Alina had always pursued her goal relentlessly—whether it was the years in the orphanage, studying at the university where she was long rejected because of her uncompromising nature, or the later struggle to carve out a place in the world, as she pushed her way to success by every possible means.
“An amazing life,” as those around her said, had been won by Alina at a high price, but she had achieved her aim. And everything was going splendidly until she allowed herself to relax and fall in love.
— Sokolova, to the exit!
Alina immediately sprang up and headed for the door. She had already bid farewell to everyone, discussed important issues, and remembered her cellmates’ requests.
— Sokolova, will you not come back… or will you be back again?
She shook her head negatively:
— No, I won’t come back.
The sun’s rays dazzled Alina. She involuntarily squinted.
— Alinka!
It was Irina, her friend. They had grown up together in the orphanage and later maintained a close bond. Irina had chosen a family-oriented life, unlike Alina, who strived for success and never allowed herself financial help.
— Irishka! — Alina couldn’t hold back her tears, and her friend gave her a tight hug.
— What’s wrong with you? The worst is behind you. Come on, get in the car, Sergey is setting the table at home with the boys.
Alina greedily surveyed her surroundings. She hadn’t seen the city for four years, and it seemed like an eternity. The boys, Irina’s sons, immediately clung to her. They were twins, and Alina was their godmother. She burst into tears again, and Irina even stamped her foot in exasperation.
— Alin, you’re scaring me. Has four years really changed you that much?
Alina hugged the children close and tried to smile:
— Now, now everything will be alright.
“What about Sofia?” she thought. As if reading her mind, Irina said:
— Sofia knows that you were released today. She’s waiting for you.
— Ir, did you visit her?
— Of course. Did you think it would be any different?
Two hours later, when Alina—washed and changed—resembled an ordinary person, Sofia was already hugging her tightly.
— Mommy, mommy, when will you take me from here?
— My dear, I’m going to see the director now, to find out everything. Hold on a little longer, my sweet.
The director looked at Alina with pity:
— Do you really think I enjoy supporting children with living parents? But I don’t want you to be denied. Your assets are under arrest, whether they’ll be returned or not is still unknown. And if you don’t have an official job, no one will give you the child. Any attempt will be futile.
That evening, while the children slept, Alina, Irina, and Sergey sat at the table discussing the situation.
— The main thing now is to find a job. And it has to be an official and decent one, — said Irina.
Sergey scratched his head thoughtfully:
— You know, I saw an advertisement at our bank. They need a cleaner. It’s not a high-paying position, but it’s a job.
Alina shook her head with doubt:
— It’s a bank, after all…
— Don’t worry. The director there is a reasonable person. I don’t think there will be any problems.
Sergey paused for a moment, then looked straight into Alina’s eyes:
— Alin, what about Viktor? Are you just going to leave everything as it is?
Irina glared sternly at her husband:
— Sergey, stop. As if we needed more reasons for her to start taking revenge. End up in jail again? You know how cunning he is!
Alina sighed:
— You know, I am very much to blame for what happened. I shouldn’t have trusted people so much, especially those like Viktor. I was foolish, I fell in love. And now I don’t understand how I failed to notice all of this?
Viktor had begun working in Alina’s company about a year before her arrest. No matter how hard Alina tried to ignore him, she couldn’t. Viktor was handsome, smart, and paid her special attention.
At that time, Alina was 35 and he was 29. She had firmly decided that there would be no serious relationships in her life. She had a daughter for herself. Sofia’s father hadn’t even suspected the child’s existence.
Alina was very meticulous when it came to choosing a father for Sofia. Fortunately, there were plenty of men in her circle willing to help with “genetic material.”
Undoubtedly, the ideal candidate for the role of biological parent turned out to be Denis. He had no bad habits, had achieved a certain level of success in his career, and came from a well-to-do family. They met only a few times. Later, Alina simply excluded him from her life, although Denis didn’t object to keeping in touch. She was indeed lucky.
She had calculated everything carefully. Seven days later, Denis left abroad for three years. Their paths never crossed again.
Alina was aware of his departure for further education. Since his parents belonged to affluent circles, it was logical to assume that the young man needed a foreign education to continue the family business.
Viktor swiftly began replacing Alina in the professional sphere. At first, it made her uncomfortable, but soon she relaxed. After all, she was a woman, and it was perfectly natural to desire a break while her partner toiled instead of her.
He tried his utmost. He was so successful that several lawsuits from various companies suddenly rained down on Alina. And Viktor, it seemed, remained untouched—maintaining the status of a respectable citizen. And Alina became known as someone who allegedly laundered money illegally through shell companies.
Viktor immediately distanced himself from her, as if they had never met. Since Alina was an orphan with no known family, Sofia was placed in a child care institution—formally temporarily, but everyone knew that regaining custody of the child would be extremely difficult.
The very next day, Alina began her duties at a financial institution. The bank was brand new, modern. It had been built very recently. When Alina was free, there wasn’t even any construction at that site.
After a short conversation with the employee responsible for recruitment, she was hired. A security service representative informed her:
— You understand that I will keep you under observation. Not because you’re a bad person—everyone can make mistakes. It’s just to keep things calm for both of us.
Alina allowed herself a smile:
— And why should that be comforting for me?
He smirked:
— Because you’ll know that I’m watching you, and you won’t be tempted to do something you might later regret.
Alina laughed:
— Well, I never imagined that philosophers could work in security.
She got on with her duties, while he continued watching her in amazement for a while. When Alina laughed, she transformed from a haggard, gray figure into a charming, mature lady.
Alina had been working for fourteen days when she spoke with the very woman who had hired her, explaining her situation:
— I really need a recommendation, — she said.
— I understand that you haven’t worked here long, but…
— I know. However, only our director can provide such a reference.
— And when will he be here? Have you ever seen him?
— Exactly tomorrow. There will be business negotiations here, and he will come with an assistant. Wait until the meeting is over, then approach him.
Alina smiled:
— Thank you very much.
The HR staff member looked at her intently:
— Tell me, haven’t we met before?
Alina’s smile vanished instantly:
— No, not at all! I’m not a local—I was just sent here.
She hurried out of the office. “I must be more careful.” Irina had changed her hair color, and her hairstyle was now different, but Alina still really did not want to be recognized.
The next day she did her best. The impeccably polished mirrored surfaces reflected countless rays. But Alina continued to scrub and scrub. Her coworkers joked:
— Alina, if you work here forever, we’ll stop seeing ourselves in the mirrors because they’ll be everywhere!
Closer to noon, sleek black cars pulled up at the financial institution, and several men headed for the director’s office. Alina immediately hid in a storage room, barely noticing the procession. She did not want to be seen by them.
From the conversations among her colleagues, she knew that the negotiations were very important and could last until late in the evening. Almost everyone had already left. Alina knew that the meeting was taking place in a large hall. To avoid being idle, she decided to tidy up in the director’s office. She opened the door and froze. Men were seated at the table. They had moved here from the hall, though it was completely unclear why.
Alina apologized, wanting to close the door, but then she saw him. It was Viktor. Apparently, he did not recognize her at first, for he turned away immediately. Alina told herself: “Get out! Do you have no problems of your own?” But her feet already carried her toward the table. The men watched her in astonishment, but she saw no one except Viktor, who now recognized her and noticeably paled.
— Well hello, Vitenka. Who are you trying to deceive this time? Have you changed your method of fraud? Now you’re working with men? You used to do so well with women.
The eyes of everyone in the office nearly popped out. Alina noticed no one. She advanced on Viktor, speaking and speaking. Finally, someone stood in front of her:
— That’s enough. We’ve heard you. Please wait, we will call you in, but meanwhile, we need to settle some matters.
Viktor finally came to his senses. He jumped up:
— What matters? Why are you listening to her? Who is she? A cleaner? Let’s sign the documents and disperse.
Everyone began talking at once, and Alina hastily left the office. A single thought whirled in her head: “Why? Why did she interfere?” Now they would surely not give her any recommendation, and even if they did… it wouldn’t be in her favor. She understood that she would have to wait for a meeting with the director; otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to get employed anywhere. So she began slowly packing her things. She definitely wouldn’t work here any longer.
About half an hour later, voices were heard. Those involved in the negotiations were leaving. Alina tensed. There was a knock at the door. And that same HR employee peeked in:
— Oh, Alin, you sure stirred up quite a commotion. Go on, Denis Andreevich wants to see you.
Alina silently followed her. The employee stayed in the anteroom while Alina stepped over the threshold into the director’s office.
— May I come in? — she said.
The director stood with his back to her, gazing out the window.
— Yes? — He turned around.
For the first time, Alina was able to see him. It would have been better if she hadn’t.
— Denis? — she exhaled.
— Well, hello. I assumed you wouldn’t recognize me. Honestly, I never expected to meet you. And to meet you here, in my bank, as a technician? Never crossed my mind. Please, sit down.
Alina silently sank onto the chair. She had no strength left. All she wanted was to cry—and she did. Denis handed her a glass of water. He looked at her with surprise and even a hint of fear:
— You’ve never cried before. Never. And you used to despise those who shed tears. How is your husband? What tied you to Viktor?
Alina asked in confusion:
— What husband?
— The one you were about to marry, rejecting me.
She smiled:
— There was never a husband. I just wasn’t inclined to marry, nor did I want a serious relationship.
Denis raised an eyebrow:
— I see. Well, I’m not in a hurry. I hope you aren’t either. I really want to hear your story from beginning to end, and don’t you dare hide anything.
Alina sighed. Perhaps it was better to tell him everything. Denis was a decent man. He wouldn’t deprive her of Sofia. At first, the story came haltingly. Alina faltered, not knowing how to explain it properly. Then she waved her hand and began speaking frankly. She didn’t pity herself, nor did she try to make excuses.
Throughout her narration, Denis never once lifted his eyes. When she reached the part where she decided to have a child for herself without informing the father, he got up and walked to the window. Alina finished her story. For several minutes there was silence in the office. Finally, he turned to her:
— Now I don’t even know whom I feel like strangling first: you, for depriving me of happiness, taking away the chance to love and communicate with my daughter, or Viktor for ruining both your and my daughter’s life. Where is she now?
— In the child care institution. They won’t return her until I get a job and bring a reference from there.
Denis exploded:
— What reference? Let’s go!
They sped through the night metropolis, and Denis kept calling someone, rousing someone from bed, shouting at someone. Alina realized that all these people were one way or another connected to the children’s institution or that sphere in general. Finally, they stopped at the gates, which immediately swung open for them. Alina looked at Denis:
— Will they return Sofia? Right now?
— They will, or else I’ll tear the administration of this city apart.
A few minutes later, a sleepy Sofia was crying in her mother’s arms:
— Mommy, I’ve been waiting for you!
— Don’t cry, my sunshine, now everything will be alright!
Sofia looked at Denis:
— Mom, who’s that with you?
Alina straightened up, looked at Denis. She wasn’t sure how to introduce him, but he stepped toward the little girl:
— Hi, my name is Denis, and I’m your father. I’m sorry I wasn’t here earlier; I just didn’t know about you. I hope you’ll allow me to be here now.
They stood together for a long time, embracing, then silently left the institution. And half a year later, nearly the entire bank was celebrating the wedding of Denis and Alina, with Irina, of course, serving as the maid of honor.