This day became a turning point for Natalya, forever etched in her memory. The words of the one who was about to become part of their family tore her heart to pieces. It seemed as though time had frozen, and she herself dissolved like the morning mist. In the morning, Natalya had no inkling that by evening her life would change drastically and all her dreams and plans would crumble like a sandcastle. She was preparing dinner for her husband, humming her favorite tune. The mood was bright. Her son was due to return from a business trip soon, and then—there was the wedding with the bride and pleasant preparations. And then suddenly… like a bolt from the blue…
All the past flashed before her eyes.
Natalya gave birth to Nikita at the age of twenty. She had been dating a young man two years her junior, but his parents were opposed to marrying an “old hag,” as they called her. Alexey had promised that once he reached adulthood, he would leave home to marry. But fate had other plans: on his birthday, he received the long-awaited motorcycle and perished on the highway. Alexey’s parents blamed Natalya, believing that she had “corrupted” their son. They wouldn’t even let her attend the funeral. Pregnant in her fifth month, Natalya chose not to quarrel. When Nikita was born, she went to see them, hoping that in time they would accept her grandson—the only remnant of their son. But Alexey’s mother wouldn’t even let her cross the threshold, denouncing the child with an unflattering epithet.
After that, Natalya lost her way to them. Life had been hard enough already. She had grown up with her grandmother and never knew her parents. According to her grandmother, her father had abandoned her mother even before she became pregnant, and when Natalya was three, her mother left the country with a new partner. There they married and had children, but her mother had begged the grandmother not to mention her daughter to her husband and to forget about her altogether. Natalya, in time, forgot as well. Her grandmother replaced both parents, showering her with love, even working during retirement to support her granddaughter. When Natalya became pregnant, her grandmother was already ill and could no longer work. Suddenly, everything fell on Natalya’s shoulders. After completing some courses, she worked as a manicurist in a beauty salon, while also cleaning store floors in the mornings and visiting clients at home. After giving birth, she returned to work literally the next day, though she did reduce her workload slightly. Her grandmother took care of Nikita—a child remarkably calm since birth. When he turned two, the grandmother passed away. Losing her, Natalya grieved for a long time. She enrolled her son in kindergarten and began working hard, saving money for the future. She dreamed of starting her own business. Working at the beauty salon began to seem too burdensome; she craved something new.
While she was saving money, Natalya read many books on business. By the time Nikita started first grade, she had accumulated the necessary savings. Starting small, she soon realized that she needed extra hands—preferably male ones. That was when she met Artur. This specialist was exceptionally knowledgeable in his field, and Natalya offered him a permanent collaboration. Daily interaction brought them closer, and the business began to grow along with their relationship. Artur turned out to be not only a consummate professional but also an engaging conversationalist—well-read and smart. He always found solutions to even the most complex problems. In the end, he proposed to Natalya. The only thing that troubled her was his physical attractiveness. She believed that such men rarely stayed faithful. But Artur persisted, and eventually, she agreed.
Yet this new phase of life brought new trials. Nikita was unwilling to accept a stranger into their family. Although he remembered nothing of his father, his mother often spoke fondly of him, and the boy did not want anyone to take his place. But Artur managed to win the child over. He knew how to engage him—giving him toys, taking him to competitions, and even letting him “steer” his brand-new car. Soon, Nikita told his mother that he accepted Artur, although he would not call him “dad.” Artur did not demand it; for him, it was enough that Natalya became his wife and that he finally had a real family where he was needed and loved.
The couple never had children. Artur blamed himself—after all, Natalya already had a son, so the problem, he thought, must be with him. But Natalya reassured him, saying that everything was unfolding as it should. Deep down, she feared that the arrival of a baby might upset the family’s balance. She worried that Artur might end up loving his own child more, and Nikita would certainly sense it. Perhaps that fear even prevented her from becoming pregnant herself.
Their joint business flourished, and everything seemed perfect. Nikita grew up and entered university. However, by the end of his studies, his attitude toward Artur had changed. One day he even told his mother to consider whether it was worth continuing to live with such a man. For some reason, Nikita had decided that Artur was unfaithful—even though Artur had never given any reason for jealousy. He was always attentive, caring, and spent nearly every evening at home. Yet these reasons did not convince Nikita. His communication with Artur became colder than before.
After graduating, Nikita quickly secured a prestigious job. His mother suggested he join the family business to gain experience and eventually take it over, but he refused. Natalya understood that her son was doing everything possible to avoid Artur, so working under him was unacceptable. Soon, Nikita brought his fiancée home. Svetlana made a good impression on Natalya—a modest, well-mannered young woman. However, she was from out of town and mentioned her family sparingly, noting they lived in another city. According to Svetlana, she had moved here for her studies. When Nikita announced that he was going to get married, Natalya was genuinely happy for him.
But one day, while Nikita was away on a business trip, Svetlana rang the doorbell. Barely stepping over the threshold, she blurted out in one breath:
— I’m pregnant by your husband; I’m going to live with you now!
— Svetlana, come in, — Natalya replied calmly, deciding that the daughter-in-law had merely made a mistake out of nervousness. — Undress; Artur will be home from work soon, and we will have dinner. Don’t worry. Of course, you can stay with us for now, and once you’re married, we’ll buy you an apartment. You’ll move in. I’m happy that my son will soon become a father!
— Natalya Valentinovna, did you even hear me? — Svetlana asked quietly. — I’m pregnant by Artur!
— What do you mean? I heard you correctly, didn’t I? You’re not mistaken?
— No! I’m pregnant by Artur, and I have nowhere to go. I’m sorry.
Natalya licked her parched lips, poured a glass of water, and downed it in one go. Then she sat on a chair and began fidgeting with the edge of her apron in silence.
— How did this happen? — she finally managed to say with difficulty.
— Like everyone else, — Svetlana shrugged indifferently. — When I met Artur, I didn’t know he was married. He said he was getting a divorce but couldn’t finalize it because of the shared business. And then I met Nikita and immediately realized that I truly loved him. I honestly told Artur about it, but he wouldn’t let me go. When Nikita brought me to meet you, I saw Artur and understood everything. He became even more insistent, demanded that I leave Nikita, promised to divorce you and take me away. But I didn’t want any more to do with him.
Natalya listened in disbelief. She decided that this must be some kind of prank. Could such a thing really happen? She recalled that Artur had seemed a little nervous when Svetlana first came to the house with Nikita, but she had attributed it to the excitement of her son growing up and soon starting an independent life.
Svetlana pulled up the collar of her sweater and asked if she could have some water. Natalya nodded. After taking a few sips, the girl continued:
— I found out about the pregnancy when Nikita had already left on his business trip. I told Artur, and he demanded that I get rid of the baby. He said he didn’t want any trouble. I would have been relieved if this pregnancy hadn’t happened and Nikita would never know about my disgrace, but I can’t do that. I’m afraid that if I get rid of it now, I might never be able to have children. In short, Artur got angry and stopped paying for the apartment he had rented for me when he made me his mistress. He insisted that I quit my job so he could come to me at any time. Today the rent ended, I was thrown out, and I have nowhere to go and no money. I decided to tell you the whole truth. I understand I’ve lost Nikita, but I have no other choice. Just don’t think that I hid from him that I lived with a man older than me, whom I didn’t love and with whom it was all over. The only thing I couldn’t say was that that man turned out to be Artur. I don’t know what to do now.
— Made you his mistress, — Natalya bitterly smiled.
— Exactly, — Svetlana replied, blushing. — You know how persistently he courted me—showering me with flowers, promising to give me the whole world.
— And didn’t it bother you that he never stayed overnight and left you alone on weekends?
— Of course, I asked, but he always had convincing excuses. He said these were temporary sacrifices for the sake of business, and that after the divorce, we’d be together.
At that moment, Artur returned. Entering the kitchen, he rubbed his hands and kissed his wife, then looked at Svetlana in surprise:
— We have a daughter-in-law as a guest! Didn’t you realize right away?
— You realized everything! — Natalya snapped. — We have your mistress as a guest! Let’s call things by their proper names. And when were you going to inform me about the divorce?
— What are you talking about, Natash? What nonsense? What divorce? What mistress? What did she tell you?!
— I only told the truth, — Svetlana declared boldly, her gaze burning into him.
— What truth? What are you saying? Ah—now I see! — Artur burst into laughter. — Natash, the bride of our Nikita, upon learning that we’re well-off, decided to make money off us this way. A good idea!
— What are you saying? — Svetlana’s cheeks flushed. — I never asked you for money, even though I knew about the business. And you never gave me expensive gifts. And I don’t lie! Look! — she played a recording on her tape recorder. — I foresaw that this might happen when you started blackmailing me. And I don’t need anything! Listen, nothing! It’s just that this child is not only mine, but yours as well, and I’m left out on the street without means of livelihood and without a job—by your own whim. You forced me to come here! I had no other way out. Should I throw myself off a bridge into the river?
Svetlana burst into bitter tears, and Artur paled, ready at any moment to silence her by force.
— Don’t look at her like that, dear, — Natalya said, pointing to the door. — You have half an hour to get ready.
Artur fell to his knees before Natalya, wrapping his arms around her legs:
— Forgive me, Natashenka, forgive me! I was possessed! I can’t live without you! Well… You know, male nature—always drawn to something new.
— Get out, — Natalya shouted coldly. — Did you even realize what you just said? Stand up and leave. You are pathetic!
Svetlana stood pressed against the windowsill, afraid to breathe as he shot an angry look at her.
— You’ll sleep over at my place tonight, and tomorrow we’ll figure it out, — Natalya said.
Artur left without his belongings, slamming the door and promising to return. Natalya silently fed the guest, set her up in the anteroom, and sat on the sofa in Nikita’s room, deep in thought. She was helping her husband’s mistress—the one who had tried to deceive her son. Had she lost her mind? But she simply lacked the strength to fight the situation. And where could she send her? If Svetlana were to do something drastic, Natalya would never forgive herself. Let Artur live with his sins, but her heart was not made of stone.
In the morning, after a sleepless night, Natalya called her work to inform her assistant not to wait for her and prepared breakfast for Svetlana. The girl entered the kitchen with a guilty look.
— I’m sorry, Natalya Valentinovna. I really don’t know what to do now. I don’t blame Artur entirely for everything that happened—after all, it’s my own fault too. But I couldn’t resist his advances. I trusted him like a fool.
Natalya understood. Artur knew how to seduce women; who better than her to know that? And for good reason, she had always feared that something like this might happen.
— I ask you one thing, — Natalya said softly. — Until Nikita returns, don’t say anything to him.
— Okay, — Svetlana nodded, looking at Natalya pleadingly. — Tell me, can you forgive me?
— Forgive you for what? If you didn’t know… — Natalya set a plate of porridge and a glass of juice before her. — Eat, don’t distress the child.
— Thank you so much! I’m truly sorry. I really didn’t need this child at all. Artur convinced me that he couldn’t have children.
— And are you sure that this child is Artur’s? — Natalya asked. — Not Nikita’s?
— No, — Svetlana shook her head firmly. — Nothing happened between Nikita and me. We had only just met. He treated me with such tender care… And I simply couldn’t allow myself to get close to him after learning that he was Artur’s son—even if adopted. I thought time would set everything right, but I felt terribly guilty toward him. Artur was my first and only man, and now I bitterly regret it. I’m sorry you have to hear all of this.
Svetlana took a sip of juice and couldn’t hold back her tears.
— Well then, — Natalya approached the window and looked thoughtfully into the distance. — It’s no use crying over spilled milk. What happened, happened. Whether it was for the best or not—time will tell. But I am sure I got rid of the filth. And don’t you cry.
Svetlana nodded, and with a trembling hand scooped a spoonful of porridge, trying to steady herself. At that moment, her phone rang.
— It’s him… Artur, — she whispered and switched on the speakerphone.
— I hope you’ve already left Natalya? — Artur’s voice was cold and harsh. — Listen carefully: if you don’t get rid of the pregnancy, forget any support from me. Decide for yourself, but keep in mind—I will act.
Natalya snatched the phone and responded in the same tone:
— And you keep in mind that your antics will eventually come back to haunt you.
— Natasha, — Artur lowered his voice. — Why do you still tolerate that adventuress? Clearly, she’s using you for her own ends.
— If anyone has used me all these years, it’s you, Artur, — Natalya calmly retorted and hung up.
It felt as if the entire world around her had vanished. Such a twist of events could not have been imagined even in the worst of nightmares. Yet Natalya was not about to reveal her true feelings. She took a deep breath, looked at Svetlana—who trembled like an autumn leaf in the wind—and her heart ached with pity. The woman reminded her of herself—how much it had hurt when Alexey’s parents refused to accept her, how she had suffered after losing her beloved. But she had her grandmother, who had always supported her. And Svetlana had no one by her side.
— How far along are you? — she asked, trying to distract the girl.
— I don’t know, — Svetlana blushed. — I haven’t been to a doctor yet.
— Did you at least take a test?
— No… — Svetlana replied, fear in her eyes.
— And how did you decide you were pregnant?
— A missed period… It’s been two months. When I met Nikita, everything spun so fast that I only realized it when he left on his business trip.
— Listen, dear, how did you come to believe you were pregnant? You understand that this is a serious matter—you can’t rely on assumptions.
Svetlana looked at Natalya, confused, and Natalya merely shook her head.
— How naive can you be? Let’s get ready; we’ll go to the doctor.
Svetlana nodded silently. Natalya called an old friend—the owner of a small clinic—and asked if they could be seen without an appointment.
— There’s no pregnancy, — the doctor said, adjusting her glasses. — Just a malfunction, perhaps due to nervous strain or another reason. They took tests, and the results will come later.
— See, — Natalya smiled as she left the clinic. — When you met Nikita, you started worrying because of Artur. That’s why you had a malfunction. You’re lucky you won’t have to raise a child from such a “daddy.” And I’m lucky too—I learned the truth about whom I trusted blindly. Nikita tried to warn me, but I didn’t listen.
— Thank you, Natalya Valentinovna, — Svetlana whispered, her face flushing. — I’ll now gather my things and go home. I’ll call my father so he can transfer money for a ticket. I probably won’t be able to see Nikita again…
— No way, — Natalya objected firmly. — You must wait for Nikita and tell him everything. Then you both can decide what to do.
— I can’t… It will be too hard for him to accept. Please, you tell him everything. Let him know that I truly love him.
But when they returned home, the women were surprised: Nikita was standing in the doorway.
— Did something happen, son? — Natalya asked worriedly.
— You tell me what happened, — Nikita said, shifting his gaze from his mother to his fiancée. — This morning, Artur called me. He said a lot of interesting things. I was let off early, finished my tasks, and flew in on the next flight.
— Well then… — Natalya barely restrained herself from swearing aloud.
— Alright, listen, — she sighed, realizing that Svetlana was too upset to speak. — I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you earlier. You were right.
— I told you so! — Nikita punched the wall. — Scum, not even a human being. I saw him with young girls, Mom. I just couldn’t tell you, and you ignored my hints.
— We have all been victims of the same person, — Natalya said. — But it’s not worth ruining your life over him. I have decided to move on and be glad that I got rid of that filth. And you both decide what to do. I’m off to see Aunt Anya—I haven’t seen her in ages.
When Natalya returned, only Nikita was at home.
— Did you have a fight? — she asked quietly.
— No, I took Sveta to the station, bought her a ticket. We’ve decided to live separately. It will be difficult for both of us after everything that’s happened. Especially when the man I considered almost a father turns out to be such a person… I can’t, and neither can Sveta.
— Nikita, do you love her? — Natalya asked.
— I don’t know… I think I do. Time will tell.
Time showed that they couldn’t live a day apart. They spent entire evenings talking on video calls and exchanged messages throughout the day. A month later, they submitted an online application to the registry office, and a week before the wedding, Svetlana arrived with her father, who, as it turned out, had raised his daughter on his own.
— Didn’t it seem to me that our parents looked great together? — Svetlana jokingly asked after the wedding.
— No, everyone noticed, — Natalya smiled. — Aunt Anya even said, “What a couple!” Many thought she was referring to you, but she looked at them and winked at me. I wouldn’t have minded if something had worked out for them.
— So, shall we help?
Svetlana ran up to her father:
— Dad, ask Natalya Valentinovna to show you around the city! — she said with a mysterious smile, glancing at her mother-in-law.
— I’ve already promised Alexander that I’d be his guide, — Natalya replied, and the newlyweds understood that a new life was beginning for their parents. Both radiated a happiness that could not be hidden.
