— Get out, traitor! — Sergey shouted furiously, as if losing the last shreds of humanity. — Did you have someone behind my back? Have you completely lost your mind?! You lived like a princess! I gave you everything! It was a real fairy tale — and this is how you repay me?! Without me, you’d be crammed in a dorm with some failing student, barely finishing medical school! Working somewhere in a forgotten clinic! You’re incapable of anything else, understand?! And you brought someone else’s child into my home! Do you think I’ll swallow this?!
Anna, trembling with fear, tried to somehow stop his anger. She begged, said he was wrong, that she had never cheated on him. Every word was a thrown stone hoping to hear reason in his eyes.
— Seryozha, you know your daughter, remember what she was like when you brought her home from the hospital? — she pleaded desperately. — She didn’t look like you right away! Babies aren’t born looking alike. Resemblance comes over time — eyes, nose, manners. You’re a grown man, why can’t you understand such simple things?
But his face remained cold as ice, as if his soul had left his body.
— Not true! — he sharply cut her off. — My daughter was an exact copy of me from the first minute! And this baby isn’t mine. I don’t believe you anymore. Pack your things and leave. And remember: you won’t get a single penny from me!
— Please, Seryozha! — Anna sobbed. — He’s your son, I swear! Do a DNA test, it will confirm everything! I didn’t lie to you, hear me? I would never do this… Believe me, at least a little…
— Like I’m going to run to labs and humiliate myself?! — he roared in rage. — Do you think I’m such a fool to believe you again?! Enough! It’s over!
Sergey Alexandrovich finally locked himself in his paranoid certainty, in a world full of accusations and lies. He did not want to hear pleas, arguments, or even the voice of love. His truth was one, and no one could break through that wall.
Anna had no choice but to silently pack her things. She gently took her son in her arms, looked back one last time at the house she wanted to make a family hearth, and left. Left into the unknown, into a bottomless void from which it was almost impossible to escape alone.
She returned to her mother — there was no other way. Crossing the threshold of her childhood home, Anna finally allowed herself to cry.
— Mommy… how foolish I was… so naive… forgive me…
Marina Petrovna did not cry. She knew she had to be strong now. Her voice was strict, but each word was full of care and love.
— Stop whining. You gave birth — we’ll raise him. Life is just beginning, understand? You’re not alone. But you must pull yourself together. Don’t you dare quit your studies. I’ll help. We’ll manage with the child. What are mothers for if not to pull their children out of trouble?
Anna could not say a word. Her heart was full of gratitude that words could not express. Without her mother, without that firm support, she would have simply broken down. Marina Petrovna took care of the baby herself, giving her daughter a chance to finish university and start a new life. She did not complain, did not reproach, did not lose hope — she kept working, loving, fighting.
And Sergey Alexandrovich, the man Anna once considered her whole life, truly disappeared. He didn’t pay alimony, didn’t care about their son’s fate, didn’t give any news. He just left, as if their past together was only a hallucination.
But Anna stayed. Only now, not alone. She had a son. And she had her mother. Perhaps here, in this small but real world, she first found true love and support.
The divorce was a real tragedy for Anna. Something inside seemed to collapse, and everything happening felt like a nightmare with no way out. The man she had planned her whole life with suddenly cut all ties, as if there had never been love, trust, or endless evenings dreaming of the future.
Sergey had a difficult character, often bordering on obsession. His jealousy had long become a painful trait that destroyed many marriages. However, meeting Anna, he skillfully hid his true self, presenting her with a carefully crafted story that his previous marriage ended over money disagreements.
And Anna believed him. She couldn’t imagine how prone he was to jealous outbursts and how easily he lost control over even the slightest, most innocent gesture.
At the very beginning, everything seemed perfect. Sergey was attentive, caring, romantic. He gave expensive gifts, flowers without reason, always asked how she was. Anna was sure she found her one and only.
But when Igor was born, a new chapter began. Anna fully devoted herself to the child, trying to surround him with care and love. But when her son grew older, she realized she had to think about herself too. She decided to return to university because she wanted to become a true professional, not just a graduate.
Her mother, Marina Petrovna, supported her in every way. She took care of her grandson, helped financially and morally. The first work contract was an important victory for Anna. Since then, she supported the family herself, living modestly but with dignity.
The chief physician of the clinic where Anna started working after graduation immediately noticed her potential. In the young woman, there was determination, inner strength, and a desire to develop. The chief physician, a woman with vast experience, saw in Anna the reflection of dreams she herself once could not achieve.
— Becoming a mother early is not a tragedy or an obstacle, — she once said, looking at Anna with warmth and approval. — It’s your strength. Your career is ahead. You’re young, your whole life is ahead. The main thing is you have a backbone.
These words became a ray of light for Anna in a dark time. They warmed her and instilled faith in the future.
When her son turned six, during one of the visits to his grandmother, kind Marina Petrovna, the senior nurse, said with sympathy:
— Anna, it’s time to think about school. The year will fly by — and Igor will be in first grade. And now, to be honest, he’s not ready for the school workload. Without proper preparation, it will be very difficult, especially nowadays.
These words added another worry to those already on her shoulders. But Anna did not let fear win — she always acted even when afraid. In the following months, she fully focused on her son’s development. Lessons with tutors, revising daily routines, creating a comfortable environment at home for studying — all became part of her new reality.
— I wanted to promote you for a long time, but I couldn’t before, — Tatiana Stepanovna, the chief physician, admitted once. — You understand — without experience they don’t promote here. Everything must be based on facts.
She paused as if gathering her thoughts, then continued:
— But you have talent. It’s obvious right away. Not just ability — a real medical gift.
— I understand perfectly and am not trying to argue, — Anna replied, her voice confident and grateful. — On the contrary, I sincerely thank you for your support. You helped me more than anyone else. Not only me — you were there when Igor needed help. We will never forget it.
— Oh, stop it, — Tatiana Stepanovna gently waved it off, slightly embarrassed. — Enough with the pathos. The main thing is for you to justify the trust. I’m counting on you.
— No doubts at all. I’ll do everything possible — and more, — Anna assured her. Her words were not just beautiful phrases — they were backed by every step, every decision.
Over time, Anna’s reputation as a doctor grew. The young surgeon quickly earned respect from colleagues and trust from patients. Every review was full of admiration. Sometimes Tatiana Stepanovna wondered if there were too many compliments.
But even on the day a person from the past entered her office, Anna remained composed. Her face stayed calm, her voice confident.
— Good afternoon, come in. Sit down, tell me what brought you here, — she said, indicating the chair opposite.
