Natalya Petrovna came home and, the moment she opened the apartment door, stopped in shock. Her daughter was standing on the doorstep, crying uncontrollably.
“Sveta, what happened?” she asked in alarm.
“Mom… the wedding is off! Roman’s parents told him he’s not allowed to see me anymore…”
“Is that so?” Natalya Petrovna said, startled.
“They said I’m not good enough for him!” Svetlana sobbed.
“And that is why you’re crying so hard?” her mother asked gently. “He is not worth your tears. Did he at least try to defend you?”
“No… he just stood there and said nothing…”
“My dear girl,” Natalya Petrovna said, pulling her daughter into a tight embrace. “I know this hurts right now. But do not let people like that break you. Believe me, life has a way of returning everything, even old wounds.”
“Mom, why are we so poor?” Svetlana cried.
“We are not poor at all,” her mother replied calmly. “We have our own apartment, even if it is small. I work as an accountant and earn a steady salary. We never lived in luxury, but we never went without either. And soon you will begin building your own career, and things will only get better.”
Years earlier, Natalya Petrovna had lived through something painfully similar herself.
Right after graduating from university, the man she loved invited her to meet his parents.
They were wealthy people, and from the very beginning they made it clear that a girl from a small town was not the kind of bride they wanted for their son.
After that humiliating visit, Natalya went back home. Some time later, she discovered she was pregnant.
When her daughter was born, she never tried to contact the child’s father. She convinced herself that his parents had been right, that she truly was not meant for him.
Svetlana, too, made the decision to end things with Roman for good. It was painful, but she forced herself to stop living in the past.
After some time, she landed a solid position at a large company.
Not long afterward, the staff was introduced to their new director.
Maksim Alekseyevich was around fifty years old: distinguished, self-assured, and undeniably handsome. During their very first meeting, he noticed Svetlana immediately and looked at her so intently that she grew embarrassed and lowered her eyes.
The next day, to everyone’s surprise, he called her into his office.
“Sveta,” her coworkers whispered, “looks like he’s taken a liking to you.”
“Oh, stop it,” she brushed them off. “He’s old enough to be my father!”
Still, if she was honest with herself, the attention was flattering.
Once inside his office, Svetlana noticed that he studied her in silence for a while before asking a series of oddly personal questions.
Where did she live? With whom? What was her mother’s name? How old was she? When was Svetlana’s birthday?
She could not understand why he wanted to know any of it.
And when he suggested stopping by her mother’s place during lunch break, she became completely confused.
She had also heard that Maksim Alekseyevich had recently divorced and was now single.
There was still some time before lunch, so Svetlana phoned home.
“Mom, are you home?”
“Of course. I’m on vacation,” Natalya Petrovna replied.
“Please don’t go anywhere. Our new director wants to meet you!”
“What? Why?” her mother asked, stunned.
“I don’t know myself… I think he may be interested in me. Maybe he’s even thinking seriously. Men like him probably do things properly…”
“What are you saying, daughter? He’s nearly your father’s age!”
“So what…” Svetlana said thoughtfully. “It wouldn’t be the worst thing. Roman would regret losing me then.”
“Forget Roman already! People marry for love, not to prove something to someone!”
“All right, Mom, I get it. We’ll be there soon.”
The director had a driver, but that day he chose to drive himself.
When the car pulled up in front of the building where Svetlana lived, it was obvious from his face that he was nervous.
“Mom, we’re here! We brought a guest!” Svetlana called as she stepped inside.
A moment later, Natalya Petrovna came into the hallway. The second she saw the man standing there, she froze.
“My God… this can’t be…” she whispered. “Maksim… is it really you?”
“You know each other?” Svetlana asked in disbelief.
“Yes,” her mother said quietly. “We do. And I suppose it is finally time for you to know the truth. He is your father.”
“What?” Svetlana went pale.
“Come in,” Natalya Petrovna said at last, inviting him inside.
The conversation that followed lasted for hours. Work was forgotten completely that day.
“Why… why didn’t you tell me you were having my child?” Maksim Alekseyevich asked bitterly.
“And what would that have changed?” she replied evenly.
“I would have come for you. No matter what my parents said. I would have gone against them if I had to.”
“But you didn’t come,” Natalya Petrovna said softly. “And I waited…”
“Please, give me a little time,” he said suddenly. “I need to step out for a moment.”
As soon as he left, Svetlana turned to her mother.
“Mom, would you marry him?”
“What are you talking about?” Natalya Petrovna said, shaking her head. “Everything has its season. Mine has already passed.”
“That’s not true! You’re beautiful!” Svetlana protested.
A little later, the doorbell rang.
They opened the door to find Maksim Alekseyevich standing there with a huge bouquet of flowers.
He handed them to Natalya Petrovna, then dropped to one knee and took out a small box with a ring inside.
“Natalya… I have loved only you all my life. Please, will you marry me?”
Silence filled the room.
“Mom, why aren’t you saying anything?” Svetlana asked, unable to hold back.
“I accept,” Natalya Petrovna answered at last, softly but firmly.
Before long, the entire office found out that Maksim Alekseyevich was Svetlana’s father.
And almost immediately after that, Roman suddenly tried to come back into her life.
But now, everything had changed.
“Tell your parents,” Svetlana said calmly, “that this time, you’re the one who isn’t good enough for me.”
