Matvey was reluctant to move to that God-forsaken village. It wasn’t just because his wife thought it would be better. He understood that with his illness, life there would be simply unbearable. Matvey had found out about his serious illness just two months ago when he decided to undergo a medical examination at a private clinic due to his rapidly deteriorating health. That’s when it was revealed that the young businessman had a very serious disease requiring timely and qualified treatment. However, when the young businessman left the clinic and told Oksana about the possible treatment prospects, he saw no support in his wife’s eyes.
«All these doctors want just one thing… They just want to pull money out of you, and the outcome is quite predictable,» the girl said irritably.
Matvey’s condition worsened each day and hardly contributed to strengthening family ties, especially since Oksana gently suggested moving to the village, almost unobtrusively.
«Dear, the air is cleaner there, there’s the forest, the river nearby… And here what… Just exhaust gases and constant stress. You’ll rest there, come back to yourself,» the wife said knowledgeably.
«But what about work? It’s not just my creation. You know how much effort my late father put into this business. And how many people will be left on the streets without a decent salary? I can’t just drop everything and disappear!» Matvey tried to object.
Unfortunately, it was simply impossible to persuade Oksana. In her desire to help her sick husband, she could resort to the most radical methods. Matvey looked at his wife sadly and caught himself thinking that in some ways, she was even right.
«What good am I? I’m so weak that I can barely conduct a meeting properly… I have to interrupt it several times. And the competitors? They certainly won’t make concessions just because I’m sick. I’m sure the city’s financial bigwigs, for whom there have never been any prohibitions or barriers, would hardly refuse such a piece of the pie,» the businessman thought to himself.
By his twenty-ninth year, Matvey had achieved everything he could have dreamed of in his youth. He had his own business that provided a stable income, an expensive car, and a luxurious mansion located in an elite part of the city. Matvey’s father was a humble engineer who had taught his son the basics of market trading and accustomed him to hard work. For the ambitious young man, these lessons were not in vain, and he did everything to succeed in the future.
Although Matvey now lived in the capital, he was born in one of the small provincial towns. There, in his father’s old house, the man, in his own opinion, lived the best years of his life. Matvey’s father worked from morning till night to save money for his son’s university education. Despite this, the boy never felt wronged or oppressed. Matvey knew that his parents would give him their last penny just so he wouldn’t lack anything.
When the young man graduated from university with honors and, at his father’s suggestion, went into big business, he did not yet know that this would ultimately become the main business of his entire life. Unfortunately, Sergey Dmitrievich and Anna Makarovna did not see their son’s outstanding successes because they had died under tragic circumstances shortly before. The death of his parents was a heavy blow for the businessman, knocking him off track for many months. At that moment, Matvey felt that life was over and he would never be the same again. But time not only passes unnoticed, but also heals, as philosophers of all times and nations have long said. Fortunately, Matvey Ivanov had that very streak that helped him make successful deals and see promising directions.
At twenty-seven, the man earned his first million and married the beauty Oksana, whom he met at a party. The pretty coquette immediately saw the enormous benefit of a possible marriage to such a wealthy suitor. At the time of meeting Oksana, Matvey was already a self-sufficient man with a substantial bank account and his own company selling building materials. Therefore, clinging to him like a leech, the girl charmed the young businessman from the first days of their acquaintance with her attentions and natural charm.
It must be said that all of Matvey’s wealth was not solely the inheritance of wealthy parents, and everything he had now, he had achieved through hard labor. He was one of the first in the region to come up with the idea of trading building materials on the Internet. Being naturally far-sighted and creative, Matvey did everything to ensure that his late father’s business continued to live on.
After the young couple got married, our hero resigned himself to the fact that his new wife had become a housewife who spent most of her time in beauty salons and restaurants. Unfortunately, illness struck Matvey suddenly and in an unexpected way. Matvey had always believed that illnesses weren’t about him since he went to the gym and swam regularly. For his age, he looked no more than twenty and, unlike most of his colleagues, led a healthy lifestyle.
However, about two months ago, Matvey felt ill. Initially, the young businessman could not pinpoint the exact source of discomfort. It seemed the pain originated somewhere in the ribs, then spread painfully throughout his torso. After undergoing a scan, the businessman received a grim diagnosis. The suspicion of cancer hit Matvey like a bolt from the blue.
It seemed to him that all this was not happening to him, and that merely rubbing his eyes would make this nightmare disappear. But no matter how much Matvey tried to tune in for a positive outcome, everything invariably only got worse. Additionally, the situation at work became simply unbearable. Matvey felt as though his competitors had conspired to remove him from the financial arena, like enemy aggressors on a battlefield. The businessman could not rely on anyone in his environment as there was no one among his subordinates capable of replacing the boss in such a complex situation. It was at this moment that Oksana offered her help.
«I know how to manage. What’s there, in business. Everything is predictable and clear. ‘Buy here cheaper and sell there for more.’ What could be so special about it?» said the girl, who had dropped out of university after two years due to unbearable boredom.
Her husband tried to explain all the nuances of this challenging business to her, but as expected, the effort proved pointless and thankless. Oksana was only interested in shopping and beauty salons, not how the money was earned for her entertainment.
They met two years ago when the young businessman already had a history of failed relationships. In terms of appearance, there were no complaints about Oksana. This leggy beauty could drive anyone crazy. From the first moments of their acquaintance, Matvey felt a strong attraction to Oksana, who turned out to be an experienced flirt.
By that time, Matvey had no relatives left, and there was simply no one to offer advice to the young businessman. For this reason, meeting Oksana became the factor that helped him distract from workday routines and thoughts about his past.
Their romance flared up so suddenly that it was clear to all the businessman’s acquaintances that a wedding was imminent. Many friends tried to protect Matvey from such a rash step, hinting that the bride was primarily interested in his money, and only then in him. Unfortunately, love is often blind, and the young businessman’s example was a clear proof of that.
If Matvey hadn’t shown signs of illness, it would be hard to say how their marital life would have progressed. With her actions, Oksana gently nudged her husband towards accepting her proposal and moving to the countryside.
«I even found you a nice house. It’s, well… a bit out of the way, and the locals won’t bother you. And I will come to you with a doctor. Every day if you want… But I need to keep an eye on your business… So, we probably won’t be able to see each other that often,» chattered the beauty.
«Alright… What for me. I’ll endure it…,» Matvey said with a trembling voice.
Lately, his condition had been deteriorating by the day, but he couldn’t bring himself to undergo surgery. From Matvey’s perspective, it was a highly reckless move, as no one would take care of your health better than you yourself. The young businessman lacked the impetus to decide on treatment at a clinic whose specialists had extensive practice in treating such ailments.
Most often, in such cases, that impetus is provided by the opinion of a spouse or parents, but Matvey essentially had neither. Primarily, Oksana was only concerned about her own well-being, and then everything else. For this very reason, the beauty was not in a hurry to have children and, citing that she wanted to live for herself, nipped such conversations in the bud.
Since the move to the countryside was scheduled for tomorrow, the husband tried to pack a bag with things that might be useful to him in this wilderness. But no matter how hard he tried, everything kept slipping from his hands, and his mood remained extremely low. In the end, Matvey just scooped up everything that came to hand into a sports bag and sat on the edge of the bed. The businessman’s strength was literally fading before his eyes, and the realization of this caused him many inconveniences.
The night before the trip, Matvey barely slept. The unknown frightened and filled the young businessman’s heart with anxiety. Lately, he and Oksana had been sleeping in separate rooms, which spoke volumes. But the main surprise awaited Matvey in the morning when, citing indisposition, his wife suggested he go to the countryside by taxi.
«I would, of course, drive you personally, darling… It’s not a problem. But I need to be at the office by nine… You understand, partners won’t wait. They, like sharks… Only waiting to bite off a fatter piece,» Oksana said, guiltily lowering her eyes.
Matvey’s expression changed suddenly, and then, with a somber look, he began to dress.
The young businessman still couldn’t believe that his wife could be so indifferent toward him. But when the taxi driver Oksana had called took him out of the city, Matvey realized that things had gone too far. They drove for several hours, covering more than three hundred kilometers. To make matters worse, the driver turned out to be exceptionally talkative, rattling on about everything from the recent spike in gasoline prices to his car’s noisy suspension, which his boss wouldn’t pay to fix. Eventually, the taxi driver brought Matvey to a God-forsaken village where half the houses were simply abandoned.
Matvey sighed sadly and chose not to comment on the situation. What else could he say? That his wife had sent him to a village to die? What could possibly be good about that? The man resigned himself; it didn’t matter anymore.
Seeing where he had ended up, the businessman nervously swallowed and felt disheartened. Matvey got out of the car with his bag in hand and looked around. The street was deserted, and the old house, purchased by Oksana, looked gloomy and neglected. To the businessman, this little house resembled the dwelling of some fairytale character, with its gabled roof and a chimney tilting to one side, rather than a refuge for a sick person. However, the businessman had no time to ponder, as the taxi driver had already dumped his belongings on the ground and got back into the car to return to the city before dark.
The man sighed sadly and wistfully watched the departing car, then entered the overgrown yard. Staggering from side to side with overwhelming fatigue, the businessman opened the door and found himself inside a long-unventilated room where every object and the floor were covered with a thick layer of dust.
«Wow… And this is the house my beloved wife bought for me? It’s a real ruin…» Matvey said dejectedly, realizing the gravity of his situation.
Bitterly pursing his lips, the businessman began to unpack his things and tidy up. The resentment toward his wife still lived in his heart, but after a thorough cleaning, it felt less sharp and painful. Matvey understood that besides the trouble of settling in, he had another problem related to the lack of means to survive.
Ideally, Oksana should have bought him some groceries and medicine so that he could survive a few days in complete solitude. But when Matvey inspected the house, he realized there wasn’t even a refrigerator… Not to mention food and everything else. Fortunately, there was a well in the backyard, and a few kilograms of sprouting potatoes and an old electric stove were lying in the pantry. Digging through his jacket pocket, the man scraped together about five hundred rubles in small bills, but that would hardly be enough for further living.
«Oh boy, I’ve really gotten myself into a story. Could it really be that Oksana will come to see me every day, traveling over three hundred kilometers? That’s a lie… Nothing but,» Matvey grimaced in pain.
«There’s almost a week’s worth of work here… Oh yes… Oksana helped me, no doubt about it. Bought a ruin, and that’s just what she was,» the businessman muttered to himself as he started cleaning.
Needless to say, the man, who was barely standing on his feet from exhaustion and a sharp pain in his stomach, finally calmed down only around midnight, when he finally managed to bring the house into a more or less acceptable condition. During the whole day, the young businessman had barely eaten anything, except for some tea with a piece of chocolate bar he had drunk in the morning. But, having no strength left to cook, he went to sleep on an empty stomach. The next morning, the man was awakened by a soft knock at the door.
Wondering who it could be, he opened the door and saw a thin little girl, about seven years old, holding a woven basket covered with a white towel.
«Good morning, uncle! Grandma sent me to you… We baked some pies. With potatoes and cabbage. Poured a jug of milk and set aside some cottage cheese. She says it’s not nice, you know… Not neighborly,» the little girl babbled.
Surprised, the man didn’t immediately find what to say, so he simply invited the little girl inside. The girl glanced at the freshly cleaned floors and smiled knowingly. The hardworking girl knew how much effort and energy the unplanned cleaning had taken from the man. Boiling water on the old electric stove, Matvey made the girl some tea with raspberry jam from the same hospitable pantry and asked:
«And why didn’t grandma come herself? We could have gotten to know each other better. I’m new here.»
The little girl took a small sip of the fragrant tea and then replied:
«My grandma sees poorly… Almost blind, uncle. She does everything almost by touch… Milks the cow, feeds the chickens, and even makes remedies.»
«What kind of remedies?» Matvey couldn’t help but ask.
The girl looked at him and, not hiding her surprise, answered:
«What kind of remedies? The most, unmistakably medicinal ones, uncle! People come to my grandma from all over the region…»
Matvey smiled and, feeling a pang of hunger, started on the pies. To say that they were insanely delicious would be an understatement! It seemed to him that he had never tasted anything better in his life. As it turned out later, the little guest was named Masha, and her kind grandmother was Zinaida Petrovna. How they learned about the new tenant was a mystery to Matvey, but apparently, that’s just how it is in a village where everyone knows everything about everyone. After talking a bit more with Masha, the businessman thanked her for her help and promised to visit in the coming days.
«If I live long enough, of course… I’ll definitely stop by,» Matvey thought ironically.
After seeing the girl off, the businessman decided to call his wife. Oksana had promised to keep him updated about his condition almost daily, but she herself had sent him to the middle of nowhere and disappeared. Matvey was surprised when the indifferent voice of the cell phone operator informed him that the subscriber was out of the network coverage area.
«Where does she disappear to!? Is she really so busy that she doesn’t even care about her husband’s health?» the man thought sadly.
Deep down, he still didn’t believe that his wife had sent him to spend his last days in a remote village. Matvey felt that any moment now, the phone would ring, and he would hear Oksana’s joyful voice again. But time passed, and there was still no news from his wife.
Realizing that sitting and wallowing in despair was not what he wanted, Matvey forced himself to keep busy. First and foremost, this involved the house and its surrounding area. The fence, which was practically lying on the ground and held up only by sheer will, particularly depressed him. He knew that the house and yard needed the skilled help of an experienced builder, not a sick businessman who could barely stand on his feet due to weakness and illness.
In the shed behind the house, among various unnecessary junk, lay rusty nails and quite decent pine boards. He decided to start the restoration work with the fence. There was still plenty of time until dark, so Matvey decided to use it wisely. Battling with the rotten boards, barely held together by sheer will, the man desperately tried to give the fence a somewhat decent appearance. Since Matvey planned to spend the entire day outside, he brought with him the remaining pies from breakfast, kindly given to him by his good neighbor Zinaida Petrovna.
Despite his weakness and feverish condition, the businessman felt hungry, most likely due to spending a long time in the fresh air. After repairing about a third of the fence, right during his lunch break, the businessman sat on a half-rotten, decayed stump near the old shed and decided to have a snack.
Suddenly, while trying to feel for another pie in the basket, Matvey was surprised to find it empty. It seemed so astonishing that he couldn’t believe his eyes.
«Could it be that I’m having visual hallucinations? But the illness can’t progress so quickly, can it?» Matvey caught himself thinking.
Puzzled about where his lunch could have gone, the man looked around and stood up from the stump. Only when Matvey looked around the corner of the shed did he see a tiny fluffy thief gobbling up the tasty treat. The thief turned out to be a small black puppy of unknown breed, which, unembarrassed, continued its feast.
The businessman cautiously touched the little one with his hand and couldn’t help but smile when the puppy, in response, wagged its tiny tail and growled softly. The man, who had always dreamed of having a dog, decided to take the puppy with him. Matvey understood that the puppy would likely die on the streets, and he simply couldn’t allow that to happen.
Taking the puppy in his arms, he brought it into the house and laid it on an old, soft blanket. Matvey’s heart immediately felt as warm as it had never been before.
«I don’t know how long I’ll live… But I’ll try to make the most of this time,» he whispered to the puppy as he poured some milk.
The unpleasant symptoms of Matvey’s illness hadn’t disappeared, but at least, the thought of them receded into the background for a while. The businessman understood that he was only deceiving himself, and the problem wouldn’t go away. But it was so pleasant to be deluded that Matvey even forgot about Oksana and her shameful act for a while.
Naming the puppy Shalun, the man found a loyal friend he had dreamed of for many years. Now that he had a purpose in his life, he couldn’t give up without a fight. After all, if something happened to Matvey, who would then take care of Shalun? Trying not to think about his wife, the man shifted all his attention to the puppy. Taking care of Shalun, Matvey got so caught up that he didn’t even notice how several days had passed. The puppy behaved at home like a true conqueror, trying to chew everything within reach of his small, sharp teeth. During this time, Oksana called only once, citing problems, and sang in an angelic voice:
«Hello, dear! How are you there? Sorry that everything turned out so messed up and unprepared. Trust me, I didn’t want this. But your company has big problems… I’ll do everything I can… But I’m not a magician.»
Matvey turned pale as chalk and cautiously asked:
«What other problems? Wait, but everything was fine before I left… It’s only been a little while, and you act as if we’re already bankrupt.»
A tense pause hung on the other end of the line, after which Oksana suddenly changed the subject of the conversation. Complaining that she forgot to leave her husband money, the beauty promised to come to him as soon as possible.
«Well, there you go… Just more promises,» Matvey thought, wincing in pain.
The businessman understood that in return for his patience and love for his wife, he was now completely alone, on the outskirts of a semi-abandoned, remote village. Even without hoping for his wife’s arrival, Matvey spent his last money on bread at the store and returned to the house, which he jokingly started calling his «last refuge.»
Since the pantry had some vegetables left by the previous owner, the man realized that he could easily last a few more days. Especially since his little neighbor Masha occasionally brought him treats from her caring grandmother, be it a pie with blackberries or pies with cabbage or cottage cheese. Matvey had only seen the old lady a couple of times, and even then, due to her poor eyesight, she could only hear his voice.
To Matvey’s great surprise, Oksana appeared the next day. Cringing in disgust, she approached the house accompanied by some suspicious man with the face of a hardened clerk-swindler. Sensing strangers, little Shalun immediately greeted them with loud yapping…
«Ugh, what is this little nuisance? How could you bring this hairy monster into your own house?» Oksana exclaimed.
«Don’t be afraid… This is Shalun. He’s a good boy and would never bark without reason,» Matvey hurried to defuse the situation.
During this time, the young businessman had become emaciated and hollowed out, which did not go unnoticed by his wife…
«Darling, I’ve brought you some medicine. Very scarce, by the way. Imported, and quite expensive, I must say,» said Oksana as she pulled a package of plastic jars with some pills from her pocket.
Matvey glanced strangely at his wife, then took the medicine in his hands and scanned the label.
«It’s all in a foreign language… Can’t make out anything,» the man said, surprised.
Trying to portray hurt and genuine indignation, the wife’s face dramatically changed.
«But these are foreign medicines! It would be foolish to expect them to come with a Russian translation with explanations for the especially perceptive,» added the tall beauty.
Matvey shrugged and shifted his gaze to his wife’s companion.
«Oh, this is… a notary, darling,» Oksana exclaimed immediately.
«A notary? Why would I need a notary?» Matvey genuinely wondered. As if to confirm his words, the baby sitting on the floor yapped in agreement.
Oksana smiled charmingly and continued:
«For managing the company’s affairs, I need your signature on a package of some documents. These competitors are just waiting to strip us bare. I’m sure if I had waited any longer, we would definitely have been left penniless. I know you’ll get better… But until that happens, I need all the levers of control.»
Only now did Matvey understand the purpose of his wife’s visit. He could refuse and not sign any papers. But on the other hand, Oksana was still Matvey’s wife, and it was imprudent and risky not to trust her. Deep down, the businessman did not blame his wife for taking him to this village.
Frankly speaking, Matvey was afraid of the operation and belonged to the type of people for whom hospital walls were akin to a prison cell. By signing the documents provided by his wife, the young businessman effectively handed the company over to her personal use. There were still accounts in the bank, but without his presence, Oksana could not manage them at her discretion.
«Well, that’s all, darling. Don’t forget to take your medicine. Oh, and… I brought you some things and money, of course. There’s enough here for a year of comfortable life in this backwater,» Oksana said at parting and glanced apprehensively at Shalun sitting by the door.
Matvey immediately followed his wife’s advice and, removing the plastic lid from the jar, took out one capsule. After swallowing it with water from a pitcher, the man walked Oksana to the door, sincerely hoping she wouldn’t notice his physical weakness. At that moment, he didn’t feel any particular anger towards Oksana. After all, if Matvey was destined to die, let it be in this remote village, where none of his enemies would likely mourn the sight of a fresh mound on his grave.
Only a couple of hours had passed since Oksana’s departure, but Matvey felt much worse than before her visit. Suddenly, his head buzzed like a hive of wild bees, and a sickly bitterness appeared in his mouth, worsening his already poor condition. The man tried to reach the door to ask for help from Zinaida Petrovna but only managed to grab the handle when he collapsed, cut down.
As he plunged into a sticky, dark fog, he mentally said goodbye to life, which, in his opinion, ended on such a sad note. Matvey only woke up the next morning, having slept more than seventeen hours. Surprisingly looking around, the man realized that he was not in his own home but lay in a clean, small room, smelling of lime, wormwood, and some unknown herbs. Gathering his strength, Matvey tried to get out of bed, but the overwhelming weakness did not allow him to do so. At that moment, the door opened, and a frail old woman squinting into the room entered.
«Well, my dear, have you woken up? That’s good… I’ll give you some healing broth now… You’ll feel better… My name is Zinaida Petrovna… But you probably remember that,» the stranger said and handed Matvey a cup with a pungent aromatic liquid inside.
The man smiled awkwardly and accepted the healing drink from the old woman’s hands. Zinaida Petrovna turned out to be a kind, pleasant woman who practiced treating patients with alternative medicine. Those who had lost hope and considered themselves incurably ill came to her house. Living with her granddaughter, helping people suffering from various ailments had become her life’s purpose. Living in a house on the edge of the village, the half-blind woman provided help to everyone who approached her.
«How did I end up here?» Matvey asked after drinking the broth.
The old woman smiled softly and quietly replied:
«Masha spotted you when you fell flat on the threshold. So, we dragged you into the house together. You’re so light… You’ve wasted away from your illness. Or maybe your wife, that sneaky serpent, helped somehow.»
«How could she have possibly helped me to almost give my soul to God? And where did you get that idea from?» Matvey asked, puzzled.
«You’re naive as a grouse in mating season, I swear. She came to me before leaving. She said you were incurably ill and even offered me money if I took care of the funeral after your death…»
«And what did you reply?» asked the guest with a trembling voice.
«What could I reply? I threw her out of the house and wished her a safe journey! It’s not right… to register a living husband as a deceased,» the old woman answered wisely.
Tears welled up in Matvey’s eyes at the thought that if not for this kind old lady and her granddaughter, he would no longer be alive.
«Don’t be sad… You can still be helped, I feel it… Don’t believe what the doctors at the clinic told you… Everything will be alright… I see it with my heart, though my eyes are nearly blind,» Zinaida Petrovna added.
«Thank you… I’m very grateful to you,» Matvey responded with emotion.
«There’s no need, my dear… It’s not me you should thank, but Mashenka… If it wasn’t for her, you would have made it on your own… It was she who secretly brought the puppy to keep you from pining. And she saw you on the porch… I could never notice such a thing with my eyes,» the old woman replied.
Matvey lived in Zinaida Petrovna’s house for about three weeks, during which he grew deeply attached to the old woman. But the most amazing thing was that after Zinaida Petrovna’s treatment, the man felt as if he had never been sick at all. For himself, Matvey had long ago decided. He did not want to leave the cozy little house in the village, which had long become his home.
«It’s hard to say whether the businessman’s recovery was a miracle or due to the correctly chosen therapy by Zinaida Petrovna, but there was no doubt that he was much better off. Moreover, Matvey did not take the medicine left by Oksana, which, according to the elderly healer, was pure poison.
During all this time, Oksana had not once come to visit, nor even called her sick husband, whom she essentially left to die in a remote village. Paying more and more attention to Zinaida Petrovna and Masha, Matvey helped them around the house, carried water from the well, and fed the livestock. Probably, if someone had told him earlier that one could enjoy working in the village, he would not have believed a single word. But now, life in this wilderness had undoubtedly made him, if not happy, at least hopeful for a bright future.
One time, seizing the moment when Masha ran to the shop for bread, Zinaida Petrovna approached Matvey and started a very strange conversation.
‘You probably don’t know… But Masha is not my biological granddaughter. She was about four years old then… And my vision was still good… I found her by chance,’ the old woman began.
Matvey looked at his interlocutor in surprise and prepared to listen to her detailed story. It happened three years ago when, walking past a house, Zinaida Petrovna noticed something strange in its windows. A four-year-old girl was standing on the windowsill, tears frozen in her eyes. Without a moment’s hesitation, the elderly healer entered the house. What Zinaida Petrovna saw inside made her uneasy. Almost the entire floor of the house was littered with empty alcohol bottles and cigarette butts. Inside, it was as dirty as a barn, as if it had never been cleaned before. Zinaida Petrovna carefully walked around the pile of trash and approached the trembling little girl.
‘Don’t be afraid, dear… I won’t hurt you,’ the old woman whispered softly, taking the girl in her arms.
Zinaida Petrovna had already noticed that there was no one else in the house, so she immediately decided to take the girl with her.
‘So, this is Masha Goryunova… Her mother, Irka… Raised the girl alone… They say she had her with a visiting shift worker… She always loved to drink and party,’ exclaimed the local police officer when he saw the old woman walking with the girl in her arms.
‘How can this be! She’s still a child… You can’t just leave her alone! That mother should be deprived of parental rights, and that would be the end of it!’ Zinaida Petrovna cried out in anger, holding the girl close.
The officer shrugged and looked guilty at his fellow villager. In the department, Fyodor Stepanovich had several villages under his jurisdiction and, due to a lack of staff, he literally had to stretch himself thin across the most remote points of the region. He physically couldn’t keep track of all the violations… Especially if it concerned such a delicate issue as the deprivation of parental rights.
Understanding the awkwardness of the officer’s situation, Zinaida Stepanovna took Masha home to feed and warm her. The little girl eagerly attacked the treat, as if she hadn’t eaten for several days. Watching how the girl greedily drank milk, Zinaida Petrovna couldn’t hold back her tears. Finally, when Masha was satisfied, the old woman put her to bed.
Of course, by law, Zinaida Petrovna had no right to take the girl to her home. But on the other hand, the old woman couldn’t leave her alone in the house of a negligent mother either. Since Fyodor Stepanovich did not object to the girl staying in the old woman’s house for a while, Masha stayed with Zinaida Petrovna. About two weeks later, the district was swept by the sad news. The girl’s mother had died in a drunken accident along with her lover, who had recently been released from prison.
‘That’s how Masha became my own, Matvey… I couldn’t just send her to an orphanage after the death of her wayward mother. And she’s a good, smart girl… She deserves a normal family… I’m already old… I won’t be dancing at her graduation. I’ve lived my whole life alone. I dedicated myself to healing. Moreover, my vision has deteriorated significantly. Masha is like a guide dog to me. She hands me the necessary herbs. Even though I can heal while nearly blind, it’s much better and calmer with a helper,’ the old woman concluded.
At that moment, Matvey’s heart painfully clenched. More than anything in the world, he now wanted to thank the kind old woman and her granddaughter for his salvation, which was a true miracle for him. Matvey had not undergone a follow-up medical examination and might not have been fully cured. But there was no doubt that Zinaida Petrovna’s treatment had brought him relief. Moreover, Matvey was eager to deal with his wife, who had treated him so cruelly.
The thing was that when the businessman, on Zinaida Petrovna’s advice, had the medicine tested through the local officer, it turned out that in his case, this medication became pure poison for the patient. Being naive and trusting by nature, he had believed until the end that his wife could not wish for his death. But, when the examination revealed the actual potential crime, Matvey moved to more decisive actions.
And the most interesting thing awaited him ahead when, returning to the city, he was surprised to learn that Oksana was already under arrest. As it turned out, the cunning beauty had punished herself when she, with the help of an accomplice resembling Matvey, tried to withdraw money from his bank account. The bank’s security service acted promptly, and soon, a terrified Oksana was already giving testimony at the police station.»
Crying, the girl said she was not to blame and just wanted to withdraw money from her husband’s account, which, supposedly, he no longer needed. Needless to say, when Matvey appeared in the city, his return caused a real sensation. But the doctors at the clinic were most surprised, who after a medical examination, declared that the man was completely healthy. And only the businessman himself smiled mysteriously and mentally thanked the elderly healer Zinaida Petrovna, who, with her decoctions and incantations, managed to get him back on his feet.
Demanding a divorce from Oksana, Matvey sold his house in the city and moved to the village. Despite the abundance of circumstantial evidence of the beauty’s guilt, the authorities could not bring a criminal case against her. The medicines given by Oksana were not poison and were contraindicated only to Matvey due to the peculiarities of his disease. The businessman understood very well that it was unlikely that his wife simply made a mistake in choosing a medical drug, which, moreover, was brought from abroad.
The truth came out by itself when it turned out that Oksana had had a lover on the side for quite some time. It was he who saw the opportunity to become rich in case of Matvey’s death in the remote village. The lovers’ plan was simple, as all genius things are. Without proper care and attention, Matvey wouldn’t have lasted long in that wilderness. Meanwhile, as the businessman fought for his life in the remote village, the conspirators tried to take over his business and withdraw all the money from the accounts. And if they achieved some results with the firm, a complete fiasco awaited them at the bank.
Having everything, the cheeky beauty didn’t appreciate what life had given her, and at one beautiful moment, she lost everything she had. As for Matvey, life changed for the better. There, with the money from the sale of real estate, the young businessman decided to build a hospice for people who had lost their last hope for healing. Special attention in the treatment would be given to the techniques of Zinaida Petrovna, who, although weak in vision, remained a very good healer.
One day, a new nurse appeared within the walls of the hospice, who came from a small town in search of a better life. Since Matvey personally approved the medical staff candidates, the interview took place in his office. The woman who came for the interview was named Anna Igorevna, and she wanted nothing more than to get the nurse’s position in this hospice.
When our hero first saw the candidate, his heart suddenly started beating faster, and his pulse quickened, as from a fast run. Glancing through the provided documents and recommendations from her previous job, Matvey mechanically noted to himself that Anna Igorevna was unmarried and raising her son Kolya alone. Matvey, as the head, asked the woman a few more questions about work aspects and her qualifications, then said:
«Well, Anna Igorevna! I think I’m ready to meet you halfway! You fit us, and we’ll take you on to work in our hospice. Leave the necessary documents with my secretary and start your duties.»
A sweet smile slipped across Anna’s face, and, thanking Matvey, she left his office. After this incident, the young man’s heart was literally captivated by this new employee, who, despite her impressive external data, turned out to be smart and hard-working. Matvey often noticed that Anna could work without days off and was ready to substitute for colleagues at any moment.
One evening, he couldn’t stand it and, approaching the employee who stayed late at work, said:
«Anya… You’ve stayed quite late and clearly deserve that I drive you home! You shouldn’t have to take the train… And taxi drivers will charge three skins for such an order.»
Anna smiled painfully but did not refuse the offer. On the way home, the young people talked, and Matvey learned that the father of Anna’s son had left the family many years ago, and she had to raise him alone.
«Well, it seems to me that you’re doing very well,» said Matvey, his voice clearly containing notes of respect and sympathy.
Right next to Anna’s house, he wished her a good evening and shook hands in farewell. From then on, Matvey picked up Anya from work every day, turning it into a kind of romantic tradition. The result of this was a passionate romance, which was a complete surprise for them both. Anna introduced Matvey to her son Kolya, whom the young and considerate businessman liked at first sight. In turn, Matvey started bringing his foster daughter Masha to visit, who had long become dear to him.
Kolya and Masha became friends from the first day and immediately found a common language. Being about the same age, the kids were ready to play together all day long. Since there was no one closer to Matvey than Zinaida Petrovna, one day the man decided to introduce her to Anna…
Despite the fact that the old lady almost couldn’t see anything, she still approved of Anna’s candidacy and, without hiding it, announced this to everyone present. Mysteriously smiling, Matvey conspiratorially took out a velvet-lined box from his pocket, in which lay an engagement ring. Then, under the approving smiles of Masha and Kolya, he proposed to Anna. Without a second’s hesitation, the girl joyfully agreed. That evening, for the first time in many years, there was merriment and joy in the house of Zinaida Petrovna.
After so many years of troubles and misfortunes, the participants in this story finally found the long-desired happiness they had dreamed of all these long years.
About a year later, Matvey accidentally met Oksana in a restaurant where he came with his family to celebrate the anniversary of their acquaintance. Taking the menu, the businessman made an order and returned the menu to the waitress. Only then did Matvey recognize his former wife in the restaurant employee.
In that time, Oksana had changed a lot and noticeably lost weight. Her sad gray eyes no longer shone with the same zest that was there during her wealth and independence. Of course, she recognized Matvey, although she tried not to show it.
After taking the order, the waitress, on unbending, as if wooden legs, trudged to the kitchen. A few years ago, she made her choice and gambled everything. Now, all she had left was to bitterly remember the past and reproach herself for the fact that due to her own stupidity and greed, she ended up at the bottom.
As is customary in such cases, Matvey left Oksana a good tip, once again emphasizing that there could be nothing common between them… Looking at Anya with love, Matvey was sure that a happy life awaited them ahead, in which family and loyalty would always come first.
