Alyna, Alyna, it can’t be, is it really you?” – a male voice sounded.
She flinched and slowly turned around. Standing before her was Andrei. The same Andrei, her first love, the one who had nearly gotten her stepfather to kill her. Alyna glanced at her husband, who was talking to the doctor at that moment, with a frightened look.
“Alyna, how glad I am to see you,” Andrei said, stepping closer. “You look tired, though what am I saying? We’re in the hospital.”
Alyna didn’t want to discuss her ailments. They were constantly chasing her. Or rather, they had caught up and were holding her tightly. Andrei looked magnificent. Fifteen years of separation hadn’t changed him at all.
“Andrei, are you a doctor?” she asked.
“No, more than that. I’m not just a doctor, I’m the chief physician of this establishment,” he said proudly. “I really want to sit down, talk with you. How long has it been? Ten? Fifteen years? How’s your life been?”
“Everything’s fine. Just a little sick, that’s all,” Alyna replied.
“Then let me help. I’ll arrange for a thorough checkup. Who’s treating you?”
Alyna didn’t have time to answer. Nikolai approached them with determined steps.
“Alyna, is everything alright?” he asked tensely.
“Yes.”
“Sorry, we need to go.”
Nikolai took her hand and pulled her towards the exit.
“Alyna, wait!” Andrei stepped forward, but she only whispered silently, “Sorry.”
As soon as they were outside, Nikolai hissed angrily:
“Couldn’t even turn away for a second, and you’re already flirting with strange men.”
“Kolia, what are you saying? Andrei is my childhood friend. We’ve known each other for a long time, haven’t seen each other in many years.”
But her husband wouldn’t listen.
“What difference does it make? You’re married, and that’s all there is to it.”
“I’ve lost all my friends. I’m forbidden from talking to anyone. I feel like I’m in a cage.”
Nikolai stopped abruptly.
“You better think about the fact that you only exist because of me. What other husband would bother with someone like you? You’re practically an invalid, just illness after illness. So much money invested, and no results. And no one even thinks of getting better. Or do you think it’s pleasant for me to live with someone like you when there are so many beautiful, healthy women around?”
Alyna muttered quietly:
“You’re spending my money. Mine, not yours.”
Nikolai shot her an angry look, almost shoved her into the car. Alyna hurt her elbow, winced, holding back tears.
Once upon a time, she had been different, completely different. Joyful, cheerful, a bit reckless. She loved dancing, was passionate about motorcycles. Then, something began in their family that should never have happened in a normal family.
Her father died. He had been a businessman, not just an entrepreneur, but a very influential figure. Her mother seemed to lose interest in life. For two years, Alyna was afraid to leave her alone, fearing she might do something rash. But gradually, her mother began to revive. The reason for her revival was Viktor, Nikolai’s uncle.
Alyna didn’t like Viktor from the start. He was slippery, unpleasant, but Alyna stayed silent because she saw how much her mother valued him. They got married, and Alyna went abroad to study. When she came back, she didn’t recognize her mother. A faded woman with a dull look and complete indifference to life. Alyna tried everything, took her everywhere, but it was all in vain. Her mother cried and begged to be left alone.
That was when Alyna developed feelings for Andrei. He helped her, supported her, but her stepfather found out about their relationship. He made a scene, shouting that she was dishonoring her father’s memory, that he wouldn’t allow her to get involved with some poor guy, who would bring nothing but trouble. He locked her in her room, and one time even hit her.
Then Nikolai appeared. He showed up just when her mother passed away. The doctors said it was from depression. Before she died, her mother told her strange words: “Darling, never trust anyone, only your heart. It will never deceive you.”
Her heart. How could she trust it when it was torn with pain, when it didn’t want to see anyone? Nikolai was there, comforting her, holding her hand. They quietly got married, not even notifying anyone.
Her stepfather was pleased. He said it was a good match. Two years later, her stepfather died. He died in a car crash.
Alyna was in despair. She knew this couldn’t be a coincidence. It wasn’t some curse. She didn’t believe in mysticism. But the investigation found no foul play. And Alyna began to think more and more that their family was cursed. Who would be next? Her – the heir to a multi-million empire or her Kolia?
A year passed. Alyna slowly recovered. Nikolai was running the company. Alyna began to believe everything was over, but no more than two years later, she got sick. It started with a regular cold, then weakness set in. Nikolai brought some specialist. The doctor had been treating her for years, but there was no improvement, although Nikolai kept insisting that if it weren’t for him, Alyna would have died long ago.
Gradually, Nikolai forbade her from talking to anyone. He insisted that such communication with the outside world only disturbed her. Now, she needed to think not about her friends, not about entertainment, but about her health.
Alyna once told him:
“Kolia, I think if I work at my father’s company, meet with my friends, the illnesses will subside. I won’t have time to be sick. But locking me up at home won’t lead to anything good.”
And she immediately flinched from the pain that burned her cheek. She looked up in fear at her husband, who was leaning over her.
“So you think you know better? That I’m wasting my time, my nerves, my money on you? I’m actually trying to help you, and you… You’re ungrateful. You don’t even think that a few outings, as you call them, could undo all the treatment. You can’t be so short-sighted, so foolish.”
He slapped her for the first time. But for some reason, she felt embarrassed. And indeed, what was she doing? Her husband was doing everything for her, and she was ungrateful. She always agreed with him, but sometimes Nikolai still rewarded her with a few slaps. Of course, she forgave him because she understood that he was just on edge.
She remained silent all the way home. She remembered how she and Andrei had gone on a hiking trip. They had actually gone by car, but far away and for three days. How her stepfather had gotten angry after that, how he had yelled, what words he had used.
How Andrei had been. Gentle, affectionate. For him, it was always about what she wanted. Never the other way around.
At home, Alyna immediately went to her room. She and Nikolai had been living separately under the same roof for a long time, and he hadn’t come to her for a year. She lay down. She was so tired, as if her last strength had left her, and she even dozed off. She woke up to Nikolai shaking her shoulder.
“Alyna, you need to take your vitamins and medication.”
“I don’t want to.”
She noticed how her husband’s eyes filled with rage. Once again, she thought about how she was acting like a spoiled child. She could understand Nikolai – he had been trying to treat her for so long. She quickly took the pills, swallowed them, and lay back down, turning her back to the wall. Nikolai patted her shoulder.
“Good girl. Rest.”
Alyna felt like she had drunk a lot of alcohol. She was swaying. Something was wrong. She needed to warn Nikolai. She tried to get up, but lost her balance and fell to the floor. The last thing she saw was Nikolai’s polished shoes.
Her consciousness returned slowly. Alyna bit her lip to keep from moaning. She listened. It seemed there was no one nearby. She cautiously opened her eyes. Oh my God, where was she? The ceiling was black, soot-stained. The walls were black too. Some kind of hut or abandoned building. How did she get here? Where was her husband? Why wasn’t he saving her?
She wanted to scream, but then heard footsteps. It must be Kolia. He would save her. Or maybe not? Their family had a lot of money. She could have been kidnapped. Alyna quickly closed her eyes and immediately heard her husband’s voice:
“Alright, time to go.”
“Kolia, what are you talking about? What if she wakes up? We need to finish her off,” a woman’s voice said.
“Do you think so? But Igor Petrovich said she wouldn’t wake up.”
“You, Lara, are beautiful but foolish. First, the drug needs to leave her system. Understand, in order to inherit, she must be declared dead. So, we need to find her. No traces. None.”
The woman’s voice continued:
“Let’s at least check on her. What if she’s too resilient, let’s add more drugs.”
Alyna felt herself being shaken. One thought kept spinning in her mind: she had to seem almost lifeless.
“Leave her, she’s not responding to anything. We should’ve prepared everyone for her madness, but this childhood friend?”
“It doesn’t matter. Igor Petrovich will confirm her insanity.”
Alyna heard the voices fade, then the door creaked. She wanted to sit up, move, but nothing worked. She was swaying like on waves. Visions flashed in her mind, ghostly figures. Andrei. Even Andrei in her hallucinations.
“Andrei, Andryusha, don’t go, I’m scared.”
“I won’t leave. Don’t be afraid, I’m with you. Everything will be fine. I promise.”
“Promise?”
“Yes. Don’t worry.”
Alyna smiled. If Andrei, even in her imagination, was near, then death was not scary.
“Forgive me. They made me tell you I didn’t love you, that you weren’t good enough, that you were poor. But I’ve always loved you.”
This speech took her last strength. Alyna felt light, good, nothing hurt.
“Alyna, Alyna, wake up.”
She didn’t understand where she was. She had died. Maybe, in the afterlife, they also sleep. Slowly, she opened her eyes and squinted – the bright light hit her eyes.
She opened them again, carefully. It was the sun, happily peeking through the window.
“Well, hello.”
Alyna turned her head and saw Andrei.
“Andrei, did you die too?”
He laughed, not with an angelic laugh.
“No, Alyna, I’m not planning on dying for the next fifty years. And I hope you’re not either.”
She shook her head.
“I don’t understand anything.”
Andrei leaned down, took her hand.
“I’ve always been amazed at your ability to end up exactly where you shouldn’t.”
“Andrei, explain, what’s happening? I feel better than before. What does it mean? Where’s Kolia? Where am I?”
“I’ll start from the end. Kolia, your dear husband, along with the doctor who worked at my clinic and another woman, are giving testimonies to the police. Very interesting testimonies. Although I wanted to protect you from this information, they’ll still tell you.”
“No one in your family has died a natural death. Your mother knew your husband’s uncle before your father’s death. They were lovers. Only your mother didn’t know that Viktor and his nephew had set everything up.”
“Then it was your mother’s turn. When you became the heir and wife of Nikolai, he decided to get rid of the uncle first, then you. He was ready to wait ten years just to manage the millions quietly.”
“And almost succeeded. If I hadn’t pressured your doctor, if we hadn’t tracked Nikolai’s phone, the police wouldn’t have acted so quickly. And that’s all.”
Alyna looked at Andrei.
“You mean to say that people died because of money? Why? Are they really that important?”
Andrei smiled sadly.
“Who better than you knows what people are capable of for money? Now we’re removing everything your husband and the doctor injected into your body. But it’s still unclear how much you’ll recover. I really hope you will. And we’ll definitely go hiking. To spite everyone. And also, I don’t know if you remember or not, but you said something very important to me.”
“What?”
“It doesn’t matter. The important thing is that I heard it.”
A year passed.
“My God, it’s beautiful here! Andryusha, this is the place!” – Alyna exclaimed.
“Recognize it?”
“Yes, this is where we were!”
Alyna smiled and playfully chided him.
“Andrei, what are you doing?”
“First of all, we’re adults. Secondly, no one can hear us. And third…” – Andrei hugged her shoulders. “I want to repeat everything!”
Alyna laughed and kissed him on the nose.
“Maybe you’ll find some food first, feed me?”
Andrei rolled his eyes.
“More food? I’m afraid I won’t be able to feed you.”
Alyna slapped him on the back, and Andrei, howling like an Indian, ran to the car.
Alyna turned towards the lake. One could joke that she was always hungry, but she was eating not just for herself, but for the one living inside her. Someone Andrei didn’t know yet.
Today, she would tell him. Alyna couldn’t even imagine his reaction. After all, just recently, he said how sorry he was that they had lost so many years. How sorry he was that they wouldn’t have children.
Ah, Andrei, age is nothing when love overflows.