the caregiver and medication for her mother, moreover, she must not let her mother find out that Lera had divorced her husband and was left with nothing, because such news could kill her. Remembering the mother-in-law’s words in court, she had no doubt that Zinaida Pavlovna would do everything possible to ensure the former daughter-in-law could not get a job as an accountant anywhere. She could work as a salesperson or, for example, a courier, but their city was not very large, so there was a high chance that one of her mother’s acquaintances might see Valeriya in her new job and tell Irina Gennadievna everything.
Shivering from the cold, Lera quickened her pace. It had already darkened outside, and a blizzard was starting. As the girl walked past the glowing store windows, a gust of wind suddenly threw a newspaper right into her face. Cursing, Valeriya picked up the crumpled press and suddenly saw an advertisement circled in red marker «Waiters required in the dining car of long-distance trains.» She looked around in surprise, but passersby hurried home, paying no attention to the girl frozen in the middle of the sidewalk.
In the morning, Lera called the number in the advertisement and, two hours later, was invited to work as a trainee waiter. Her train’s departure was scheduled in a couple of days, so after a quick orientation and passing the necessary tests for a medical book, she called her mother and lied that she had to go to a site in another region.
The next day, her train was already at the station platform and Valeriya, in her beautiful new uniform, together with another waiter, were finishing up preparations and getting ready to depart. Her co-worker’s name was Kostya. He was a cheerful twenty-year-old guy who warmly welcomed the newbie, promising to teach her everything. The dining car manager, Alexander Petrovich, a short elderly man with a large belly, who upon learning that the new waitress was only twenty-two years old, sighed heavily:
Why have I been saddled with this kindergarten? Watch it—if you slack off, I’ll drop you off at some remote station, and you’ll be walking home!»
Kostya made a funny face at the departing director and whispered to Lera:
«Our Kolobok is furious. But don’t be afraid of him, he’s actually a decent guy.»
The train started moving, and the restaurant team got to work: Kostya went off to distribute food through the carriages, while Valeriya stayed to serve the passengers under the supervision of Alexander Petrovich. Throughout the day, various passengers came in: families with children, business trip groups, elderly couples. Many of them left the waitress decent tips. Valeriya liked her new job. Outside the window, villages and cities flashed by, landscapes changed, and it seemed that the train was carrying her away from all her problems, lulling her with its steady clack of wheels.
The next day it was Valeriya’s turn to deliver orders through the carriages. Confidently, she rolled out the cart and, in a great mood, set off to fulfill her duties.
Her enthusiasm waned within a minute when the cart got stuck in the passageway between the carriages. No matter how hard Lera tried, she couldn’t budge it. Fortunately, a conductor from the neighboring carriage, hearing the strange commotion, came out into the passageway and effortlessly pulled the cumbersome apparatus onto a flat surface.
«Who are you?» the man asked bluntly.
«Postman Pechkin,» joked the girl, surprised by the question, given her uniform and cart clearly indicated she was a waitress.
«No, seriously. Are you from the dining car? And where’s Valera?» the conductor continued to inquire.
«I have no idea… My partner’s name is Kostya, I don’t know anyone else here,» Lera replied, getting irritated.
«Well, right, Kostya told me yesterday that he has a new partner named Valera,» the man said, confused.
«I’m actually Valeriya,» the girl laughed.
«Ah, Kostya, what a joker, I’ll catch him. He assured me that the new waiter was a big guy with huge hands who’d help me with the boiler,» the man smiled and added, «and I’m Dima.»
«Nice to meet you, Dima. Now let me get going before Alexander Petrovich fires me and I really will have to fix your boiler,» Lera replied.
«Wait! I’ll help you now,» Dima grabbed the cart and rolled it down the carriage, «look, you’re now in the showcase carriage of the best conductor in the world.»
«Wow, is there such an award?»
«Not yet, but if there is, you already guessed who’d get it,» the guy laughed loudly.
He was a tall, broad-shouldered man around thirty-five, with hair black as pitch and a beautiful smile. Suspecting that the new acquaintance was flirting to start a no-strings-attached service romance on the road, the girl suddenly got angry.
«Dima, do you help all the waitresses like this?»
«No, only the pretty ones like you,» Dmitry winked, and Lera realized her suspicions were justified.
«So, while your wife is at home worrying about her husband, you’re here hitting on new staff?» Lera blurted out angrily.
«My wife probably isn’t worrying too much, we’ve been divorced for a while,» Dmitry parried, «women like you love only until they meet someone richer.»
«What are you saying? A witch for a wife, and he’s a saint—classic!» she said theatrically, feigning gasps.
«Maybe not a saint, of course, but not one to wander into others’ yards,» Dima retorted and, handing the cart back to the waitress, added irritably, «you can manage the rest, I need to attend to my own carriage.»
«I didn’t really want your help that much anyway,» Lera hissed and quickly rolled away down the carriage.
Dmitry watched her go and headed back to his compartment. After a painful divorce, where he was stripped to the bone, he avoided beautiful women obsessed with their looks and money. But there was something special about this Lera, a deep hurt in her eyes that created the deceptive appearance of a vulnerable girl, hiding a very strong personality, in fact.
His ex-wife had fooled him for four years, entertaining a lover while her husband was on trips. Then she met an elderly widower, a large business owner, and filed for divorce, not disdainful in suing for the apartment and the savings he had accumulated for his dream—to build a rehabilitation center for children affected by domestic violence.
Thirty years ago, half-dead from frostbite, he was taken from his alcoholic mother and placed in a district hospital where an elderly nurse, Baba Vera, cared for him and tried to adopt him. But she was single, lacked the necessary income, so he was transferred to an orphanage. Baba Vera came every weekend, bringing simple treats, sometimes he was even allowed to go out with her. Then she passed away. Dmitry was twelve at the time. Shortly before her death, she told him that she had found information about Dmitry’s father and was trying to find his address, that the boy had two younger brothers. But Baba Vera didn’t manage to help him find a family and quietly left him completely alone.
Dmitry finished railway college, got a job as a conductor on a train, started earning well, and was allocated a state apartment. At twenty-five, he met the stunningly beautiful Marina and was lost. He tried so hard to create the family he had always lacked that he didn’t even notice that his young wife was just siphoning money from him, loving shops and nightclubs. She insisted on selling his one-room flat and buying a three-room apartment, claiming she wanted to have children. The new home was registered in her name, who poutingly said that he might leave her and she would be left alone with the kids. Dmitry then hugged his wife tightly and said he would never leave her.
They had trouble conceiving, and after seeing a doctor, the man learned that the consequences of severe childhood injuries would prevent him from becoming a father. He insisted on adopting, but Marina categorically refused and then left him altogether, starting an affair with a wealthier man.
Dmitry promised himself never to trust any woman again and took all the shifts in a row, practically living on the train.
Late in the evening, the conductor went to the dining car. He was ashamed of the words he had said earlier to Valeriya and wanted to apologize to the girl. Lera sat at a table, pensively staring into the darkness outside the window.
«Lera, listen, please forgive me. I didn’t mean to offend you,» Dmitry said softly.
«I was wrong too. I lashed out at you out of nowhere,» the girl smiled at him.
«Friends?» he extended his hand to her.
«Friends,» Lera shook his warm hand, feeling the warmth emanating from this strong man.
«Oh, who are these outsiders in our carriage?» Kostya’s cheerful voice rang out. «Shall we play cards?»
«Let’s, but in my compartment, I need to keep an eye on the heating,» Dmitry offered amiably.
The three of them moved to the next carriage and played cards, laughed, and drank tea until midnight when the figure of Alexander Petrovich appeared in the doorway of the compartment.
«What are you doing here? Off to bed now! You’ll be like sleepy flies in the morning!» Kolobok scolded the waitstaff in a fatherly strict tone.
Laughing, the group dispersed, under the threatening whisper of the dining car director, who, in order not to wake the passengers, quietly described all sorts of punishments he had devised for unruly youth.
As Lera went to bed, she thought about how lucky she was with her new friends. The week had flown by unnoticed. The work was exhausting but it offered the opportunity to earn well. Their group was becoming closer; they spent all their free time together. Valeriya noticed that Dima looked at her in a special way, and she understood that she was attractive to him. And her heart beat faster whenever he sat next to her.
That morning, everything went wrong. Lera was on duty in the restaurant while Kostya served the carriages. She felt awful, blaming it on the lack of sleep due to the night gatherings. Everything slipped from her hands. The girl was carrying coffee to a table for two men who were loudly discussing something, shuffling folders with some documents, when suddenly darkness clouded her vision and she, staggering, dropped a cup right onto their papers.
«Oh Lord! I’m so sorry, I’ll clean this up right away. It was not intentional. What have I done…» Valeriya apologized, tears welling up in her eyes.
«Miss, are you alright? You look very pale,» one of the men asked with concern.
«No, it’s all fine. Let me just wipe this up,» Lera quickly ran for a cloth.
«Listen, we have these documents in electronic format. Don’t worry, they can be reprinted,» the second man reassured her as she returned.
«Really? Thank God! There’s a printer in the next compartment. Let’s go, I can print everything right now. Do you have a USB drive?» Valeriya hurriedly offered help, mentally thanking fate that these people were so understanding.
«Yes, we have a USB drive. If you could, it would be great to print the second version, because we need to work on these papers today. By the way, I’m Sergey, and this is my younger brother Alexander.»
«Starting again? ‘Younger brother’ indeed… By three minutes?» Alexander smirked.
«Are you twins?» Lera was surprised. The men looked nothing alike. One had thick light hair and a round, jovial face, while the other reminded her of Dima—tall, with black hair and a strong jawline.
«Yes, twins,» Sergey confirmed.
They went to Dima’s car, and he agreed to print the documents after learning about the mishap with Lera.
While connecting the laptop, Dmitry asked Lera concernedly, «How are you? You look a bit off.»
«Thanks a lot. What a thing to say to a girl,» Lera tried to joke, desperately suppressing waves of nausea.
The men loaded the documents and began printing. Lera, seeing that they were about tenders for construction, stared interestedly at the screen.
«Your budget estimate is wrong, you won’t win any tenders like this,» she said offhandedly, noticing the surprised looks from the brothers.
«She’s an accountant,» Dima laughed, and seeing the men’s silent question, waved it off, «It’s a very long and complicated story.»
«Could you take a look at our papers? Maybe you could give some advice?» Alexander asked cautiously.
«I can, but a bit later. I need to pack some lunches, and then I’ll be free. How about in an hour?» Lera agreed.
The train stopped at the next station and Kostya, running into the restaurant, asked if they needed anything from the station.
«Kostya, could you pop into the pharmacy?» asked Valeriya.
«No problem. What do you need?»
«Could you please buy me two pregnancy tests,» she whispered.
«Lera, what, are you pregnant?» the young man exclaimed.
«Don’t shout. It’s just a suspicion,» Valeriya scolded him.
An hour later, the businessman brothers entered the restaurant and Lera, having reviewed the documentation, delivered a bleak verdict.
«Guys, it’s all wrong. You’ve missed a lot of factors—from the registration of land plots to profit taxation.»
«Could you adjust the estimate?» Sergey asked.
«Yes, but I need a computer, internet access, and your company documents,» she replied.
«We can provide all that. Valeriya, could we offer you a job? Remote. You would be our accountant, as we’ve been unable to find a good economist and accountant for the second year after our previous one retired,» Sergey proposed.
Thinking that a side job wouldn’t hurt, the girl joyfully agreed, and spent all night studying the company’s documents, stumbling upon an interesting fact—the competitors of the brothers-builders were her ex-husband’s company. Lera, silently asking God for forgiveness for wanting revenge on the Shuvalov family, sketched out a plan to secure the land plots and financing for construction right under her ex-husband and his mother’s noses.
In the morning, after coming out of the restroom, she ran into Kostya:
«So, did you take the test?» he asked anxiously.
«Listen, you’re so nervous, as if I’m pregnant with your child,» Lera replied, hiding her tears.
«You’re like a sister to me. Of course, I’m nervous,» said Kostya.
«I’m pregnant,» Valeriya said sadly and burst into tears.
«What’s wrong, Lera? Everything will be fine. We’ll raise it. It’ll grow up to be a good person,» Konstantin comforted the crying girl.
«Raise it? Are you applying for the role of dad?» she smiled.
«Well, definitely as a godfather,» the guy solemnly assured.
«Just don’t tell anyone, okay? I need to take care of my mom, so I don’t want to lose my job right now.»
«Agreed! From this day on, I am the grave,» said Kostya and ran off to work.
Lera thought, looking out the window. A child was not in her plans now, but was very much wanted. Imagining soon seeing tiny hands, Lera smiled. She thought her mother would also be happy with the news. Only she couldn’t decide whether to tell Ruslan about her condition.
Entering the restaurant, she saw Dmitry, who was frowning and discussing something with Kostya.
«Hello,» Lera greeted.
«We need to talk,» the man replied abruptly and, taking her hand, pulled her into the vestibule.
«Dima, what’s wrong?»
«Maybe you can tell me? How do you plan to push carts, carry products from the warehouse, and then work as an accountant at night while pregnant?» Dmitry asked indignantly.
«Firstly, it’s still early in the pregnancy. Secondly, I’ll manage, I have no other choice. And thirdly, will you visit me in prison?» Lera asked.
«In prison? Why?» Dima was surprised.
«I’m going to kill Kostya, and they’ll put me in jail,» she answered calmly, planning to return to the restaurant and deal with her friend.
«Oh, so you trusted Kostya, but I didn’t deserve it?» the man got angry.
The train abruptly stopped, and Lera, swaying, fell into his arms. Somehow their lips found each other, and the girl felt a pleasant shiver run through her body and closed her eyes.
«Wow, I didn’t know you were…,» Kostya’s voice was heard, and Valeriya chased after the guy, trying to hit him with a towel.
Dima leaned against the vestibule wall, tasting her lips and realizing he was madly in love with this willful girl, much younger than him. He thought she would definitely break his heart, but decided that he would fight for her.
Lera avoided Dima all day, unsure of how to proceed. She felt he would definitely not want to tie his life to a woman who was expecting another man’s child. At night, after finishing several sections of the tender documentation, she turned off the light in her compartment and lay awake for a long time. She very much wanted the strong man from the next carriage to be with her, but didn’t know what to say. Deciding she wouldn’t sleep until they talked, Valeriya put on a robe and quietly opened the door, almost screaming in fright at the dark figure standing in the doorway.
Dima had been debating whether to knock on Lera’s compartment when she suddenly appeared in the doorway.
They talked until morning, confessing their love and mistrust of a future together. They kissed for a long time and argued about who would be born.
Another week passed. Dmitry strictly monitored the diet and daily regimen of his beloved, annoyed that she spent a lot of time on financial reports for the brothers. Lera assured him that she felt fine and enjoyed every minute spent with her ‘nuisance,’ as she playfully called him.
One day at lunch, the phone rang, and the caretaker of Lera’s mother informed her that Irina Gennadievna had been urgently hospitalized. Apparently, the former mother-in-law had called her to check on her health, also informing her about the divorce and that Lera was out of work. Horrified, the girl listened to the terrible news, called her mother’s doctor, who said that waiting was deadly, and the operation needed to be performed in the coming days. Lera cried from helplessness and fear for her mother’s life.
Dima didn’t know how to help his beloved—his savings wouldn’t cover even a fifth of the operation’s cost. A call came through and Sergey’s name appeared on the girl’s mobile screen. Taking the call, Dmitry explained Lera’s desperate situation, and the businessman, after learning exactly how much was needed, said they could finance the mother’s treatment in exchange for future accounting services.
Disbelieving her luck, Lera stared for a long time at the figures that appeared on her banking app screen and gratefully thanked the two brothers for their trust and help.
The next day, she was already at the hospital, having taken time off work. Stern Kolobok let Lera go, quickly kissing her cheek and passing along treats for her mother.
The operation was successful. The mother underwent rehabilitation, and Lera, with renewed vigor, took on the task of elevating her saviors’ company to the level of major developers. A week later, she returned to the train, embracing Dima for a long time in the vestibule, bringing tears to the moved Kolobok. Everything was going better than ever, and the brothers’ company managed to snatch a tender from the Shuvalovs, also securing several profitable contracts. The brothers celebrated the victory. Dima and Lera decided to get married, and Kostya eagerly awaited the birth of the baby to become the best godfather.
The day after the celebration, Lera couldn’t reach the brothers and called their office. The secretary informed her that they had been in an accident. Sergey had several fractures and a minor loss of blood, but Sasha was in serious condition, and they were looking for type AB blood for a transfusion. Shocked, Lera, crying, told Dima what had happened.
In the morning, after leaving the restroom, she ran into Kostya:
«So, did you take the test?» he asked eagerly.
«Listen, you’re so nervous, as if I’m pregnant with your child,» Lera replied, holding back tears.
«You’re like a sister to me. Of course, I’m nervous,» said Kostya.
«I am pregnant,» Valeriya said sadly and burst into tears.
«Why so sad, Lera? Everything will be fine. We’ll raise a good person,» Kostya comforted the crying girl.
«Raise? Are you applying for the role of dad?» she smiled.
«Well, definitely as a godfather,» the guy solemnly assured.
«Just don’t tell anyone, okay? I need to care for my mom, so I don’t want to lose my job now.»
«Agreed! From this day on, I am the grave,» said Kostya and hurried off to work.
Lera gazed out the window, deep in thought. A child was not part of her immediate plans, but it was dearly wanted. Imagining soon seeing tiny hands, Lera smiled. She figured her mom would also welcome the news. She was just unsure about informing Ruslan of her condition.
Upon entering the restaurant, she saw Dmitry, who was frowning and discussing something with Kostya.
«Hello,» Lera greeted.
«We need to talk,» Dmitry responded curtly and, taking her hand, led her into the vestibule.
«Dima, what’s wrong?»
«Maybe you can tell me? How do you plan on managing carts and warehouse runs, then working as an accountant at night while pregnant?» Dmitry asked indignantly.
«Firstly, it’s still early. Secondly, I’ll manage, I have no other choice. And thirdly, will you visit me in prison?» Lera asked.
«In prison? Why?» Dmitry was puzzled.
«I’ll kill Kostya, and they’ll lock me up,» she replied calmly, planning to return to the restaurant and deal with her friend.
«Oh, so you trusted Kostya, but I didn’t deserve to know?» Dmitry got angry.
The train suddenly stopped, and Lera, losing balance, fell into his arms. Their lips met unexpectedly, and she felt a pleasant shiver, closing her eyes.
«Wow, I didn’t know you were…,» Kostya’s voice rang out, and Valeriya chased after him, trying to hit him with a towel.
Dmitry leaned against the vestibule wall, savoring the taste of her lips, realizing he was deeply in love with this headstrong, much younger girl. He thought she might break his heart, but decided he would fight for her.
Lera avoided Dmitry all day, unsure how to act. She felt he wouldn’t want a life tied to a woman expecting another man’s child. That night, after finishing some sections of the tender documentation, she turned off the light and lay awake. She longed for the strong man from the next carriage to be with her, but didn’t know what to say. Deciding she couldn’t sleep until they spoke, Lera donned a robe and quietly opened the door, almost screaming when she saw a dark figure in the doorway.
Dmitry had debated knocking on Lera’s compartment when she suddenly appeared before him.
They talked until dawn, confessing their love and their doubts about a shared future. They kissed long and argued about who would be born.
A week later, Dmitry was meticulously monitoring the diet and daily regimen of his beloved, annoyed that she was spending so much time on the financial reports for the brothers. Lera assured him she felt fine and enjoyed every minute with her ‘nuisance,’ as she playfully called him.
One day at lunch, the phone rang, and the caretaker of Lera’s mother informed her that Irina Gennadievna had been urgently hospitalized. Apparently, the former mother-in-law had called to inquire about her health, also informing her about the divorce and that Lera was out of work. Horrified, the girl listened to the terrible news, then called her mother’s doctor, who said that waiting was dangerous and the surgery needed to happen within days. Lera sobbed from helplessness and fear for her mother’s life.
Dmitry felt helpless; his savings would not cover even a fraction of the surgery. Sergey called, and after Dmitry explained Lera’s dire situation, the businessman, knowing the exact amount needed, offered to finance the treatment in exchange for future accounting services.
In disbelief at her fortune, Lera stared at the figures displayed in her banking app for a long time, and thanked the two brothers for their trust and help.
The next day, she was at the hospital, having taken time off work. Stern Kolobok let Lera go, quickly kissing her cheek and passing along treats for her mother.
The surgery was successful. The mother underwent rehabilitation, and Lera, with renewed vigor, set out to elevate her saviors’ company to the level of major developers. A week later, she returned to the train, hugging Dmitry long in the vestibule, bringing tears to the moved Kolobok. Everything was going better than ever, and the brothers’ company managed to snatch a tender from the Shuvalovs, also securing several profitable contracts. The brothers celebrated the victory. Dmitry and Lera decided to get married, and Kostya eagerly awaited the birth of the baby, eager to become the best godfather.
