Svetlana felt like she was living in a dream. Just a year ago, her life had been nothing but hardship and loneliness. She had lived with her aunt, a woman who treated her more like a servant than family. While Svetlana did all the housework and garden chores, her aunt spent her days lounging on the couch, criticizing her for everything—even for eating a simple piece of bread.
Despite receiving welfare benefits for taking care of Svetlana and selling produce from their garden for a decent income, her aunt never showed an ounce of kindness. All Svetlana wanted was to finish school, find a job, and escape the suffocating life she was trapped in. And then, everything changed.
She met Alexey. He was everything she had ever hoped for—charming, confident, successful. He worked as a manager and owned his own apartment. He was decisive and assured, and one day he said to her, “I can’t keep watching you live like this. Your aunt is holding you back. Come live with me. Be with me.”
It wasn’t a proposal, but to Svetlana, it felt like salvation. She didn’t hesitate. She packed her things, ignoring her aunt’s angry shouting and threats never to return. She left without looking back.
Life with Alexey was everything she had dreamed of. She built a warm and welcoming home, rushed home from work every day just to be with him, and believed—truly believed—that this happiness would last forever.
That morning, she was returning from the clinic with the most joyful secret of her life. She had suspected it for a few days and took time off to find out for sure. And now she knew—she was pregnant. Not with one, but two babies. Twins. A new chapter was beginning, one filled with hope, love, and family.
As she stepped through the front door of their apartment, she was greeted by a strange but familiar scent—her own perfume. The very perfume Alexey had once gifted her but which she hadn’t worn in months. Confused, she followed the sound of muffled voices coming from the bedroom.
Cautiously, she picked up a mop for protection, just in case. But it wasn’t a burglar. It was Alexey. And he wasn’t alone. Lying in bed with him was a woman—young, beautiful, everything Svetlana wasn’t feeling in that moment. They hadn’t even noticed her come in.
When Alexey finally saw her, the girl beside him gasped and pulled a sheet over herself. Alexey sat up and, with astonishing calm, said, “Why are you looking at me like that? You’re not a child. You should know how these things go. Love fades. If I’m honest, it was never real love—just a crush.”
His words crushed her. She stood there, frozen, unable to speak, her heart breaking. Without a word, she turned and ran. As she descended the stairs, she heard him call after her, “I’ll pack your stuff. Come pick it up later!”
What things? Her life had just shattered into pieces. She wandered the streets all night and eventually collapsed on a bench in an unfamiliar courtyard. Everything felt heavy, numb. As morning approached, she found herself standing outside her aunt’s home, staring at the dark windows, remembering the cold words she had once heard: that she would end up a disgrace, that she wasn’t worth anything.
The sky turned pale with the first light of dawn. Svetlana sighed and walked away. Half an hour later, she was by the river, the water smooth and silent, mirroring the emptiness she felt inside. She whispered to the wind, “Forgive me… I just can’t do this,” her hand resting on the belly where two tiny lives were growing.
But even through her tears, something inside her resisted giving up. She stood, wiped her face, and checked the time. It was almost 6:30 in the morning. If everything went according to plan, this day would mark the end of it all.
She made her way to the bus stop, then boarded a train, unsure if she was moving toward freedom or loss. The train was nearly empty, save for a few passengers and an elderly woman holding a basket. Svetlana noticed the woman fidgeting nervously when the conductor approached. It didn’t take long to understand—she had no ticket.
“Do you need help?” Svetlana asked gently.
The grandmother admitted with embarrassment that she had forgotten her wallet again, that she had only wanted to bring homemade pies to her grandson. Svetlana smiled, approached the conductor, and quietly paid for both of them. The conductor accepted with a knowing look.
The grandmother was touched. “Thank you, dear. I don’t know what I’d have done if they had kicked me off the train.”
“You could’ve called your grandson,” Svetlana suggested.
“Oh no,” the old woman replied with a chuckle. “He’s always telling me to stop running around the city and get some rest. But I can’t sit still. He’s busy, works hard, barely has time to visit. So I come to him when I can.”
There was such warmth in her voice that Svetlana felt something she hadn’t in a long time—comfort. Not from a place, but from a person. Her parents had died when she was little, and her aunt had never made her feel loved.
“Where are you going, dear? You look so sad,” the old woman asked.
Svetlana tried to brush it off but then broke down in tears. “I thought I had a future. I thought I had love. But he betrayed me. And now… now I have no one. I don’t want to give them up. But I can’t give them this life.”
The grandmother gently stroked her head and said softly, “You have a kind heart. I can see it. Don’t do anything you’ll regret.”
“But I have no home. No one to help me. I’m completely alone.”
At the next station, they got off together. The grandmother tried to convince her to come meet someone, but Svetlana rushed off to the hospital. She had until 10 a.m. to make it for the procedure. Her heart ached as she approached the entrance, but she forced herself to walk inside.
To her shock, the grandmother was there, waiting for her.
“Please,” she said, “come meet my grandson.”
“I don’t have time,” Svetlana replied, her voice shaking.
“You will,” the old woman said confidently and took her hand.
They walked through the hospital together. Svetlana soon realized the grandmother was well-known and respected. She led her to an office marked “Chief Physician.”
Before she could protest, the door opened, and a man stood there—not old, as Svetlana had expected, but young and kind-eyed.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said. “Come in.”
Inside, Svetlana stood awkwardly, unsure what to say. “I’ve made my decision,” she whispered.
“Have you?” he asked gently. “Because if you were sure, you wouldn’t be here. You listened to my grandmother. That means something.”
Svetlana blinked, realizing he was right. “Why did I even come with her?” she muttered.
“Because deep down, you want to believe there’s still hope,” he said, offering her a seat and a glass of water.
He introduced himself as Sergey Anatolyevich. “My grandmother told me about you. I thought, maybe this is fate. She needs someone to care for. You need someone to care for you. Live with her, raise your children, and help each other. I’ll make sure you’re taken care of. She’s a retired pediatrician—she’ll be there for you and the babies. What do you say?”
Svetlana couldn’t speak at first. Finally, she whispered, “I… I’m not sure.”
But a few hours later, they were on their way to Sergey’s grandmother’s cozy house. Evdokiya Semyonovna was glowing with joy. “We’ll bake pies, prepare the nursery, everything will be perfect.”
Svetlana felt like she had stepped into a different life. Sergey visited often, and she gradually became comfortable with his presence. Eventually, they went to Alexey’s apartment to collect her things. When he opened the door and saw her belly—and the serious man beside her—he froze.
“That’s mine!” he shouted, pointing to her stomach.
Sergey stepped forward calmly and said, “Not anymore.”
Svetlana looked Alexey in the eye. “They’re mine now. You’re no part of this.”
In time, she gave birth to two beautiful girls. Sergey was the first to visit her, his face lit with joy.
“They’re strong and perfect,” he said.
Svetlana smiled. “If it weren’t for you and your grandmother…”
Sergey chuckled. “Speaking of her… she told me we should get married.”
Svetlana raised her eyebrows. “Is that your proposal?”
“I’m not very good at this,” he admitted, flustered. “I just… I’ve wanted to ask for a while. I know I’m older, and maybe you still care for him—”
“I agree,” she said softly.
He stared at her, stunned. “Why?”
She reached for his hand. “Because you’re the best man I’ve ever met. I knew that from the moment you looked at me and saw a person—not a problem.”