— Lada, did you take the white shirt? And the sweater? It’s not warm outside anymore — autumn is ending, winter is near. And don’t forget to pack some socks, — Maria Sergeevna said with care, rummaging through the things as if she were packing her son not just for a trip, but for a whole season at a school camp.
She was helping… or rather, getting in the way. Lada herself knew perfectly well what and where to pack Artem’s suitcase — after six months of her husband’s constant trips, it had become a habit. Business trips, as he called them. There really was work, plus his own small business, though not very profitable yet. Business trips, as he said, were a necessity. And Lada believed him. Or simply preferred not to ask too many questions.
Arguments happened often between them. Artem was a harsh man: one word — and there was a quarrel, another — and the conversation turned into a scandal. He could even rudely cut off his own mother. Just like now:
— You want me to be late? Don’t get on my nerves, I can manage without reminders, — he barked.
— I know… — Maria Sergeevna answered quietly, feeling guilty. — I just want to help. You have a golden wife: she baked pies and cooked everything — you won’t have to eat in shady cafés…
And indeed, Lada cooked excellently. She worked as a head chef in a local café — not the most expensive, but with a good reputation. She had loved her work since childhood. Even Artem, a grumbler, sometimes couldn’t hide his approval:
— Well, it’ll do… — he said about her borscht or casserole. That was the highest praise for him.
Lada did not take offense. She believed he loved her. Especially after he agreed to adopt a child. They didn’t have their own kids. She had been to all the doctors, even the gynecologist, who asked bluntly and directly:
— Young lady, where is your husband? Why didn’t he come? Are you here alone to have the child?
Artem just waved it off: “I’m fine.” The thought that something could be wrong with him annoyed him. When Lada hinted that she was fine from her side, he just snorted: “Then the doctors are bad.”
Then one day she cautiously suggested:
— Maybe we should adopt?
She didn’t expect agreement, just couldn’t bear the feeling of emptiness inside anymore. She wanted to love, raise, be needed by someone.
But to her surprise, Artem answered right away:
— Let’s do it. But not a baby. Better six years old — already adequate. An heir will be.
That’s how Roma came into their home. As soon as Lada saw him at the orphanage, her heart stopped: “This is mine.” She didn’t look at anyone else. Artem shrugged: “The kid’s fine.”
The institution’s director added then:
— No parents. Only a twin brother. He was adopted as an infant. How it happened — no one knows. That was still in the baby home. And Roma was brought here alone. They probably will never meet, but you should know.
Since Roma became part of their family, Lada endured her husband’s frequent trips more calmly. Now she had someone to give care and love to. At first, Roma didn’t cause trouble. But lately, something had changed in him, and all her motherly worries focused on him.
As for Artem — he was only glad about that. Because the business trips had long been just a cover. He lived a double life. He had a mistress — young, cheerful, passionate Tanya. The complete opposite of Lada: frivolous, playful, energetic. With her, it was easy. He looked forward to every meeting — because Tanya belonged to him completely, without reserve.
Their secret refuge was a hotel in a neighboring town. The room was cozy, with colorful curtains, a light coffee aroma in the corridor, and a pleasant, almost homely silence. Artem loved coming here — as if entering another world. No one could disturb them here: the hotel wasn’t popular among his acquaintances, but it was clean, tasty, and safe.
That’s where they arrived this morning. After breakfast, relaxed and content, they lay in bed.
— Artem, how much longer are we going to hide like this? I’m already tired of it. Or do you still love your wife? — Tanya asked.
— That cow only thinks about borscht and laundry. She couldn’t even give birth to a child, — he laughed, hugging his mistress.
— How come she couldn’t? You have a son!
— Adopted. I agreed so she’d leave me alone. And it worked. — He laughed.
— Then why are you still with her?
— I’ll transfer the business to my mother — then I can divorce. Otherwise, she’ll start making claims. It’s small now, but soon we can reach a new level. And then we won’t meet in a room, but sunbathe on the beach in the Maldives.
Tanya began dreaming aloud, imagining that vacation — a house on the shore, eternal summer, peace, and luxury.
— By the way, we can hire a housekeeper. Will you come to us? — she addressed the maid who had entered.
— You can’t afford me, — the maid replied dryly and continued cleaning, ignoring the mocking tone.
When the maid left, Tanya laughed:
— Well, that’s fine! There are plenty of others happy to find work. Right, darling?
— Right, — Artem agreed. Next to Tanya, he was ready to agree to anything.
But the maid didn’t forget them so quickly. At first, she didn’t recognize the man, but soon remembered where she had seen him before.
A call from Anya caught Lada off guard. They hadn’t talked in a long time. They used to work together in a café, but their relationship was cold. Anya was jealous: Lada was married, loved, had a stable job. Anya was fired. Now she worked part-time at a hotel.
— Lada, sit down, — Anya began cautiously. — Do you know where your husband is now?
— Of course. He’s on a business trip. And why do you suddenly care? You were silent for a year, and now you call as if nothing happened.
— Artem isn’t on a business trip. He’s here, at the hotel. With some girl. I can send a photo — not very good, but you can see.
At first, Lada didn’t believe it. But she went to her husband’s office anyway. They told her:
— Artem took a couple of days off. Said you have health problems at home and with the child.
She walked home crying. And at home, she was met with a new blow — a call from Roma’s teacher:
— Your son broke the glass in the school kiosk. And in general, he’s changed. As if he’s been replaced.
Everything collapsed at once in one day. But Lada knew she had to act step by step. She started with the son. She paid for the damage, talked with the teachers, but didn’t scold Roma. Instead, she suggested a walk through the park and a calm conversation.
Then the boy told her about Misha — a new friend, amazingly similar to him. They began switching places “for fun.” But the trouble was — it was Misha who broke the glass, and Roma took the blame to protect his friend.
Lada went to Misha’s home. Oleg — a man with tired eyes and sadness in his gaze — opened the door. Seeing Roma, he only said:
— Well, well…
Then added, as if to himself:
— No one told me there were two of them. Although my ex took care of everything. Then she just left. Found a rich husband, said she’d have a child for him, and disappeared. We didn’t hold her back.
They lived modestly but neatly. It was clear Oleg tried, but he didn’t have the strength. After his wife left, he began drinking. Not often, but regularly.
Lada offered:
— I can help you. Cook, look after the children…
— Thanks, we’ll manage, — he answered reservedly. — But if the boys want to be friends — I don’t mind.
Everything went on as usual until Artem returned from his “business trip” just when Misha was visiting them.
— Who is this?! — he shouted. — You brought a second adopted kid? Isn’t one enough?!
He insulted, humiliated, spoke harsh words. Even Roma and Misha couldn’t stand it — they ran away. Lada managed to shout after them not to go far and promised to follow.
When the boys disappeared, a real scandal began. Lada showed her husband the hotel photo. Artem accused her of coldness, indifference. Everything that could have existed between them collapsed.
After an hour, tired of screams and pain, Lada went outside. The boys were not there. Thinking they went to Misha’s, she headed there. Oleg greeted her with a question:
— I let Misha go to you. Didn’t you notice?
Lada briefly told what happened. Together they went to look for the children. Fortunately, Oleg hadn’t gotten drunk yet. They decided to start at the park — a place the boys liked to walk.
They searched all the playgrounds, scanning faces of passersby — without success. Then they heard excited screams by the pond. They ran there.
People stood on the shore, whispering. On the ice, which hadn’t yet hardened after the thaw, a puppy meowed, calling for help. Misha and Roma tried to save him, but the ice cracked. One of them fell in.
Oleg jumped into the water. Pulled the boy out, gave him his jacket. They returned home wet, trembling, but alive.
Lada stayed at Oleg’s. Not because she couldn’t return to Artem — but because she realized: there was no way back. She cared for sick Oleg, gave him juice, covered him like a child. Once he whispered:
— Don’t go…
— And who said I want to go? — she replied.
Later, Lada returned home only to collect her things. And filed for divorce.
Artem caused a scandal but nothing changed. He left — to his Tanya. Only months later did he plan to return. But Oleg made it clear: better not to come near him or the son whom Artem so easily abandoned to avoid child support.
To the delight of gossiping neighbors, this conflict happened in full view. So when Artem was found beaten, the first suspects were Oleg and his friends. But he had a solid alibi and was released.
When Artem came to, he said he was beaten by Tanya’s ex-lover.
And since then, Oleg barely drank. Only on holidays did he allow himself a shot. He had a family, two sons. He dreamed of a daughter but knew: all in its time would come.
Thus began their new life — simple, without lies. Full of warmth, truth, and real love.