Olga was eager to return home with just one day left before the holiday. She needed to tidy up the house, hang the festive decorations, and purchase groceries for the celebration meal.
She left her office quickly, treading cautiously on the slippery ground in her light heeled boots, and made her way to her car in the parking lot.
The surroundings sparkled with holiday cheer—the office building and a nearby small Christmas tree were adorned with glowing garlands. The sounds of children playing and festive music floated over from a winter festival in the adjacent park.
A catchy New Year’s tune played in Olga’s mind, the same one she’d listened to on the radio that morning during her commute. The lyrics hinted at the fleeting nature of holiday promises, but Olga chuckled to herself, reassured by her own foresight in gifting both herself and her husband for the season.
In this serene phase of their marriage, Olga and her husband Maxim enjoyed their childfree life, despite Maxim occasionally bringing up the topic of starting a family. Olga’s reluctance stemmed from her tough childhood experiences where she cared for her twin siblings from the age of ten. Additionally, she cherished her flourishing career and wasn’t ready to disrupt it.
«I’m only twenty-seven, there’s no rush,» she would assert to her inquiring friends and family, and to herself.
Maxim, hopeful, would ask, «Don’t you want the joy of a little one?» to which Olga would smile and respond, «I do, but everything in its own time. I’ve only been leading the department for six months.»
Now, sitting in her car, waiting for the engine to warm, Olga watched the nearby children with a softened heart, pondering if maybe she was closer to readiness than she thought. She was determined to make this New Year’s special, possibly the last just for the two of them.
She had been pondering what unique surprise she could prepare for Maxim but realized simplicity might hold the real charm.
Today’s tasks were clear: clean their cozy apartment thoroughly, cleverly hide the present for Maxim, and prepare for their intimate New Year’s celebration. Maxim’s night shift was a blessing—it meant he wouldn’t be underfoot today and they would welcome the new year together tomorrow night.
After a quick stop at the local supermarket for the final touches on their festive meal, Olga returned home energized, ready to immerse herself in holiday preparations. She enjoyed cleaning their home, a cherished inheritance from her grandmother, especially with lively New Year’s music filling every corner of the space.
Once the cleaning was completed, Olga retrieved the artificial Christmas tree from the attic and set about assembling it. She adorned the tree with garlands and vintage Christmas ornaments that had once belonged to her grandmother, finishing the task swiftly despite frequent interruptions from friends calling to share their latest updates.
The next task was the most delightful yet tricky: concealing her husband’s surprise gift in a way that would ensure a genuine moment of discovery. Olga mulled over various hiding spots. Her first thought was under the Christmas tree, but that was too obvious. Then she considered placing it in a cupboard under the guise of fetching champagne flutes for the dinner table, where a bright envelope would catch Maxim’s eye. Another idea was to stash the gift on the balcony and have him find it there, but she hesitated, unsure about this option.
Inside the small red folder was a gift certificate for a trip to Thailand, a longtime dream of Maxim’s that Olga, buoyed by a generous New Year’s bonus, was excited to fulfill.
While still undecided on the perfect hiding spot, Olga took another call. She multitasked, cleaning up and storing boxes as she chatted. As she stood on a chair to put away the last of the boxes in the attic, her eye caught a mysterious bundle tucked away in the back.
Unable to reach it, she hurriedly ended the call, saying, «Verun, sorry, I’ve got to go. Lots to do! Take care, happy New Year!» and fetched a ladder from the balcony.
Driven by curiosity about the concealed item, Olga speculated whether it might be a reciprocal surprise from Maxim. Climbing the ladder, she reached into the depths of the attic and retrieved the bundle, dusty and forgotten.
«No, this isn’t a gift. It’s old,» she murmured to herself as she unwrapped a newspaper bundle to reveal several faded photographs of strangers. Intrigued, Olga began to examine the faces of the unknown people captured in the images.
A young woman cradled a boy in her arms, both grinning broadly—it was clearly a mother with her son. In another image, they were joined by a man, likely the father of the blonde boy, who bore a striking resemblance to someone familiar. A group photo depicted a lively gathering of youths around a bonfire, one strumming a guitar, their faces animated as they sang.
«Who are these people?» Olga mused, puzzled by the unfamiliar faces.
Studying the group photo again, she gasped as recognition dawned—there was her Maxim, unmistakably younger, probably around seventeen. Beside him stood a girl, his arm wrapped warmly around her waist, her attention fixed not on the camera but on him.
A wave of discomfort washed over Olga as she realized the young beauty from the first photo, the one with the child, was the same girl.
«What is this?» she murmured to herself. «Why has Maxim hidden these photos from me? And why does that boy look so much like him?»
Her festive mood evaporated.
What secrets was her husband keeping? Why were these photos concealed in the attic of their shared home?
Initially panicking, Olga quickly regained her composure.
She opened a bottle of red wine and took a long gulp, steadying her nerves. It was crucial not to act impulsively but to confront Maxim when he returned.
However, deep down, Olga suspected she already knew the answers. The lingering question was whether their marriage could survive this.
After a restless night, she didn’t wait long the next evening to confront him. As soon as Maxim walked in, Olga slammed the discovered photos onto the table.
Maxim blanched, his expression one of utter confusion.
«Aren’t you going to explain?» she demanded.
«Ol, I meant to… just not yet. I was waiting until we had our own child. I hoped it might soften the blow when you found out. I’ve kept these photos to tell you everything one day,» he confessed.
«Explain now,» she demanded tersely.
«It’s Lena and her family—son Petya and husband Dmitry. Lena and I were school sweethearts… It was a youthful thing.»
«That resulted in a child? Is Petya yours?» Olga interrupted sharply.
«Yes,» Maxim admitted reluctantly. «But not officially. It just happened.»
«Why aren’t you with her, and some Dmitry is raising your son?» Olga pressed, her voice barely steady.
«I was young and irresponsible. I’d just moved to the city for college when Lena called, saying we needed to marry because she was pregnant. I was terrified, unprepared. I told her to handle it herself… I regretted it immediately,» Maxim explained, his voice laced with remorse.
«And what did she do?»
«She handled it—married Dmitry, who lived nearby and didn’t even know about the pregnancy at first. She claimed Petya was premature,» he added.
«So, you knew about this child when we married, and you kept silent? For two years?» Olga’s voice cracked with emotion.
«Please, Ol, forgive me. I know about Petya, but legally, he’s not mine. That shouldn’t change how you see me. Our future children will be ours,» Maxim pleaded, trying to justify his silence.
«You’re worse than I imagined,» Olga said, tears streaming down her face.
«Why must you ruin this? I love you, Ol, and we can get past this. Let’s not let it spoil our New Year’s Eve. I’ve even prepared a special gift for you,» Maxim attempted a weak smile.
«A gift? Forget it. I had a surprise too—I planned a trip to Thailand for us. But that’s off now,» Olga retorted sharply.
«Why? Let’s still go, Ol. We dreamed about this trip. It’ll be fine, you’ll see,» Maxim said, clearly distressed.
«No, it won’t be fine. We’re getting a divorce,» Olga declared firmly.
That day, Maxim packed his belongings and left. Olga spent New Year’s Eve alone, unable to forgive the double deception: Maxim had betrayed both his first love and her, destroying their plans for a future together.
