Dear, you can\u2019t even imagine who I really am,\u00bb Anna whispered quietly, looking at the ceiling. \u00abYou are better than anyone for me,\u00bb Vadim mumbled sleepily, hugging his wife. If only he knew how prophetic these words would turn out to be. Anna smiled faintly, remembering how it all began. How she, the daughter of a currency millionaire, decided to conduct the boldest experiment of her life.<\/p>\n
Their first meeting was like something out of a movie. She was already working at the district library, playing the role of a modest provincial girl. Vadim came in looking for some scientific literature\u2014he was preparing to defend his thesis. Disheveled, in worn jeans, with a coffee stain on his shirt.<\/p>\n
\u00abExcuse me, do you have anything on quantum physics?\u00bb he asked, squinting.<\/p>\n
\u00abThird shelf, top row,\u00bb Anna replied, holding back a smile. \u00abYou\u2019ll need a ladder to reach it.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abCould you help me?\u00bb he scratched his head sheepishly. \u00abI feel like I\u2019ll drop everything otherwise.\u00bb<\/p>\n
And that\u2019s how their romance began\u2014with falling books, awkward jokes, and conversations until the library closed. Vadim turned out to be a simple guy with a sharp mind and an amazing sense of humor. He could talk for hours about his scientific research, then suddenly crack a joke that made Anna laugh until she cried.<\/p>\n
He proposed six months later, in the same library.<\/p>\n
\u00abYou see,\u00bb he said, nervously fiddling with a cheap ring box, \u00abI know I\u2019m not rich. But I love you. And I promise, I\u2019ll do everything to make you happy.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna agreed, feeling a twinge of guilt. But the experiment was too important\u2014she wanted to understand how society treats women without status and money.<\/p>\n
The first warning signs came at the wedding. Vadim\u2019s mother, Elena Petrovna, gave Anna a look as if she were a cockroach on a wedding cake. Anna understood that not all people were like this, but she ended up with an extremely unpleasant family.<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd that\u2019s all you could dress up in?\u00bb she hissed, examining the bride\u2019s simple white dress.<\/p>\n
\u00abMama!\u00bb Vadim scolded her.<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat \u2018mama\u2019? I\u2019m worried about you! You could have found a better girl. Like Lyudmila Vasilyevna\u2019s daughter\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWho ran off with a fitness trainer last year?\u00bb Vadim\u2019s sister Marina snorted. \u00abThough, you know, even she would have been a better match.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna silently smiled, mentally taking notes in her research journal. \u00abDay One: Classic manifestation of social discrimination based on assumed material status.\u00bb<\/p>\n
A month after the wedding, Vadim\u2019s aunt Zoya Aleksandrovna joined in the \u00abeducation\u00bb of the bride\u2014a woman who loved visiting the local municipal services office, it was her hobby.<\/p>\n
\u00abSweetie,\u00bb she said in a sugary voice, \u00abcan you even cook? Vadimushka is used to good food.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna, who had learned cooking from the best chefs in Paris, nodded modestly:<\/p>\n
\u00abI\u2019m learning, little by little.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abOh, what a disaster,\u00bb Aunt Zoya threw up her hands. \u00abLet me write down my meat recipe for you. But can you afford the ingredients? They\u2019re expensive these days\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
In the evening, Anna wrote in her journal: \u00abMonth One: Financial pressure is used as a tool for social control. I wonder how quickly they would change their tone if they knew about my annual income?\u00bb<\/p>\n
Vadim tried to defend his wife, but he did so weakly, as if afraid to go against his family.<\/p>\n
\u00abDarling, don\u2019t mind them,\u00bb he said. \u00abThey\u2019re just worried.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abAbout what? That I\u2019ll spend all your budget?\u00bb Anna smirked.<\/p>\n
\u00abNo, just\u2026 well, you know, they want the best for me.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd I\u2019m not the best?\u00bb In such moments, she wanted to scream the truth, to show the statements from her accounts, but she restrained herself.<\/p>\n
By the end of their first year of marriage, the mockery reached its peak. At Vadim\u2019s birthday, Elena Petrovna outdid herself.<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd what, Anny, did you give your husband for the holiday?\u00bb she asked, examining the modest wristwatch.<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat I could,\u00bb Anna quietly replied, remembering the collection of Swiss chronometers in her London apartment.<\/p>\n
\u00abWell, yes, of course\u2026 Love is the main thing, right? Although love is love, but a man needs status. Look, Marinka gave her Kolya a car for his birthday.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abTaken on credit at crazy interest rates, which Kolya will be paying,\u00bb Anna muttered to herself, but no one heard her.<\/p>\n
In the evening, left alone, she took out her journal and wrote: \u00abYear One. Intermediate conclusions: Social pressure intensifies in proportion to the duration of contact. I wonder how long I can continue this experiment before it destroys my marriage?\u00bb She didn\u2019t know that the answer to this question would come very soon.<\/p>\n
In the second year of their marriage, Vadim got a promotion. Now he led a small department at an IT company, and his relatives went wild.<\/p>\n
\u00abSon, now you need to match the status,\u00bb chirped Elena Petrovna, conspicuously examining the worn wallpapers in their rental apartment. \u00abMaybe think about changing\u2026 the setting?\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna mentally pictured pulling out a platinum card and buying a penthouse in the city center. But instead, she just shrugged:<\/p>\n
\u00abWe\u2019re fine here.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abOf course, you\u2019re fine,\u00bb Marina, Vadim\u2019s sister, snorted. \u00abYou\u2019re used to\u2026 simplicity.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abDay 748 of the experiment,\u00bb Anna wrote in her journal that evening. \u00abSocial status continues to be the primary factor in evaluating a person. Even a minimal increase in one family member\u2019s income provokes a sharp rise in claims against another, less wealthy member.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Everything changed on a rainy Tuesday. Aunt Zoya dragged another \u00abdecent girl\u00bb into their home\u2014the daughter of some important man from the district management.<\/p>\n
\u00abVadimushka, meet Verochka,\u00bb she sang, pushing forward a made-up blonde. \u00abShe, by the way, opened her own real estate agency!\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna froze with a cup of tea in her hands. She could endure a lot, but this\u2026<\/p>\n
\u00abI\u2019m shocked myself!\u00bb Vadim said, looking at me in confusion.<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd what about Anna?\u00bb Zoya Aleksandrovna threw up her hands. \u00abShe\u2019ll understand! You have to think about your future!\u00bb<\/p>\n
Verochka giggled:<\/p>\n
\u00abYeah, by the way, I have great apartment options. I can show you\u2026 alone.\u00bb<\/p>\n
That was the last straw. Anna stood up, straightened her shoulders, and announced:<\/p>\n
\u00abI think it\u2019s time for a family dinner. This Friday. I\u2019m inviting everyone.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Friday came too quickly and at the same time unbearably slowly. Anna prepared for this evening as if it were a theater premiere. She pulled out her favorite dress from a luxury brand, put on family diamonds, and called her personal chef\u2014for the first time in two years.<\/p>\n
The relatives arrived in full force, anticipating another opportunity to mock the poor bride. Elena Petrovna even brought her friend Lyudmila Vasilyevna\u2014apparently as an audience for the upcoming spectacle.<\/p>\n
\u00abOh, we have guests!\u00bb Anna exclaimed, opening the door. \u00abCome in, I just ordered dinner from the restaurant.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abOrdered?\u00bb Marina squinted. \u00abAnd the money from where?\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna smiled mysteriously:<\/p>\n
\u00abYou\u2019ll find out soon.\u00bb<\/p>\n
When everyone was seated at the table (specially rented, antique, made of mahogany), a real theater of the absurd began.<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd what\u2019s this wine?\u00bb Aunt Zoya sniffed at her glass. \u00abIt doesn\u2019t look like our local Krasnodar wine\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWonderful wine, vintage 1982,\u00bb Anna casually tossed out. \u00abDad brought it from his cellar.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Silence fell in the dining room. You could hear a fly trying to break through the stained glass window.<\/p>\n
\u00abW-which dad?\u00bb Elena Petrovna stammered. \u00abYou said you were an orphan\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abOh, this is the most interesting part,\u00bb Anna stood up, holding her glass. \u00abYou see, for the last two years I\u2019ve been conducting a social experiment. Studying how society treats women without visible wealth and social status. And I must say, the results have been quite\u2026 enlightening.\u00bb<\/p>\n
She paused, watching as her husband\u2019s relatives\u2019 faces gradually lost their color.<\/p>\n
\u00abMy father is a currency millionaire,\u00bb Anna continued, enjoying the moment. \u00abAnd all this time I lived modestly, to understand how you would treat me if I didn\u2019t meet your standards.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Vadim looked at her, his eyes wide.<\/p>\n
\u00abAnna, what are you\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abBut now,\u00bb she interrupted, \u00abthe experiment is over. And I think we all need to discuss how we\u2019re going to live from now on.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Silence reigned in the room, broken only by the ticking of expensive clocks on the wall. Anna smiled, knowing that her words had changed everything.<\/p>\n
She paused. The dining room was so quiet that you could hear Lyudmila Vasilyevna\u2019s dentures creak.<\/p>\n
\u00abThe thing is, I am Anna Sergeyevna Zakharova. Yes, that Zakharova. My family owns the \u2018ZakharGroup\u2019 holding. Perhaps you\u2019ve seen our offices\u2014a glass skyscraper in the city center.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Elena Petrovna turned so pale that she blended in with the tablecloth.<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd we also own a chain of five-star hotels,\u00bb Anna continued, savoring every word. \u00abAnd, by the way, that real estate agency where your Verochka works is also ours. Dad bought it last year\u2026 how did you put it? Ah yes, \u2018thinking about the future.’\u00bb<\/p>\n
Marina tried to say something, but only a squeak came out.<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd you know what?\u00bb Anna scanned the frozen relatives. \u00abOver these two years, I\u2019ve gathered amazing material for my book. \u2018Social Discrimination in Modern Society: An Inside Look.\u2019 I think it will cause a sensation in academic circles. At the same time, most people treat someone like me quite well. They help, give practical advice. But your little family\u2014this is an interesting anomaly.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Vadim sat, gripping the armrests of his chair. His face resembled Munch\u2019s \u00abThe Scream.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abYou\u2026 all this time\u2026\u00bb he began.<\/p>\n
\u00abYes, dear. I wasn\u2019t who I pretended to be. But my love for you was the only thing that was real.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd what about\u2026,\u00bb Elena Petrovna finally found her voice, \u00aball these humiliations? You could have stopped us at any moment\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abStop you?\u00bb Anna smirked. \u00abOf course. But then the experiment would have lost its purity. By the way, it was amusing to listen to your discussions about how I was unworthy of your son when my annual income exceeds the value of all your property.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Lyudmila Vasilyevna choked on her wine and started coughing. Aunt Zoya hurriedly fiddled with her Gucci bag (a fake, as Anna had noticed).<\/p>\n
\u00abBut the most interesting thing,\u00bb Anna turned to her husband, \u00abis that you, Vadim, were the only one who loved me just because. Without money, without status, without\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWithout the truth,\u00bb he interrupted, standing up from the table. \u00abSorry, I need some air.\u00bb<\/p>\n
He left, leaving Anna standing with an unfinished glass of wine. A funeral silence hung in the dining room, broken only by Marina\u2019s quiet sobs and the rustling of Aunt Zoya\u2019s napkins.<\/p>\n
\u00abDay 730 of the experiment,\u00bb Anna mentally noted. \u00abResult achieved. The cost\u2026 still unknown.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Three weeks after the \u00abtruth dinner,\u00bb time flew by like a fog. Vadim did not return home\u2014he stayed at a friend\u2019s house, taking only the essentials. The relatives disappeared as if they had never been, only Marina occasionally wrote ingratiating messages on VK: \u00abAnya, maybe we can meet? I\u2019ve been thinking\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna did not respond. For the first time in two years, she allowed herself to be herself\u2014ordering food from her favorite restaurants, working on her book on her expensive laptop (which she had hidden all this time), and suffering. Oh, how she suffered.<\/p>\n
\u00abYou know what\u2019s the funniest part?\u00bb she told her assistant Kate, the only one who knew the truth from the beginning. \u00abI really fell in love with him. For real.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd he with you,\u00bb Kate shrugged, elegantly stirring sugar in her cappuccino. \u00abOtherwise, he would have run to you for money long ago.\u00bb<\/p>\n
They sat in Anna\u2019s favorite coffee shop\u2014a small establishment on the roof of the very ZakharGroup skyscraper. From here, the whole city seemed toy-like, especially their rental apartment in the residential district.<\/p>\n
\u00abMy dad called yesterday,\u00bb Anna smiled sadly. \u00abSaid I was crazy. I could have just written an article based on other people\u2019s research.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd you?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd I replied, that\u2019s the point\u2014everyone writes based on others\u2019 stories. No one wants to go through it themselves.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Kate finished her coffee and suddenly asked:<\/p>\n
\u00abListen, if you could turn back time\u2026 Would you change anything?\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna pondered, looking down at the city:<\/p>\n
\u00abYou know\u2026 probably, yes. I would have told him the truth. Not right away, but\u2026 definitely before the wedding.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Vadim appeared suddenly\u2014just rang the doorbell of their rental apartment at seven in the morning. Anna opened it, wrapped in a silk robe from Valentino (she was no longer hiding), and froze. She still hadn\u2019t moved into the expensive apartments, waiting for him.<\/p>\n
\u00abHello,\u00bb he croaked. \u00abMay I come in?\u00bb<\/p>\n
He had lost weight, shadows lay under his eyes. Anna silently stepped back, letting him into the apartment.<\/p>\n
\u00abI\u2019ve been thinking\u2026\u00bb Vadim began, nervously fiddling with the keys.<\/p>\n
\u00abTwenty-three days,\u00bb Anna interrupted.<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abYou thought for twenty-three days. I counted.\u00bb<\/p>\n
He grimaced:<\/p>\n
\u00abIs this also part of the experiment? Counting the days of separation?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abNo,\u00bb she shook her head. \u00abThis is part of love.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Vadim sat down on their old sofa\u2014the same one they had bought at IKEA, although Anna could afford furniture made of solid mahogany.<\/p>\n
\u00abYou know what I realized these days?\u00bb he asked, looking at the floor. \u00abI kept trying to remember a moment when you were insincere with me. And I couldn\u2019t.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna sat next to him, maintaining a distance:<\/p>\n
\u00abBecause I never pretended about the main thing. Only in small things.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abSmall things?\u00bb he laughed bitterly. \u00abYou call being an heiress of a multimillion-dollar fortune a small thing?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abYes!\u00bb she suddenly flared up. \u00abBecause money isn\u2019t me! It\u2019s not even my merit, I was just born into a wealthy family. And you loved me\u2014the real me, who laughs at your silly jokes, who adores reading sci-fi, who\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWho kept a journal for two years, recording every humiliation from my family,\u00bb he finished quietly.<\/p>\n
Anna turned to the window, trying to gather her thoughts. The first rays of the sun were piercing through the curtains they had once chosen together in a store. Cheap, but beloved.<\/p>\n
\u00abYou know,\u00bb she began quietly, still looking at the waking city, \u00abwhen I was sixteen, I had a best friend. Just an ordinary girl from the neighboring house. We would talk for hours about everything under the sun, share secrets. And then her mom found out whose daughter I was\u2026\u00bb Anna bitterly smiled. \u00abA week later, she started hinting that it would be nice to go to Europe with her for the holidays\u2026 Just because I could afford it.\u00bb<\/p>\n
She turned to Vadim, tears in her eyes:<\/p>\n
\u00abI didn\u2019t want our story to start with money. I wanted to make sure that I would be loved just for me. Silly, right?\u00bb<\/p>\n
How his father\u2019s partners fawned over him, how his classmates in London were divided into \u00abus\u00bb and \u00abthem\u00bb based on account size\u2026 She wanted to prove that it really exists. That it\u2019s not just make-believe.<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd did you prove it?\u00bb There was no bitterness in his voice, only fatigue.<\/p>\n
\u00abYes. But you know what I realized?\u00bb she moved closer. \u00abThere are things more important than any experiments. Like trust.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Vadim finally looked up:<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd now what?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abNow\u2026\u00bb Anna pulled out a thick notebook\u2014her research diary\u2014from her bag. \u00abNow I want to burn this. To hell with science, to hell with experiments. I just want to be with you.\u00bb<\/p>\n
He looked at her for a long time:<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd what about your book?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abI\u2019ll write a new one. About how I almost lost the most important thing in pursuit of scientific fame.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Vadim reached out and took the diary:<\/p>\n
\u00abYou know, I realized something too these days. I was angry not because of the money. I was angry because I thought it was all pretense.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abBut it wasn\u2019t,\u00bb Anna said quietly.<\/p>\n
\u00abI know. Now I know,\u00bb he suddenly smiled. \u00abBy the way, what about my silly jokes?\u00bb<\/p>\n
She laughed through tears:<\/p>\n
\u00abWell, like your favorite one about the theoretical physicist and Schr\u00f6dinger\u2019s cat in a bar\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWho is simultaneously drunk and sober until the bartender checks his passport!\u00bb Vadim picked up, and they laughed together, just like in those first days when it all began.<\/p>\n
An hour later, they were sitting in the kitchen, drinking instant coffee (although Anna\u2019s bag held the keys to a penthouse with a professional coffee machine) and discussing the future.<\/p>\n
\u00abSo, we\u2019re starting over?\u00bb Vadim asked.<\/p>\n
\u00abYes. But this time without secrets. And you know what? Let\u2019s stay here, in this apartment.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abBut you can\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abI can,\u00bb she nodded. \u00abBut I don\u2019t want to. Our story started here. Let\u2019s continue it here. I\u2019ll do a good renovation and we\u2019ll live here for at least another year.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Vadim smiled:<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd what about mom? And Marina? And Aunt Zoya?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abOh, they won\u2019t get away from me now,\u00bb Anna squinted slyly. \u00abThey\u2019ll come to family dinners and eat the simplest food. No wine for thousands of dollars.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abCruel,\u00bb he laughed.<\/p>\n
\u00abBut fair.\u00bb<\/p>\n
The doorbell rang\u2014it was Marina with a huge cake and a guilty expression.<\/p>\n
\u00abAnya, I\u2019ve been thinking\u2026\u00bb she began her rehearsed speech.<\/p>\n
\u00abCome in,\u00bb Anna interrupted. \u00abWill you have instant coffee?\u00bb<\/p>\n
Marina blinked confusedly, but nodded. And Vadim, watching this, realized: everything will indeed be alright. Because true love isn\u2019t about expensive wine and brand-name things. It\u2019s about the instant coffee you drink with loved ones in a small rental apartment.<\/p>\n
And this was no longer an experiment. This was life.<\/p>\n
Chapter Two Six months have passed since the heiress of the \u00abZakharGroup\u00bb holding revealed her two-year social experiment. Six months since her husband learned that his modest librarian wife could actually buy the entire library along with the building. They reconciled, yes. But Vadim still flinched every time Anna tried to give him a gift.<\/p>\n
In the end, the family moved to a more spacious apartment.<\/p>\n
\u00abI ride the metro, and it suits me,\u00bb he firmly added.<\/p>\n
\u00abOn the metro?\u00bb Elena Petrovna appeared in the garage door. After the \u00abgreat revelation,\u00bb she became a frequent guest in their new apartment. \u00abVadyusha, but that\u2019s not solid! You\u2019re now\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWho am I now, mom?\u00bb he turned sharply. \u00abA rich woman\u2019s husband?\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna winced. Each such conversation was like a punch to the stomach.<\/p>\n
In the evening, she sat in her office, absentmindedly flipping through financial reports. Vadim had gone to the roof\u2014he often was there lately, as if trying to escape from the golden cage he suddenly found himself in.<\/p>\n
There was a knock at the door\u2014it was Kate, her faithful assistant.<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat do you think,\u00bb Anna asked, not taking her eyes off the numbers, \u00abcan you be too generous?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abDepends on who for,\u00bb Kate sat on the edge of the desk. \u00abYou know, my grandmother used to say: \u2018Some people find it easier to forgive an offense than a benefaction.’\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna finally looked up:<\/p>\n
\u00abDo you think he feels\u2026 obligated?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abI think he feels lost. Imagine: he built his path, his career, all his life, and now every second person whispers behind his back\u2014why work if your wife is a millionaire?\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna remembered today\u2019s conversation in the garage. Yes, Vadim had refused the car. But it wasn\u2019t about the price\u2014she saw how his eyes lit up at the sight of the silver sports car. It was about not wanting to be \u00aba rich woman\u2019s husband.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Later that evening, she found him on the roof. Vadim stood at the parapet, looking at the city lights.<\/p>\n
\u00abRemember our first meeting?\u00bb Anna asked, coming closer. \u00abIn the library?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWhen I almost knocked down the shelf with books on quantum mechanics?\u00bb he smiled. \u00abOf course.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abDo you know what I thought then? \u2018Here\u2019s a person who isn\u2019t afraid to ask for help.’\u00bb<\/p>\n
Vadim turned to her:<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat are you getting at?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abThat you\u2019ve changed. Now you\u2019d rather fall off the ladder than ask for support.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abIt\u2019s different,\u00bb he shook his head. \u00abThen I asked for help from an equal. But now\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abNow what?\u00bb her tone pleaded. \u00abDid I suddenly become a different person just because of money?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abNo!\u00bb he ran his hand through his hair. \u00abBut you don\u2019t realize. Every time you try to give me something, I feel\u2026 inadequate. As if I can\u2019t take care of myself. And then there\u2019s your father\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna tensed:<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat interest does dad have here?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abHe offered me a position on the board of directors. Just like that, without experience, solely because I\u2019m his daughter\u2019s husband.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd what\u2019s your answer?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abI said I\u2019d think about it. But we both know\u2014I\u2019ll refuse.\u00bb<\/p>\n
They fell silent. In the distance, cars honked, the wind carried snippets of melodies from a nearby drinking establishment.<\/p>\n
\u00abVadim,\u00bb Anna whispered, \u00abfor two years I pretended to be poor, to meet someone who would love the real me. And now, when I can be myself, you\u2019re preventing it.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat are you talking about?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abThat it\u2019s natural for me to delight my beloved. To share my wealth. Yet you reject every gesture of mine, as if it\u2019s something unworthy.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Vadim put his hand on her shoulder:<\/p>\n
\u00abI want to achieve on my own. Do you understand?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abI understand,\u00bb she leaned against him. \u00abBut know this: you don\u2019t need to prove anything. Not to me, not to my parents. You\u2019ve already proven the most important thing\u2014your ability to love unconditionally.\u00bb<\/p>\n
He snorted:<\/p>\n
\u00abEven if that love was born within an experiment?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abEspecially because of that.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Suddenly, Anna\u2019s vision blurred. She swayed, and Vadim tightened his grip on her:<\/p>\n
\u00abHey, is everything okay?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abYes, just\u2026\u00bb she pondered, listening to herself. \u00abYou know, maybe we should conduct a new experiment.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat kind?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abLet\u2019s see how you handle being a father.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Vadim froze, slowly grasping the meaning of her words.<\/p>\n
Elena Petrovna dropped a cup when she heard the news. Porcelain shattered across the polished parquet, forming a whimsical pattern of shards.<\/p>\n
\u00abPregnant?\u00bb she asked, clutching her chest. \u00abAnd when\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abIn seven months,\u00bb Vadim replied, reaching for a broom. He still ignored the services of a maid, although Anna had offered repeatedly.<\/p>\n
\u00abLord,\u00bb exclaimed the mother, \u00abwe need to prepare urgently! Maternity hospital, stroller, crib\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abI\u2019ll take care of everything myself,\u00bb Vadim declared firmly.<\/p>\n
\u00abOn your earnings?\u00bb Elena Petrovna scoffed disdainfully. \u00abSon, don\u2019t be silly. Anna has all the resources\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
Vadim gripped the broom handle so tightly that his knuckles whitened.<\/p>\n
\u00abYou know what bothers me the most?\u00bb he pondered aloud in bed that evening. \u00abEveryone around thinks I should just relax and let you make decisions.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna gently ran her hand over her barely noticeable belly:<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd what would you like?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abI aspire to\u2026\u00bb he faltered. \u00abI want to be a father, not just an accessory to a wealthy wife. To choose the stroller for our child myself. Even if it\u2019s less functional, at least\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abAt least paid for with your own money?\u00bb Anna finished softly.<\/p>\n
\u00abExactly!\u00bb he sat up in bed. \u00abYou see, I\u2019m not against your wealth. Honestly. But I want our child to know\u2014his dad is also worth something.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna stared thoughtfully at the ceiling. Then she suddenly asked:<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat if we try another approach?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWhich one?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abRemember my project? When I pretended to be a simple librarian? Now let\u2019s do research together.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Vadim raised his eyebrows in surprise:<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat kind?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abI propose we live on your income for nine months. Everything necessary for the child we\u2019ll buy exclusively with the money you earn. My funds will remain a reserve fund.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abAre you serious?\u00bb Vadim looked at her incredulously. \u00abAnd what about\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abThe maternity hospital? Governess? Prestigious child center?\u00bb Anna smiled. \u00abMom gave birth to me in an ordinary medical institution. And nothing, turned out quite decent.\u00bb<\/p>\n
The news of the \u00abpregnancy research,\u00bb as Kate dubbed it, caused a stir.<\/p>\n
\u00abYou\u2019ve lost your mind!\u00bb Anna\u2019s father protested over the phone. \u00abIn your condition\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abIn my condition, many women in Russia live on their husbands\u2019 incomes, dad.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abBut you\u2019re not an ordinary woman! You\u2019re my daughter!\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abThat\u2019s exactly why I want to do this,\u00bb Anna declared firmly. \u00abSo our child knows: his parents can handle any difficulties, even without millions.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Marina, Vadim\u2019s sister, reacted differently:<\/p>\n
\u00abCan I also participate in the research?\u00bb she asked, blushing. \u00abKolya and I\u2026 Well, we\u2019re also going to be parents soon.\u00bb<\/p>\n
So their \u00abproject\u00bb unexpectedly gained new participants. Marina and Kolya also decided to refuse family financial support. Elena Petrovna was beside herself:<\/p>\n
\u00abHave you both gone mad?! Two pregnant women and both pretending to be I don\u2019t know who!\u00bb<\/p>\n
But gradually, amazing changes began to happen. Vadim and Kolya, young programmers, created an app for new parents\u2014with recommendations on where to find inexpensive children\u2019s goods, how to save on purchases, what documents are needed to receive various benefits. Orders flowed like a river.<\/p>\n
Anna watched her husband with quiet pride. He seemed to blossom, realizing that he could provide for his family on his own, without anyone\u2019s help.<\/p>\n
\u00abYou know what\u2019s funny?\u00bb she told Kate one day. \u00abEveryone thinks I\u2019m doing this for Vadim. It seems I\u2019m doing it for myself.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat do you mean?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abAll my life, I\u2019ve been \u2018the daughter of wealthy parents.\u2019 Then I turned into \u2018the poor librarian.\u2019 Now I\u2019m back to being \u2018the wealthy heiress.\u2019 But I just want to be\u2026 a regular expectant mother, who goes to the consultation and patiently waits her turn for an ultrasound.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Kate shook her head:<\/p>\n
\u00abYou\u2019re incorrigible. Always starting some research.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abBut this time it\u2019s honest,\u00bb Anna smiled, stroking her noticeably rounded belly. \u00abAnd you know what? I think this research has pleased all its participants.\u00bb<\/p>\n
In the pocket of her simple dress, she kept another printout from the women\u2019s consultation. And among the blurred spots and numbers, a little secret was hidden, which she hadn\u2019t even told Vadim yet.<\/p>\n
On the ultrasound, two tiny silhouettes were clearly visible.<\/p>\n
\u00abTwins?\u00bb Vadim collapsed on the floor in the maternity hospital corridor, leaning against the wall. \u00abSo\u2026 two?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abIt happens,\u00bb smiled the midwife, handing him a glass of water. \u00abNot the first such reaction.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna watched her husband from a wheelchair. Contractions started suddenly, earlier than expected. She was just filling out a form for their \u00abresearch\u00bb app when she realized\u2014it was time.<\/p>\n
\u00abHoney,\u00bb she called him. \u00abYou wanted to be a full-fledged father? Here\u2019s your chance to double down.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Vadim looked up at her, stunned:<\/p>\n
\u00abYou knew?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abThree months already.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd you kept silent?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abI wanted to make it a birthday present, but our little girls decided otherwise.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Elena Petrovna rushed over in half an hour, loaded with bags.<\/p>\n
\u00abI told you!\u00bb she lamented, pulling out various jars and boxes. \u00abYou should have prepared in advance! And you with your research\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abMom,\u00bb Vadim interrupted, \u00abwe\u2019re all set.\u00bb<\/p>\n
He pulled out his phone and opened a spreadsheet. It detailed all the expenses for the past months: a stroller (used, but perfect), a crib, diapers, clothes\u2026<\/p>\n
\u00abAll this was covered just by your salary?\u00bb the mother asked incredulously.<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd not just by the salary,\u00bb Vadim smiled. \u00abOur app for parents is already generating a good income. Kolya and I even rented an office.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Anna closed her eyes, enduring a new wave of pain. She remembered how Vadim came home disheveled and happy a month ago.<\/p>\n
\u00abImagine,\u00bb he said, \u00aban investor showed interest in us! Ready to buy a controlling stake for\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
He named a sum that could stun anyone. Anna just smiled\u2014she was used to such figures from childhood.<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd what did you say?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abTold him we\u2019d think about it. But you know\u2026 I think Kolya and I can handle it on our own.\u00bb<\/p>\n
The childbirth turned out to be difficult. Anna thrashed in delirium, the twins were positioned incorrectly, doctors mentioned something about an emergency\u2026<\/p>\n
She woke up already in the ward. Through half-closed eyelids, she saw Vadim\u2014he was sitting between two cribs, whispering something.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u2026and then your mom set up the most elaborate project in the world. Pretended to be poor, can you believe that? And I fell for it,\u00bb he smiled. \u00abThough you know what? I\u2019d fall for it again. Because thanks to that project, I realized the most important thing\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd what\u2019s that?\u00bb Anna whispered.<\/p>\n
Vadim turned around:<\/p>\n
\u00abAh, you\u2019re awake?\u00bb he approached the bed. \u00abHow are you feeling?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abFine. So, what did you realize?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abThat true wealth isn\u2019t capital,\u00bb he caressed her cheek. \u00abIt\u2019s the opportunity to be yourself. You gave me that opportunity twice. First when you pretended to be poor, and then when you agreed to live on my salary.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abTechnically, it was my idea,\u00bb Anna smiled.<\/p>\n
\u00abTechnically, I still love you.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Some time later, noise erupted in the corridor\u2014a support group arrived, led by Marina, with a huge belly, leaning on Kolya. Elena Petrovna with yet another set of bags. Kate with a laptop\u2014\u00bbjust in case there\u2019s urgent work.\u00bb Even Anna\u2019s father showed up, although he continued to grumble about \u00abthese strange research projects.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWow,\u00bb Marina gasped, peering into the cribs. \u00abThey\u2019re so tiny!\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abBut there are two of them,\u00bb joked Kolya.<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat will you name them?\u00bb Elena Petrovna inquired.<\/p>\n
Anna exchanged a look with her husband:<\/p>\n
\u00abWe\u2019re thinking\u2026 Faith and Hope.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWhy not Love?\u00bb Kate was surprised.<\/p>\n
\u00abBecause we already have love,\u00bb Vadim replied. \u00abAnd faith in ourselves and hope for the best\u2014that\u2019s what all these research projects have taught us.\u00bb<\/p>\n
A month later, they returned home.<\/p>\n
Anna sat in a chair, feeding one of the daughters, when the phone rang. It was a representative of a major investment firm.<\/p>\n
\u00abMrs. Zakharova? We\u2019re interested in your husband\u2019s app. We\u2019d like to discuss the possibility\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abSorry,\u00bb Anna interrupted, smiling, \u00abbut for all financing questions, please contact the project\u2019s creator. I\u2019m not involved. I\u2019m just\u2026 a happy wife and mother.\u00bb<\/p>\n
She hung up and looked at her daughter. The little girl was already asleep, snuffling in her sleep. From the office came Vadim\u2019s voice\u2014he was discussing an app update with Kolya.<\/p>\n
\u00abProject completed,\u00bb Anna thought. \u00abConclusions? Love isn\u2019t measured by money. Happiness doesn\u2019t depend on the size of a bank account. And true wealth is the opportunity to be yourself and allow others to be themselves.\u00bb<\/p>\n
The main values were here\u2014in the nursery crib, in the voice of her husband from the next room, in the simple wedding ring on her finger.<\/p>\n
And no more projects were needed to prove that.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dear, you can\u2019t even imagine who I really am,\u00bb Anna whispered quietly, looking at the ceiling. \u00abYou are better than anyone for me,\u00bb Vadim mumbled sleepily, hugging his wife. If only he knew how prophetic these words would turn out to be. Anna smiled faintly, remembering how it all began. How she, the daughter of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2718,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5377","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-random-stuff"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/buzzfeednews.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5377","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/buzzfeednews.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/buzzfeednews.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buzzfeednews.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buzzfeednews.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5377"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/buzzfeednews.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5377\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5378,"href":"http:\/\/buzzfeednews.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5377\/revisions\/5378"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buzzfeednews.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2718"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/buzzfeednews.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5377"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buzzfeednews.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5377"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buzzfeednews.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5377"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}