Vera was slowly returning to reality, as if rising from a bottomless abyss. She understood that somehow she was coming back from somewhere, but she couldn’t comprehend where exactly. Muffled voices were heard around her.
Voices and suffering. Suffering, growing with every second, filling her entire being. A clear guess flashed through her mind: she was already dead, her time had run out. With such injuries, it was impossible to survive.
She recognized her husband’s voice, Pavel. He was talking about something… Is someone leaving this life? The sounds faded into the void. Her husband seemed to have disappeared, but instead, Vera discerned a gentle female whisper:
— Hang in there, darling, just a little longer, I’ll give you some painkillers.
The suffering gradually began to subside. Vera struggled to open her eyes. Everything around her seemed blurred, as if she were looking through a fogged-up window.
— Where am I? — she whispered faintly.
Her vision cleared a little, and she saw the face of a nurse.
— You’re in the clinic, dear. Don’t strain yourself, you need to rest.
— What happened?
— You were in a car accident, a very severe one.
— Will I survive?
— Don’t worry, everything will be fine.
And at that moment, Vera realized with terrifying clarity that the end was near. She understood it from the tremor in the woman’s voice, from the way she quickly looked away. Darkness began to pull at her mind again.
Vera had no idea how much time had passed. Perhaps minutes, perhaps an entire day. Suddenly, she caught a faint whisper:
— Hello! You’re in pain, aren’t you? Are you awake?
She barely opened her eyelids and slowly turned her head. A little girl was standing by the bed. Very small, about five years old, or maybe even younger.
— You’re awake! — the little one said with such sincere joy that Vera wanted to smile. But it didn’t work — her face seemed frozen under an invisible veil.
The girl climbed onto the bed.
— Want me to tell you a story?
— Yes, — Vera whispered faintly.
She and Pavel didn’t have children. And not because her husband was against it. Vera herself couldn’t decide whether she wanted a child. Maybe she did. After all, they had been together for five years.
Vera was grateful to Pavel for his support in the most difficult moments, especially after her father’s death. He had died in a car accident on the day they were supposed to meet in the evening.
“Dad, what did you want to tell me?” — that question wouldn’t leave her. Vera blamed herself for not meeting with him right away. Pavel had urged her to stay home until evening, saying he missed her, while he suddenly left — an urgent call. As a result, she didn’t spend time with her husband, nor did she talk to her father.
— Once upon a time, there was a grandfather and a grandmother… — the little girl began.
Vera’s lips trembled in an attempt to smile. She really wanted to hear the end of the story, to find out what happened to the grandfather and grandmother, but darkness swallowed her again.
When consciousness returned, Vera thought that the worst part was these endless transitions — sometimes into the void, and sometimes back to voices and faces. This time, there was a man in a white coat beside her. He was studying papers, and when he noticed she had regained consciousness, he smiled.
— Hello, what’s your name?
— Vera.
His smile widened.
— That’s good. Can you hear me clearly?
— Yes.
— Dad, I told you Auntie was listening to my story!
The man glanced anxiously at Vera, then turned away and said sternly:
— Lizonka, I told you to be quiet. If you don’t understand, you’ll be staying at Aunt Masha’s while I’m on shift.
Vera caught the girl’s offended sigh and quickly whispered:
— Don’t scold her, please.
The doctor looked seriously at the patient.
— Vera, you were in a terrible car accident. The injuries are very serious, especially to your head. I’ll be honest: it’s a very grave situation. We’ve already performed two surgeries, and another one might be needed. You need to help us.
— How?
— You need to fight for your life. Do you understand?
Vera thought for a moment, then asked:
— Tell me, was my husband here? He spoke about me as if I were already dead.
The man lowered his eyes for a moment, then looked at her firmly:
— It’s just that your husband doesn’t deserve you.
Vera closed her eyes. Darkness seemed like salvation. She felt herself being moved somewhere — probably for surgery. But she didn’t want to return to reality. In the dark, the pain wasn’t as unbearable.
— Are you sleeping? — again, that child’s voice.
Vera opened her eyes. There was a different ceiling above her. Completely unfamiliar. Nearby, equipment was quietly beeping. Apparently, she was feeling a little better. And the pain was different now — muffled, not as sharp.
— Is it really you? — Vera tried to stretch her lips into a smile. It came out crooked, but the mobility in her face was returning — definitely better than yesterday.
— Dad will be mad again. No one is allowed here. But I knew you were all alone, and no one comes to you.
— Why do you come here? — Vera asked, assuming the child wouldn’t catch the meaning of the question, but the girl turned out to be unusually clever for her age.
— Because mom left us. I don’t want to sit at Auntie’s from the neighboring apartment, she always grumbles. My dad and I are waiting for grandma to come. She’s almost done with her work and will move in with us.
Vera quickly thought that a woman who had abandoned her family couldn’t be called a mother, and at that moment, her consciousness darkened again.
— Open your eyes! — she heard and slowly lifted her eyelids.
The same doctor leaned over her. His face showed satisfaction.
— Vera Sergeevna, you’ve shown true courage. Honestly, I’m pleasantly surprised by the outcome of the surgery. Now we can confidently say that the chances of a full recovery are high. We should inform your husband that your condition has stabilized.
— Don’t, — she firmly objected.
He frowned in confusion.
— I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.
— Don’t. Let him continue thinking that there’s no change. And don’t let him come to me.
— But…
— Doctor, please.
He hesitated for a moment but then nodded.
— Alright, as you wish.
— Thank you.
— By the way, I forgot to introduce myself. Maxim Andreevich.
— Transfer me to a regular ward so that Liza can visit me.
He raised an eyebrow in surprise.
— Did she sneak into the ICU?
A faint smile flickered on Vera’s lips.
— Please, don’t be mad at her. She’s wonderful.
By the end of the day, Vera was moved to a new room. Judging by the surroundings, it was a separate, comfortable room. As soon as she was settled, Liza appeared.
— Dad allowed me to come in, but not for long, because you’re still weak, and I have to go to bed soon, — the girl said as she stepped over the threshold.
Vera smiled. The logic was childish, but the reasoning was solid. Liza chatted non-stop about kindergarten, her friends, and Vera just listened, feeling a strange sense of calm.
When Maxim Andreevich took Liza to bed, Vera closed her eyes. Sleep didn’t come. The events of that fateful day flashed before her inner eyes.
That day, Vera had unexpectedly returned home early and froze when she saw her husband’s car parked near the entrance. Strange. Pavel had assured her that he’d be at work until late. That’s why she decided to stay in the city — she had visited some boutiques and arranged to meet a friend. But at the last moment, the meeting was canceled — her mother’s blood pressure had spiked. Vera waved it off and headed home — she didn’t want to wander aimlessly through shopping malls alone.
As soon as she stepped inside, she immediately noticed high-heeled women’s shoes. Very strange. Could it be guests? Vera walked into the living room as if in a fog and froze — Pavel was sitting in an armchair, and on his lap was a young lady with fiery red hair.
— Pavel?
He jumped up so quickly that the unfamiliar woman slid off his lap and crashed loudly onto the parquet floor. She quickly got up, slapped Pavel across the face, and rushed toward the exit, almost knocking Vera over.
— This isn’t what you think! — her husband blurted, paling.
Vera felt a strange calm.
— No? Then what was it?
— I can explain everything.
Vera slowly sat down in the armchair and with a smirk said:
— Well, go ahead, explain. You’re probably completely innocent, and it’s all her fault, right?
Pavel hesitated, then gritted his teeth:
— Are you mocking me? Do you think you can do whatever you want?
The corners of her lips twitched.
— Isn’t it true? You brought some girl into our house, which, by the way, you haven’t contributed a single ruble to. And here’s something I’ve been wondering: Pavel, you seem to have a job. Why am I the one paying all the bills?
— Well… you have plenty of money anyway.
— Funny position, — Vera said in an icy tone. — Fine, I’ll go rest, and in the evening I’ll leave. I’ll be back in a couple of days and really hope that by then you won’t be here.
Pavel’s eyes widened.
— Vera, what are you talking about? This is all nonsense, I don’t even remember her. I love only you.
— I’m being completely serious.
She closed the bedroom door and finally let her tears flow. Her father had always said: “If you need to cry, cry, but do it in a way that no one sees your weakness.”
She heard the front door slam — her husband had left. She didn’t care where. At that moment, Vera still didn’t understand — was this the end of their marriage, or just another crisis?
As dusk fell, she began packing her things, deciding to head to the country house. That place held many warm memories — they often spent time there with her father. Pavel, however, preferred the city comforts and rarely joined them. So, Vera and her father had special moments — long, heartfelt conversations, watching their favorite films together.
After her father’s death, Vera had not visited the house once, though more than six months had passed. She had always loved speed, so she owned a powerful, reliable car. When the speedometer passed the hundred mark, a hare suddenly dashed onto the road. Vera slammed on the brakes, but the pedal gave way, and the car began to skid. The following events were wiped from her memory.
Now, she was tormented by the question: what happened to the brakes? She regularly sent her car for maintenance once a month. And just a week ago, the car had been serviced.
For two days, Maxim Andreevich and Liza were nowhere to be seen. Since Vera could stay awake longer, she asked the kind nurse to buy her a phone. From her device, Vera transferred the necessary amount.
In the evening, after recovering all the passwords, she watched with bitter irony as her husband spent her money. The day after the accident, he had bought two tickets for an elite resort. Likely, he went there with that red-haired lady. And in the following expenses, he didn’t hold back: jewelry, fancy restaurants…
Vera thought. Pavel had never cared about the future. Most likely, all his money was in her account, and he was sure she wouldn’t survive. After checking the transaction history again, she confirmed: there were no transfers or withdrawals. He earned modestly and spent everything instantly. With a light smile, Vera dialed her bank manager’s number.
Liza carefully peeked into the room. Vera greeted her with a friendly smile:
— Come in, I’m not sleeping.
The girl jumped with joy.
— You’re not so scary today!
— Well, thank you for the flattering assessment, — Vera laughed.
The little one thought for a moment, then admitted:
— I said something wrong again. Dad always says, “You need to think first.” But I do the opposite — I speak first and think later.
The door creaked open, and Maxim Andreevich entered the room.
— Good evening. Is Liza bothering you again?
— No, not at all. She’s a real gem. By the way, has grandma arrived yet? — Vera asked.
The doctor laughed.
— I see, your daughter has already shared our family affairs with you.
— A little, yes.
— No, we’re still waiting. She says we need to wait a week — she has some issues with her apartment. How are you feeling?
— Fine. Better than before.
— That’s wonderful. Just wonderful!
— Maxim Andreevich, I really need your help.
— If it’s in my power, of course, I’ll help.
After listening to her, the doctor couldn’t help but whistle.
— But if this is true, it seems he wanted to kill you.
— Looks like it. I only inherited my father’s estate a month ago. And it’s a significant sum.
— You know, I think I can help you. My late wife’s brother deals with such crimes.
— You keep in touch with your wife’s brother? — Vera was surprised.
— Well, she…
Maxim Andreevich looked at her sadly.
— Did Liza tell you that she left us? — he sighed deeply. — I tried to explain to her… Her mom died two years ago, but Liza refuses to accept it.
He left the room.
For a whole week, Maxim Andreevich’s relative visited Vera. He reopened the case of her father’s death in the accident. Numerous violations and manipulations were discovered. Both cases were combined, and now another department was handling them.
When everything was ready, it was just a matter of questioning Pavel. Sergey — that’s the doctor’s relative — asked:
— Are you ready?
— For what?
— To learn the whole truth.
— Actually, it’s already clear. Catching and imprisoning my husband is just a technicality now.
— I think I already know everything. Your father died because of Pavel?
— Yes.
— I thought so, — Vera said quietly. — Pavel has been trying to buy plane tickets all day. I can unblock the card. Will you catch him at the airport?
— Yes, we’ll wait.
Vera had to spend a month and a half in the hospital. She would have died of boredom if it weren’t for Liza. But one day, the girl came with her grandmother. Then they started coming regularly. The grandmother turned out to be an amazing woman, and Vera sometimes forgot they were strangers.
In the evenings, during his shifts, Maxim Andreevich would come by. At first, it was formal — during rounds, then just to have tea and chat.
Honestly, Vera didn’t want to return home. Spending three more months alone with a caregiver didn’t sound appealing. Boring, lonely, but there was no other choice. Pavel was in custody awaiting trial. And she didn’t need such a person by her side.
When Vera was wheeled into the lobby in a wheelchair (she was still not allowed to stand), she opened her eyes in surprise: Liza, her grandmother, and Maxim Andreevich with a bouquet of flowers were waiting for her.
— We thought, why should you sit home alone? With my supervision, you’ll recover faster, — he smiled.
Vera couldn’t hide her tears. It was hard to admit even to herself that it seemed like she had found a real family. Not a fake one, but real, close people.
And six months later, she was dancing at her own wedding with the person most dear to her.
