The wedding procession sped through the city, the driver turned on lively music and honked non-stop. The bride was all in anticipation, constantly adjusting her veil and fiddling with her wedding bouquet. She was charming: light makeup, blonde curls styled into a beautiful hairdo, the veil adding a touch of mystery. And a happy smile wandered across her face. Sveta’s heart was ready to jump out of her chest, she couldn’t believe that she would soon become the wife of the most beloved man in the world, her Alexey. So what if his parents were displeased, let no one believe in their sincere love, let them gossip that she spun a wealthy groom for a comfortable life and a city registration! She didn’t care about the rumors. People were just jealous. Such love as theirs with Alexey simply didn’t exist!
The procession rushed past the central registry office, and soon left the city. Sveta didn’t understand anything and asked the driver:
«Excuse me, what’s happening? Where are you taking me, I don’t understand… The ceremony is at twelve, Alexey is waiting for me there. Turn around immediately! If this is a joke, it’s a very bad one!»
But the driver mysteriously replied:
«It’s a surprise! Relax, it’s still a long drive. Better listen to the music!»
Sveta panicked, started pulling at the door handles, but it was locked, begged to stop the car, but all in vain. The driver drove like crazy over bumps and tried not to look in the mirror at how the bride was getting nervous and starting to cry. It was unpleasant for him, but he couldn’t do it any other way…
An hour later, the car stopped in the middle of nowhere. The driver turned off the music and grumbled:
«Get out. We’ve arrived.»
Sveta didn’t understand anything, on the edge of an abandoned village, almost in a swamp, stood a dilapidated hut, everywhere were stumps and logs, and crows ominously cawed. The girl was scared:
«Tell me, are you crazy? Why did you bring me here! I will call Alexey now and tell him everything, he will skin you! You’ve ruined our wedding! What is this swamp? Take me back!»
The guy couldn’t take it anymore:
«Don’t yell at me. It was actually your would-be mother-in-law, Galina Vasilievna, who ordered you to be taken here instead of the registry office and left! Ask her about it. And the groom heard everything, nodded and stayed silent! Just so!»
Sveta cried and couldn’t believe it, she insisted:
«No, it’s not true! It can’t be. Alexey couldn’t! He loves me. I will call him right now.»
She frantically dialed the groom’s and mother-in-law’s numbers, but in vain, they were blocked. Then the driver received a message, read it, and handed the phone to Sveta:
«Here, read if you don’t believe! I work for Galina Vasilievna, and I can’t disobey her, she’d fire me in an instant.»
The girl read the dreadful lines: «Have you already taken the toad to the swamp, where she belongs? Hurry back. There’s more work to do.»
Finally, it dawned on Sveta, this was not a stupid silly prank, but a horrible truth. Alexey’s mother decided to mock her, teach her a lesson. To let her know that she, the poor girl, didn’t belong in their family. That she should go back to the backwoods she came from. So, Alexey knew all along? And did nothing to protect Sveta from disgrace?
The girl got out of the car, tears clouding her eyes, she shivered and stomped on the spot, not knowing what to do now at all?
The driver took pity and said:
«Don’t be afraid, sit here, and I’ll come back for you, but first I have to report to Galina Vasilievna. I’m sorry, I’m really not involved. But you know, maybe it’s all for the best? The mistress wouldn’t have let you live in peace anyway. Here, hold my jacket, I’ll be back soon…»
The car left, and Sveta tore off her veil, sat down on a stump, and cried bitterly. The entire disgrace still didn’t fit in her head. She simply couldn’t believe that the man who had sworn his love just yesterday could betray her so cruelly today. And she had wanted to surprise her fiancé at the wedding too! To tell him she was pregnant. She had imagined how Alexey would be delighted, how he would spin her around and kiss her. And now what? How was she going to raise a child on her own?
Sveta replayed all the stages of her relationship with Alexey in her mind and couldn’t understand at what moment he had decided to treat her so treacherously…
Svetlana grew up in a village; her father was a tractor driver, her mother worked at the post office, and they managed a farm and garden, just like everyone else. From the outside, their family was considered exemplary, a rarity in the village where it was unusual for a man in the house not to drink. They all worked like bees, and the house was always well-kept. Villagers envied Sveta’s mother, Evdokia, saying she was lucky to have married well. But few knew what really went on in their family. The head of the family, Boris, was not just strict and severe by nature. Everyone walked on eggshells around him. Nobody dared speak out of turn. If the mother sat down to rest, even for a moment, the father would immediately admonish her:
«Why are we sitting around? Go check the leaven, feed the calves. There’s endless work, and here you are sitting like a lady!»
Mother would immediately get up and silently go to work. The same applied to Sveta. Reading books, wasting time, going to the disco at the club was considered indecent. The father also personally monitored her school grades and grumbled if he saw poor ones. And he was very stingy with affection; he never hugged or comforted. He kept telling Sveta:
«Once you finish school, we’ll find you a match with Kolya; I’ve already spoken to his parents. You’ll work at their farm. He’s a good boy, hardworking, not lazy. So consider, I’ve already arranged your fate.»
Sveta tried to resist:
«Daddy, I want to study, and I don’t like Kolya at all, he’s red-haired and brash. I want to go to the city, get an education, work there.»
Her father became furious and slammed his fist on the table:
«What, you dare to contradict your father? What nonsense have you thought of? Who’s waiting for you in the city? Your mother has spoiled you, filling your head with nonsense. The conversation is over; I’ve already decided everything. If I hear about the city again, I’ll lock you up so you can think it over. A woman’s lot is to manage the home and bear children. Got it?»
Sveta cried, begged her mother to intervene, but she just shook her head:
«What can you do, my daughter. You know your father’s temper. He won’t even listen to me. Don’t be so upset, daddy just wants what’s best for you. Maybe it’s not so bad? We’ll have a wedding, you’ll live well with Kolya…»
Sveta was a stubborn girl, and she firmly decided to run away, go to the city, and make it on her own! The thought of marrying someone she didn’t love and living a life like her parents seemed terrible to her. So she did exactly that. She worked on the farm, saved a little money for the journey, packed a travel bag. And then her father noticed her; he yelled, wanted to lock her up, but Sveta broke free and ran away. And then her father, in his anger, shouted:
«Ah, so? Well, go then! But just so you know, there are no princes there. You’ll come crawling back, and I’ll never let you in! You’re foolish, my daughter, you’ll regret it!»
And so Sveta ended up in the capital. Straight from the station, she went to a vocational school, having always dreamed of becoming a seamstress. The girl enrolled without difficulty and was given a room in a dormitory. It was hard, of course, but her roommates helped her out, sharing everything. Sveta was very upset with her parents. Other students’ relatives came, brought bags of groceries, offered support. But no one ever came for her. Her father’s harsh nature had prevailed, he had stopped communicating with her, sticking to his principles. Her mother would have visited, of course, a couple of times she managed to send Sveta a package through acquaintances. But it was clear that her father wouldn’t allow her to visit her daughter, thinking, «She disobeyed, let her fend for herself.»
After finishing her studies, Sveta got a job at a small tailor’s shop. She rented a modest apartment on the outskirts. In the evenings, she read romance novels about love and sighed, imagining that she too would meet a prince and fall in love. Her excellent sewing skills were very helpful to Sveta. Lacking money for beautiful outfits, she made them herself. So the girl always looked fashionable and interesting. Sveta met Alexey completely by chance, just like in the movies. The guy was standing in front of her in line at the supermarket checkout, and he dropped his wallet. Sveta immediately picked it up and without thinking, ran outside. The guy was already getting into his car. She handed him the wallet:
«Phew, barely caught you. Here, you dropped this! Take it.»
The young man was stunned and began to thank her:
«Wow, really. Thank you so much! I’m sure not everyone would have done the same… I’m pleasantly surprised. My name is Alexey. And yours? Maybe we could switch to a more informal ‘you’?»
That’s how they met. Alexey offered to have coffee and treated Sveta to pastries. They struck up a conversation. It turned out that his parents owned their own travel agency. The guy had traveled a lot abroad, and he enthusiastically talked about what he had seen, while the girl listened breathlessly. She fell in love with Alexey at first sight; he even looked like the prince from her dreams. Confident, smiling, he radiated masculinity. Their romance was very passionate. Alexey took her to exhibitions and concerts, to museums and the cinema. He opened up a completely different capital for Sveta. Patiently, he taught her how to behave in society, the rules of etiquette. And she soaked it all up like a sponge. Their feelings were mutual, Sveta knew this. Her fiancé whispered such tender words of love to her, gave her gifts. Everything was going perfectly until Alexey’s parents found out about their romance. Galina Vasilievna was furious, she did everything she could to dissuade her son from the wedding, convincing him that he could have nothing in common with this unsophisticated village girl. She even showed up at the atelier a couple of times and publicly shamed Sveta. The woman was convinced that Sveta had ensnared Alexey, wanting to register in their luxurious apartment and live at their expense. Proving otherwise was simply impossible. And then one day, a scandal broke out. Alexey had stayed overnight at Sveta’s place for the first time. In the morning, they were awakened by a knock on the door. An enraged Galina Vasilievna burst in like a fury. And she started yelling:
«Oh, you shameless woman! Already jumped into bed? Cover yourself! Standing there, in just a shirt! Where’s my son?»
The girl got angry:
«I’m in my own home, I can wear what I want. And don’t yell at me. Alexey and I love each other, and we’ll be together whether you like it or not.»
Sveta hoped that Alexey would also stand up for her, but he was just hastily getting dressed while Galina Vasilievna continued to yell:
«Son, what have you forgotten in this fleapit? What have you come to, huh? Now go home immediately. And forget the way here. And know, there will be no wedding! We didn’t raise and educate you for you to marry this seamstress.»
Alexey tried to smooth things over:
«Mom, why are you so upset? How did you even find me here? Don’t yell, calm down. Wait outside, I’ll come down soon.»
Sveta was astonished:
«And that’s it? So, you think your mother’s behavior is normal? She humiliated me, insulted me, and you say nothing? Maybe you really don’t need me, say it?»
Her tears choked her, as if a bucket of slop had been poured over her head. The fiancé gently embraced her and whispered:
«What are you, darling, don’t take it so to heart. Yes, mom is a difficult person. It’s hard for her to accept that I want to marry, she’s just jealous, understand? Don’t worry, she’s always like this. But then she’ll cool down, calm down, I’ll talk to her. We’ll definitely get married. I love you, honestly. Do you believe me?»
And Sveta forgave him right there, and believed. Parting with Alexey was beyond her strength. She believed everything would work out, surely a mother couldn’t ruin her son’s life? Yet, recalling her own father, she understood that it could happen…
Sveta didn’t realize she was pregnant right away. It was just that one day during a lunch break her coworker brought fried fish, and Sveta just smelled it, and it immediately made her nauseous. She then bought a pregnancy test, and everything became clear. There was a week left until the wedding, and the girl decided that she would share this news right at the celebration! She really wanted this baby, desired by the man she loved. She imagined how they would walk with a stroller, bathe the baby together, raise him. That’s how it should be, a real strong family.
And now what? She’s crying on a stump, all bitten by mosquitoes and midges, freezing, and in complete darkness ahead. No wedding, no fiancé, nothing…
When the driver returned for the unfortunate bride, she was delirious, her eyes swollen from tears, her forehead burning, apparently with a fever. Sveta was shaking, she barely managed to give her address, and everything went dark before her eyes. She lost consciousness…
The girl woke up to bright light blinding her eyes. She lay in her bed, wrapped up to her neck in a blanket, a damp towel on her head, and her friend Lily bustling around her. Seeing that Sveta had come to, she exhaled:
«Thank God! You woke up. It’s good that the guy who brought you here called yesterday, found the number in your phone. I was so scared. You had a high fever. I wanted to call an ambulance, but Oleg told me everything about how that scoundrel Alexey dumped you. We thought it was all from the nerves. We found some fever reducer and sedative in the medicine cabinet, had to give you an injection. Then you fell asleep. You slept for a day. I even listened to check if you were breathing. You really scared me, Sveta!»
The girl remembered everything, and a lump rose to her throat again, but she didn’t start crying, instead, she was suddenly overwhelmed by anger.
Lily babbled on:
«What are you going to do now? You need to sign up for an abortion, before it’s too late. How will you manage alone with a child? Your salary barely covers rent and food. That jerk Alexey! We’ll find you a better fiancé. Just wait and see.»
But Sveta frowned and shook her head negatively:
«I’m not going anywhere. I’m not going to kill the baby, I already love him, don’t you understand? I couldn’t live as if nothing happened after that. It’s okay, I’ll survive on my own and raise the child. And I don’t need anyone. Thank you, Lily, for taking care of me. I felt so bad, I don’t remember anything.»
Her friend shook her head:
«Listen, then maybe you should go home? You said it yourself, your family isn’t struggling, your parents will thaw, they’ll help. And it would be easier for you.»
Sveta frowned again and sharply replied:
«Not for anything! Father told me that if I come back with a child, he wouldn’t let me through the door. You don’t know him, he will never forgive me. He would also torment mom, saying, ‘look what kind of failure you’ve raised.’ No, I’ll deal with this myself. I shouldn’t have been so naive, listening to fairy tales about love. I thought I found a prince, and it turned out, like in that fairy tale, Ivan drank from a hoof and turned into a little goat! Alexey turned out to be a goat too. Well, God be with him, let him live how he wants. Okay, time to get up. Work tomorrow, need to cook something, no time to mope.»
Lily was amazed:
«Wow, you’re tough, girl! I couldn’t do that. Okay, I’ll go now, call me if you need anything…»
Life went on. Sveta felt awful and wanted to cry all the time; it seemed like everyone knew about her shame and judged her. But the girl held herself together, didn’t allow herself to break down, and worked tirelessly. She took orders at home, often stayed late at work, trying to earn a little extra for the baby’s necessities. But, as if by some evil twist, her health began to fail in the second trimester, forcing her to be hospitalized twice, and the money she had earned went on food and treatment. Her situation was dire. With childbirth imminent and the landlady threatening eviction if Sveta didn’t pay, she went to the maternity hospital with a heavy heart, her thoughts dark and her future seeming grim.
The childbirth was difficult and exhausting, but everything turned out well; a boy was born, whom Sveta named Sergey. She held her little bundle of joy to her chest, cried, kissed the baby, and understood she would never give her miracle away to anyone. A nurse entered the room, and Sveta suddenly asked:
«I remember, in the neighboring delivery room a woman had a hard labor, and then there was a lot of commotion. Is she okay? She probably had twins, her belly was simply huge when they wheeled her in on the stretcher.»
The nurse sighed:
«Unfortunately, the mother died. She had blood complications, we couldn’t stop the bleeding. It’s the first time something like this has happened in our maternity hospital. And the babies, poor things, have a severe allergy to formula; they only tolerate breast milk. The grief-stricken husband is looking for a wet nurse, but it’s not easy.»
Without a second thought, Sveta offered:
«If needed, I can feed the babies. I’m struggling anyway, I have so much milk, my breasts are painfully engorged. It’d be a shame to waste it.»
The nurse was delighted and brought the infants, a boy and a girl. Sveta began to feed them, and they greedily nursed, soon falling asleep contentedly. The nurse thanked her:
«Oh, thank you, how wonderful. They were crying so pitifully, hungry, and they would vomit up the formula right after eating a little. It was a real problem.»
Sveta pondered, what a tragedy for the family, the children left without a mother, and here she was complaining about her own life. A couple of hours later, a weary man entered her room, dressed expensively, clearly well-off, but his eyes were filled with death. He sat beside Sveta’s bed and began to speak in a hoarse, quiet voice:
«Hello, Svetlana. My name is Alexander. That was my wife, Anechka, who died in childbirth, and the twins, Stepka and Alisa, are also mine. I was told you fed them, and you have a lot of milk? You can’t imagine how much you’ve helped me. I’m still in shock from what happened, I can’t cope. The funeral is ahead. And then there’s this allergy. Even the most expensive formulas don’t work. Please help me, I beg you! I will pay you any amount. Become a wet nurse and nanny for my children. I know you also had a boy; it doesn’t matter. We can arrange for you to live here. I will provide you with an excellent comfortable room, ensure you have excellent food. Understand, I can’t lose my children too… I understand you have your own family and your husband might object. Then let him live with us too. It won’t be for long, as soon as the children can start on solids, I won’t bother you anymore. Think about it, don’t refuse right away.
Sveta was very pleased, as this option was also a salvation for her. All her problems with money and housing were solved at once. She agreed immediately:
«I don’t have a husband, so no one will object. I agree. Don’t worry, I have plenty of milk, hopefully enough for everyone.»
After being discharged, Sveta moved to the Kruglov’s huge three-story mansion. Sasha’s parents, an elderly couple, Yefim Petrovich and Alla Igorevna, lived there. Sasha himself lived there with the children and his younger sister, Anzhela. Sveta and her son were given a wonderful spacious room. Cribs for the twins were also placed there, so she could conveniently look after the children and feed them. Initially, it was very difficult for the girl to care for three babies at once; she was as busy as a squirrel in a wheel, having to feed them one by one—when one cried and just calmed down, the next one would start. The family members also received the new nanny coldly. They expressed to Sasha that he should hire a professional nanny, an older one, because they were uncertain about this young newcomer and what to expect from her. But Alexander saw how Sveta tried her best; he would take over with the children as soon as he got home from work and was very grateful to Sveta for caring for his children, who were thriving on her milk. He paid her reliably, bought everything necessary for all three children. Sveta had especially difficult relations with Sasha’s sister. Anzhela behaved arrogantly, clearly showing her displeasure that the nanny was allowed to sit at the family table, saying her place was among the servants. And one day she even decided to set Sveta up. She caused a scandal, claiming her expensive ring had disappeared from her jewelry box, and in the house, besides Sveta, everyone was family. She yelled:
«What, brother, have you warmed a snake on your breast? Soon she’ll cart off all our belongings. She probably stole the ring. We need to search her room, I’m sure the ring will be found there. Why did you bring her into our home, tell me? It’s no great effort to breastfeed children, and for such money!»
Sveta was upset, offended, and also spoke up:
«You know what? This is too much. I didn’t beg to live here, I decided to help the babies. And I won’t tolerate such rudeness and lies. Go and find a replacement! I will pack my things and leave right now since my services are no longer needed.»
Sasha was also outraged and defended her:
«Are you out of your mind, Anzhela? To throw around such accusations! Why are you attacking Sveta? I’m sure she didn’t take the ring. And I know you since childhood, better I search your room right now! You’re always misplacing your trinkets, not the first time you’ve lost something! Apologize to her immediately! And I don’t want to hear you talk to her in that tone again! You’d better spend some extra time with your nephews and nieces. All you do is hang out in clubs and salons!»
Sasha quickly found the missing ring under his sister’s bed, and scolded her again. She muttered an apology and harbored even greater resentment towards Sveta. All because the deceased wife Anna was very close to Anzhela, and after her death, she couldn’t accept Sveta in the family! She truly believed that Sveta had come to the house with ulterior motives, thinking she wanted to entrap her brother and marry him. Anzhela herself couldn’t get along with the babies at all; every time she picked them up, Stepka would immediately start crying, and Alisa would try to spit up. It was a nightmare. But Sveta managed to get along with them so well, skillfully handling everything. Before walks, she dressed them like a seasoned soldier, quickly managing to clothe them one by one, always chattering and smiling at them, and they barely fussed. This also caused irritation. How could it be that the children didn’t respond to their own aunt but reached out to a stranger?
After the scandal, Angela calmed down, stopped pestering Sveta, but still looked at her unfavorably. But one day everything changed. Sveta was walking with the babies in the yard, they were dozing in the stroller. Angela decided to swim in the pool as the heat was unbearable. She stood on the edge, stretched, deliberately showing off her slender figure and gorgeous swimsuit to this «country girl,» and jumped into the water. Only she miscalculated, twisted her ankle during the jump, and in the water, a cramp began to constrict her leg, causing Angela to panic and start drowning. She was a poor swimmer. Sveta saw this and immediately jumped in, fully clothed, to save her. It was hard, but she managed to pull Sasha’s sister onto the grass. Sveta turned her over and started patting her back; finally, Angela began to cough, spitting out water. She barely came to her senses and caught her breath. And realizing what had happened, she suddenly looked at the nanny differently and babbled:
«Thank you, you saved my life… And sorry for bothering you. I swear, I’ll never behave like that again. How did you manage? How did you provide help so skillfully… you didn’t even panic… Did you take courses?»
Sveta laughed:
«I used to run to the river in the village with the kids, and anything could happen. That’s how I learned. Watch the babies for a couple of minutes, I’ll go change. You know why Stepa always cries when you pick him up. Because you’re doing it wrong, and it’s like you’re afraid of him and tense up. And children always feel that. Here, look how it’s done, I’ll teach you. Stepočka likes it when you talk to him gently, he calms down right away, and Alisa melts when you pet her softly. And my Serezha loves it when I rock him, press him to myself. All kids are different; you just have to find the right approach for each one.»
Angela listened to the advice and carefully took Stepa, started saying something gently to him, smiling. And the little one also amusingly moved his lips, not crying. From that time on, Sveta and Angela became friends, talked a lot, and the former enmity left no trace. And Sasha’s prim parents thawed, accepted the nanny, and already considered her one of their own.
A year flew by unnoticed. The toddlers were already taking their first steps and didn’t need much breastfeeding. Sveta understood that it was probably time to move on and start her own life. But in her soul, something unimaginable was happening. Over this time, she had come to love the twins as her own, and couldn’t even imagine how to part with them. And the little ones themselves had gotten used to playing, walking, and doing everything together as if they were from one family. All this time, Sveta’s friend, that very Lilya, often called her, inquired about everything, and urged:
«You’re such a fool, Svetka! Why haven’t you snagged Sasha yet? You could have married him long ago and lived like a queen, not as a servant. I don’t understand what you’re waiting for?»
Sveta didn’t like such conversations and was annoyed:
«What nonsense are you talking about, Lilia? Sasha only sees me as a nanny, he’s a decent man. How could I possibly impose on him? And besides, who am I and who is he? It would never work between us. He still mourns his wife. He often remembers her with such love. No, I can’t do that. You can’t force love.»
Lilia twirled her finger at her temple, and thought to herself: «Well, as you know. But I definitely wouldn’t miss out on such a promising groom, I’d lay down my bones, twist and turn, but I would make him notice and fall in love with me.» And she began to systematically implement her plans. She started visiting her friend more often. Pretending she missed her, she acted as if she was crazy about the kids and brought them gifts. The household generally didn’t mind her visits, as Lilia knew how to charm and show her best side. And she was indeed a very attractive guest, a vibrant brunette with striking features. Sasha was nice to her, but that was all. No matter how hard she tried, he did not show her any attention. And Lilia was angered.
Then one day, at the Kruglovs’ yard, there was a small celebration for Angela’s birthday. They invited the youth, and Lilia invited herself over. Everyone was having fun, drinking champagne, and then they started dancing and playing games. That’s when cunning fox Lilia decided to act. Even Sasha, quite tipsy by then, was looking at her with interest, inviting her to a slow dance and holding her gently by the waist. And at the height of a fast dance, Lilia pretended to twist her ankle, grimaced in pain, and started to fall. Everyone gasped, and Sasha caught her in his arms:
«Ouch, seems I twisted my ankle, oh it hurts so much, and it’s swelling, I think. How will I go home now…»
Sasha was concerned:
«You need to lie down, let me carry you to the guest room at the back. We’ll apply some ice, it will ease the pain. And if it doesn’t get better, you can stay the night and go tomorrow.»
Lilia was elated, this was exactly what she needed. They never returned to the guests that evening…
From that party, a romance began between Sasha and Lilia; he adored her, showered her with lavish gifts, and dressed her like a doll. And, of course, she soon moved into his house on the pretext of being his fiancée. The luxurious life quickly corrupted Lilia; she began to behave arrogantly, almost as if she owned the place, even mocking her friend who was always busy around the house with the mischief-makers, giving them all her time:
«Sveta, how much longer can this go on? I’m tired of this noisy mess, take the kids to the nursery. And besides, we’re getting married soon, and it’s not really proper for you to still be here. Don’t you think? And as a nanny, you’re so-so. No discipline, you allow them everything. Kids need to be kept in check. I think Sasha and I can manage on our own, and three little kids in the house is too much. So you better find yourself an apartment, you’ve overstayed your welcome, friend.»
Stunned by such audacity, Sveta retorted:
«Haven’t you gotten ahead of yourself, Lilia? Not so long ago, you couldn’t even dream of such a life, and now you speak like this? I wanted to leave, but Sasha himself asked me to continue working here. So, you didn’t hire me, and you have no right to fire me! And don’t hold your nose so high, or it will hurt when you fall! Sasha and I are friends, after all, I can tell him about your true intentions, there’s no love here. So better leave me alone and stay away. I didn’t think you were like this, Lilia.»
The former friend harbored a grudge against Sveta and decided to get rid of her quickly. She planned to frame her by stealing a folder with documents while Sasha was out of the house. But as she was leaving the office, Angela caught her red-handed. She had been watching Lilia, just as she had watched Sveta before, trying to understand what kind of person she was? Her brother had decided to marry her too quickly, she had charmed him as if she had bewitched him. Angela literally grabbed Lilia by the hand and asked:
«What are you doing here? Sasha warned everyone not to even let the maid clean here. Why were you trying to steal the folder? Who are you really? Did Sasha’s competitors send you? Come on, confess, scum! I’ll tell Sasha everything!»
Lilia turned pale and was terribly frightened, she didn’t want to lose her fiancé and tried to justify herself:
«Please, Angela, forgive me! No one sent me, I don’t understand these business papers at all. Honestly, I’m not lying. I just… just needed to… I want to frame Sveta, you understand? Sasha and I will have a family, and she’s always around. Basically, I’m jealous! My blood runs cold, I’m afraid that Sasha might change his mind and notice my friend. So I did something stupid. Please forgive me. Don’t tell him anything. I love Sasha and don’t want to lose him.»
Angela paused, thinking, maybe it’s all true, and Lilia isn’t lying? After all, hadn’t she herself wanted to push Sveta out in a similar way? How was she any better than Lilia? Jealousy sometimes drives people to do crazy things. Angela sat on the leather sofa and began to speak patiently:
«You know, I didn’t like Sveta at first either, and I tried to set her up, to my shame. But despite that, she saved me! And then, Sveta has been with us for a year now, and during that time, believe me, she hasn’t even looked at Sasha as a woman. They are just friends, nothing more. I’ll tell you this, Lilia. Sveta is now my close friend, and I consider her a member of our family. There’s no better nanny for the nephews to be found. So drop this nonsense and leave her alone, understand? Or else Sasha will find out everything, and you’ll be thrown out, darling! Got it?»
The woman promised that she would no longer harm anyone, but it was only for show. In reality, Lilia simply bided her time, deciding that she would achieve her goals sooner or later…
Soon Angela herself fell in love, started seeing a man, was overjoyed, fluttered about, and kept saying that her fiancé was the best. That day she had planned to invite him over. They decided to celebrate this special event at a restaurant. All the household members left, while Sveta stayed home with the kids. Time flew quickly, it grew dark, she put the restless kids to sleep and decided to have tea and a snack in the kitchen. Just then the front door opened, there was noise and commotion, and all the family members entered, along with her former fiancé Alexey and his parents. Sasha called Sveta over and introduced her:
«Meet Sveta, she’s the nanny of my little ones, their caretaker, and also a great friend and a wonderful person. We consider her a member of our family. And this is…»
But Sveta interrupted him and blurted out sharply:
«That’s Alexey, a scoundrel and a villain, who instead of driving me to the registry office, took me to a swamp! And left me there at the behest of his mother! I don’t understand one thing? What is he doing here? Or did he find out he has a son? I will never let such a scoundrel near my son!»
Alexey blushed, turned pale, and didn’t know what to say…
Sasha was shocked:
«So he’s that scumbag who did that to you? I remember how you suffered, how you cried, and were distressed. You’ve told me this story many times. Sister, are you aware of whom you decided to tie your life with? Something tells me that Alexey forgot to mention something to you…»
A scandal broke out, Angela demanded explanations, her fiancé muttered unclearly, and his mother tried to wriggle out:
«Angela, darling, don’t get so upset. Just think about it, how could I allow my only son to get tangled up with a country girl? And then, think about it, it was just a bad joke. Okay, we went too far. And we knew nothing about Sveta’s pregnancy, so it’s not our fault. Maybe it’s not even Alexey’s child? But that’s all in the past. What’s there to remember about it. Alexey truly loves only you. And I am happy, such a bride as you is only to be dreamed of. We’ve already settled everything at the restaurant, right?»
Sveta just shook her head and walked away to the nursery. The Kruglovs pushed the unfortunate fiancé and his mother out. The father even threatened:
«There should be no more of your feet in our house. As if we needed to relate with such scoundrels! I won’t let this go just like that! Now it’s clear why Alexey clung to my daughter like a tick, he wanted money! How does the earth even bear you, you wrecked a person’s life, and you’re not repentant. No, I don’t need such a son-in-law. With a rotten black soul.»
Galina Vasilievna and her son left in disgrace, humiliated and subdued. Alexey was indeed ashamed, but his mother cursed Sveta in all ways and swore that she would make her life even more ‘interesting.’
After the incident, Angela became even closer friends with Sveta, grateful that she had opened her eyes to her fiancé and his rotten family. Learning all that had happened to Sveta, what she had endured, Angela felt deep sympathy for her. She was amazed:
«Well done, you’re brave, you still decided to have the baby, even though you knew you’d have to raise him on your own. And here I am, always complaining about something. What a scoundrel Alexey is, and the love songs he sang to me, the luxurious bouquets he gave. He said I was his greatest love, that he had never met anyone like me. And I thought, why is he in such a hurry with the wedding?»
Sveta bitterly smiled, holding her son close:
«He told me the exact same thing, word for word. And I, like a fool, loved him devotedly, believed everything. You can’t even imagine what I felt when on the wedding day I ended up in the wilderness… I don’t even know how I survived all this. Thanks to your brother, probably, motherhood and caring for children saved me, there was no time to be depressed. The kids are like little suns, they bring such a charge of goodness and positivity. The more I dealt with them, the quicker my soul thawed and the dark thoughts evaporated. You know, at first I was very angry at Alexey, even hated him, then I desperately longed for his arms, his embrace, and now I’m holding my son and feeling so good. Me and Sergey are a family now, and we don’t need anyone else. And I’m surprised at myself, I love both my Sergey, and Stepa, and Alisa equally. As if all three are mine. I don’t understand how that’s possible…»
Angela admired her:
«You’re amazing, I could never do that, honestly. You have such a kind heart. It’s okay, Sveta, one shouldn’t give up on their own happiness. We both managed to fall in love with the same scoundrel. Let it be. Look at my brother, what’s wrong with him? There are decent men out there, so we’ll be lucky too.»
Galina Vasilievna was furious; she hated Sveta because the wedding with such important people was ruined. And the news of the child by her son infuriated her even more. She raged: «Look at this schemer. I thought after such a disgrace she would run back to her village, but no, she sneaked into the home of the wealthy and now commands there as an equal, see how they believed this seamstress. I need to make sure she gets out of the way, leaves the city, and remembers for a long time how crossing the Sapunovs ends.»
Then Galina Vasilievna decided to test the waters and cautiously talk with Lilia. She had a gut feeling that this girl was not as simple as she seemed and could be of help. That turned out to be true. Lilia herself wanted to get even with her friend and arrange for her to be expelled in disgrace. Then the two vengeful women concocted a dreadful plan.
That day, nothing indicated trouble. Sveta, as usual, was walking with the kids. Across the street from the mansion was a wonderful playground. The nanny was pushing Sergey and Alina on the swings, while Stepa was at the sandbox, busily molding sand pies. Lilia was also there, helping, as it was difficult to keep an eye on all three little ones at once. But the kids asked her to bring a big car, and Lilia briefly left the yard to look for the children’s favorite toy. When she returned, she gasped and screamed:
«Sveta, where’s Stepa? He’s not in the sandbox! Where did he disappear to? He was just here, wasn’t he? Where were you looking?»
The woman felt a chill inside, she stared dumbfounded at the little shovel and bucket, and stammered:
«Oh, my goodness! How could this be? He was just here!»
She started running around, screaming, looking for Stepa! And Lilia immediately alarmed everyone. Until late evening, everyone was searching for the child. It seemed the whole house turned against Sveta. The parents yelled:
«What negligence! How could you? Pray that nothing happened to our grandson, or we will put you in jail for a long time! How could you not notice the child was missing, tell me?»
Sveta was in tears, Alisa and Sergey, seemingly understanding that something terrible had happened, also screamed louder than the other. The woman barely managed to say:
«I was swinging the little ones, and Stepa was making sand pies. You know how he loves to play in the sand for a long time. He’s so calm, he never steps away from me. Then Lilia left to get the toy car, but when she left Stepa was definitely there, I even adjusted his hat. I don’t know where he could have gone! Maybe he was stolen! Forgive me, I don’t know how this happened.»
Alexander paced back and forth, called the police several times, and pondered who could have kidnapped the child. For ransom? Then why hasn’t anyone called yet?
Meanwhile, Angela quietly observed everyone and noticed that Lilia was overly dramatic for the audience, sobbing, wringing her hands, and loudly blaming Sveta. It was strange because she was usually quite detached from the kids, only interacted with them for show, and that when Sasha was home. And now she suddenly became so emotional. The girl gestured for Sasha and shared her suspicions:
«Brother, listen! Everyone’s turned against Sveta, but she’s been working for us for a year, and there’s never been any incident. You see how she trembles for the kids. My opinion, Lilia set this up! Take off those rose-colored glasses already! Pay attention. She’s acting for the crowd, and she’s a mediocre actress at that. And then, Stepa disappeared exactly when Lilia left the playground, to deflect suspicion from herself! She’s not as wonderful as you think. Did you know she was rummaging through your office? Wanted to steal documents and blame it all on Sveta. And now this horrible incident…»
But Sasha didn’t believe her:
«Angel, why do you lump everything together? Don’t make a monster out of Lilia. She loves me, and we’re going to get married soon. Why would she steal Stepa? Nonsense. And how could she have done it? She didn’t leave the mansion at all?»
The girl pursed her lips:
«Well, alright, you don’t have to believe me! But I will prove I’m right! Can I take your driver for help and discreetly follow Lilia, I’m sure I’ll find out something.»
«Do whatever you want! Don’t interfere, I need to think about who kidnapped my son and how to find him! We’ve combed two blocks already, there’s no sign of the son! We looked under every bush, into every nook. It means he was definitely stolen!»
At the Sapunov mansion, there was a flurry of activity. Galina Stepanovna was walking around with a screaming boy, trying to distract and somehow calm him. Her husband lamented:
«Galina, have you lost your mind? Why did you bring a stranger’s child to our house? What does all this mean? God, I’m going crazy from this screaming. Give the boy here. You’re driving him nuts.»
Grigory placed the little boy in a soft chair and left him alone, handing him a beautiful bright box. Stepa gradually calmed down and began to examine it with interest. And Galina rattled on:
«Phew, Grisha, you’re the brains! Finally quieted down. How I’m not used to small children anymore. This is Stepa, son of Alexander Kruglov, he also has a sister, Angela. Isn’t he a wonderful boy? I bought him some vegetable mixes, children’s food. Now I’ll go open it; he must be hungry…»
Grigory was indignant:
«All this is very fascinating, but why is the boy at our house? Did you kidnap him? I don’t think Kruglov would have given him to you willingly! Explain everything to me immediately! What are you getting our family into?»
Galina tried to explain:
«Yes, Grish, while our would-be daughter-in-law was distracted, I quietly grabbed the boy and ran. He didn’t understand anything at first and started screaming in the car. It’s revenge, Grisha! Let them kick that Svetka out of the rich house. Since she ruined the wedding with her confessions! Our son is alone again! We’ll never get him married! They’ll grab the child and fire the nanny. As soon as that happens, we’ll return him, don’t worry! Let him stay with us for a bit. We’re not hurting him. Look, I even bought a whole bag of toys and sweets.»
Her husband was furious:
«Galya, are you insane? Do you think these big businessmen haven’t already turned the city upside down and called the police looking for Stepa! What have you done? What if they find him here and we all get arrested?»
Galina just snorted:
«Why would they arrest us? I’ll say that Lily brought me the little one and asked me to look after him while she went off on some errands. That’s all. Don’t be afraid, as soon as they kick out that girl, I’ll hand the little one over to Kruglov’s bride, and she’ll return him, making up a story about where and how she found him. Then her fiancé Sasha will be grateful to her for the rest of his life for saving the little one, and they’ll get married. So, this little adventure will turn out well for everyone.»
Galina opened a jar of puree and began feeding Stepa:
«Come on, let’s eat for daddy, for mommy! That’s it, good boy, you eat so well, with such an appetite, you’ll grow up big!»
An hour later, Lily arrived at the mansion, and the boy was already asleep. She started blabbering:
«Galina Vasilievna, everything went perfectly! Our plan worked! Everyone turned against Svetka, they want to throw her out. How’s Stepa? Is he sleeping? Well, that’s good. Hopefully, they’ll fire the nanny tomorrow, and I’ll take the boy back. It’s painful to see Sasha like this, he’s devastated! But, when I return his son, he will adore me, I’m telling you!»
The women didn’t realize that they were being watched from the window. Angela had prepared, armed with binoculars, and saw how Galina Vasilievna put the baby to sleep. Then Alexey approached the house. Angela rushed to him, grabbed him by the chest, and shook him:
«You scoundrel! Decided to get revenge on me? Kidnap a nephew? Well, I’ll show you! Keep in mind, I’m calling the police right now, and they’ll arrest your mother and that flibbertigibbet for kidnapping!»
Alexey blinked, he didn’t understand:
«Lily, come to your senses! What child? What kidnapping? I was on a business trip, just got back. Who kidnapped whom?»
The girl saw he wasn’t lying and told him everything. Alexey was terrified:
«Lord, has mom gone completely mad? Don’t call the police! I’ll take Stepa and return him. I beg you, forgive me, I really didn’t know. Wait here. Don’t call anyone, I’ll be quick!»
But Angela had already called her brother, and he was racing to get his son. Alexey entered the house, and without taking off his shoes, went to his mother’s bedroom. Indeed, the baby was peacefully snoring on the bed. The guy quietly picked him up and started to leave. Galina ran after him:
«Alexey! What are you doing! You’ll ruin the whole plan. I barely got this little troublemaker to sleep. It’s necessary, I’ll explain everything later.»
«Too late! You’ve made a mess, mom. They’ll put us all away now! Step aside, let me through! We need to return the little boy before Angela calls the police!»
Then Alexander burst into the house, Stepa woke up, rubbed his eyes, was about to cry but saw his dad and burst into a smile, reaching out his hands to him. The man hugged his son tightly and whispered:
«Lord! Alive! Thank God! Now everything will be alright. Don’t be afraid, son, daddy’s here.»
Angela was recording everything on her phone and muttered:
«Well, there you go, darlings! You’ve been caught. Well, Lily, wanted to set up your friend again? What a scoundrel! I hope now my brother understands whom he wanted to tie his life with! And I think you belong right next to Alexey! You two deserve each other! One left his bride in the wilderness on their wedding day, the other kidnapped the beloved son! I can’t even comprehend this!»
Sasha didn’t want to scare his son, and said dryly:
«Note this, I won’t let this slide. I will erase you from the face of the earth! And you, Lilia, get out of my house. I will settle scores with you too!»
Galina Vasilievna tried to wiggle out of it:
«Sasha, you’ve got it all wrong! We are not involved at all! It was all your fiancée’s doing. She brought me Stepa, asked me to look after him. And me? I love children. We were playing with him, he ate and then slept. I’m sorry, it was a stupid situation.»
Sasha took his son home, threw Lilia out, and when his father learned everything, he was so enraged that within two months he bankrupted the Sapunovs with lawsuits and cast them adrift. They became penniless. All their accounts were blocked, and their house was auctioned off for debts. Alexey also couldn’t keep in touch with his mother anymore, since she, without realizing it, ruined his entire life, and he had been led by her. The guy came to Sasha’s house several times, apologizing, and then moved far to the North to earn money. He broke off all relations with his mother. Galina’s husband became bedridden and died of a heart attack six months later. The quarrelsome and greedy woman wandered the streets as a vagrant and begged for alms. She had to work as a cleaner, mopping floors in a store. It was so humiliating for her. Within a year, Galina Vasilievna was unrecognizable. She had turned from a businessman’s wife into a pathetic old woman. And rightly so. She brought so much grief to people and never repented.
Surprisingly, only after the kidnapping of his son did Sasha suddenly see Svetlana in a new light, as if he noticed her for the first time as a woman. He began to understand that he could not find a better wife and mother for his children anywhere else. He also loved Sergey no less than his own children and had long considered him as his own.
The nanny’s birthday was coming up, and Alexander decided to confess his feelings and propose to her on that day. Svetlana slept soundly and deeply, unusually, the children did not wake up once, which was rare. The woman woke up when the sun was already shining brightly in the window. She jumped up, how could she have overslept? The babies needed to eat long ago! And it was so quiet in the nursery. Strange! She rushed to the cribs, but the children weren’t there. Panicked, Svetlana rubbed her eyes, threw on a robe, and was about to rush out into the corridor when the door swung open, and Sasha entered the room. In his hands, he held a tray with two cups of fragrant coffee and croissants. His look was conspiratorial. The woman was stunned, Sasha had never entered without knocking before, she began to fix her hair, embarrassed that he caught her like this. But Alexander said:
«Good morning, birthday girl! Calm down, I can already see the panic in your eyes. The children will stay with Angela and my parents today. And you lie down. Here’s your breakfast. I made the coffee myself, with cinnamon and cardamom, I hope you like it.»
Svetlana beamed, Alexander had never shown her any attention before. She was so pleased. She had forgotten the last time she indulged in bed like this. Usually, she was on her feet from early morning.
She enjoyed the incredible taste of the coffee:
«Thank you, Sasha, no one has ever congratulated me like this! I forgot it was my birthday.»
«This is not yet a congratulation, this is just the preparation, for the mood. We’ll have breakfast now, and then go create magic for the best woman in the world! I want you to remember this day as the best and happiest! So get ready, I’ll be waiting for you downstairs.»
The woman’s heart was ready to leap from her chest. She rejoiced, «God, did I really hear that? Sasha called me the best woman! Could it be that he finally feels for me what I’ve long felt for him? It’s unbelievable.»
Svetlana indeed remembered that day for a long time. First, they went to a spa. Skilled professionals worked their magic on Svetlana, and two hours later, a beauty emerged. Sasha admired how good she looked, and how he had never noticed before? Next on the plan was a ride on a pleasure boat, Svetlana squealed with delight, and had fun like a child. It had been a long time since she felt so light and happy. In the evening, they ended up in an expensive restaurant, where a table had been reserved. The lovers dined, drank wine, and danced. Then came the time for the main gift. The man pulled out a beautiful velvet box, put a ring on Svetlana’s finger, and whispered:
«My beautiful nanny, Svetochka! I’m not good at speaking beautifully, but I want to say the main thing! Be my wife. I can no longer imagine my home without you, the kids already occasionally call you mom, repeating after Sergey. I think we’ll make a great strong family.»
Svetlana threw herself into his arms and said, «Yes!» A month later, a lavish beautiful wedding took place. All the newspapers trumpeted it. The photos showed the whole family together! Happy Svetlana in a veil and a white dress, Sasha embracing her, his parents, sister, and all three children. The headlines blared: «Alexander Kruglov with his family. Happy together!»
Lilia drank cheap wine and tore the newspaper into pieces, stomping on it in her rented room. She was so annoyed that Svetlana had outpaced her, and Kruglov married her! And she was left alone! After a luxurious life in an expensive mansion, she could not bear being in that stuffy, poor room, it seemed even the walls were pressing in. She had always dreamed of finding a rich husband and living comfortably, why did Svetlana get lucky and not her? Envy and anger consumed Lilia’s soul completely…
The day after the celebration in the restaurant, Sasha decisively said:
«So, my dear wife. We are all gathering now, and going to the countryside, to meet your parents. You never talk about them. Didn’t even invite them to the wedding. That’s not right. They haven’t even seen their grandson! I wish to meet my father-in-law.»
Svetlana turned pale and tried to justify:
«You don’t understand, I’m very hurt by my father, he was always too strict, didn’t understand me, wanted to marry me off without love. I’m very offended by him. I don’t think it’s a good idea to go…»
But her husband wouldn’t listen:
«Dear, you’re no longer a child, you’re a mother yourself, forget childhood grievances, do you think it’s good for your parents? They must be missing you, so we need to reconcile. Someone has to make the first step.»
Svetlana sighed and agreed, her husband was right, she was also at fault, she could have called first. She was behaving like an egoist, harboring resentment. She had long dreamed of hugging her mom and telling her everything…
Over the years of her absence, much had changed. Yevdokiya, pining for her daughter, often fell ill and became completely withdrawn in her grief. Boris realized that he had gone too far. He started treating his wife tenderly, no longer banged his fist on the table, and stopped being authoritarian with her. He saw how she talked to their daughter’s portrait at night and kissed it, and it made his own heart bleed…
When two huge SUVs sped through the village, the locals whistled and went to find out who these important guests were visiting.
Svetlana stood on the threshold of her family home, and tears rolled down her cheeks, the same curtains with tiny flowers, carved shutters, and a weathercock on the roof. The children curiously inspected everything, babbling in their own way. Sasha knocked on the window, and when a silver-haired, still robust man appeared on the threshold, he promptly extended his hand:
«Good day, Boris Ivanovich. My name is Sasha, we’ve come to visit you with the whole family! Will you welcome us?»
The homeowner guiltily looked into his daughter’s eyes and, perhaps for the first time in his life, awkwardly embraced her with his large, calloused hands:
«Well, here we are! Hello, daughter! Your mother and I have been waiting for you for a long time. Come in, dear guests! Yevdokiya! Just look, who has come to visit! Our daughter with the grandchildren, son-in-law, matchmakers!»
The woman couldn’t believe her eyes, she wept and kissed Svetlana, doted on the grandchildren, and lamented:
«What a joy! My dear daughter! My smart girl! How I prayed to the Lord for you to come, how I missed you! Forgive your father, he has changed a lot, he doesn’t hurt me anymore, and he also missed you.»
Svetlana cried:
«Please forgive me, what an egoist I have been. I too harbored resentment in my soul, afraid to show my face. Mommy, let’s unpack the bags. We brought so much. Let’s celebrate the second day of the wedding!»
Within an hour, the whole family was joyfully relaxing, everyone chattering away, Sasha’s parents, although accustomed to delicacies, gladly ate homemade sausages and lard, and mouth-melting pies. A happy and proud Boris tickled the grandchildren with his mustache, sat them on his knees, and cuddled them. How glad he was that his daughter had returned, that there were no more grievances, and that she had such a good family. Svetlana felt wonderfully light and easy at heart, although she had gone through many trials, but now she was a happy mother, a wife, and that was the greatest reward!
