Strange changes had recently begun at Mark’s company. Income dropped sharply, regular clients stopped requesting cargo transportation services, and drivers quit one after another…
He had started his forwarding business from scratch. After leaving the orphanage and finishing college, Mark worked four years at a transport company where he gained his first experience. With his modest savings, he bought a used van — that’s how his entrepreneurial journey began.
Even back at the orphanage, Mark was the child over whom the caregivers often argued.
“I’m telling you — this boy will end up in prison! Nothing good will come of him!” — one caregiver, nicknamed Grymza by everyone for her grumpy nature, would say angrily.
“Oh, come on again? He’s just a noisy kid; he’ll settle down with time,” another colleague tried to calm her.
“I’m telling you, he’ll show himself yet!” — objected Semyonovna, the senior nanny. “Yes, he’s sometimes defiant, but that’s because his heart hurts. Not everyone could endure what he has — to see his parents die before his eyes.”
Indeed, Mark still felt the sharp pain of loss. He could not forgive himself for not being able to save them. That day there was a terrible thunderstorm: the wind was breaking trees and tearing off roofs. One fallen tree hit a pole, and wires fell into the yard.
Mark’s mother, Maria, noticed the lights went out:
“Oh, something’s wrong with the electricity!”
His father looked out the window:
“Probably a fuse blew. I’ll go check; maybe the neighbors know something.”
Maria put on her raincoat and went outside but didn’t see the sagging wire and was electrocuted. Her scream pierced the night. Hearing it, the father ran out without dressing fully and was also electrocuted.
Meanwhile, Mark sat at home, unaware he had become an orphan. Only when the ambulance siren sounded did he step onto the porch and see his parents lifeless. The boy was fourteen years old. There were no relatives left, and after the funeral, he was sent back to the orphanage. The house where they lived was boarded up and left forgotten for many years.
“No one behind these walls will help him,” grumbled Grymza. “He’ll end up either a vagabond or a criminal anyway.”
“Stop it, he’s a good boy!” Semyonovna defended him. And she was right.
Having overcome hardships, Mark built his business. From one van he moved to two, then three vehicles. He hired drivers, a dispatcher, and signed contracts with local companies. He didn’t sell the house in the village — simply had no desire or time to deal with it.
Everything changed when he met Erika.
“Hey, young man, help me out, will you?” he heard a female voice as he was entering the building after work.
Turning around, he saw a girl whose beauty stunned him. She was standing on one leg trying to balance on a bench, holding a broken heel in her hand.
“Can you imagine, my heel broke, my phone died — I can’t even call a taxi. And I still have to get home… It’s already morning, and then back to work,” she laughed, listing her troubles.
Mark realized — this was love. He had never had a girlfriend before, and now this?
“Of course, I’ll give you a ride wherever you say,” he answered awkwardly.
“Better drive me than have me walk,” she laughed.
From that day on, Mark couldn’t imagine life without Erika. She worked as an accountant at a small firm.
“I always thought accountants were fat, mannish women in glasses with thick lenses, wearing arm protectors…” he confessed shyly once, which made her laugh even more.
A few months later, he proposed. Erika agreed. They lived at her parents’ — who preferred to spend winters and summers at their country house. Mark entrusted his wife with managing the company’s finances. The first three years went well; the company grew and developed. But at some point, everything changed…
Nikolai was a major entrepreneur. His transport company worked with both local and foreign clients. He inherited the business, and his father had been preparing him since childhood to marry the partner’s daughter for a profitable business alliance. So Nikolai wasn’t surprised when his father told him to pay attention to Polina.
Polina was much younger than Nikolai — a modest, shy girl. She couldn’t compete with the flashy women usually around him.
“Why should I marry this invisible girl?!” the son protested.
“Because she’s genuine, not some painted empty doll,” the father cut him off. “In a week there’s a company anniversary, and my partner and his daughter will be there. Try to make an impression.”
Kolya reluctantly agreed. He married Polina literally a month after meeting her. But soon he showed his true face: forbidding her to meet friends, demanding expense reports, controlling her communication with parents.
“You don’t think you can spend money however you like, do you?” he grumbled, checking receipts.
In the evenings he was cold, occasionally showing some affection only when drunk. Polina endured, never complaining to her parents. They were sure their daughter lived like a princess.
But Kolya didn’t last long as a faithful husband. His new mistress was a bright, confident beauty. They met at a presentation of a new warehouse organized by Nikolai.
Erika, as financial director of Mark’s company, came to the meeting to discuss cooperation terms. During a break, she and Nikolai started talking over coffee.
“I didn’t expect to find such a diamond in such a small company,” Nikolai tried to compliment.
“Well, our firm isn’t that small,” Erika smiled. “After all, your client wouldn’t work with just anyone.”
“I noticed you’re not only smart but witty!” he laughed. “Maybe we’ll have coffee again?”
“If you offer something truly interesting, why not?” she replied playfully.
Erika realized this man wouldn’t let go. She had long been bored with Mark, who simply adored her. Now here was someone who stirred her blood.
Soon their relationship went beyond business meetings — now they met in hotel rooms.
“Will you come to me? I’ll make you financial director,” Nikolai offered, coming out of the shower and back to Erika in bed.
“What if I marry you?” she smiled.
“Can you have a son for me?” Nikolai suddenly asked.
“Fine, then I’ll divorce,” Erika decisively said.
“Easy,” he smirked and reached for her again.
But at home awaited an unexpected surprise.
“Kolya, I’m pregnant! Already four months!” Polina happily told him at the door.
Nikolai turned pale — that same day he planned to tell her about the divorce.
“Do your parents know?”
“Of course!”
Polina was puzzled by her husband’s indifference. She expected joy, but he only thought about what to do next. Meanwhile, a very different conversation was happening with Mark…
“Maybe we should think about kids?” he finally dared to ask Erika directly. Before he only hinted, now he was serious.
“Okay,” Erika smiled. Actually, she just needed to buy time and stay in the house to finish what she started.
Using her position as financial director, she began gradually withdrawing money from the company. At first small amounts disguised as “unexpected expenses,” then larger transactions until the firm was left without funds.
One day Mark got a cruel blow from her:
“Your business is ruined, I sold my share. I’m leaving you. No, you leave — this is my home.”
The man was shocked. He had believed in her love to the end, could not even imagine betrayal from the woman he loved so much. But when he checked the accounts and realized everything was truly lost, he packed his things and left. He still had some savings — with them he rented a room and started paying debts to drivers. He sold the car to at least partially restore his balance.
For six months Mark tried to revive the business, but the damage was too great. Then he decided to return to the village — to his childhood home — and try to start over.
For Polina, the joy of pregnancy was overshadowed by the sudden death of her father — he died of a heart attack right in the office. She was very upset he hadn’t lived to meet his grandchild. Meanwhile, Nikolai increasingly disappeared from home, spending time with his new mistress — Erika.
She demanded a quick divorce:
“Are you going to drag this loser forever? My love, I need stability!” Erika was angry.
“Don’t worry, I’ll figure something out,” Nikolai tried to calm her.
But things changed drastically when Polina accidentally overheard her husband’s phone conversation:
“I’ll take the child after birth and file for divorce. The court will be on my side — she has nothing… Yes, we can arrange an accident. As you say… You’ll be a good mother to my son, then have one for me.”
Polina’s heart froze. She realized she couldn’t stay with this man one minute longer. But at that moment her labor pains began.
“Kolya!” she screamed clutching her stomach.
Nikolai rushed to her, called an ambulance, took her to the maternity hospital, and immediately left for his mistress.
Six hours later Polina gave birth to a healthy son. She insisted on registering the birth certificate right at the hospital, and a few days later disappeared with the child. When Nikolai came to pick them up, nurses were surprised — the woman said no one would come for her and she would leave on her own.
Where they disappeared to — no one knew. Nikolai rushed to find them but couldn’t. His father, long retired but still influential, was furious:
“If anything happens to my grandson, you’ll regret being born!” he threatened his son.
“I’ll find them,” Nikolai promised but inwardly knew it wouldn’t be easy.
Mark arrived in his native village. From afar, he noticed the house was no longer locked, windows were broken. Someone had clearly been here recently. Footprints in the snow led to the porch. Mark quietly approached and entered — the house was in total disarray. Documents lay on the table, children’s things on the bed.
Picking up a paper, Mark read the birth certificate. The father’s name… He froze. Then he heard noise from the backyard and quickly headed there.
Behind the barn door was a young woman holding a child. Mark helped her get inside, warmed her up, and gave her tea.
“You’re out here with a baby in such a snowstorm?! What are you doing here?” he wondered.
While the woman fed the baby, he tried not to look in that direction and suggested moving to another room. After feeding, the child peacefully fell asleep.
“Do you live here?” the woman asked.
“I lived here before, now I’m back,” Mark replied. “Who are you and why are you here?”
The woman introduced herself — Polina. She told everything: about marriage to Nikolai, his plans, the overheard conversation, the escape from the hospital, and how she found this house.
“We were here many years ago with my father,” she admitted. “I remembered this abandoned house when I was giving birth. Decided they wouldn’t find us here.”
Mark listened carefully.
“Stay here,” he said. “You have nowhere else to go, and it will be safe. My name is Mark. You can live in this room — it’s the warmest.”
He went to the store and brought groceries. Polina offered to cook dinner — Mark agreed, although he felt uneasy as a host.
The next day he bought baby clothes: rompers, diapers, wipes. Neighbors were happy about his return.
“Now the house won’t be empty,” they said. “And you’ve got a beautiful daughter-in-law and a little child. Congratulations!”
So Mark found a new purpose — to protect the woman and child who ended up in his house by chance.
Mark didn’t explain to anyone why a woman with a child had moved in. He decided it was better that way — fewer questions.
Meanwhile, Nikolai, furious, was searching for his wife and son by every possible means. Thanks to connections, he quickly learned Polina had bought a train ticket but arrived somewhere else. Then he hired a private detective.
A week later Kolya received a report: his wife lives in an abandoned village house… with another man.
“There she is!” Nikolai roared. “And she pretended to be an innocent lamb! And the child may not even be mine! Until I do a DNA test, I won’t recognize him!”
He immediately called his father:
“I found them! My ‘modest girl’ ran off with some man to the sticks! She’s lost all shame! I’ll bring her to you and she’ll tell everything looking me in the eyes!”
The father was shocked. He always considered Polina a good girl and awaited the grandson eagerly. His wife had long since died, and he dreamed of spending time with the child. Knowing his son’s character, the elder Nikolai decided to hear Polina’s version first.
“Bring her here, then we’ll talk,” he said strictly and hung up.
Erika declared she would go with Nikolai:
“I have to be near! This is kidnapping the mother of a child! We need to bring you and the son back, then we’ll decide what to do with this woman.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t?” Nikolai tried to stop her.
“I’m already too involved,” she replied coldly. “All my money is in your company. I don’t want to end up broke because of your fantasies.”
“I wouldn’t do that!” Kolya protested, reaching out to hug her, but Erika pulled away.
“Until I’m officially your wife — I won’t trust you.”
The couple left for the village. Outside were changing spring frosts; the roads were slippery. The cars moved cautiously, but Nikolai was not going to slow down.
“Kolya, slow down,” Erika pleaded. “Why risk it?”
“I want to see that bitch’s face!” he ground through his teeth and turned onto a country road.
At that moment a hare jumped out of the forest. Nikolai hit the brakes. The jeep skidded, flipped several times, and crashed into a snowdrift, resting on its roof.
Passing drivers stopped and called an ambulance.
Mark also heard the noise and saw the accident from the window. Polina was frightened but had no idea it was her husband.
“Mark, there’s a car accident! Maybe they need help?” she asked.
The man quickly got dressed and ran to the accident site. The ambulance was already arriving. They first pulled out the man’s body — he showed no signs of life. Then they started pulling out the woman. She was alive but breathing heavily.
Seeing her, Mark immediately recognized Erika. He felt sorry — but only for a second. She looked at him in surprise, wanted to say something but only wheezed and lost consciousness. They took her to the hospital but she died on the way.
The police arrived and identified the victims. Mark told what he saw and stepped aside. Suddenly his attention was caught by a phone lying nearby. On the screen appeared: “Dad.” Mark picked up.
“Kolya! Where are you?! What’s happening?! Are they okay?!” the old man’s voice rang.
Mark handed the phone to the policeman and slowly walked back home. Then he started running — he needed to return to Polina.
The woman met him with a worried look:
“What happened?”
“That was Nikolai,” Mark quietly replied. “And with him… my ex-wife. Now you see where the business went. She knew how to handle money. And I was too trusting.”
“So… my husband and your ex-wife…” Polina whispered.
“Exactly,” Mark nodded. “Nothing threatens you anymore. Your husband is dead. Only his father remains. But if you want, I can go and explain everything to him.”
“No, I’ll do it myself,” Polina decided. “Just take us to the city?”
“Of course,” Mark agreed. “But I’ll be with you. Anyway.”
Polina entered her father-in-law’s house with the child in her arms, Mark behind her. The old man jumped up when he saw them:
“Polya! My dear! How did this happen?!”
The woman told everything: about the mistress, the husband’s plans, and how they managed to escape. The father-in-law listened, lowering his head. When he heard about Erika, he didn’t believe it. Mark had to confirm the story.
“Now it’s clear where the firm’s income came from… Poor you, almost left with nothing.”
The old man insisted Polina return to her son’s house with her child. All property now belonged to her and the baby.
“And Mark, I want to offer you a share in the business,” he said. “You’re a smart, honest man. You made a mistake with women, but that happens.”
Mark nodded shyly. Over these days, he had grown attached to Polina and little Antoshka. She also felt something more than just gratitude.
Over the years, Mark and Polina fell in love. After some time, they married and had two more children. For the grandfather, the grandchildren became a special gift of fate.
And although the path to happiness was thorny, it is precisely through such roads that it comes — to teach us to cherish every moment.