Sergei was absolutely certain of his decision at that moment.
‘That’s it. I can’t take this any longer,’ he said in an icy voice, standing by the window in the large living room.
Natalia said nothing. Standing beside her, clutching her hand tightly, was their son, Yegor. His eyes did not yet fully grasp what was happening, but fear had already taken hold.
‘Do you really mean that?’ she asked quietly.
‘Absolutely.’
The divorce was finalised quickly. There were no dramatic scenes in court, but inside, it felt like an explosion. Even then, Sergei was convinced that marrying her had been a mistake. He was tired of the domestic routine, of the constant chatter, of the ‘endless difficulties’, as he himself put it. And most importantly, another woman had come into his life. Young, carefree, smiling in a way that, in his opinion, Natalya had long since forgotten how to do.
He sold the house almost straight away.
‘I need a different life,’ he kept telling himself as he signed the documents.
He put the money in the bank. He spent the rest on a small one-bedroom flat in the city. It all seemed sensible, well-planned and right.
The first few months really did feel like freedom. A new woman by his side, new plans, the confidence that he was back in control of his own life. But then everything began to slowly fall apart.
The bank where he kept almost all his money declared bankruptcy.
‘Your funds are partially covered by state insurance,’ the clerk informed him indifferently.
The word ‘partially’ turned out to be the very word that turned his life upside down.
He walked out of the building, feeling a hollow emptiness inside.
‘How on earth is that even possible…’ he whispered, clutching the papers in his hands.
That day marked the beginning of his downfall.
At first, Sergei still tried to maintain his former standard of living: restaurants, expensive clothes, holidays. Then it all vanished.
Things weren’t working out at work. Nobody was interested in his name any more. In places where he used to be in charge and make decisions, he was now being politely turned down.
‘We’ll be in touch later,’ some would say.
‘We don’t have any suitable offers at the moment,’ others would reply.
He didn’t even realise when he’d started counting his small change.
And one day he found himself in a place he’d never imagined he’d end up — with a broom in the courtyard and heavy sacks on his shoulders.
‘Sergei? Is that you?’ asked a former acquaintance in surprise, seeing him in his work uniform.
Sergei turned away.
But the worst moment didn’t happen there.
It happened on the day he was walking past the restaurant where he’d once dined, looking as though the whole world belonged to him.
He stopped. Just to peek inside.
And that was when he saw them.
Natalia was sitting at the best table… with their son, Yegor.
Sergei froze.
‘No… this can’t be…’ he whispered, feeling a chill run down his spine.
But the strangest thing was yet to come…
Chapter 2. The Shadow of the Past and the First Blow of Reality
Sergei moved closer to the window, as if the distance could change what was happening inside the restaurant.
Natalia looked different. Not just better — completely different. She no longer had that quiet weariness he remembered. Her back was straight, her gaze calm and confident, her movements measured, as if she had always known she belonged here.
Yegor had changed too. He’d grown taller, but most importantly, he no longer had that childish bewilderment about him.
Sergei clenched his fists.
‘Where did they get… a place like this?’ he whispered.
Inside, a waiter leaned over their table with a respectful smile, as if they were regulars. This struck a particularly painful chord with Sergei. They don’t look at casual visitors like that.
He stepped towards the door.
The bell tinkled softly.
And in that very instant, Natalya looked up.
Their eyes met.
A pause.
Sergei expected anything: surprise, tears, anger, reproaches.
But she… simply looked at him.
Calmly.
As if at a figure from the past who no longer had any say in matters.
‘Natalia…’ he breathed, stepping closer.
Yegor turned round. At first he didn’t recognise him. But when he did, his face tensed.
‘Dad?’ he said uncertainly.
That word stung more than any financial collapse.
Sergei sat down opposite her, without even asking permission.
‘I… didn’t think I’d bump into you here.’
Natalia slowly closed the menu.
‘But we did expect to see you,’ she replied flatly.
A silence hung in the air.
Sergei tried to smile, but his laughter came out hollow.
‘I see you’ve… done rather well for yourselves.’
And then he noticed a detail that made his stomach clench uncomfortably: she was wearing an expensive watch on her wrist. On her finger was a ring that was clearly not cheap. Yegor was wearing new, stylish clothes, almost like an adult’s.