The house was filled with warmth and comfort, the gentle crackling of logs in the stove blending with the familiar voices from the television. Outside, the blizzard raged, howling through the trees and covering the ground with thick layers of snow. Antonina, a retired paramedic with years of experience, sat in her well-worn chair, stroking her cat Vasily as she watched her favorite show. It was the kind of evening she enjoyed, peaceful and undisturbed.
A sudden knocking shattered the tranquility. First against the window, then the gate. The dog, Toshka, barked hoarsely before falling silent. Antonina sat up, her brow furrowed. Who could be out in such weather? Perhaps she had imagined it. But something in her gut told her otherwise. With a sigh, she pulled on her felt boots and heavy sheepskin coat, deciding to check. If nothing else, she would bring in some firewood.
Reaching the gate took effort as the snow had piled high, making each step a struggle. As she unlatched the door, her breath caught. A young girl stood there, trembling violently. She was barefoot, clad only in a thin nightgown with a knitted shawl draped over her shoulders. Her belly, round and full, revealed her pregnancy. Her lips barely moved as she whispered, her voice raw with desperation.
Please, don’t send me away. Help me. They want to take my child.
There was no time to think. Without hesitation, Antonina threw her coat over the girl’s shoulders and led her inside. Shock and disbelief filled her heart. What kind of person would abandon a pregnant woman in a blizzard? Without asking any questions, she set to work, heating water, warming the girl’s frozen feet, rubbing them with alcohol, and wrapping her in blankets. She gave her hot tea with raspberry jam, ensuring warmth spread through her fragile body. The girl said nothing, only murmuring a soft thank you before falling into an exhausted sleep.
Outside, the night remained restless. Voices carried on the wind, footsteps crunched through the snow, and headlights flashed across the windows as cars circled the area. But inside, Antonina simply watched over the girl, deciding that any questions could wait until morning.
At dawn, the enticing scent of frying eggs and freshly baked pastries filled the house. The girl stirred, her stomach twisting with hunger. The baby inside her moved as if echoing her need for nourishment. She hesitantly slipped out from beneath the blankets, finding a flannel robe and warm slippers neatly placed beside the bed. For the first time in a long while, she felt safe, almost as if she had returned to a childhood she barely remembered.
In the kitchen, Antonina stood by the stove, flipping golden pancakes onto a plate. Without turning around, she spoke.
Well, little runaway, wash up and sit down. That baby of yours must be hungry. Then, you can tell me who you are and what’s happened to you.
The girl ate with the kind of hunger that only true deprivation brings. Once her stomach was full, she took a deep breath and began her story.
I don’t know my parents. I was raised in an orphanage after my grandmother, the only person who ever cared for me, passed away when I was five. When I came of age, they gave me a small apartment and sent me to teacher’s training college. That’s where I met Sasha. He was older, wealthy, and every girl in school wanted him. But for some reason, he chose me. He courted me so beautifully—flowers, movies, gifts. I fell for him completely.
At first, life in his cottage seemed perfect. Then, when I told him I was pregnant, everything changed. He became cruel, drinking heavily and coming home at dawn. He insulted me, hurt me, and no matter how much I pleaded with him to stop, it was useless. Then, two weeks ago, he brought another woman home in front of me. That’s when I decided to leave.
I tried to pack my things, but he wouldn’t let me. He hit me, locked me in a room, and told me that I would give birth to his child, but after that, he would take the baby and throw me out. I cried, I begged, but he was merciless. The only person who took pity on me was the maid. Last night, she left the door unlocked. So I ran. I didn’t stop until I reached your house.
Tears streamed down the girl’s face as she finished. Antonina sighed heavily, shaking her head.
What a nightmare. To think such things still happen. What will you do now?
I don’t know. Please, don’t send me away. Sasha will take my child, and I have no one to protect me. I swear, I’ll end it all before I let that happen.
Get those thoughts out of your head right now. My son, Grigory, is a police officer. He’ll be home soon. Tell him everything. Maybe he can help.
Grisha was on his way home, lost in thought. Life hadn’t been kind to him either. His ex-wife had left him because of his job, choosing a life of luxury over their marriage. Since then, he had hardened himself against love, convinced that all women were the same. He stepped into the warmth of his mother’s home, drawn by the familiar smell of home-cooked food.
Son, we have a guest. Listen to her story and see what you can do.
His mother’s words barely registered as his eyes fell on the girl. She looked like a frightened deer, her blue eyes wide with fear. Her golden hair was pulled into a loose ponytail, her stomach round with pregnancy. Something inside him shifted.
Please, don’t turn me in.
He listened, growing more and more enraged at what she had endured. He didn’t know how yet, but he wouldn’t let Sasha get away with it. When he looked at Nastya, a strange warmth spread through him, something he hadn’t felt in years.
You’re safe here. No one will hand you over to that bastard. Where are your belongings and documents?
Sasha took them. My passport, my apartment keys—everything. I can’t go back. I’m terrified.
Grisha nodded thoughtfully.
Stay here. I’ll figure something out.
Through his contacts, he learned more about Sasha’s father—a businessman with a dubious reputation, one the police had been trying to catch for years. Confronting Sasha was pointless, so Grisha took his findings directly to the father. He laid out the evidence and made his demand.
Your son leaves Nastya alone, or all of this goes public.
To his surprise, the man didn’t argue. He merely sighed and agreed. Nastya’s documents and belongings were returned the next day.
She was free.
When Grisha told her the news, she burst into tears, throwing her arms around him in gratitude. Antonina, watching them, saw what neither of them had yet realized. She couldn’t let them be torn apart by a secret she had held for years.
One evening, she gathered them both, took a deep breath, and revealed the truth. Grisha wasn’t her biological son. She had adopted him after finding him abandoned in the hospital. He and Nastya weren’t related.
Stunned silence filled the room.
Then, slowly, a smile broke across Grisha’s face. He turned to Nastya.
I loved you from the moment I saw you. I thought fate was cruel, that we could never be together. But now, tell me—will you marry me? I will love you and raise your son as my own.
Nastya’s heart pounded. She had never felt safer than she did with Grisha. Without hesitation, she whispered.
I agree.
And just like that, the darkness of her past melted away, replaced by the promise of a new beginning.