The snowy October evening changed everything for Arina. She stood at the gate of her own home – or rather, what had once been her home – clutching a hastily packed bag. Her mother-in-law’s sharp, unforgiving voice still echoed in her ears: “Get out of my house! I don’t want you here anymore!”
Ten years of marriage had come to a crashing end in just one evening.
Arina had never imagined that Sergey, her husband, would stay silent, letting his mother push his wife out the door. It all began with another petty complaint from her mother-in-law—this time, over a poorly made borscht.
“You can’t even cook! What kind of wife are you? And you can’t even give me grandchildren!”
“Mom, please, calm down,” Sergey said, but his mother wouldn’t stop.
“No, son! I can’t stand watching this woman ruin your life! Choose—either me or her!”
Arina held her breath, waiting for Sergey to defend her. But instead, he simply shrugged helplessly. “Arin, maybe it’s best for you to leave. Stay with your friends for a while. Think things through.”
Now, standing at the gate with nothing but a bag, Arina felt as though the ground had been ripped out from under her. Five thousand rubles in her wallet, a few phone numbers of old friends, and that was all. Her life had revolved around the house, her husband, and his mother for so long.
She walked down the street, her mind racing, trying to comprehend what had just happened. The streetlights glimmered dimly on the wet asphalt, and the few people hurrying along the sidewalk didn’t notice her as she passed. Arina didn’t care about the rain, or the cold—it felt like the outside world didn’t even exist.
For weeks, her days blended together in a haze of uncertainty. Her friend Katya had taken her in, letting her stay in her one-bedroom apartment, but it was clear that this arrangement was only temporary.
“You need to work, Arina,” Katya insisted. “Start with anything, just get back on your feet.”
Arina found a job as a waitress in a small café. The long twelve-hour shifts drained her, her legs ached, and the constant smell of food made her sick. But the work kept her mind off everything else. It gave her no time to wallow in self-pity.
One evening, as the café was nearly empty, a man in his forties walked in.
He sat at the farthest table and only ordered coffee. Arina brought his order, forcing a smile.
“You have sad eyes,” he said suddenly. “Sorry, I know this sounds odd, but I can read people. You’re clearly not where you should be.”
Arina thought of replying sharply, but instead, she found herself sitting down at his table. That was the moment she met Mikhail—the man who would change everything for her.
“I own a small chain of stores,” he told her. “And I’m looking for a capable manager. If you’re interested, we could talk about it tomorrow in a more comfortable setting.”
“Why would you offer a job to a random waitress?” Arina asked, a little skeptical.
Mikhail smiled. “Because I see intelligence and character in your eyes. You just haven’t recognized it yourself yet.”
Mikhail’s offer was genuine, no tricks involved. A week later, Arina was working as the manager of one of his stores. The first few weeks were tough—she feared making mistakes, got tangled in paperwork, and struggled to memorize her new duties. But Mikhail was a patient mentor.
“You’re capable,” he told her. “You’re just weighed down by other people’s opinions. Try to think differently—don’t say ‘I can’t do this.’ Say, ‘How can I do this better?’”
Slowly, Arina began to change.
“You know what’s different about you?” Mikhail asked one day. “You started smiling. Not forcing it, but genuinely.”
And it was true. The transformation was happening.
A year later, Arina was managing three stores in Mikhail’s chain. Her natural attention to detail, combined with the confidence she had gained, made a huge difference—sales increased, and the staff respected her.
“You’ve exceeded all my expectations,” Mikhail confessed one evening over dinner. They had started spending more time together, and the meetings had long since shifted from purely business.
That night, he took her hand for the first time. “Arina, I have to tell you something. You’ve become more than just a colleague or a friend to me.”
She gently pulled her hand away. “Mikhail, I’m grateful for everything, but I need time. I’m just starting to figure out who I really am.”
He nodded, understanding. “I’ll wait. The important thing is that you’re no longer the frightened girl I met in that café.”
Indeed, the old Arina was gone. Now, she wore expensive suits, drove her own car, and interacted with business partners with ease. Her stride was full of confidence, and her eyes radiated calm self-assurance.
“You know what’s surprising?” she told Mikhail one evening. “I don’t hold any grudges. Not against my ex, not against my mother-in-law. They’re like characters from a forgotten dream.”
As the New Year approached, Arina found that she didn’t dread the holiday anymore. In the past, it had meant endless cooking under her mother-in-law’s scrutiny and forced smiles around the family table. But now, everything had changed.
“We’re opening a new store in two weeks,” she said to Mikhail during a morning meeting. “We need to finish everything before the holidays.”
“You’ll handle it?” he asked with a warm smile. “The schedule’s tight.”
“Of course,” she replied confidently. “The team’s already set, the paperwork is almost done.”
After the meeting, Katya called.
“So, when’s the boss lady free for a chat? I miss you!”
“Let’s meet this weekend,” Arina suggested. “Let’s go to that café—remember? The one where I used to work.”
Meeting Katya reminded Arina of the past. Katya ordered cappuccinos and gave Arina a careful look.
“You’ve changed. And it’s not just your appearance. Something inside you is different.”
“I finally figured out who I am,” Arina said. “I used to think life was about endless compromises. Smile, endure, stay silent. But now I know—those weren’t the days of living. It was just existing.”
“And what about you and Mikhail?” Katya asked, raising an eyebrow.
Arina thought for a moment. Her relationship with Mikhail was on a delicate line between business partnership and something more. She could feel his interest, saw the warmth in his eyes whenever he looked at her. But something held her back from taking the next step.
“It’s complicated,” she admitted. “He’s an amazing person, but I’m afraid of messing everything up. What if I lose myself again? Become dependent?”
“Ridiculous,” Katya interjected. “You’re no longer the Arina who let people control her. And Mikhail’s nothing like your ex—he values you for who you are.”
That evening, Mikhail invited her to a business dinner with potential partners.
Arina ran the negotiations smoothly, and when the guests left, they stayed behind in the nearly empty restaurant.
“You’re incredible,” Mikhail said. “You know, I often think back to that night in the café. When I saw you—I knew there was something special behind that uncertainty.”
“You took a risk offering a job to a random waitress.”
“It was the best risk I ever took.”
Their eyes locked, and Arina felt her heart race. Maybe Katya was right? Maybe it was time to stop being afraid and let herself believe in love again?
The new store opened exactly as planned. Arina stood on the small stage, giving her speech, and saw the sincere respect in her employees’ eyes. Three years ago, she couldn’t have imagined herself managing a business, making decisions, and leading others.
That evening, while reviewing reports in her office, she heard a knock at the door. Mikhail stood there, holding a bouquet of her favorite peonies.
“This is success,” he said. “Our success.”
“Thank you,” Arina replied, accepting the bouquet, and their fingers brushed for a moment. “But you know, I don’t like mixing business and personal matters.”
“I know,” Mikhail sat on the edge of her desk. “That’s why I’m suggesting we forget about work and have dinner together. Just Arina and Mikhail, no titles, no roles.”
She looked up from her monitor and allowed herself to truly look at his face. His warm brown eyes, the slight creases at the corners of his mouth when he smiled, the soft gray at his temples…
“Okay,” she said, finally. “Give me fifteen minutes to finish these reports.”
They chose a small restaurant in the old town. No fuss, no prying waiters—just a place to be themselves.
“Tell me about yourself,” Arina asked. “Not about business—who are you really?”
Mikhail paused, then spoke.
“You know, I wasn’t always the man you see today. Back in the ‘90s, I started with a small kiosk. My wife left me—tired of the instability. I almost gave it all up.”
“What kept you going?”
“Belief in myself. And an odd stubbornness—to prove I was worth something. I think that’s why I saw a kindred spirit in you.”
Arina felt her guard begin to lower. With Mikhail, it was easy—he wasn’t trying to impress her, wasn’t playing any roles. He was just himself.
“I’m afraid,” she admitted. “Afraid of making the same mistakes, of becoming dependent again.”
“And I’m afraid I won’t get the chance to say the most important thing,” he said, taking her hand. “You’re incredible, Arina. Strong, smart, beautiful. And I’m in love with you. Not with the business partner, not with the subordinate—just with the woman you’ve become.”
She felt tears welling up in her eyes.
“I don’t even know what to say…”
“Say nothing,” he said. “Just let me be by your side. Not as a boss, but as a man who wants to make you happy.”
At that moment, her phone rang. There were issues with the new store’s supply. Instinctively, she reached for it, but Mikhail gently covered her hand with his.
“Stop. No work today. Let your assistant handle it. You taught him.”
For the first time in a long time, Arina allowed herself to relax. They talked about everything—books, travel, dreams. She shared her childhood in a small town, and he told her about his years in college, his struggles with trust, and how he had learned to open up again.
When they left the restaurant, soft December snow was falling over the city. Mikhail put his jacket around her shoulders and pulled her close.
“You know what I want right now?” he asked.
“What?”
“To go to the sea. Tomorrow. Forget about everything for a few days and just be together.”
“To the sea? Right now?” Arina laughed, but the spark in her eyes showed her growing interest. “You’re crazy.”
“Maybe,” Mikhail smiled. “But isn’t that the beauty of life—to do something crazy sometimes?”
The next morning, they were already at the airport. Arina couldn’t believe she was actually going through with it, but as the plane took off, she felt a surprising lightness.
Sochi welcomed them with a soft drizzle and an empty promenade. It was quiet in December—no tourists, no street musicians.
“Look,” Mikhail pointed to the waves crashing on the shore. “The sea is never the same. Just like life.”
They stayed in a small hotel overlooking the sea. Arina stood on the balcony, breathing in the salty air, when her phone rang. It was Katya.
“Where have you been? The office said you took some time off!”
“I’m by the sea,” Arina replied, and she was surprised at how natural those words sounded.
“With Mikhail?” Her friend’s voice was filled with joy. “Finally! I thought you’d never make the leap.”
Two days passed in a blur. They walked along the quiet beach, drank hot mulled wine in seaside cafes, and talked about everything under the sun. Mikhail opened up about his divorce, his years of loneliness, and how he had learned to trust again.
“You know,” he said one evening, as they sat on the restaurant’s veranda, “I was afraid too. Afraid you’d see me only as a boss, a sponsor, a protector. But you’re different. You never looked for an easy way.”
Arina looked at the sea, where the lights of ships glimmered in the dark.
“And I was afraid love would make me weak again. But now I understand—true love makes you stronger.”
That evening, a storm began to brew. They stood on the promenade, the wind ripping at their clothes. Mikhail pulled Arina closer to him.
“Will you marry me?”
She froze.
“What?”
“I know this is sudden. But I also know I don’t want to live another day without you.”
From that moment on, their life became one they shared together.