Vicky looked at her father angrily and thought about how he didn’t care at all whom she would end up living with and how he only wished to sell her off at a higher price. Meanwhile, Sam kept on calmly explaining to his daughter how marriage with Eddie was the best opportunity for her to realize her potential in life. He is rich and upcoming, do you understand? He has an excellent education, and you with your medical degree will be happy on cloud nine. “Why? What is your problem with my medical education?” Vicki asked. “I don’t have a problem with it. I just don’t understand its use within our common family business. I regret having listened to you and having allowed you to study at this University. What is the point of having the diploma if you’ve been working as my assistant for a year now anyway?” Dad don’t dad me. I really should have insisted on what I saw fit, but now everything will be different. You will marry Eddie, period. Your wedding is scheduled for the 25th of April. In three months, you must be joking. I don’t even know him. You will have the chance to meet him today. And frankly speaking, it should suffice that I know him. My driver will pick you up and take you to a restaurant. Sam hugged and kissed his daughter. “Be a good girl and don’t be late.”
In the evening, Vicky found herself sitting opposite a tall, attractive man whom she was shamelessly observing, imagining him as her husband. In the meantime, he was talking to Sam, the conversation was about business, and Vicky was very obviously bored. Eddie was the first to notice this. After giving Sam a polite smile, he turned to the young woman. “Forgive us. It seems we got carried away by a topic that you are not interested in.” “Indeed,” Sam agreed with him. He glanced at his watch and shook his head. “My apologies, but I have another meeting in 15 minutes. So please excuse me.” “Eddie, you will not leave my daughter behind without walking her home, right?” “Oh, you have nothing to worry about.” The men said goodbye, then Sam left. Everything happened so quickly that Vicky got confused and came to her senses only when Eddie sat down next to her again and looked her in the eyes. “What a pleasant evening, right?”
During the next two weeks, such evenings were often repeated. Eddie turned out to be an attentive and very romantic gentleman. He knew how to predict Vicki’s wishes and often amazed her with pleasant surprises. By that time, the girl was sure that her father was right, and Eddie was exactly the type of person she could happily connect her fate with. One evening, Vicky felt unwell, and she was getting ready to meet Eddie, so she called her fiancé and said that she would like to stay home.
“Should I come to visit?” “No, it’s okay. I’ll take some medicine and go to bed.” “Okay, dear. Let’s talk tomorrow.” Vicky actually did go to bed, but the ringing of her phone kept her from falling asleep. One of her girlfriends called to tell her, “V, where are you? I’m at home, Katie. I’m sick.” “Oh, splendid. Your Eddie is here having the time of his life in the nightclub. There are these girls with him, you would not believe it. Don’t you want to come?” “Um, okay. Then I’ll do the paparazzi work for you. Be prepared. I’m sending some pics, baby.” Vicky looked at the photos and felt the rose-colored glasses she herself invented slipping off. What did she really know about this man? Nothing. The girl burst into tears.
The next morning, she went to Eddie’s house to talk and clear up the situation. He sleepily opened the door and stared at her in surprise. “What are you doing here?” “Sorry, I just came to talk. It’s very important.” Vicky stepped into the apartment and suddenly froze, stopping at the open door in the bedroom. A girl was sleeping on the bed. She was covered only by a thin bed cover under which the beautiful curves of her body were very easily observable. Eddie grabbed Vicki’s hands and led her into the kitchen. “I hope you’re not going to kick up a row.
So I assume there will be no wedding?” “Of course, there will be one. We have an agreement with your father. We will expand the business together, which means everything remains the same. Our marriage is settled.” “So I can cheat on you too, then? I guess you’re not willing to break up with your… what’s her name?” “Don’t try my patience and don’t forget that I’m a man. Got it?” “Oh yes, Vicky understood.” So she looked at Eddie and asked, “So our marriage is just a good business deal to you, right?” “Excellent.” Vicky left. She got into her car and drove away from her fiancé whom she now despised. The girl was driving aimlessly, not knowing where she was going, when she suddenly saw a lonely-looking guy standing on the road trying to signal. She stopped. He ran up to her embarrassed, but then asked if she would drop him off at a certain address. “Get in, let’s go.” “Thank you,” the stranger spoke.
“Not a single person stopped ever since I’ve been standing there. Why don’t you call a taxi?” “I don’t have enough money, unfortunately.” “Do you need money very much?” “So what is your name?” “Ewon.” “I’m Vicky.” “Iwon, I am making you an offer. Just try not to be so shocked. Marry me, and I will pay you as much as you need.” Ewon looked at the strange girl in amusement, sure that she was joking. Quite seriously, she repeated her proposition and even explained why she wanted to do it at all. “You want,” turned away and looked out the window, and then suddenly named the amount that she would have to pay him for the marriage certificate. Some time passed, and this is how Vicky became Ewon’s wife without telling any of her relatives about it. Having signed the marriage license, they parted, both satisfied with the deal. Vicky received the wedding documentation, and Ewon received the money. The girl hadn’t met with Eddie either, who, having called her several times on the phone, decided that everything was fine.
A week before the wedding, Sam came to his daughter and asked if she had chosen a dress. “No,” the girl answered shortly. “Are you crazy? Why would you leave it until the last minute? Let’s go right now.” “I have some free time, but I don’t. I now devote all my time to my husband. To whom the hell are you talking about, my husband, Dad? My husband. Yes, I got married without your consent. I’m sorry, but you didn’t ask for my consent to marry Eddie either. You don’t believe me? Here is the certificate.” Instead of answering, Sam slapped his daughter on the cheek. “You [ __ ], you messed up all our plans. How dare you, you malicious scum!” The father shouted at his daughter for
about half an hour and then grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the car. The journey was long, and they sat in silence until they arrived in a village. “Where did you bring me to, your husband?” “Here is his place now. Go, Dad. Get out of here, and remember, I no longer have a daughter.” Sam cast his daughter out of the car and left, leaving behind clouds of dust. For a long time, Vicky just stood there on the road, her gaze following her departing father. And then she meekly stepped towards the poor-looking little house. She entered the yard, looking around, then suddenly stopped.
Ewon came out onto the porch and looked at her, surprised. “What are you doing here?” he asked. “I came to live with you,” Vicki answered challengingly. “Well, come inside then.” Vicky entered the house and suddenly burst into tears. She did not expect to become part of such poverty at all, and sitting on an old sofa, she just couldn’t bear to calm down.
Ewon stood next to her, not knowing what to do with his new wife, whom he had only seen a couple of times in his life, and the accompanying responsibility that had fallen on him. Finally, he went into the kitchen, poured a glass of water, then brought it to her. “Here, drink some water. It will help you calm down.” Vicki obediently drank and looked at Ewon in confusion. “I would never have come of my own accord, but my father…” Vicki took a deep breath and told her husband everything. He was looking at her. “Well, we lived together then. Kicking you out is not an option, I guess.” “I won’t be able to live here,” Vicky shook her head.
As expected, one day came after another. She could not get used to her new life. She often cried at night, having trouble falling asleep on the creaky sofa in the room that Ewon let her stay in. Vicky had to live with Ewon’s support because her father had blocked all the bank cards and accounts. She barely had any appetite, disdaining the rural food habits. But Ewon was not bothered by this and did not insist, believing that should the girl be hungry enough, she would not be as picky about the food. Anyway, she could not get used to Ewon either, who, in addition to being an absolute stranger, was of a gloomy and non-communicative nature. She felt lucky, though, that he was away often, which was when the young woman could relax, knowing that he would not enter the house at any moment, and she would not have to endure his presence.
Her evenings were long and did not bring her any joy either. One night, Vicky went into the kitchen to pour herself some water, and suddenly she heard muffled sounds coming from Ewon’s room. She tiptoed closer and listened. Muffled sobs came from the room. Vicky was taken aback. She wanted to go in and ask him what the matter was, but she did not find the courage and hurried back to her room. When the girl woke up in the morning, Ewon was gone. He did not return the next day either. Vicky, feeling inexplicable pity for Ewon for the first time during your day, tidied up the house and then she made some scrambled eggs and sandwiches and lay down to rest, exhausted from the unusual load of work. Ewon returned three hours later, when the sun was already going down. Without saying a word to her, he immediately went to his room.
Vicky was furious at his indifference and entered his room, confidence in her step. “Are you going to keep ignoring me like this? I cooked food, I cleaned the house, and you didn’t even notice. How can you be so insensitive and mean? I already regret having anything to do with you, so tomorrow I’m leaving, got it?” “Sorry, what? What did you say?” Ewon looked at her in such a strange way that she was taken aback. “No, you… you… Vicky found no words and ran out into the yard and then into the street. Angry tears suffocated the girl as she sat down on a nearby bench. “Traitors, there are only traitors all around,” and Ewon was just like everyone else. He took her money without blinking twice. He had also bought her, and as it turned out, then what makes him any better than Eddie? They’re all the same. Vicky burst into tears, full of hopelessness and resentment.
“Here, here, don’t cry like that,” a warm female voice could be heard nearby. “You are Ewon’s young wife, and I am his neighbor, Dorothy.” Vicky raised her head and saw the pleasant face of a woman in her 50s. Dorothy sat down next to her and put her hand on Vicki’s knee, quietly comforting her. “There’s nothing you can do against fate. Ewon just passed by a minute ago. He told me everything. I am so sorry about Alice. I’m so sorry, not to mention Stanley. Oh, what a misery.” Vicky realized that Dorothy was talking about something she was unaware of, so she asked the talkative neighbor, “Tell me about his family.
I don’t know them well.” “What is there really to tell? It was a family just like any other. Parents have been gone for 10 years now. They left this world one after the other. They left behind two children, the eldest Alice and the younger Yvonne. Alice was already 18 at the time, so she took on the upbringing of your now husband. She became like a mother to him. She even only got married after he grew up. They got along with each other.
Ewon stayed here in his parents’ house, whereas Alice moved into the city, where she met someone, albeit with no success. They quickly got divorced, but by then, they had managed to make a child, Stanley, whom she raised alone. She was recently on her way to visit Ewon, and the taxi got into an accident. She and the taxi driver died immediately. Both were sitting in the front, but Stanley was kept in the hospital for quite a long time. After having buried his sister, Ewon immediately rushed to his nephew. He practically lived at the hospital. He somehow managed to get a hold of money for his treatment, but nothing helped. The injuries were very serious. Yesterday, Ewon buried the boy next to his mother. Just like that, he is a great guy. You should love him, and you should take care of him.”
Stunned, Vicky got up. “Thanks, Dorothy,” and returned to the house. Ewon was lying on the couch, facing the wall. She sat down next to him, pulled him towards her, embraced him, and began to rock the grown man like she would a small child. And he suddenly started feeling her warmth and vivid interaction. He could no longer contain the attack of his pain. Their relationship had changed. Ever since Vicky, as if having gotten rid of a glass shell, became lively and sincere. She became genuinely attached to Ewon and helped him with everything, tried to manage the housework, learned to cook, washed, and cleaned He was always by her side, with her by his side, it was now easy for Ewon to cope.
One evening, he hugged her and kissed her, and in return, she threw her arms around his neck. The final icy barrier between them had broken. Six months had passed. One day, an expensive car stopped at Ewon’s house, and Sam stepped into the yard. Seeing his daughter and son-in-law having dinner outside under the shadow of a linden tree, the surprised father looked at his daughter, not recognizing her. He came to pick her up, expecting to see tears and to hear apologetic words. But after even barely having had a good look at their faces and the rounding belly of his daughter, he said quietly, stammering from overwhelming emotions, “Forgive me, daughter, and you, Ewon, forgive me too.”
Soon, Vicky gave birth to twins, a girl and a boy, and flatly refused to move to the city. The grandfather adored his grandchildren, and soon, Ewon’s house became completely unrecognizable. Instead of the small hut it used to be, the building grew into a handsome two-story one, and it quickly filled with the roar of cheerful voices. Ewon worked together with Sam, and Vicki took care of the house and the children and was happy like never before in her life.
