— How much do you need? Don’t be shy. I’m ready to offer a decent sum if you leave my son alone. You don’t need much, right? You’re happy with any money from the trash — enough to feed all your friends a tasty dinner, rent yourself something cheap for a couple of months, and start a new life, if that’s really what you want. My son doesn’t need a wife from the garbage dump. Leave him, and I’ll pay you. We can make a deal. Besides… I’ve already found him a better option — a girl from an intelligent family, not from the dump. Can you believe it?! I never thought Sasha’s habit of dragging kittens and puppies off the street would end up like this!
Yulia Borisovna said this without taking her eyes off her nails, painted icy pearl. Her fingers, adorned with diamond rings, tapped impatiently on the table, as if counting down to my answer. She sat in a chair upholstered with velvet the color of aged wine, and every feature on her face — from perfectly arched eyebrows to tightly pressed lips — screamed that I was a stranger here. Her voice, sweet as syrup but with a bitter poison aftertaste, wrapped around me like a web. Galina looked at her, feeling the ground slip away beneath her feet. Her throat went dry, and her fingers, hidden in the pockets of her worn jacket, trembled. “Garbage dump.” That word stabbed into her consciousness like a knife. She wanted to scream that she never asked Sasha to save her, that back then by the trash bin she was just looking for scraps to feed an old woman who had no one but her. But her voice betrayed her and wavered, and she only silently pressed her lips as she watched the future mother-in-law wave a wad of bills like it was a poker game where the stake was her life.
— You want to pay me to leave Sasha? But we love each other… — she finally managed to say, her voice thinner than she wanted.
— Love! Pff… — Yulia Borisovna snorted, as if swatting away an annoying fly. — You can tell him that nonsense all you want, but I’ll never believe you love him. You latched onto a wealthy man and are squeezing him dry. Have you lived here three months? Loved they are! During that time, Sasha hasn’t sent me a single kopeck — he spends everything on you!
Galina felt heat rush to her cheeks. “Three months.” She remembered the first time she stepped into this apartment — huge, with crystal chandeliers and the scent of expensive flowers. Back then she didn’t know her life would turn upside down.
— I didn’t ask him for this. Sasha made that decision himself, — she whispered, but Yulia Borisovna no longer listened.
— I know female nature well. You didn’t ask, but you hinted. Do you think I never did the same at your age? Only you chose the wrong goal, queen of the garbage bin. I raised my son so he would marry someone worthy, not someone like you. Have you even looked at yourself in the mirror? You’re not right for him at all. And while I want to settle this peacefully so my son doesn’t make the biggest mistake of his life and regret getting involved with someone like…
— Have I done anything bad to you? — Galina finally found strength to answer, though her voice trembled.
— You have! You shame me in front of everyone I know. My son decided to marry a woman he met at the dump. What a disgrace.
Galina closed her eyes. “Garbage dump.” That day was etched in her memory like a scar.
She had stood by the trash bin on an icy November night, trembling from cold and exhaustion. The wind tore at her worn cloak, and her fingers, wrapped in rags instead of gloves, barely obeyed her. She was looking for scraps — not for herself, but for Anna Petrovna, an old woman in the neighboring building who hadn’t gotten out of bed for two weeks. “If I don’t bring her food, she’ll die,” Galina thought as she sifted through the trash bags. Her hair was disheveled, her face smudged with dirt, and dark circles under her eyes showed her sleepless nights. She didn’t notice when a man approached.
— Miss, do you need some help? Maybe some food? You must be cold? Would you like my jacket?
His voice was soft as silk, but Galina flinched as if struck. “Help?” No one had offered her help since her mother died. She was used to people either asking from her or taking from her. But this man — tall, in an expensive coat, with eyes the color of a spring forest — looked at her not with pity, but genuine concern.
— You’re very beautiful, — he said, and there was no mockery in his voice. — If you’re not afraid, I’d suggest coming to my place, taking a shower, and I’ll give you warm clothes. They’ll be bigger sizes, but at least you won’t freeze.
Galina wanted to refuse. “It’s a trap. That’s how it always starts,” her inner voice whispered. But her body no longer obeyed. Her legs gave way, and her fingers, numb from the cold, couldn’t unzip her worn jacket. When he threw his coat over her, she smelled vanilla and cinnamon — warmth she had long forgotten.
— I swear I don’t mean to hurt you. I just want to help, — he whispered, and in his eyes was such honesty that Galina nodded, not knowing why.
At Sasha’s apartment, it smelled of cinnamon and fresh bread. He sat her on the sofa, covered her with a blanket, and went to the kitchen. Galina sat, afraid to move lest she stain the white pillows. “This is a dream. I’ll wake up in the basement and everything will be as before,” she thought. But when Sasha returned with a bowl of hot soup, she realized — this was real.
— Stay with me, — he said, looking into her eyes. — I have an empty room. I’ll help you find work, and then you’ll get on your feet, rent a place…
— Sorry, but I can’t, — Galina shook her head. Her voice trembled. — They’ll be looking for me. We all gather at the same time. I’m caring for an old woman… I have to bring her food.
— If you want, we can take her food together?
— No need, — Galina shook her head. — Thank you for your help, but this can’t be. I can’t bring you there. Who knows how that will end? Not everyone here is friendly.
— Then let’s agree to meet again tomorrow. Say, in the evening? At six o’clock? There’s a clock at the bus stop… can we meet tomorrow?
Galina hesitated. “He won’t accept you for who you are. You’re deceiving him,” reason whispered. But when she saw how Sasha looked at her — without contempt, without greed — her heart clenched. “Maybe this time it will be different?”
The next day she came to the meeting in his clothes, washed and smelling of lavender. Sasha smiled as if she’d come not from poverty but from heaven. He took her to a pizzeria where the waiters bowed and flowers stood on the table.
— I don’t know why this happened… — he said, looking at her. — I feel I have to help you, and if I don’t, I’ll blame myself till the end of my days. Lina, please accept my offer. I see that you’re not like the others… you deserve more, and I’ll help you settle in this life.
— And if nothing works out, you’ll be disappointed, throw me out on the street like a mutt that won’t behave, and I’ll have to find a new shelter, since the old one won’t take me back?.. — Galina said hoarsely.
Sasha took her hand. His fingers were warm and strong.
— Come on. I’d never do that to you. I promise to help you settle in this life, even if it takes more time and effort than it seems.
And she believed him.
Now Yulia Borisovna looked at her like dirt under her nails.
— Why have you gone silent? Lost your nerve? How much will you ask of me? So you don’t have to appear before my son anymore. Don’t be too greedy, or I might refuse and find another way to get rid of you. Believe me, it won’t be hard.
— I won’t ask anything from you, — Galina straightened up, feeling anger boiling inside. — Alexander is an adult man. You can’t buy or sell love. I really love him with all my heart, but if he decides to leave me, then so be it.
— I don’t understand what kind of conversation you’re even having here? — a voice came from the door.
Sasha stood in the doorway, his face pale, his eyes dark with rage.
— How did he come home from work so quietly? — Galina shuddered, looking at the man. Yulia Borisovna instantly went pale and started to justify herself, saying she was just trying to test Galina’s reaction.
— I heard everything from the very beginning, Mom, — he interrupted, his voice shaking. — This isn’t a test, it’s a real insult. Why do you say such obscene things about my chosen one? I love Galina. She is my choice. If you’re ashamed in front of someone, you can say you raised an unworthy son, but you shouldn’t insult my fiancée. Even though Lina hasn’t said “yes” to me yet.
How much Galina finally wanted to hear the truth. Not the one Yulia Borisovna babbled while sitting in a velvet chair like a queen on a throne, but the one pressing on her soul like a stone in her pocket. Sasha shortened her name not to “Galya,” but to “Lina” — as if pronouncing each syllable with special tenderness, as if that name was not just a nickname but a cherished code to her heart. His voice, low and warm like the whisper of the wind in an aspen grove, enveloped her every morning, every night. But now, looking at his clenched fists and tense neck, Galina understood: she could not drag this out any longer. If she wanted to keep this love, she had to break the ice of her own lies.
— Sash, I’m not offended. Everything’s okay, — she said, but her voice trembled, betraying a lie.
— And I don’t think everything is okay, — his fingers gripped the armrests of the chair so tightly his knuckles whitened. — Mom shouldn’t treat you like a social outcast. You’re just as much a person as we are. And the fact that you were a little less lucky in life…
— Sash, I have to confess that I’ve been lying to you all this time.
The room froze. Alexander instantly went pale as if the blood drained from his face, and Yulia Borisovna, who had been pretending to leaf through a magazine, sharply raised her head. Her eyes, outlined with black liner, pierced Galina like two sharp needles.
— Don’t tell me you decided to listen to your mother and leave me, thinking you’re an unworthy fiancée, — Alexander pleaded, and his voice carried such pain that Galina felt something break inside.
He loved her with all his heart — like he had never loved anyone before. He didn’t need her money, her past, or her secrets. He needed her. Her laughter, her hands, her gaze, in which he saw a whole world. But now that world was crumbling, and he didn’t know how to put it back together.
— It’s not about that. I already said you’re an adult. It’s up to you whether to forgive me or decide to leave… I’ll accept any decision you make. I’m not who I pretended to be.
Galina took a deep breath, feeling the air burn her throat.
— The day we met, I lost an important paper with your number. I thought I threw it in the trash bag, so I ran out of the house where I was cleaning and dug through the bin. It was hard to find my bag at first, and when I found it and shook it out, I looked through it again and again. That number was very important. I was desperate, then I heard your voice as if it woke me from a dream.
She fell silent, recalling how her fingers trembled then, how her heart pounded in her chest.
— I looked terrible, but you called me beautiful. You didn’t look down on me and offered a helping hand. I understand this is unpleasant to hear now, but I didn’t trust men. I was afraid to get closer to you and take advantage of your kindness. But I couldn’t help myself because I wanted to spend time with you.
— Deciding I needed to make sure your intentions were sincere, I continued the deception, — her voice grew softer, as if afraid the words would vanish if spoken aloud. — I had to take a leave from work and delegate most of my duties to my deputy because I couldn’t sneak out of your apartment often. I was scared, didn’t know where it would lead, but I also didn’t see a good chance to reveal myself.
— I’m not a homeless pauper, Sash. I have my own business, small but actively growing.
She stopped, watching the emotions shift on Alexander’s face: first shock, then disbelief, then slow, cautious relief.
— I always had to rely only on myself, but with you I felt the care I so desperately needed. A strong shoulder, a man of my dreams nearby. Knowing I was lying to you, I felt terrible, which is why I didn’t say “yes” right away. I was going to confess everything and respond only if you wanted to marry me after the truth came out. At first, I tested you, put you through trials. Having been burned so many times, tasted the bitterness of betrayal and disappointment, I was afraid of new relationships, but with you it was different from the start. Only now do I feel like the traitor is myself. Will you be able to forgive me?
— You have your own business? What kind of business? — Yulia Borisovna interjected like a hyena picking crumbs off the table. Her voice rang with impatience, but Alexander sharply turned to her.
— Mom, shut up, — he hissed, and his eyes flared with such rage the woman shrank in her chair.
He turned back to Galina, took her hands. His palms were warm, but she felt his fingers tremble.
— What else have you lied about?
— Nothing else. Everything I told you about my childhood, about my real life, it’s all true… The only thing I lied about is that I’m not homeless or poor. I wanted to be loved truly, not for the success I achieved through hard work.
— In that case, I can’t be angry with you or break up over such a small thing, — Alexander swallowed hard. — It’s a shame you didn’t trust me right away, but I can understand you. I believe you didn’t want to hurt me with that lie and suffered because of it. Let’s just agree there will be no more lies in our relationship from now on?
Galina smiled through her tears. They looked into each other’s eyes, and in that gaze was more than any promise. But Yulia Borisovna couldn’t hold back.
— Galya, that changes everything! If you’re a well-off woman and not trying to leech off my son, I’m not opposed to your relationship, — her voice suddenly turned honeyed, but Galina saw her hands tremble, her lip twitch nervously.
— Mom, please go home. Lina and I have a lot to discuss, and we’ll talk to you later about your attempt to bribe and destroy my relationship, — Alexander did not hide his displeasure.
Galina knew Yulia Borisovna would never be a secret to her again. Now she saw how easily this woman changed masks: today a queen, tomorrow a sly fox. But it didn’t scare her. On the contrary, Galina felt strength growing inside. She was no longer afraid.
Her business — “Eco-Line” — started small: recycling raw materials into eco-friendly household products. She designed everything herself, went to stores herself offering her products. Sometimes she had to stay overnight in the office, sometimes sell her last possessions to buy materials. But she didn’t give up. Because she knew: if you give up, you’ll stay in that same basement where you spent your childhood.
Sasha listened to her story without interrupting. When she finished, he took her face in his hands.
— You’re my hero, Lina, — he whispered. — You fought while I didn’t even know you existed. And I’m grateful to fate that you ended up by that very trash bin.
They married three months later. The wedding was modest but warm. Galina didn’t wear a dress worth thousands — she chose a simple white one embroidered with eucalyptus leaves. Sasha gave her a ring made from recycled metal, engraved: “Not trash, but a beginning.”
Yulia Borisovna came to the wedding but stayed in the shadows. Sometimes Galina caught her gaze — a mixture of envy and admiration. But now it didn’t matter.
Sasha became a partner in her business. He never imposed his opinion but was always there: helped with logistics, came up with marketing ideas. Sometimes, coming home late at night, he found her at the table with a calculator and a cup of cold tea.
— You work too much, — he said, hugging her.
— And you worry too much, — she replied, smiling.
Their love went through the fire of lies and mistrust. Now it burned cleaner, brighter. Galina no longer hid her scars — neither physical nor emotional. Sasha knew everything: how she cried selling her last dress to pay office rent and how she dreamed of one day meeting someone who would love her not for her successes but for who she was.
Yulia Borisovna sometimes called trying to make amends. But Galina was in no hurry to forgive. She knew trust was like crystal — once broken, even gluing it back wouldn’t fix it. But she held no grudge. She simply lived on — stronger, wiser.
Alexander often said looking at her:
— You’re my trash bin, Lina. Because that’s exactly where I found a treasure.
And she laughed, kissing him on the scar above his eyebrow — the very one he got defending her from hooligans in the first month they met.
Because the truth is not something you hide in a box.
It’s something that grows like a flower through asphalt.
And nothing can break it now.