Vera looked confusedly at Alexey.
«Lyosha, you do understand that you’re making a mistake?»
Alexey waved his hand dismissively, showing his irritation.
«Let’s skip the drama. I’m tired of your constantly dissatisfied expression. It’s always the same. Milana—she’s completely different. She’s like a breath of fresh air for me. And you… I’m still being too kind to you, giving you time to pack your things and find a place to live. You realize you have no right to demand anything? You never worked, so don’t expect any of my money.»
«Lyosha, but you were the one who didn’t allow me to work. You said that for a man of your status, it was inappropriate for your wife to work.»
«Yes, I said that when you were my wife. But now Milana will take your place, so you’ll have the opportunity to earn a living on your own.»
Vera recalled all these words while standing in the cemetery in front of a fresh grave. Alexey’s happiness with his new wife had been short-lived—only three years. And Vera knew for sure: he had been unhappy during the last year. Alexey’s illness also raised many questions.
She knew that Alexey suspected Milana of adding something to his food or drinks. He even started his own investigation and talked about it with Vera, but he didn’t manage to finish it…
A month before his death, he came to Vera to apologize. He shared details of his life, looked unwell, and Vera’s heart ached to see his suffering. Now she shifted her gaze to the mourning widow—elegantly dressed Milana with a dark veil over her face and a young man supporting her by the arm.
Vera heard the whispers of those at the funeral, condemning Milana for her lack of conscience. Vera understood—the investigation needed to continue. Although Alexey had betrayed her, she still loved him. Yes, he had acted like a scoundrel, but he didn’t deserve to die. Vera sighed and headed towards the cemetery gate. Someone touched her shoulder. She turned around and saw Milana.
«I hope you realize that you won’t get anything from my husband’s will,» she said coldly.
Her face was filled with malice, though Vera had given no reason to think otherwise. They stood silently for a moment, like two adversaries ready to fight. Then Vera turned around and continued her way, hearing Milana hiss through her teeth:
«Don’t even dare try to achieve anything!»
Alexey had been treated at a clinic chosen by Milana, but Vera knew that wasn’t all. It turned out Alexey had secretly been consulting elsewhere, which almost no one knew about. Everything was shrouded in secrecy, and it seemed he realized that it must not be disclosed.
«Hello? Vera Nikolaevna, you need to be present at the reading of the will.»
«A will?» Vera smiled bitterly. «Did my ex really leave me something?»
«I’m sorry, Vera Nikolaevna, but I can’t discuss it over the phone. Can you come?»
«Yes, of course, I’ll come,» she replied.
Vera thought with a smile: she didn’t need his money, but she was very eager to see Milana’s reaction at the reading of the will.
Milana was in a good mood. The same young man was next to her, looking smugly at Vera and smirking. As Vera had expected, all the property, including real estate, had passed to Milana. However, at the end, the notary announced that there was one more item left—a house located in a remote village, a hundred kilometers from the city.
Milana burst into laughter:
«Old wife—old junk. But don’t worry, Verochka, I won’t take that hovel from you. After all, you have nowhere else to live; you’re renting. Now you have your own ‘apartments’!»
Vera didn’t respond, silently took the documents, and left the office. «Well, it looks like the start of a little adventure,» she thought. Getting into her car, she glanced at the address again.
«I have a day off, might as well go and see,» Vera decided, especially since she didn’t know that Lyosha had a house in such a backwater.
The trip took almost three hours, she got lost twice and even started to get annoyed:
«How can they not sign the road better? No signs, just turns.»
Finally, she saw the needed sign:
«Finally!»
The village was strange. Just a few kilometers back, there was something resembling civilization, but here—old wooden houses, most of them abandoned. «I wonder which house is now mine?» Vera thought, checking the photograph. The house was at the very end of the village. She sighed—there were no roads in the village, just trampled grass and tire tracks.
She drove slowly over the grass, her small car snagging on bumps and roots. Stopping at the house, Vera didn’t get out right away, looking around. The house looked abandoned, except for a path leading to the porch. The grass was trampled as if someone regularly walked here, and there were tire tracks at the gate—cars sometimes came here.
«Did Lyosha leave me a house with tenants?» she thought. Decisively turning off the car, Vera got out and approached the gate, which creaked piercingly. She even flinched at the unexpected sound. She went up to the porch. The door was unlocked, which made her smirk:
Of course, it’s a village. The house seems empty, so locals come in and take whatever isn’t nailed down.
«The door’s unlocked. They took whatever they could,» Vera muttered to herself.
She pulled the door and entered the house. And then she was overwhelmed with surprise—the room smelled of freshly brewed coffee, although this scent in an abandoned house seemed impossible. She looked around: inside it was clean and cozy, a laptop sat on the table, the house was clearly inhabited.
«Don’t be afraid,» a familiar voice said.
Vera turned sharply and… everything went dark in front of her eyes.
«Vera, wake up! I’m sorry I scared you, but I had no other choice.»
She struggled to open her eyes. Before her sat Alexey, and Vera herself was lying on the couch. She raised her hand, touched him—he was alive, warm. And he looked much better than at their last meeting.
«Lyosha… am I dead?» she managed to say.
He smiled:
«Of course not. No one’s dead.»
«Then who did we bury?» she asked, shocked.
Alexey shrugged:
«A mannequin. Very expensive and carefully made.»
Vera shook her head:
«I don’t understand. What’s going on here?»
Alexey leaned back in his chair and began to explain. Vera already guessed much. Milana’s lover had interned in India, and Alexey believed he had brought back a slow poison from there, with which the doctor chosen by Milana gradually poisoned him.
Initially, Alexey couldn’t even imagine that something was wrong. Suspicions that his wife was poisoning him came later, when most of his property had already been transferred to Milana.
«You see, I needed to do something to stop it. I discussed everything with Misha. Remember, he has a clinic on Vasilyevsky? So we decided that I needed to ‘die’. There was a risk that Milana might decide to use the last dose of poison at any moment. Basically, everything worked out. There are a few nuances left. I realize I’ve hurt you badly and don’t deserve your help, but you’re the only one who can help me.»
They talked until late at night. Alexey detailed his plan, and Vera agreed immediately. How could she refuse when her living husband, whom she had mourned nearly every night, sat before her?
They spent the night together. Vera approached her husband, and he silently buried his nose in her hair. The only thing he said:
«Sorry.»
In the morning, Alexey was preparing to leave. Holding his hand, she quietly said:
«I forgive you.»
Vera looked with a light smirk at Milana, whose face reddened with rage:
«What other new will? This is absurd! What gifts? Everything you’re listing has long belonged to me!»
«There’s suspicion that Alexey was given some drugs. How else to explain that he transferred property to you, which had already been gifted?» said Vera calmly.
Milana jumped up:
«What nonsense? What drugs? All of this is mine, and I’ll sell it all tomorrow!»
The notary coughed:
«Sorry, but the sale will have to be postponed. All of this requires thorough investigation, and at the moment all documentation is frozen.»
Milana glared at Vera:
«You’ll pay dearly for this, and very soon!» she hissed and, grabbing her lover by the hand, suggested:
«Shall we talk?»
«Of course, let’s talk,» Vera calmly replied.
Milana smirked:
«Do you think I’ll give you anything? You’re greatly mistaken. I didn’t spend so much time on your Alexey for nothing. You’ll end up where he is.»
Vera, smiling, responded:
«Will you slowly poison me, as you did him?»
Milana looked at her with interest:
«You’re smarter than I thought. Yes, I poisoned Alexey slowly, to get as much as possible. But I don’t need you. The quicker you die, the better. There are poisons in India that act instantly and leave no trace in the body. Our doctors will never detect them.»
She laughed loudly, but suddenly Alexey appeared in the room. Just as Milana’s lover almost reached Vera, Alexey struck him, sending him into a knockout. Milana screamed in horror, seeing the man she thought was dead, and tried to run away. But she was immediately grabbed by people in uniform.
Vera began to tremble slightly, and Alexey took her hand:
«Thank you. But now we have another unfinished business.»
They went back to the notary. Judging by his reaction, he was aware of all the events, as he was not at all surprised. Alexey transferred half of his property to Vera, which he had, then stood up and quietly said:
«Forgive me. This is the least I could do for you. I guess I’ll go to the village. I don’t want to be in your sight.»
Vera aimlessly wandered around the apartment. «But why?» she thought. She seemed to be happy: Alexey was alive, she was now very wealthy and, most importantly, an independent woman. But there was emptiness inside her. Something was wrong. And suddenly she realized: she needed Alexey, her Lyosha. Even if it brought pain, she still loved him.
Vera rushed out of the house, got into the car, and sped away. Now she knew exactly what she needed to do. As she drove into the village, she noticed lights starting to come on in the houses. She stopped on a small hill, caught her breath. She saw the light turn on in Alexey’s house and smiled:
«That’s good. Everything is going as it should.»
A few minutes later, she parked at the gate, turned off the engine, and got out. Her movements were mechanical, as if she was on autopilot. Suddenly a thought occurred to her:
«What if he doesn’t need me? What if he doesn’t love me?»
But she immediately decided that now everything would be clear. Opening the gate, she saw him—Alexey was already coming down the steps to meet her. He approached and looked at her intently.
«Are you sure? I’ve hurt you badly. That’s not forgivable.»
«You’re right, it’s not forgivable,» Vera replied. «But I’m willing to try.»
Alexey hugged her tightly and sighed softly:
«I guess I had to go through all this to realize how much I need you. To understand that we are one whole. If you can forgive me, I promise I’ll never let you down again.»
Vera also sighed:
«Lyosha, let’s try to forget all this. As if it never happened. We’re only 40 years old, we have a chance to start over.»
Three months later, the trial of Milana and her lover took place. Vera couldn’t attend—she felt unwell. Alexey was in great agitation and, as soon as the verdict began to be announced, he rushed home. Vera greeted him with a new, glowing smile.
«Vera, how are you?»
«Not ‘you,’ but ‘we,'» she replied with a mysterious smile.
«We? What do you mean? Did someone come?»
«Not yet, but in about seven months, someone will.»
Alexey stared at her for a long time, then, stunned, asked:
«Is this a joke?»
«No, it’s serious.»
Alexey, disbelieving his luck, lifted her into the air as if she were the lightest feather. Finally, setting her down, he said:
«You know, every day with you brings me more and more happiness. I thought it was impossible to be happier. But now I realize I was wrong.
