This is a dramatic and suspenseful story of betrayal and redemption. Here is the English translation:
The Heiress’s Awakening
«Alina, Alina, is it really you?» a man’s voice called out.
She startled and turned slowly. Standing before her was André—the same André, her first love, the man because of whom her stepfather had once nearly killed her. Alina cast a frightened glance at her husband, who was busy talking to the doctor.
«Alina, how happy I am to see you,» André said, approaching. «You look tired… but what’s the use in saying that? We are in a hospital, after all.»
Alina didn’t want to talk about her ailments, which were constant and throbbing. André, however, was radiant; fifteen years of separation hadn’t changed him.
«André, are you a doctor?» she asked.
«No, better: I am the chief physician of this facility,» he replied proudly. «I’d love to sit and chat with you. Ten years? Fifteen years? How is your life?»
«Everything is fine. Just a slight health concern, nothing more,» she replied.
«Then let me help you: I’ll order the most comprehensive check-up possible. Who is handling your treatment?»
Before she could answer, Nikolai arrived with a determined stride. «Alina, is everything okay?» he asked, his voice tense.
«Yes.»
«Excuse us, we have to go.» He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the exit.
«Alina, wait!» André called out, catching up to them, but she merely whispered soundlessly, «Forgive me.»
The Gilded Cage
Once outside, Nikolai hissed through his teeth, «I barely looked away and you were already flirting with a stranger.»
«Kolia, what are you talking about? André is a childhood friend; we’ve known each other forever. We just hadn’t seen each other in years.»
But he wasn’t listening. «What does it matter? You’re married; that’s all that counts.»
«I’ve lost all my friends. I’m forbidden from seeing anyone. I feel like a prisoner.»
Nikolai stopped dead. «Think instead that you owe your very existence to me. What other husband would put up with a woman like you? You are practically an invalid and constantly sick. How much money have we spent with no results? And no one even thinks about a cure. Do you really think I enjoy living by your side when there are so many beautiful, healthy women out there?»
Alina whispered, «You are spending my money. Mine, not yours.»
Nikolai shot her a murderous look and nearly shoved her into the car. She hit her arm hard and closed her eyes to hold back the tears.
A Legacy of Shadows
In the past, she hadn’t been this way. She was joyful, carefree, a lover of dance and motorcycles. Then, her family life collapsed. Her father, an influential businessman, died in an accident. Her mother sank into a deep apathy. For two years, Alina was afraid to leave her alone, fearing she might take her own life. Slowly, however, her mother regained a taste for living—thanks to Victor, Nikolai’s uncle.
Alina never liked Victor: he was cold, slippery, and far too calculating. But her mother adored him. They married, and Alina went abroad to study. Upon her return, her mother was unrecognizable: weakened, extinguished. Nothing could wake her up.
It was then that André supported her: tender, present, and attentive. Their romance sparked the jealousy of her stepfather, who confined her, insulted her, and one day, even struck her.
Then Nikolai appeared, just as her mother was succumbing to depression. Before dying, her mother whispered to her: «My darling, never listen to anyone—only your heart. It will not deceive you.»
But how could she trust it when it was breaking with pain? Nikolai consoled her and married her in a quiet ceremony; the stepfather approved. Two years later, the stepfather also perished in a car accident. Alina sank into despair, convinced her family was cursed. Soon, it would be her turn—the heiress of a financial empire—or Nikolai’s.
The Sinister Plot
A year passed. She seemed to be recovering; Nikolai managed the company. But two years later, illness struck: first a simple cold, then extreme fatigue. A new specialist was hired; for years, he treated her with no visible results, though Nikolai claimed she owed her life to his care.
Gradually, Nikolai forbade all outside contact: «These visits only agitate you. Focus on your health.» When Alina suggested that returning to work and seeing friends might help her, he grew angry: «You think you know better? I am struggling to help you, and you reproach me for everything! Your outings could ruin your treatment!»
For the first time, he slapped her. She blamed herself: what was she worth without him?
On the way home, she thought of their trip together, those three days in the car, her stepfather’s rages, and André’s tenderness. Back at the house, Nikolai left her alone; they had long since slept in separate rooms. Exhausted, she fell into a fitful sleep, abruptly interrupted by Nikolai shaking her.
«Alina, take your vitamins and your medication.»
«I don’t want to.»
She saw the anger in his eyes, swallowed the pills, and turned toward the wall. Nikolai stroked her tenderly: «Good. Rest.»
She suddenly felt drunk. Something was wrong. She tried to get up but fell to the floor. The last thing she saw was Nikolai’s impeccably polished shoes.
The Truth Revealed
When consciousness returned, she pressed her lips together to keep from screaming. Where was she? A blackened, charred ceiling and walls—an abandoned shack? Where was her husband? Why wasn’t he coming to save her?
She wanted to call out, but footsteps echoed. Surely it was Nikolai; he would rescue her. But what if he didn’t? In her family, money was king. She closed her eyes as a man’s voice said: «Right, it’s time to go.»
A woman’s voice replied: «Igor Petrovitch claims she won’t wake up again. Why not give her another dose, just in case she’s too resilient?»
«It’s useless. Look at her: she’s not reacting to anything. To collect the inheritance, she must be declared dead. She needs to be ‘found’ without leaving a trace.»
They shook her body. Her only thought was to make them believe she was lifeless. The voices faded. The door creaked. She tried to move, but nothing worked. Her head floated with visions of André.
«André, don’t leave me, I’m so afraid…»
«I’m not leaving. I’m here. Everything will be fine, I promise.»
«You promise?»
«Yes.»
She smiled. With André by her side, even an imaginary one, death seemed sweet. «Forgive me… I said I didn’t love you… that a man like you didn’t interest me. But I’ve always loved you.»
These words drained her last strength; she sank into a total, painless calm.
A New Beginning
«Alina, wake up.»
She opened her eyes painfully to a halo of light—the sun filtering through a window.
«Hi,» said a familiar voice. She turned her head: André, smiling.
«André, are you dead too?»
He burst into a joyful laugh. «No, Alina, I don’t plan on dying for another fifty years. And I hope you don’t either.»
She shook her head, lost. «I don’t understand. Where am I? Where is Kolia? Why do I feel so… alive?»
He knelt and took her hand. «Understand this: your husband, the doctor from your clinic, and another woman are already giving statements to the police. Interesting revelations. I wanted to protect you from all this, but you must know the truth.»
«No one in your family died naturally. Your mother, before your father’s death, was the mistress of your husband’s uncle. It was all orchestrated. Then it was your turn: first the uncle, then you. Your husband would have waited ten years to control your fortune. He almost succeeded. If I hadn’t been watching your doctor and allowed the police to track Kolia’s phone…»
Alina stared at him, devastated. «All that for money? Their lives weren’t worth more than that?»
He gave a sad smile. «You know better than anyone what people are capable of for money. We are still flushing the poison out of your system. We don’t know if you’ll recover completely, but I’m counting on you to come on a trip with me—just the two of us. And… do you remember what you told me before?»
«What?»
«It doesn’t matter. The important thing is that I heard it.»
One Year Later
«My God, it’s so beautiful here! André, this is the place!» Alina exclaimed.
«You remember?»
«Yes! This is where we went together!» She gave him a playful nudge. «André, stop!»
«First of all, we are both adults. Second, no one can hear us. And finally…» He took her in his arms: «I want to start everything over!»
Alina kissed him on the nose. «First, find something to eat, please.»
He rolled his eyes. «Hungry again? I’m never going to be able to feed you enough.»
She tickled him; he ran toward the car, shouting like a wild man. Alina turned toward the lake, a smile on her lips. She was living for two now, and her heart overflowed with love. Today, she was going to tell him everything—including the one thing he didn’t know yet. Age was nothing when love brought souls back to life.
