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<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Artyom, frankly, I\u2019ve had it with your antics!!! \u2014 shouted his father, waving his fist threateningly in front of his only son.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Dad, but I didn\u2019t do it on purpose, \u2014 the son replied lazily, glancing longingly out the window. Artyom was already thoroughly tired of his father\u2019s moralizing lectures, and his head still pounded from last night\u2019s party.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Do you even realize what you\u2019re doing?! You\u2019re twenty-two years old! Because of your wild rides around the city center, I lost an important partner\u2014the one whose bumper you wrecked! \u2014 continued Evgeny Mikhailovich, seething with anger. \u2014 I do everything I can so that you lack nothing! Your late mother would be shocked at what you\u2019ve become!<\/p>\n
\u2014 And what does mom have to do with it? \u2014 exploded Artyom. He cherished her memory, always recalling their last conversation.<\/p>\n
At that time, Artyom was only nine, and he already understood that his mother was gravely ill. Every day, he and his dad went to visit her in the hospital, only to have her suddenly discharged. The boy was overjoyed and spent all his time in her room. He asked his mom to play with his toy cars, draw with him, and do his homework together. But one evening, she quietly told him that she would always love and care for them\u2014even if she wasn\u2019t by their side\u2014and then asked Artyom to go out so she could call his father. After a while, his father, fighting back tears, announced that she had \u201ctaken flight to heaven\u201d and would be watching over them from there.<\/p>\n
Artyom understood that his mother had died, and it infuriated him that his father talked to him like a small child. When he learned that his dad refused to take him to the cemetery, he threw a full-blown tantrum. Eventually, he was allowed to say goodbye to his mother, who lay in a beautiful dress as if she were simply sleeping. Artyom wanted to wake her up and reached out to touch her hand, but quickly pulled back his palm upon feeling the icy coldness of her skin.<\/p>\n
From that moment on, his father, trying to replace his mother, indulged him endlessly. At first, this irritated the boy, but soon he realized he could manipulate his dad and get away with mischief.<\/p>\n
He barely finished school, thanks to his father\u2019s money and connections, and then\u2014under parental pressure\u2014enrolled simultaneously in two university faculties: law and economics. He enjoyed university life: beautiful girls, new friends, and fun hangouts. His dad provided his only son with an unlimited bank card, so throughout his studies Artyom never once ate in the student cafeteria, preferring restaurants instead. His circle of friends partied in the best clubs in town and spent summers at upscale resorts. He was always surrounded by his best friends\u2014Anton and Hera\u2014as well as hundreds of girls dreaming of a relationship with the promising son of the owner of two banks.<\/p>\n
Yet the young playboy\u2019s heart remained free\u2014he parted with the beautiful women with ease, who sought something in return in their relationships with him. He was amused by the feigned love of young students, ready to do anything for the latest phone model. He knew very well the story of his parents\u2019 meeting: his mother came from a well-off, cultured family, but in the nineties her parents were left penniless while trying to survive. His father, like many young men of that time, was involved in petty trade, striving to break into the new class of businessmen. They met at a market when a beautiful young girl, virtuoso on the violin and a graduate of a pedagogical institute\u2014dressed in an old coat and worn-out boots\u2014dreamily gazed at a Turkish sheepskin coat sold in his father\u2019s stall. With a cheeky smile, his father offered to introduce himself and spend an evening together, promising to gift her the coveted coat. But the mother, casting him a contemptuous look, gave him a resounding slap and advised him to find someone more like him. It was then that his father decided to win over this unattainable girl and teach her a lesson for her insolence. However, in the process of conquering her, he fell head over heels in love, and his life changed dramatically: she insisted that he enroll in the economics faculty, took over the trade herself while he crammed for his exams, supported his endeavors, and always believed in him. As a result, he and his brother managed to open a branch of a well-known bank and later create their own financial organization. After his brother\u2019s death, the entire business passed to their father.<\/p>\n
After his mother\u2019s death, the very young father decided never to marry again, and Artyom never saw another woman by his side. Perhaps he had affairs, but his dad never brought anyone home.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Why are you silent? \u2014 Evgeny Mikhailovich snapped, pulling him out of his reverie. \u2014 I\u2019m not joking\u2014if you don\u2019t start using your head, I\u2019ll block all your cards and accounts, and you\u2019ll have to find a job to feed yourself!<\/p>\n
\u2014 Dad, enough with the threats. I already told you\u2014let me live quietly for a year after university, and then I\u2019ll get a job, \u2014 Artyom retorted irritably, his entire demeanor making it clear that the conversation was over.<\/p>\n
Seeing his son\u2019s reaction, his father lost his temper completely and, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck, dragged him out of the building. Artyom was so shocked that he didn\u2019t even resist, realizing for the first time that his father was not joking. Evgeny Mikhailovich hauled his son out in front of the astonished security guards and declared:<\/p>\n
\u2014 So here\u2019s the deal, my dear: you\u2019re going to get married. But not to that flirty girl jumping out of your car\u2014rather, to an ordinary girl. Now, the first suitable girl your age who comes along will receive an offer to become your wife.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Dad, are you serious? Fine, I understand that I was wrong. I solemnly swear I won\u2019t disgrace you again. But let\u2019s skip all this circus, \u2014 Artyom said, shaking his head and looking at his father with an ingratiating expression.<\/p>\n
\u2014 No, son, I don\u2019t trust you anymore. Pray to God that your future wife is at least somewhat attractive, \u2014 snapped Evgeny Mikhailovich.<\/p>\n
\u2014 I\u2019m not going to take part in this idiocy, \u2014 the son exploded, heading for his car.<\/p>\n
His father waved at the guards, and two burly men blocked the way for the wayward son.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Artyom, it\u2019s your choice\u2014marry and work in my company, or become completely free but without my money, car, or house. I\u2019m not a monster; if you must, I\u2019ll give you a chance to live in an apartment in the city until you get on your feet, and for starters, I\u2019ll allocate a few thousand so you can cover the metro and groceries for a month, \u2014 declared Evgeny Mikhailovich with finality.<\/p>\n
Realizing that his father was not joking, the young man was at a loss: the idea of binding himself in marriage to the first girl he met seemed foolish but bearable, yet the necessity of working for his father\u2019s company utterly crushed him.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Oh, there she is! \u2014 his father exclaimed happily and added: \u2014 You\u2019re lucky\u2014she\u2019s very attractive.<\/p>\n
Outside the bank, a girl in a plain gray coat, with some outdated shawl on her head and a large handbag, was walking by. Artyom groaned quietly upon seeing this \u201cshelf-style\u201d look. The security immediately stopped her and politely asked if she could spare a few minutes.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Don\u2019t be alarmed, dear lady, \u2014 Evgeny Mikhailovich addressed her. \u2014 I\u2019m the manager of this bank and I have a very serious conversation to have with you. Please come inside for a cup of coffee to discuss a matter.<\/p>\n
She, shrugging her shoulders, agreed and entered the bank, followed by the men.<\/p>\n
Anya didn\u2019t understand what was happening, but she was so cold that the offer to come into a warm room seemed very attractive. Moreover, one of the guards took her heavy bag, which contained the exercise books of four different ninth-grade classes. They entered a beautiful office paneled in red wood, with a massive table in the middle and several leather sofas and a coffee table arranged along the wall. The room smelled pleasantly of real coffee and expensive men\u2019s cologne. Anya felt uneasy\u2014why had these rich men lured her into a bank, and in the evening, no less? Suspecting something was amiss, she quietly pulled a nail file from her purse and, gripping it tightly, mentally rehearsed a few karate moves she hadn\u2019t used since her short-lived sports career.<\/p>\n
Anya, taking her bag and donning her coat, left the office. Evgeny Mikhailovich watched her with an admiring gaze, then, turning to the stunned son, declared:<\/p>\n
\u2014 This is the girl. If you manage to win her over, I\u2019ll begin to treat you with respect. But if in three months you\u2019re not dating, I\u2019ll deprive you of all your funds. So get on, catch up with your chosen one.<\/p>\n
Artyom sighed deeply as he left the office. The fact that his father was completely serious became even more obvious when he dragged this \u201cgray mouse\u201d into his office. Glancing around, Artyom noticed the gray coat disappearing around the corner toward the metro and reluctantly trailed after her. The girl deftly navigated through the crowd of passers-by, and the young man had to pick up his pace to keep her in sight.<\/p>\n
Anya, mentally cataloging all the insults she knew, suddenly burst into laughter, recalling the expression on that rich old man\u2019s face when she rejected his offer. She had always been straightforward\u2014a trait she inherited from her grandfather, who, seeing her strong character, had enrolled her in a karate class so she could learn to defend herself.<\/p>\n
Her grandfather had died four years ago, having looked long and intently at her face as she held his hand. After his stroke, he could no longer speak, but his eyes expressed how much he loved his headstrong granddaughter. After his passing, her world had seemed to collapse. Anya was completely alone: her grandmother had left them earlier, having literally burned away within a few months from an incurable illness. The grandfather had not left the bedside of his beloved wife for a step; he often sat with her, looking at their shared photographs and childhood snapshots of Anya. He kissed her on the forehead and always repeated, \u201cKatyushka, we\u2019ll make it, don\u2019t be afraid!\u201d<\/p>\n
Anya didn\u2019t remember her parents. They had died in an accident when she was just four months old, and her grandparents had replaced them as her father and mother. Her grandfather did not like to discuss the story of her birth, but a month before his stroke\u2014as if sensing his impending end\u2014he called her over and revealed that her father had been a prominent businessman. The grandfather suspected that it was because of that business background that their car had crashed into a fuel tanker. He and her grandmother had initially opposed their daughter\u2019s relationship with this man, considering him a gangster. The grandfather didn\u2019t even know his son-in-law\u2019s surname because, after giving birth, Anya\u2019s mother had only provided her own details to protect the family from criminal entanglements. On the eve of the accident, her mother had left her in a village, promising to return the next day. The grandparents never saw their daughter again: the collision had triggered a massive explosion and fire, and they buried the charred remains, adamantly refusing to claim the body of her husband, whom they blamed for their daughter\u2019s death.<\/p>\n
Left alone, Anya managed to finish university, graduating as a mathematics teacher. Even during her student years, she had been tutoring, and after graduation, she moved out of the dormitory and rented a tiny one-room apartment near the school where she worked. That day, she was returning from a tutoring session at a student\u2019s home. Mathematics was a highly sought-after subject, and there was no shortage of people eager to hire her for their children.<\/p>\n
On the personal front, Anya\u2019s life was completely quiet. Her college sweetheart, Kirill, had gone abroad for an internship, and their relationship had ended. Lately, though, her heart fluttered at the sight of a private detective\u2019s assistant, whom she had approached to get information about her father. The assistant\u2019s name was Sergey, and he always blushed when Anya, hoping for a date, got his attention.<\/p>\n
The girl boarded the commuter train and, settling by the window, began to think.<\/p>\n
\u2014 You really zipped by; I could barely catch you, \u2014 came the voice of Artyom, who had plopped down next to her.<\/p>\n
\u2014 What do you want from me? \u2014 Anya retorted indignantly.<\/p>\n
\u2014 First things first\u2014let\u2019s introduce ourselves. What\u2019s your name? \u2014 the young man declared brazenly.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Listen, why don\u2019t you just get lost? \u2014 Anya said, looking him straight in the eyes.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Do you think it\u2019s a pleasure for me to be running around the metro searching for you? I was here a couple of times back when I was still in school and they used to take us on excursions. The truth is, my father will really cut me off if I don\u2019t charm you, \u2014 the guy admitted. \u2014 Tell me, how much do I need to pay you to play the role of my girlfriend?<\/p>\n
\u2014 Look, money doesn\u2019t particularly interest me. If you want my help, you\u2019ll have to join our cult, \u2014 Anya said quietly, watching Artyom\u2019s reaction.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Cult? That\u2019s strange. Is that something religious? \u2014 the young man stammered.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Yes. You\u2019ll have to shave your head and undergo circumcision, otherwise you won\u2019t be able to become my spiritual brother, \u2014 the girl revealed, barely suppressing her laughter.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Are you saying you\u2019re like Buddhists? \u2014 the guy asked in shock.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Wow! You even know that word! \u2014 Anya burst into laughter.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Actually, I have two higher education degrees, \u2014 Artyom stated, hurt.<\/p>\n
\u2014 That just proves how stupid you are\u2014that you weren\u2019t taught anything in one go, \u2014 the girl continued to laugh.<\/p>\n
\u2014 So, about the cult\u2014was that just a joke? \u2014 the young man asked irritably.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Were you ready to agree to all the conditions? \u2014 Anya asked, squinting.<\/p>\n
\u2014 How do you not understand? I\u2019ll be left with not a penny. He completely lost it and even came up with such nonsense, \u2014 Artyom complained sincerely.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Maybe you should just go to work and stop asking your dad for money? \u2014 the girl said sternly.<\/p>\n
\u2014 And what job is there for me that pays that much? I mean, you know, I\u2019m not used to scrimping and trudging to the office every morning with a sour face, \u2014 the guy replied, shooting a hostile look at Anya.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Then only the cult remains, \u2014 the girl giggled and exited the train car.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Let me help, \u2014 Artyom offered, catching up to her and grabbing her bag of exercise books. \u2014 Wow, are those bricks in there?<\/p>\n
\u2014 No. Wine packets. That\u2019s for my evening, \u2014 Anya answered calmly, openly ridiculing the new acquaintance.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Really? You drink? \u2014 the young man asked in surprise.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Well, not by myself, of course. I drink with my partner, \u2014 she replied, thoroughly shocking Artyom.<\/p>\n
They walked together to her building, and after retrieving her bag, she said:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Stop this circus. I\u2019m definitely not your assistant.<\/p>\n
The young man saw her off with a glance and, kicking an empty trash can in anger, sat down on a bench by the entrance.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Sir, why are you causing a ruckus here? \u2014 he heard a female voice ask, and he saw an elderly woman leading a small Bolognese dog on a leash.<\/p>\n
\u2014 None of your business, \u2014 Artyom grumbled as he got up from the bench.<\/p>\n
\u2014 What a rude fellow! And who does our Anya think she is? How can a well-bred girl, a teacher, have such a lout as a friend? \u2014 the woman fumed.<\/p>\n
\u2014 So, Anya works as a teacher, \u2014 the guy smiled. \u2014 And what\u2019s the name of her partner?<\/p>\n
\u2014 What partner? \u2014 the retired woman asked in genuine surprise.<\/p>\n
\u2014 I see. Thank you. Sorry for the trash can, \u2014 Artyom said and, in an uplifted mood, headed home.<\/p>\n
Anya went up to her apartment and began preparing a simple dinner. She adored Friday evenings, anticipating the weekend. She had only one student scheduled for the next day, and she had two days ahead to devote entirely to herself. Her friends suggested going out to a club on Saturday night, and while planning her outfit, she hoped not to run into any of her school students. Suddenly, she thought of Artyom\u2014he struck her as a bit silly, but not a bad person. The situation amused her, and the guy evoked some inexplicable warm feelings.<\/p>\n
The next morning, while leaving her building to meet her student, Anya noticed a jeep parked by Evgeny Mikhailovich\u2019s bank. Not surprised, she laughed. Artyom jumped out of the car carrying an enormous bouquet of roses.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Hi, Anya, \u2014 the young man greeted, offering her the bouquet.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Hi, Artyom. Can\u2019t you ever calm down? \u2014 Anya smirked, squinting playfully. \u2014 Did you bring the bouquet out of habit? You think every girl swoons at the sight of flowers?<\/p>\n
\u2014 I just wanted to do something nice, \u2014 the guy mumbled, embarrassed.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Honestly, I\u2019m not really into flowers, \u2014 she replied.<\/p>\n
Artyom glanced at the bouquet uncertainly and tossed it onto the back seat.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Where are you heading? Let me drop you off, \u2014 the young man offered.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Listen, find yourself something useful instead, \u2014 Anya snapped as she walked along the sidewalk.<\/p>\n
Artyom jumped back in his car and slowly drove alongside her. The girl, catching the surprised looks of passers-by, sighed heavily yet agreed to get into the vehicle. After she provided the address of her student\u2019s home, she stared blankly out the window. Meanwhile, Artyom kept stealing glances at her profile, noting her beautiful emerald eyes and a neatly upturned nose. Overall, she was quite attractive, and without yesterday\u2019s strange shawl, she looked simply stunning.<\/p>\n
\u2014 You know, you\u2019re very beautiful, \u2014 Artyom blurted out involuntarily.<\/p>\n
\u2014 And you, as usual, are clueless, \u2014 retorted Anya.<\/p>\n
\u2014 I\u2019m not stupid at all, \u2014 the young man puffed up his cheeks.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Just look at yourself. How old are you? \u2014 Anya asked.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Twenty-two, \u2014 he muttered.<\/p>\n
\u2014 I\u2019m twenty-three. We\u2019re almost the same age. But you, like some idle fellow, are just hanging around. Haven\u2019t you ever wanted to earn your own living or achieve something? \u2014 Anya said indignantly.<\/p>\n
Artyom slammed on the brakes and, looking her straight in the eyes, declared:<\/p>\n
\u2014 What makes you think I never wanted that? I\u2019ve been trying to help my dad since I was a child. But every time I heard the same thing: \u201cStudy, you\u2019ll have time to work later.\u201d I was told to clean the house\u2014why? That\u2019s for the servants. When I gathered scrap paper with friends to recycle\u2014you weren\u2019t supposed to lift heavy things. I signed up for football\u2014only go with security. Once, a ball hit me in the head, and dad\u2019s thugs nearly killed the coach. And it was always like that: \u201cDon\u2019t do that, don\u2019t go there, don\u2019t engage in that.\u201d And yesterday, out of the blue: why aren\u2019t you working?!<\/p>\n
\u2014 And how did mom feel about all this? \u2014 Anya asked, suddenly feeling some sympathy for the guy.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Mom\u2019s been gone for a long time. She died when I was nine, \u2014 Artyom answered sadly.<\/p>\n
\u2014 And I don\u2019t even remember my own parents. They died in an accident when I was just four months old, \u2014 Anya said quietly.<\/p>\n
\u2014 So you grew up in an orphanage? \u2014 he asked in horror.<\/p>\n
\u2014 No. I had wonderful grandparents. And my childhood was happy, \u2014 the girl smiled.<\/p>\n
\u2014 So, will you help me? \u2014 Artyom asked suavely.<\/p>\n
\u2014 For a moment I thought you were normal, \u2014 Anya said disappointedly. \u2014 Now go work, you daddy\u2019s boy!<\/p>\n
Later, a call from Sergey reached Anya, who was informed that they needed to meet. They arranged to meet in a park in the very heart of the city, and the girl hurried to the rendezvous. The man explained that the detective agency had uncovered her father\u2019s surname and that specialists were now searching for her relatives. Sergey took her hand and, gazing straight into her eyes, asked:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Could I invite you on a date when we finish the investigation?<\/p>\n
\u2014 Sure, \u2014 she replied shyly.<\/p>\n
Overjoyed by the news, she called Artyom as she left the park to share the news with him, not noticing that Anton, who had been watching her from afar, snapped several photos and briskly walked out of the park.<\/p>\n
Anya met up with Artyom and told him that she would soon learn the history of her father\u2019s family. The young man said he was very happy for her and pulled out a photograph.<\/p>\n
\u2014 I haven\u2019t shown this photo to anyone. You\u2019ll be the first, \u2014 he said sheepishly.<\/p>\n
The picture showed a beautiful, fair-haired woman embracing an eight-year-old boy against a backdrop of a seascape.<\/p>\n
\u2014 That\u2019s my mom, \u2014 the youth said with tears in his eyes. \u2014 This is our last photograph.<\/p>\n
\u2014 She\u2019s very beautiful, \u2014 Anya said and took his hand.<\/p>\n
They fell silent for a moment, then agreed to meet that evening since the girl had to go to her tutoring sessions.<\/p>\n
Artyom drove up to the bank building when suddenly he noticed Anton.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Hi, Temych. We didn\u2019t really talk well yesterday. Are you still holding a grudge against us? \u2014 the young man said, clearly in a hurry, not wanting to converse with the impertinent friend.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Everything\u2019s fine, \u2014 Anton replied.<\/p>\n
\u2014 And who is that girl? \u2014 Anton asked.<\/p>\n
\u2014 For now, just a good acquaintance, \u2014 Artyom replied evasively.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Oh, thank goodness, I thought she was your girlfriend\u2014I saw her today in the park with some other man and got surprised, \u2014 Anton casually added.<\/p>\n
\u2014 With what man? \u2014 Artyom asked, bewildered.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Just look, \u2014 Anton readily showed a photo of Anya and Sergey to him.<\/p>\n
It felt as if icy water had been splashed on Artyom. No, he wasn\u2019t in love with Anya, but he enjoyed spending time with her. They got along great, and he couldn\u2019t understand why she hadn\u2019t told him she had a boyfriend. Realizing once again the treachery of women, he helplessly looked at Anton.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Let\u2019s go somewhere to sit down, \u2014 he immediately proposed, understanding that his plan had worked.<\/p>\n
That evening, Anya couldn\u2019t get through to Artyom by phone. After sending him several messages, she began to worry that something had happened to him. Soon, however, she received a reply in which he, using a swear word, demanded that she stop bothering him. The surprised girl stared at her phone screen for a long time. Suddenly, a call came from Sergey.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Anya, we need to meet. Are you home? \u2014 the young man asked.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Yes, I\u2019m home. Come over, \u2014 she replied.<\/p>\n
After half an hour, she met Sergey at her building and received an envelope containing information about her father\u2019s family. She could hardly wait to open it, but Sergey kept delaying, describing how the investigation had unfolded, clearly not wanting to part with the girl. Deciding she\u2019d had enough romances, she curtly said goodbye and went inside, noticing how sadly the young detective looked at her.<\/p>\n
With trembling hands, Anya opened the envelope and almost screamed with surprise. After reading the information several times, she called the school principal and, citing illness, asked for leave. She couldn\u2019t close her eyes until morning, and as soon as dawn broke, she began to get ready.<\/p>\n
At eight in the morning, she was already standing in front of the bank, waiting for Evgeny Mikhailovich.<\/p>\n
The man arrived about fifteen minutes later and, upon seeing the girl, became agitated:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Is something wrong with Artyom? He didn\u2019t come to spend the night.<\/p>\n
\u2014I don\u2019t know. It seems we had a fight. But I really need to talk with you, \u2014 Anya said hurriedly.<\/p>\n
They entered his office, and with trembling hands, the girl handed him the envelope. The man, not understanding what was happening, opened it and studied it for a long time.<\/p>\n
He looked up at Anya, his eyes full of tears, and quietly said:<\/p>\n
\u2014 You\u2019re Oleg\u2019s daughter?<\/p>\n
The girl nodded.<\/p>\n
\u2014 My goodness, I thought you had perished, to be honest. There was almost nothing left. Your mother\u2019s parents didn\u2019t even want to speak with me. I\u2019m sorry I didn\u2019t look for you myself. I only saw you once in my life when your mother and I came to the maternity ward for your discharge. He was so happy. Your parents were wonderful\u2014they loved each other madly, \u2014 Evgeny Mikhailovich recounted, unable to hold back his tears.<\/p>\n
\u2014 So, you\u2019re my real uncle? \u2014 the girl burst into tears.<\/p>\n
\u2014 You have no idea how happy I am, \u2014 the banker embraced Anya.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Let\u2019s do a genetic test to be absolutely sure we\u2019re related, \u2014 she suggested.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Agreed, but I already know that you\u2019re my niece. You have Oleg\u2019s eyes. How could I not notice that immediately, \u2014 the man said, not letting her go.<\/p>\n
At that moment, Artyom entered the office and, upon seeing his father embracing Anya, froze.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Wow, \u2014 he said, coming to himself. \u2014 You turned out to be sharper than I thought. Decided to switch over to dad right away. That\u2019s smart. I\u2019m the unreliable option, in case father stops giving me money. And you, you love to spend, as I\u2019ve noticed.<\/p>\n
Anya burst into laughter, which only infuriated the young man further.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Artyom, please stop, \u2014 her father began, but his son interrupted him.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Dad, she\u2019s a fraud. She\u2019s already got three of us: you, me, and some other guy with whom she likes to meet in the park. That\u2019s what a wonderful teacher she is, mind you, \u2014 Artyom insisted contemptuously, glaring at the girl. \u2014 What a scoundrel!<\/p>\n
\u2014 Artyom, please address me by my patronymic. After all, I\u2019m your future stepmother! \u2014 Anya declared defiantly, looking provocatively at her cousin.<\/p>\n
The young man was taken aback by such outrage, staring at his father in confusion.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Anya, you\u2019re going to drive him to a heart attack, \u2014 Evgeny Mikhailovich chuckled. \u2014 Son, meet your cousin.<\/p>\n
The young man, shaking his head in bewilderment, asked:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Which cousin?<\/p>\n
\u2014 She\u2019s the daughter of Oleg, my late brother. Young people, by the way, I hope nothing\u2026 \u2014 the banker stammered.<\/p>\n
\u2014 No, nothing. I don\u2019t like her at all, \u2014 Anya joked.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Look at yourself, \u2014 the man snapped.<\/p>\n
\u2014 This really does look like a brother and sister relationship. I hope you won\u2019t fight, \u2014 the banker smiled.<\/p>\n
Anya looked at Artyom and suddenly burst into tears. He approached her and, hugging her tightly, comforted her while stroking her back.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Forgive me for my harshness. Honestly, I consider you a real man, especially after what happened in the parking lot near the club, \u2014 she said affectionately, looking at him as a brother.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Oh, that was when I almost ran away, thinking that, well, bullies shouldn\u2019t mess with girls, right? \u2014 Artyom laughed.<\/p>\n
\u2014 You pig! \u2014 Anya exclaimed playfully, playfully kicking him.<\/p>\n
A few days later, Anya and Evgeny Mikhailovich underwent a genetic test, which confirmed their kinship. The banker insisted that the girl move into their home, but she refused. Then he proposed going to the apartment of her father.<\/p>\n
The residence had been empty for over two decades. The air reeked of dust and forgotten things. Photographs stood on the sideboard: one showing her mother and father smiling together, and another featuring a discharge certificate from the maternity ward, where the happy parents, along with Evgeny Mikhailovich and his pregnant wife, posed joyfully for the camera. Everything had remained untouched since the very moment Oleg and his young wife left the apartment one morning. A pair of jeans, carelessly tossed on the back of a chair, hung there. Anya picked it up and inhaled its scent, hoping to catch a hint of the past. However, the jacket smelled damp, as if hinting that the old days could never be revived.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Look, here\u2019s some compromising material on you, \u2014 Artyom laughed, holding a photograph in which a naked little girl was reaching toward her father with pudgy arms.<\/p>\n
Anya smiled, trying to hide the tears that threatened to fall. She tidied up the apartment and decided to spend the night there. The girl thought that perhaps, at least in her dreams, she could meet her parents. But all night, she was haunted by dreams of a hospital ward and a huge blue bow tied around her arm. When she woke in the morning, she brushed off the strange dream.<\/p>\n
Months later, after graduating from school, Anya noticed Artyom\u2019s car parked near the gate. Believing that her brother had come to visit her\u2014since they hadn\u2019t seen each other for several days\u2014she headed toward the vehicle. However, he suddenly sped away. On the front passenger seat, she saw her friend Olya, happily clutching a huge bouquet of white roses. Anya smiled to herself and headed home. On the way, her phone rang\u2014it was Sergey, who timidly suggested they meet.<\/p>\n
A year later, while cursing Sergey and fate, the girl struggled to cope with the bouts of pain that seemed to tear her body apart. Her husband shuffled awkwardly nearby, holding a bag with an envelope for the hospital discharge.<\/p>\n
\u2014 I shouldn\u2019t have rushed things. Then I would have bought it later, \u2014 Anya managed to say with difficulty.<\/p>\n
\u2014 It was the most beautiful envelope, \u2014 Sergey replied sheepishly.<\/p>\n
They had deliberately not found out the baby\u2019s gender. However, Sergey was convinced it would be a boy, and he filled the nursery with toy cars and robots.<\/p>\n
\u2014 And if it turns out not to be a boy? \u2014 the girl asked sarcastically.<\/p>\n
\u2014 And who? \u2014 the future father asked, genuinely surprised.<\/p>\n
At the discharge appointment for the young parents, Evgeny Mikhailovich, Artyom, and Olya arrived. Olya, supporting her huge belly, looked enviously at Anya. Her delivery was scheduled for the following week, and she kept asking her friend if it hurt.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Not at all, it\u2019s even pleasant, \u2014 Anna lied enthusiastically, recalling how she bent over in pain on the delivery chair.<\/p>\n
She held her tiny daughter, wrapped in a pristine white envelope with a huge blue bow, and, glancing threateningly at her husband, seemed determined to get even for that decision.<\/p>\n
FacebookMastodonEmailShare<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Artyom, frankly, I\u2019ve had it with your antics!!! \u2014 shouted his father, waving his fist threateningly in front of his only son. \u2014 Dad, but I didn\u2019t… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":24765,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n