Alex, have you completely lost your mind? You’re 22 years old, what wedding? Victor Thomas paced back and forth across the room, clutching his head and lamenting from time to time.
His son Alex stood off to the side by the wall. The young man had just informed his father of his plans and stood firm, not intending to yield to his persuasions. Drop her, forget her, she’s from a small town, we’ll find you a proper bride, a girl from your circle.
And anyway, why get married now, wait at least until 30, you have your whole life ahead of you, you just graduated from university, you need to think about your career. Dad, but Angela is pregnant, argued the son with him. Victor Thomas stopped and stared intently at his son.
Still just a boy, thin like a teenager, with flaxen hair and barely sprouting mustache. And he dares to argue with his father? So what, give her money and let her do what she wants. Though money is unnecessary here, let her deal with her own problems.
And we have enough money and connections so she won’t cause us any inconvenience. But she’s having triplets, Alex persisted. Three children at once, how will she cope with them alone, and in a small town at that? From Victor Thomas’s thunderous exclamations, the windows almost shook, and his voice echoed from the high ceilings of the room.
That’s not our business, I don’t need grandkids from a farm girl. Look at yourself, young, smart, handsome, you have your whole life ahead of you. There will be hundreds more like her, and they’ll throw themselves at you…
A position in my firm is already prepared for you, all you have to do is take it and swim in money. So much awaits you, and you want to cross out your future and tie yourself to some milkmaid. «Angela isn’t a milkmaid,» replied the son, «she studied in the same class as me.»
Dad, you don’t know what you’re talking about, you’ve never even seen her. She would definitely appeal to you. And so what if she’s from a small town? I know that you had a relationship with a small-town girl in your youth.
So why was it okay for you, but not for me? I haven’t seen her and don’t want to see her, the father began to raise his voice. I’m not going to waste my time on her, my time is money. You can date whoever you want, but if you’re going to marry, it has to be a suitable girl.
Let me explain for idiots, suitable means one with money and connections, and a good family. Drop your foolishness and finally get to work. As for my life, you’re too young to discuss me.
Grow up first. «But I love Angela and I’m not going to leave her,» Alex laid out his final argument. «Ah, so!» exclaimed the father.
His face had already turned burgundy, his eyes bloodshot like a bull in the arena, and he waved his thin arms attached to his thick torso like a huge beetle. «Then you can forget about your job and inheritance!» «You won’t get anything from me, I’ll spend it all in my lifetime!» «And anyway, if you choose her, I don’t want to know you anymore!» «You won’t use my money or live in my house anymore!» «Go to her in the small town and live there! Raise cows, or whatever she does!» Alex replied firmly. «If you’re setting such conditions, then no problem, I’ll go to her.
Do you think I’ll abandon my three children for some position?» «We love each other and want these children! We want a family and we’ll be together, no matter how you feel about it!» «Well, go ahead! You’re no longer my son! I’ll see you in a few years when you come crawling back on your knees begging to be taken back!» «You’re incapable without me!» «With your approach, you’ll achieve nothing in life!» «Go, raise your brood!» «Good thing your mother didn’t live to see this day and see what a loser you’ve become!» Alex turned and left, slamming the door, leaving his father alone with all the words he hadn’t yet said. For the next three years, Victor Thomas lived in his three-story urban mansion in proud solitude. Of course, he wasn’t lonely and didn’t get bored.
Widowed several years ago, he felt freedom without his strict wife and dove into all sorts of excesses, devoting himself to entertainments. Parties, alcohol, women, gambling became his favorite pastimes. Only his son’s presence had made him maintain decorum at least at home.
Now even his son was gone. His firm, of which he was the head, had long operated without his involvement and brought stable income. He only had to appear in the office a couple of times a month to sign documents where the secretary had thoughtfully placed checkmarks so he wouldn’t have to search for the right place himself.
He was very angry when he had to do this. The deputies did all the work, and he, the director, only listened to their report once a month and demanded that the next month’s income be higher. Once he handled all affairs himself, but that was so long ago that he no longer remembered how he managed everything.
Now, after many years, he could allow himself to relax and enjoy life. When Victor Thomas promised to spend all the money in his lifetime, he wasn’t joking and immediately set about fulfilling the promise. However, his stock of money wasn’t infinite.
To replenish it, he had to resort to not entirely legal ways of withdrawing funds from the company’s budget. Shell companies, fake contracts, and whatever his imagination could come up with were involved. Three years later, Victor Thomas received a call from his good acquaintance in the tax service.
He reported that his schemes had attracted interest and major audits were coming. They were going to check not only the company but also the director personally, that is, Victor Thomas. The businessman thoughtfully scratched his balding crown.
What to do, he thought. And I was just planning to acquire some real estate. And I’ve eyed a new Maserati…
And it wouldn’t hurt to update the yacht. If I buy in my name, questions might arise. In search of ideas on how to secure the property, Victor Thomas suddenly remembered his son’s existence.
There were no other relatives. And he was the only one to whom these assets could be transferred. «I wonder how that fool is doing?» the father smirked.
«Probably sitting in his shack and doesn’t know how to get out of that hole. Three kids running around, screaming, and his wife nagging about where to get money. And where will he get it in the small town? Who needs him there with his finance diploma? At most, he can chop wood.
Surely he’s regretted not listening to me ten times already and dreams of escaping from there. Time to rescue this fool and bring him home from captivity. I’ll go reconcile, and laugh at him along the way.
Now he’ll stop showing character and won’t do stupid things.» He opened the letter that Alex had sent in the first year after leaving, which had remained unopened since then. Reading the name of the town, Oakwood, he smirked again.
«What a stupid name. That alone says a lot. Nothing dumber I’ve heard, though it seems familiar to me.»
Victor Thomas informed his son of his arrival. He got into the car and set off. The town was an hour’s drive from the city.
The highway ran through a pine forest. All the way, Victor Thomas couldn’t shake the thought that these places were familiar. That he had been here long ago…
And the town’s name wouldn’t leave him alone. He went through all his acquaintances in his mind who might have had vacation homes in this direction and whom he might have visited. Recalling nothing, he decided he had heard the name in the news, and the road seemed familiar because all forests look the same.
At least to him. And arriving at Oakwood town, he confirmed that was the case. He saw a large fenced area where a vacation resort was located.
Victor Thomas decided that if he had been here before, he couldn’t have forgotten this place. Therefore, he was here for the first time. With that, he calmed down and started thinking about the upcoming meeting with his son.
He vividly imagined his triumph and his son’s remorse. When Victor Thomas’s car stopped near the house where Alex lived, he was quite surprised. In his imagination, a small-town house was inevitably a half-dilapidated wooden shack, half-sunk into the ground.
However, before him was a sturdy brick house, large in area, with an attic room, an attached garage for several cars. Behind the house stretched a garden with apple and plum trees, and a vegetable patch with a greenhouse, as well as a playground. Everywhere there were well-maintained flower beds and stone-paved paths.
The owners heard someone arrive and came out to greet the guest. First, three chubby toddlers in identical pink sun hats and sunglasses ran out of the house to meet their grandpa. The three girls were absolutely identical.
Plump cheeks, button noses, teeth with gaps, and three identical blond bangs sticking out from under the hats. Behind them came Alex, matured and grown over these years. He was no longer that thin, beardless boy who had once left his father.
He had become a broad-shouldered giant, adult and masculine. He looked quite solid, even in a shirt and jeans. A thought flashed through Victor Thomas’s mind that perhaps his son wasn’t suffering so much here.
Soon his wife appeared. She was a slender, pretty blonde of the most ordinary appearance, round-faced, with a straight bang, in a flowery dress and flip-flops. For a second, Victor Thomas was frightened.
It seemed to him that Angela looked very much like someone familiar from the distant past. At every opportunity, he stealthily peered at his daughter-in-law, trying to recognize familiar features in her. Last came the father-in-law.
Angela’s father, Michael Johnson. He was an ordinary, unremarkable, good-natured little man of short stature, with a belly and shaggy mustache. He was the owner of the house where the young family with many children lived.
Everyone greeted each other. Father and son shook hands. Both were glad to meet, but some coldness was still present between them.
Alex couldn’t forget the words his father had said during their quarrel, and he felt that he hadn’t changed his opinion at all. And that was true. Victor Thomas still condemned his son for his wrong life and stupid decisions.
«Meet Sophia, Emma, and Olivia,» Alex introduced his daughters. Like triplets, how do you even tell them apart? The new grandfather was surprised.
The guest was led into the house and seated on the open veranda, where a large wooden table was laden with treats. Victor Thomas turned his head and surveyed the surroundings. And at the sight of the delicious treats, his eyes lit up…
He loved to eat. On the table were salads, barbecue and various cold cuts, homemade pickles. When they brought the infused liquor, the guest’s mouth watered even more.
Everyone sat down at the table, started eating, while talking about the weather and the latest news. Angela turned out to be a sweet and modest girl. She was embarrassed by how her father-in-law periodically stared at her, and it made her uncomfortable.
Victor Thomas didn’t care about her feelings. Looking at her, he couldn’t calm down, and memories kept surfacing in his mind that he had almost managed to forget. The triplets ate a little and then went to play in the sandbox right in front of the house.
Victor Thomas felt nothing for his granddaughters. Kids like kids. Whether they were there or not, it was indifferent to him.
He had never considered himself an exemplary parent and certainly wasn’t going to become an exemplary grandfather. «Well, tell me, how do you live here?» asked Victor Thomas. «As you see, not bad,» replied Alex.
«When I moved here, we had no money at all, and Angela’s parents helped us a lot, for which we’re hugely grateful. At first, I looked around here. Beautiful places, forest, lake, full of fish….
The town is big, but there’s almost no work, and people are leaving. I thought and decided to open a vacation resort here. I gathered all my savings, took a loan, bought several houses, fixed them up.
Then cleaned the beach, hired staff from locals, invested in advertising. The hardest was getting all the necessary licenses and permits. But a university friend helped me there.
Gradually, people started learning about us, and business took off. Now our Oakwood vacation resort is known far beyond the surroundings. People from the city come to fish, swim, sauna, walk in the forest.
Nearby was a cafe called ‘Marina’s.’ They had good pastries, but overall an ordinary diner. I negotiated with the owner, and we turned it into a decent local cuisine restaurant.
And now vacationers eat there. We also sell farm products. You’ve probably heard of our new Oakwood brand.
Or you’ll hear soon. We partnered with local farmers. Insane popularity, people from all neighboring cities come to buy from us.
Employees at the resort work conscientiously because they fear losing their jobs. There’s no other in a 100-kilometer radius. At least not with such good pay.
Loans are paid off, profit is coming. Renovated the house. Everything designed for the kids here.
They have a long time to grow up here. Bought Angela a car, she helps me with work now that the kids are in daycare. I plan to save a bit and expand the business.
Build more cabins, open a big store nearby, and organize a ski trail here so more people come in winter. Can also arrange hiking tours. I have a person who can help with that.
But that’s all in plans for now. And how are your affairs, Dad? Victor Thomas almost choked on the barbecue he was eating at that moment. He didn’t particularly want to talk about his schemes.
Against the backdrop of his son’s success, his affairs looked unseemly. Everything’s the same, little by little. He replied evasively and changed the subject.
And how do you cope with three kids? Here Angela joined the conversation. It was very hard at first. All three were so restless.
Colic, teething. Calm one, another cries, and so on in a circle. I probably didn’t sleep for a whole year.
Good thing Alex was there. My dad helps us a lot too. He adores the girls.
He pushed them in the stroller around town for hours so I could rest during the day, and got up at night to help rock them. And neighbor Aunt Valerie can sometimes watch them for an hour or two. Alex built her a shed and gave her a goat for that.
The girls have grown and play with each other and other kids. Good on the plot. Room to run, climb.
They run around, get tired. Then sit quietly at home. So now it’s not hard at all with the three of them.
Everyone takes turns, and everyone has time to rest. And most importantly, the kids are happy. When she finished speaking, Victor Thomas was already yawning.
He just wanted to change the subject, and he didn’t care at all about the problems his daughter-in-law faced giving birth to triplets. He hadn’t even babysat his own son. If his wife couldn’t cope, she called a nanny.
Really, why should a serious businessman like him fuss with a child? In the first years of life, he didn’t even see his son every day. In his large mansion, there was so much space that they didn’t run into each other. Why does a child need a father until, say, three years old? Let the mother entertain him.
When he grows up, then I’ll raise him, he thought. Then the age shifted to five, then to ten. And when he finally took interest in fifteen-year-old Alex, he found that this was a complete stranger to him….
Somehow they had nothing connecting them except the same blood type and a birthmark on the back. The son shared neither his father’s interests nor values. The mother raised him wrong, no doubt.
But now nothing could be done, and the father had only to wash his hands and accept what was. And now he looked at his son and didn’t recognize himself in him. Nothing like him.
Except perhaps he inherited the entrepreneurial streak. In his short life, he had already acquired connections and managed to wisely dispose of the little money he had. But if Victor Thomas were in his place, he would of course do everything differently.
He understands that it would be much easier and more profitable to sell this huge forest he had seen while driving. For that, build a sawmill. Locals are ready to work for pennies.
Why pay them a lot? Want more, take more shifts. These are small-town folks, what else do they expect? In Victor Thomas’s opinion, his son missed a lot of profit. However, he was disconcerted by what he saw….
It didn’t match his expectations about Alex’s success and life in the small town at all. The kids were noisily playing in the yard, the father-in-law sat modestly at the table on the edge. Angela kept running to the kitchen bringing bread, drinks, clean dishes.
Sometimes Alex went with her to help. In such moments, an awkward silence fell at the table. In one such moment, Victor Thomas tensely thought about everything happening.
Everything around seemed strange to him, and some bad, ominous premonition arose. «Hello, hello! Who’s come to visit you?» A woman’s voice from behind the fence interrupted his thoughts. He turned and saw an elderly woman in a headscarf standing on the road.
Michael Johnson answered her. «Hello to you too, Nancy Smith. This is from the city come to meet me.»
«Can’t be,» the woman was surprised. «And does Linda know?» «No, she doesn’t. If she knew, she’d be here already.»
«Don’t tell her.» «And what about me? It’s none of my business. Why would I tell her?» When she left, Michael Johnson turned and said.
«I’ll bet she went to tell her.» But Victor Thomas wasn’t listening anymore. The puzzle came together in his head as soon as he heard that name.
«Linda.» Then it hit him like thunder. He understood whom Angela reminded him of so much.
Clearly, he couldn’t have known her herself before, she’s too young. Probably, she just looks like someone, and most likely her mother, who by age should be his, Victor Thomas’s, peer or around there. And now he remembered her.
And horror chilled him to the bone. Recalling that woman’s character, he could expect anything from her. But where is she? Why doesn’t she know about his arrival? It was awkward to ask those around, and Victor Thomas feverishly figured everything out in his head.
In the story, Alex mentioned the mother-in-law, but Angela didn’t say a word about her, which was strange. Why doesn’t she live with Angela’s father? He had no answers to these questions, and honestly, he didn’t want to know. All he wanted was to avoid this meeting.
I think it’s time for me. He said, standing up and looking around. Visited and enough.
Dad, but you just arrived, where are you going? Alex was surprised by his father’s haste. Victor Thomas had already descended the stairs and headed to his car. Why drag it out? He said on the go.
I see you’re living well, happy for you, nice to meet, well, I must go. Everyone exchanged puzzled looks, not understanding what happened. Even the kids in the sandbox fell silent and watched, and passersby stopped and listened to the conversation hoping to learn something interesting that could become the news of the day.
Victor Thomas didn’t even manage to open his car door. From behind his back, he heard a voice that pierced him through. Ah, there he is.
Scoundrel! You dared to come here after all? He turned and froze. On the road stood a stocky woman about fifty with bright yellow hair, in a flowery blouse and sweatpants. In her hand, she held a hoe.
Apparently, the news of Victor Thomas’s arrival caught her right in the garden. She looked extremely combative. More passersby gathered.
Apparently, they deliberately came here following her. Victor Thomas pressed against his car, stunned, not daring to move or open the door. Angela ran out and blocked her way.
Mom, stop, don’t touch him. Let’s all just talk. Out! The mother shouted loudly and shortly.
I’ll get to him. Oh, how long I’ve waited for this. For over twenty years, I’ve imagined our meeting, and finally, this day has come.
Victor Thomas finally snapped out of his stupor and opened the car door. Here’s the thing, I’m leaving. Everyone move.
A second, and the hoe flies toward him. Flying half a meter from his head, it lands right on the windshield, which shatters with a crash. You still haven’t understood that jokes with me are bad, asked Linda.
You managed to get away unscathed then, but you ruined my life and must answer for it. Neighbors exchanged glances, understanding nothing. Linda, tell us what happened, someone from the crowd asked.
The woman cast a cold gaze around everyone. And I will tell, I have nothing to hide, everyone knows about me anyway. And you… She pointed a finger at Victor Thomas, who stood pressed to the car door on shaking legs…
You probably managed to tear those shameful pages from your life and hide your terrible deed. Let people hear who you really are. All the outsiders settled comfortably, preparing to listen.
Some leaned on the fence, some sat on the grass and pulled seeds from their pocket. Only Angela still tried to drag her mother into the house, but she just pushed her away and began her story. I was born and raised in this town.
Our family has lived here from time immemorial. After finishing school, I left the town and went to the city. There I got a job as a saleswoman in a store of elite men’s watches.
It was great luck, because there you can meet a rich man. Customers are all businessmen and officials. Who doesn’t dream of marrying a rich man? And I was the first beauty in town.
Big eyes, plump red lips, and a figure to die for? I had all the chances to snag such a husband. I won’t hide, that’s why I went to the city. Show me a girl who in my place would refuse such an opportunity.
Very quickly, I met one young customer. He was tall, handsome, expensively dressed. Like an aristocrat.
No ring on his finger. I hid the watch model he came for and said they weren’t in stock, but I’d definitely call him when they arrive on order. That’s how I got his phone…
Then I called him, we started talking, and soon we had a romance. Victor was a businessman and very rich. He brought me to his expensive four-room apartment right in the city center, and we started living there together.
Of course, he was away a lot at work, business and all that. But when I was left alone, he left me his bank card so I wouldn’t get bored and could find entertainment. On days he was home, we went to the most expensive restaurants, exhibitions, and theater.
He brought me various gifts from his business trips. And once he even found time to take off work and take me to Egypt for nine days and ten nights. A year passed like that.
I kept waiting for him to propose. He apparently wasn’t thinking about it. And then I started hinting subtly.
I’d put on a movie about weddings, tell about a friend who got proposed to, or directly ask about the status of our relationship. I even had to throw a small scandal so he’d understand that I’m a decent girl and need an official marriage. Otherwise, he’s got it good.
We live together, and in case of breakup, I leave with nothing. And then the long-awaited day came. Victor invited me on another date.
It turned out to be a hot air balloon flight over the city. And there, in the sunset rays, at a height of a hundred meters, he proposed, giving me a ring with a diamond. A family heirloom from his grandmother.
And I was on cloud nine. We started planning the wedding. It was supposed to be a grand event.
I planned to invite the whole town so everyone could see what success I’d achieved. To rub it in the faces of all who said I’d return with nothing. Victor supported my idea.
To plan everything thoroughly, it took time, and we set the wedding date for the next year. While they sewed a dress for me on order, while I booked the largest banquet hall in the city, approved the menu and wedding cake design, 11 months flew by unnoticed. Victor was very busy during that period and appeared at home only a couple of days a week.
He worked a lot and explained it by wanting the best wedding for us. I planned everything alone, and he just asked how much money was needed and gave the amount without questions. But a couple of days before the wedding, tragedy struck.
His beloved grandmother, who was his only relative and lived halfway across the country, died. The funeral was exactly 9 days before the wedding. I saw how Victor suffered when he returned from the funeral…
He walked like a shadow and couldn’t think of anything but his loss. The wedding had to be postponed. We lost a lot of money, but it didn’t matter, because that day couldn’t be our perfect day anymore.
So Victor told me. We postponed our date another year and started preparing again. Victor promised me an even more lavish event, where I could invite not only my whole town but the neighboring one too, where everyone knew me.
He even promised to invite pop stars. All so I wouldn’t be offended by him for postponing the wedding. I couldn’t refuse that and agreed to wait another year.
You’ve all guessed, of course, that we didn’t get married the next year either. And that this scoundrel is right before you? Yes, my ex-fiancé, the father of my daughter’s husband. All eyes turned to Victor Thomas, who stood red as a tomato and dreamed of hiding from everyone.
He kept glancing at his phone, hoping someone would call and give him an excuse to step aside. But it treacherously stayed silent. And with the shattered windshield, he couldn’t drive away and was in a hopeless position.
Victor Thomas remembered everything. And the town name, Oakwood, was indeed familiar to him. He had come here to meet his fiancée’s parents.
Why did he remember only now, not earlier? Then he wouldn’t have come here for anything. On the other hand, in his youth, he was quite the ladies’ man and broke many hearts. After years, can you remember them all? Linda continued her story.
I learned the truth a week before the wedding at my bachelorette party. All my friends and a few acquaintances from the groom’s side were there. He didn’t insist on inviting them, but I really wanted some of those rich ladies at my celebration.
Restaurant booked, expensive treats, show. I was having fun and suspected nothing. Suddenly, in the middle of the evening, like a bolt from the blue, one of the guests pulled me aside and said words I couldn’t have expected.
«Linda dear, forgive me, but I can’t lie anymore,» she began. «I’m so sorry for you, I want you to know the truth. Victor will never marry you.
He’s been deceiving you all this time. He’s been married all along. His wife is the governor’s daughter.
Young, beautiful, with connections, he won’t leave her. He’s quite content with the marriage. And recently they had a son, Alex.
Yes, he lives in two families. Half the time with you, the other half with his family. And the business trips are fairy tales for both you and his wife.
He needs you because with his wife he can’t relax and is afraid to say a word against her, because in case of divorce he’d lose too much. And you’re simple, with you he can be himself. He tells his friends about you and they all laugh at how cleverly he’s leading you on.
He’s deceived you in everything from the start. And I’m not really the wife of his business partner, just a secretary. And all the guests here from his side are his subordinates whom he promised a bonus to cover for him and play along.
And he’ll cancel the wedding. A year ago, he invented the grandmother who never existed. In fact, he’s no orphan.
His parents are alive and well, but of course, he wasn’t going to introduce you to them. And this time he plans to pretend he broke his leg the day before the wedding, rehearsing your wedding dance. So badly that recovery will take another whole year.
Guess what happens next. He’ll keep postponing the wedding until you get tired and leave him. So don’t waste time on this scoundrel.
Leave.» To say I was surprised is an understatement. Of course, at first I didn’t believe this woman.
You must have your eye on my fiancé, so you’re slinging mud at him. We know your type. I replied to her.
She just shrugged and left. And we who remained continued to have fun. And six days later, the day before the wedding, my phone rang.
«Darling,» Victor’s voice sounded on the line, «you won’t believe what happened. I decided to rehearse our dance for tomorrow one more time. You know I dance like a bear stepped on all my feet…
So, I went to the trainer, we danced and… I don’t know how it happened. You’ll probably laugh. Anyway, I fell and broke my leg…
I’m in the hospital now. They took an X-ray and imagine, such a complex fracture. Need surgery.
They’ll assemble the bone piece by piece, insert a plate. You’ll have to take care of me for a while. Of course, the wedding will have to be postponed, what can you do.
Can’t bring me to the celebration on a stretcher. Need to postpone at least a year, or better right away two, so by then I’ll definitely walk well and not limp. Forgive me, but I don’t want to be at the wedding with a cane.
After all, everything should be perfect for us. Wedding is once in a lifetime.» He kept talking and talking, and I listened to him and with horror realized that the woman at the party told the truth.
«I know everything.» I interrupted his stream of words. «Ah you beast, deceiver, liar! You’re married.
Why are you messing with my head?» He immediately hung up and blocked me everywhere possible. And an hour later, security came and demanded I leave our apartment, threatening to call the police. I had to pack my things in front of them, and they watched closely so I didn’t take anything valuable.
That same evening, I found out the address of his mansion and showed up at his home. I pushed through security, entered the house, and found Victor with his wife peacefully dining at the table. Of course, no leg was broken.
How his eyes bulged when he saw me. How convincingly he shouted that he was seeing me for the first time and that I was a crazy woman who burst into their home with unknown intent. But before the guard could drag me out the door, I managed to tell his wife everything.
About the wedding that cost millions from the family budget, about his secret four-room apartment, and about three years of our relationship. I know they had a big scandal, but no divorce happened, he spun some yarn and she forgave him. I tried to get revenge on Victor as I could.
I publicized this story and even wanted to sue for fraud, but they explained that suing him requires money I couldn’t save in a lifetime. In despair, I scratched and tried to set fire to his favorite car to hurt him somehow. They took me to the police and made it clear that if I poison the life of such an influential person, it would end badly not for him, but for me.
I had to return to my hometown in shame and explain to everyone why the wedding wouldn’t happen. After all, invitations had been sent long ago and people were eagerly awaiting the promised party. Everyone laughed at me, pointed fingers on the street, retold my story each in their own way.
In grief, I married my neighbor Mike, a loser no one else wanted. All the normal guys my age had been taken long ago. I hoped it would help smooth over that story in memory faster, but it didn’t happen.
They teased me for a long time, and I hated my ex more and more. And when two years later I gave birth to a daughter, a plan matured in me. If I couldn’t revenge that family myself, I’d dedicate my daughter’s life to it.
I raised Angela in hatred of this man and prepared her to fulfill the most important mission in her life. She had to marry Victor’s son by any means, then ruin, trample, destroy their family to smithereens, leave the husband and, most importantly, the father-in-law without their last pants. So after the divorce, they’d have to beg on the street.
To fall from the very top to the very bottom. That’s how much I hated this man. In general, I hate him now too.
At 18, I sent Angela to the city, telling her not to return until she married Alex. This time I prepared, made inquiries, and knew for sure he wasn’t married yet. Angela enrolled in the same university as him.
She’s a beauty, all like me, and managed to attract him. Made eyes, swayed hips. He ran after her like a puppy.
I was so proud of her. Thought just a little more and I’d see justice restored. And then hell broke loose…
I didn’t understand right away, but this fool fell in love with Alex and switched to his side. When she got pregnant, I didn’t know yet and at first was glad. Thought, good job daughter, clever idea, push him to the altar with the belly.
When I learned it was triplets, I wasn’t upset at first either. With three kids, we’ll ruin them faster and send them to the poorhouse. That’s what I thought. But when she brought her hubby to our home and declared they weren’t leaving, I realized something wasn’t going to plan.
No matter how much I begged her to convince her husband to reconcile with his father and return to the city, Angela was adamant. I even tried to kick them out of the house. Then Mike rebelled.
Says the house is mine, I’m the owner, let them live as long as they want. And I didn’t try so hard, prepare, to change diapers for his grandkids instead of revenge. I didn’t dream for twenty years to trample him in the dirt to see his son in my house every day…
I didn’t raise my daughter for her to betray me. Angela only thought about her little Alex, forgot about her mother completely. No conscience.
And her father indulges her in everything. No, to make her handle three kids alone.
She’d howl quickly and sing a different tune. But no. Mike started helping her with the kids, getting up at night.
And even pushed me, go rock them. Dream on, do I need it. We quarreled for good, I left the house, and later divorced Mike.
As if it’s not enough that my daughter is a traitor. Why tolerate such a husband? Moved in with my sister on the other end of town. When I learned Alex was going to build some vacation resort.
I was horrified. So many tourists here, noise, clamor, cars. It was a quiet town, now it’ll be a thoroughfare.
I wrote complaints and letters to all authorities to prevent it. But nothing helped. He still managed to pass all checks and open his resort, damn it.
What a family. Look at them. The father broke my life, and the son spoiled my hometown, and took my daughter from me.
When she finished speaking, silence fell. Everyone listened with mouths open. It seemed even the birds in the garden sang quieter.
Don’t slander our Alex. Suddenly one of the neighbors behind the fence stood up for him. He opened a very good business here.
My husband works for him as a repairman, so he stopped drinking and brings money home. Before, no work, so he drank, now he’s come to his senses. If not for Alex, he’d still be drinking.
I’m very grateful to him. Other neighbors supported her. Yes, after he appeared, the town came alive.
Now Oakwood is known throughout the area. If such a person hadn’t appeared here, we’d still be a backwater. Our kids would leave.
And only old folks would remain. You, Linda, think first, then talk nonsense. Look how your Angela has blossomed these three years…
Not everyone with small kids looks like that. Means he’s a good husband. You should be happy, but you’re stirring up trouble.
Reconcile with your son-in-law, and everyone would be happy. Linda looked around hunted. No one supported her hatred for her son-in-law.
Suddenly everyone turned one way. A yellow car with checkers on the roof arrived. Victor Thomas rushed to the car.
It came for him. He managed to discreetly call a taxi online. Nice to see you.
Alex is happy for you. Stay well. With these words, he disappeared into the car, which sped away, raising clouds of dust…
What a creep. Linda hissed through her teeth. Never mind, I’ll get to you yet.
Scoundrel! Bastard! Angela approached her again. Mom, please stop. You’ve revenged him enough already.
So much water under the bridge since then, it’s long time to forget everything. You admit yourself you didn’t want to marry him for love, but for money. You’re both worth each other.
So why can’t we just live peacefully? Indeed, Linda, Alex joined her. How long will you bring discord to our family. Angela is very upset by your antics, and the girls see everything.
My father offended you, but neither I nor Angela wish you harm. Let’s all reconcile and live as a friendly family. No way, answered the mother-in-law.
I waited twenty years for a chance to revenge him, and you interfered. Now I’ll go to the city and get to him. What else is left in life? Anyway, you drove me out of the house.
No one needs me now. Gradually people dispersed and the street emptied. The whole town gossiped about the scandal for a long time.
Linda really left for the city, and her further fate was unknown. One thing is clear, she stopped poisoning her daughter’s life with attacks on her husband. And the young family became even happier.
They continued to develop their business and raise children in love and harmony, in peace and tranquility.