She went with her son to pick wild strawberries... and accidentally overheard something she would have been better off not knowing"
Marina and Fyodor were doctors at the same hospital, loving parents of five-year-old Yuri. It seemed like their family was strong, and their relationship stable. But fate had other plans.
Fyodor became interested in a young woman—the daughter of the chief doctor. Beautiful, noble, with an influential father... And as it turned out, with a direct path to career advancement for ambitious employees. Youth and beauty might not have played a decisive role, but it was this combination that became an irresistible temptation for Fyodor.
He didn’t hide his intentions from his wife. He honestly declared:
— I’m in love. We’re no longer together.
Marina was crushed, but she didn’t fight for her husband. She silently accepted his decision, swallowed the bitterness of betrayal, and simply quit her job at the hospital. She couldn’t bear seeing the person who had become a stranger every day.
But her trials didn’t end there. Fyodor declared that he would stay in their shared apartment and take it for himself completely.
— Did I pull you out of your mother’s house? Then go back to her, — he said coldly.
And Marina’s mother lived in a tiny one-room apartment, where there was barely enough space for herself. Returning there with her child was impossible. And then there were the rumors, spread by Fyodor and his new patrons. No clinic in the city wanted to hire this "married" female doctor.
The city became unbearable. Staying any longer would mean losing herself. Marina made a desperate decision: with her last savings, she bought a small house in the countryside. There, it seemed, she could start anew.
And she was right. In the village, where there were hardly any specialists, she was welcomed with joy, and the locals even helped her settle in. The house was very simple, but the locals—kind and helpful—fixed the roof, warmed the stove, and helped her adjust to her new life.
Marina found a job at a health post, and a neighbor, a lonely woman in her sixties, was happy to watch Yuri while she was on calls.
Gradually, Marina began to feel almost happy. She had work, the respect of those around her, warmth, and a home. Yuri also adapted, although he sometimes got sad—there were no children his age in the village, and the local boys teased him: "City softy," "clumsy," "mama's boy."
But Marina believed: with time, her son would find friends. For now, he had his mother, and around them was the beautiful nature. There was a forest nearby, full of berries and mushrooms, and a wide river, where they said there were plenty of fish.
— And we have wild strawberries in summer—up to our knees! — the villagers told them. — You walk into the forest, and it’s like walking on a red carpet!
Since spring, Yuri had been asking to go into the forest:
— Mom, let’s go already! They say they taste better than strawberries, and it’s free! Please!
— It’s too early, son, — Marina gently held him back. — The snowdrops are just blooming now. Wait a little longer—soon we’ll wander through these forests. We’ll pick berries, mushrooms, maybe even find some nuts!
And then the long-awaited summer arrived. Sunny, generous. Yuri remembered his wish:
— Mom, let’s go to the forest today? Grandma Nyusha says the berries are already ripe. She would go herself, but her back hurts. Let’s pick some and bring them to her!
— Okay, — Marina smiled. — Only on the weekend. I promise—lots of berries, lots of impressions.
At the appointed time, they went to the forest. They got so caught up in gathering and playing that they almost reached the river.
— Should we go fishing here? — Yuri asked.
— You can’t catch fish so easily, — Marina laughed. — You need tackle, knowledge... Maybe we should ask someone to take us along?
But at that moment, her gaze fell on two men standing at the water’s edge. By their looks and behavior, it was immediately clear—they were not locals. One of them held a thick bag, from which something was faintly moving.
— Looks like it’s still alive, — one of them mumbled.
— So what? It will be alive now, then drown—who cares, — the other replied harshly.
— We should put some metal in there... Like bricks.
— Go find bricks, if you’ve got nothing better to do! — the first one snapped irritably. — Hurry up, I’m tired of this.
Marina’s heart froze. Something was clearly breathing in the bag. It wasn’t a human—too small—but an animal. And definitely alive...
If you'd like to continue or need more specific context, feel free to ask.. Read the continuation in the comments
She went with her son to pick wild strawberries... and accidentally overheard something she would have been better off not knowing"
Marina and Fyodor were doctors at the same hospital, loving parents of five-year-old Yuri. It seemed like their family was strong, and their relationship stable. But fate had other plans.
Fyodor became interested in a young woman—the daughter of the chief doctor. Beautiful, noble, with an influential father... And as it turned out, with a direct path to career advancement for ambitious employees. Youth and beauty might not have played a decisive role, but it was this combination that became an irresistible temptation for Fyodor.
He didn’t hide his intentions from his wife. He honestly declared:
— I’m in love. We’re no longer together.
Marina was crushed, but she didn’t fight for her husband. She silently accepted his decision, swallowed the bitterness of betrayal, and simply quit her job at the hospital. She couldn’t bear seeing the person who had become a stranger every day.
But her trials didn’t end there. Fyodor declared that he would stay in their shared apartment and take it for himself completely.
— Did I pull you out of your mother’s house? Then go back to her, — he said coldly.
And Marina’s mother lived in a tiny one-room apartment, where there was barely enough space for herself. Returning there with her child was impossible. And then there were the rumors, spread by Fyodor and his new patrons. No clinic in the city wanted to hire this "married" female doctor.
The city became unbearable. Staying any longer would mean losing herself. Marina made a desperate decision: with her last savings, she bought a small house in the countryside. There, it seemed, she could start anew.
And she was right. In the village, where there were hardly any specialists, she was welcomed with joy, and the locals even helped her settle in. The house was very simple, but the locals—kind and helpful—fixed the roof, warmed the stove, and helped her adjust to her new life.
Marina found a job at a health post, and a neighbor, a lonely woman in her sixties, was happy to watch Yuri while she was on calls.
Gradually, Marina began to feel almost happy. She had work, the respect of those around her, warmth, and a home. Yuri also adapted, although he sometimes got sad—there were no children his age in the village, and the local boys teased him: "City softy," "clumsy," "mama's boy."
But Marina believed: with time, her son would find friends. For now, he had his mother, and around them was the beautiful nature. There was a forest nearby, full of berries and mushrooms, and a wide river, where they said there were plenty of fish.
— And we have wild strawberries in summer—up to our knees! — the villagers told them. — You walk into the forest, and it’s like walking on a red carpet!
Since spring, Yuri had been asking to go into the forest:
— Mom, let’s go already! They say they taste better than strawberries, and it’s free! Please!
— It’s too early, son, — Marina gently held him back. — The snowdrops are just blooming now. Wait a little longer—soon we’ll wander through these forests. We’ll pick berries, mushrooms, maybe even find some nuts!
And then the long-awaited summer arrived. Sunny, generous. Yuri remembered his wish:
— Mom, let’s go to the forest today? Grandma Nyusha says the berries are already ripe. She would go herself, but her back hurts. Let’s pick some and bring them to her!
— Okay, — Marina smiled. — Only on the weekend. I promise—lots of berries, lots of impressions.
At the appointed time, they went to the forest. They got so caught up in gathering and playing that they almost reached the river.
— Should we go fishing here? — Yuri asked.
— You can’t catch fish so easily, — Marina laughed. — You need tackle, knowledge... Maybe we should ask someone to take us along?
But at that moment, her gaze fell on two men standing at the water’s edge. By their looks and behavior, it was immediately clear—they were not locals. One of them held a thick bag, from which something was faintly moving.
— Looks like it’s still alive, — one of them mumbled.
— So what? It will be alive now, then drown—who cares, — the other replied harshly.
— We should put some metal in there... Like bricks.
— Go find bricks, if you’ve got nothing better to do! — the first one snapped irritably. — Hurry up, I’m tired of this.
Marina’s heart froze. Something was clearly breathing in the bag. It wasn’t a human—too small—but an animal. And definitely alive...
If you'd like to continue or need more specific context, feel free to ask.. 📖 Read the continuation in the comments ⬇️
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