There’s a belief that when a girl gets married and changes her last name, her destiny, her habits, and even her character change. It’s hard to know how true this is.

But with Sarah, it happened exactly like that. Always determined, cheerful, and determined, Sarah, after meeting her future husband, suddenly began to change. But that would come a little later.

Let’s start with how the protagonists met. Sarah came to the big city from a small rural town with the dream of training to become a chef. Above all, Sarah loved and knew how to cook.

After graduating from high school, she didn’t apply immediately. At that time, her mother became seriously ill, and Sarah stayed behind to help her father with household chores and care for her two younger brothers. Fortunately, her mother recovered, and two years later, Sarah moved from the small town to the city.

But she didn’t get in the first time. The girl was very upset, but she wasn’t going to give up. She had some money to start with.

Sarah rented a room in the apartment of a kind elderly woman and began looking for work. Without an education, there was virtually no chance of finding a decent job. But perseverance and luck also helped her in this regard.

She got a job as a waitress in a private bakery, watching the creation and decoration of various cakes. There, she met Olivia, another girl from a small town, who worked as a waitress like Sarah. They became friends and agreed to rent an apartment together.

A month later, they moved into a small one-bedroom apartment right next to the bakery. Sarah loved the independent life, despite the lack of money. She wasn’t going to give up and dreamed of fulfilling her dream.

One day, she would open her own restaurant so her parents would be proud of their daughter. One day, a young man walked into her bakery and immediately caught both of their eyes. “Look, how handsome he came in,” Olivia said, nudging her friend.

“Solid, how important.” Sarah looked at the stranger indifferently. “Olivia, guys like that aren’t for us. Be realistic.”

“Why don’t you believe in the Cinderella story?” her friend smiled, looking dreamily at the man who was currently choosing a cake. “I really don’t. That story was made up so all kinds of fools would believe it.”

“But we’re not stupid, are we?” Sarah asked or affirmed. “Well, I don’t know. We’re not stupid, of course, but it’s nice to believe in a fairy tale.”

“What if…?” The man turned and looked in her direction. Olivia blushed deeply at once, and Sarah walked confidently toward the man. “Perhaps you would like a coffee?” she offered the visitor.

“Do you have good coffee?” the man asked in a pleasant, hypnotic voice. “It’s good, many people praise it,” Sarah replied calmly. “And do you like it personally?” “I don’t like coffee much, more tea.”

“How about a little dessert? I love sweets. I can’t help it,” Sarah admitted sincerely. “And aren’t you afraid of ruining your figure?” the surprised stranger asked, staring at the girl.

—It’s the first time I’ve seen a girl who loves sweets and talks about it sincerely. But I always speak sincerely; I don’t know how to lie. A very rare quality, especially in a modern girl.

You’ve surprised me. And why lie? Sooner or later, the lie will come out, and then it will be worse. I prefer to tell the truth right away, so I don’t have to blush later.

Simply incredible. You should be on the Endangered Species Act list. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were the only one with that status,” the man said with a smile.

That smile made Sarah uncomfortable for some reason. She felt a little embarrassed, and the man noticed. You’re shy too.

It’s hard to surprise me, but you’ve definitely managed to do it. What’s your name? Sarah. Is that your full name or an abbreviation for something like Angelina or Carolina? No, it’s your full name.

Nice to meet you, Sarah. My name’s Kyle. And he extended his hand…

Sarah was completely confused. She wasn’t used to shaking hands with men, but Kyle kept extending his, and the situation was getting awkward. Sarah hesitantly extended her hand in return…

Kyle took her hand, turned it slightly, palm up, leaned in, and kissed it. Sarah, who had never been in a relationship with a man before, was completely confused and pulled her hand away abruptly. “Did I offend you?” Kyle panicked.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. You’re a unique girl, and out of respect for such an unusual girl, I wanted to kiss your hand. It’s okay, everything’s fine, you didn’t offend me.” Sarah blushed.

At that moment, Kyle was brought the box containing the cake he had chosen. He thanked the vendor and, as he left, said, “I’m not saying goodbye, Sarah. I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”

“I’d really like to talk to you a little longer. Goodbye, come back soon,” Sarah replied seriously and sat down in an empty chair. “Sarah, what was that?” Olivia quickly approached her.

“What are you doing? You can’t talk to customers for that long. You’re lucky Mrs. Andrews isn’t here, or you’d be fine. I don’t understand why I approached him,” Sarah said, confused.

“No, it’s understandable. With such a handsome guy, I’d talk to him too. I didn’t even think about that; my legs carried me, some nonsense. How interesting, maybe it’s fate?” Olivia asked.

Olivia, what fate? Look at me and remember what I look like. And find at least three common traits. Well, you know, anything can happen in life.

“What if…? What if…? What if…? If you’re born into a certain social circle, it’s almost impossible to break out of it,” Sarah commented philosophically. “Well, I categorically disagree with that,” Olivia countered.

“And what about famous athletes, actors who came from poor families and now live in abundance? I don’t know,” Sarah said sincerely, “they just got lucky. Well, at least you believe in luck, how nice,” Olivia said conciliatoryly. “Then let’s hope that one day we’ll get lucky too.”

Until the end of the workday, Sarah thought constantly about Kyle. She didn’t understand what captivated her so much about him and why she couldn’t get her thoughts off him and focus on something else. The next day, Sarah had a day off and planned to sleep in for the entire upcoming workweek.

But it didn’t work. Around ten in the morning, a call woke Sarah. Yes, she answered sleepily into the receiver.

“Are you still sleeping?” she heard Olivia’s voice. “And someone came for you.” “Who came?” Sarah couldn’t understand, sleepy as she was.

—Where did they come from? —Damn, Sarah, wake up already! That cute guy from yesterday is asking for you. He came right this morning.

Sarah jumped out of bed. “Kyle came?” I couldn’t believe it. “Yeah, I’m telling you, he’s asking for you.”

What should I say? — I don’t know. — Sarah was confused. — Did you tell him it’s my day off? — Of course you did.

“Is he asking for your phone number?” “Give it to him.” “Okay, then wait for the call.” Olivia smiled and hung up.

Sarah was running around the apartment like a bee. She was so excited she didn’t know what to do. And then another call rang…

The number was unfamiliar, and Sarah immediately realized it was Kyle. Somehow, controlling her excitement, she answered. “Yes.”

“Good morning, Sarah,” Kyle said calmly. “Good morning.” “I’m Kyle.”

“I figured as much.” Sarah didn’t know what to say. “How are you?” the man asked.

— Everything’s fine, thank you. And you? — And I have a problem, and only you can help me. — What happened? — Sarah got really scared.

“You see, I met this amazing girl. I went to her job, and she’s not working today. What do you think? Is this a sign that we need to spend time together, or, on the contrary, that we shouldn’t be seeing each other?” Sarah smiled.

It was incredibly pleasurable for her to hear those words from a man. In her inexperience, she sincerely believed in the truth of those words. And, like any woman, she wanted to hear them again and again.

“I think it’s the first option,” the girl said with a smile. “Really? Do you really think so?” “Yes.” “How long do you need to get ready?” “I can do it in an hour.”

—Great. Where do I pick you up? —Where? —Sarah didn’t understand. —I’m in the car.

Where do I pick you up? “Oh, meet me at the park,” Sarah suggested. “I’m about a ten-minute walk from the park.” “Why walk when there’s a car?” Kyle was surprised.

“I like walking.” “Great. Let’s go to the park together in the car and then go for a walk,” Kyle insisted.

“Okay, then pick me up near number eight Elm Street,” Sarah conceded. “Deal. I’ll meet you near the house in an hour,” Kyle said, and hung up.

Sarah hung up the phone and looked at herself in the mirror. “How am I going to get ready in an hour?” she asked her reflection. “What was I thinking when I said ‘an hour’? And what should I wear? Am I only wearing jeans?” The girl sighed sadly and called her friend…

— Olivia, tell me, what should I wear for a walk in the park? — Did he ask you out on a date? — Olivia couldn’t believe it. — Wow! What a surprise! — Olivia, I don’t have much time, only an hour for everything. Can you suggest what I should wear? — Well, let’s think about it.

You don’t have many clothes. Put on some jeans and take my blue shirt out of the closet. It’s not cheap; my aunt brought it from Italy.

It’ll look great with jeans. And don’t forget to do your hair and light makeup. Too bad I’m working.

I’d help you. — And can’t you run home for half an hour? I can’t manage without you. — I’ll try to fix it with Katie now.

“It’s not very busy in the morning,” Olivia agreed. “As long as Mrs. Andrews isn’t here, she’ll cover for me. Just wait.”

Olivia rushed home fifteen minutes later. By then, Sarah was already dressed. All that was left was to do her makeup and hair.

Olivia combed her friend’s hair, gently applying mascara and lip gloss. “Sarah, you have such thick eyelashes, every girl’s dream,” Olivia said with a hint of envy. “I have, like, three on each eyelid.”

Sarah was, without a doubt, a very pretty girl. A little above average, with curves, shoulder-length dark hair, bright green eyes, and small, full lips. Her figure wouldn’t have suited a model, of course, but men really liked those girls…

Admittedly, Sarah didn’t know this, as she hadn’t had that experience. To be fair, male visitors often complimented her and tried to show her attention. But Sarah ignored all the comments directed at her and the offers to have coffee or go to the movies together.

She didn’t take anyone seriously. She still didn’t understand what attracted her to Kyle enough to pay attention to him. “Well, that’s it, friend, you can go woo your suitor,” Olivia said with a smile.

“How darling?” Sarah didn’t understand. “Sir, when are you going to start hanging around with men? You’re almost 21, it’s time to start. Especially the first time with a man like that isn’t the worst option, I assure you.”

“What are you talking about?” Sarah couldn’t understand what her friend was saying. “You’re from another planet, really. About intimacy, of course, what else?” Olivia was indignant.

Sarah blushed so much that her friend even got scared. “Oh, how shy we are! You’re about to boil with embarrassment, you’re all red.”

Sarah, it’s a normal part of life, absolutely natural. Sarah stood in the hallway and looked at herself in the mirror. Her excitement grew.

There were no more than ten minutes left until the meeting. “Maybe I shouldn’t go?” Sarah asked her friend. “Why do I need this?” “Don’t be silly, go while he calls.”

Olivia, this seems silly. Well, where is he and where am I? We’re different. My God, is he proposing to you? No? Go away, it’s time.

You shouldn’t keep a man waiting too long. Well, I’m off. I’ll call you later when I get home.

Sarah pulled out of the driveway, looked around, but didn’t see Kyle. She was a little annoyed and thought he probably hadn’t come, but changed her mind. But suddenly, one of the car doors opened, and Kyle appeared, followed by a huge bouquet of flowers.

The man walked confidently toward Sarah. “Hi,” Kyle said, handing the bouquet to the girl. “This is for you, to brighten your day.”

Sarah was confused. First, no one had given her flowers. Second, she couldn’t imagine walking through the park with such a large bouquet.

“Good morning, thank you.” She took the flowers and pressed them against her, as if someone might take them away. The bouquet was enormous and comprised of different types.

This mix of varieties emanated an incredible aroma. “I’ll take the bouquet home,” Sarah asked. “Why?” Kyle didn’t understand.

“Why? So it doesn’t wilt? That would be a shame for a bouquet like that.” Kyle laughed. “It won’t wilt.”

And if so, we’ll buy a new one. “No need, I like this one. Can I take it home quickly?” Sarah asked.

Kyle was impressed by such simplicity and frugality. He’d never seen a girl react that way to flowers, but he realized that if he didn’t agree, Sarah would get angry and moody. And if the bouquet really wilted, it would be a tragedy for her.

“Okay, take it, I’ll wait for you.” Sarah went up to the apartment, put the flowers in a vase of water, and quickly went downstairs. “Thank you,” she said upon returning.

“For what?” “For the luxurious bouquet and for waiting for my return.” Kyle said nothing, just smiled. They drove to the park in silence.

Each of them was thinking about their own thing. Sarah, what would she talk about with Kyle while they were walking? What would you talk about with a man on a date like this? And if he tried to kiss her, or worse, started flirting with her, what would she do then? She wouldn’t scream across the park. The girl was very worried.

Her concern was so evident that Kyle, looking at her, smiled involuntarily. He was sure those pure, naive girls no longer existed, and that this treasure lay here. She definitely hadn’t been with anyone; it was pure luck.

On the other hand, though, she doesn’t know anything and definitely won’t let me near her anytime soon. Well, for this, I can wait.” Kyle smiled thoughtfully. They arrived at the park.

Sarah got out of the car herself, which surprised Kyle once again. “I could have helped you,” he smiled. “But I’m not sick. I can get out on my own. Everything’s fine.”

He smiled again, but didn’t say anything. They walked around the park for an hour. Then Kyle suggested lunch at a nearby cafe…

“I don’t want to eat,” Sarah lied, even though she hadn’t even had time to eat breakfast. She was worried she wouldn’t have enough money for the cafeteria, and payday was still four days away. “Sarah, I’m really hungry, and I didn’t have time for breakfast today, and I’ll soon pass out from hunger,” Kyle lied without a second thought.

She could tell the girl was dreading having to pay, and it was obvious she was short on money. “Let’s do this. Since I’m the one who’s hungry, I’ll pay for lunch.” Sarah started to protest, but Kyle stopped her. “No, I don’t want to hear anything.”

You have your principles, I have mine. I’m buying you lunch, so I’m paying. If you want to buy me lunch, you pay.

Deal? “Okay,” Sarah relented, also eager to eat. They went into the cafeteria, which turned out to be quite expensive. Fearing that Sarah might refuse to eat after seeing the prices on the menu, Kyle took charge of ordering lunch.

—I eat here sometimes, so I know exactly what to order. He lied again. Will you trust my taste? Do you have any special preferences? Fish, meat, chicken? —No, no preferences.

I’m not picky, and I’ll eat whatever I’m given. The important thing is that it’s delicious. “Sarah, you’re a treasure,” Kyle said sincerely.

He placed the order, set the menu aside, and looked closely at Sarah. “Sarah, I have a suggestion: let’s talk about you.” Sarah felt embarrassed, as if Kyle had suggested kissing right there.

“I don’t know,” the girl said timidly. “You’re probably fine with it.” “What’s wrong with me? Why am I mumbling? I can talk normally.”

Why am I afraid of him? Or not? What’s wrong?—it crossed Sarah’s mind.—Great, it’s more comfortable to communicate this way. Tell me about yourself—Kyle asked.

Sarah said she came from a small town to apply for the position, but she didn’t get the job. She talked about her parents and siblings, how she had recently arrived in the city and hadn’t yet settled in well. “It’s hard in a big city after being in a small town.”

“They’re all like strangers, they’re all angry,” the girl admitted. “But I’m slowly getting used to it.” “Yes,” Kyle agreed.

— A big city is a struggle for survival. What do you do? — And me? I work for a freight forwarding company. We work all over the country and abroad.

“So what do you do?” “Assistant General Manager of Personnel Management,” Kyle said with a smile. “Nice, catchy title. I actually work directly with the staff.”

Hiring, firing, etc. But I like my job. It’s always difficult working with people, of course, but there’s no need to do anything about it; it’s my decision.

And the CEO is my godfather, so I have no problems with the company’s management. — Great. And my godfather died when I was three.

And my godmother left about eight years ago and doesn’t communicate with us. She married a German and now lives in Germany. — I’m sorry.

Well, that’s life, it happens. They sat for about two hours, ate, and talked. Sarah found him very interesting, felt comfortable with Kyle, and his voice was hypnotic.

Then Kyle suggested they walk a little further through the park, and Sarah gladly agreed. She didn’t want to go home, let alone be separated from Kyle. But they had to separate anyway.

Kyle received a call from work and had to cut short his walk. He drove Sarah home and promised to call her that evening. Sarah didn’t walk, she flew.

She loved communicating with Kyle. As soon as she waited for her friend to return from work, Sarah told Olivia about their entire conversation, minute by minute, without missing a single detail. Olivia looked at her in surprise.

“Are you in love with him, friend?” “Don’t be silly, I just enjoyed talking to him.” Sarah was embarrassed, afraid to admit that Olivia was right. “It’s not silly, it’s true, you’re beaming with happiness.” The phone rang, it was Kyle…

Sarah looked at her friend and went into her bedroom. Olivia came in several times to call Sarah for dinner, but it was as if she hadn’t noticed her. She was completely absorbed in her conversation with Kyle.

This continued for several weeks. When Sarah had a day off, they would walk, go to the movies, visit cafes, and visit exhibitions. During the week, they would talk on the phone for hours.

Sarah practically dissolved into her beloved. She realized Olivia was right, and she was hopelessly in love. The long weekends were approaching.

Sarah had three in a row. Kyle suggested they go out of the city to his country house for the three days. Sarah was eager, but very afraid.

“Olivia, I don’t know how to do anything. I’m sure she’ll drag me down, well, you know.” “It’s weird she hasn’t done it yet,” her friend smiled.

— And about “I don’t know and I don’t know how,” don’t worry, your intuition will tell you. Or your Kyle, he certainly knows. — Damn, when you talk about that, I die laughing.

It’s very personal. — Come on, we all have more or less the same thing, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s all natural.

Sarah left, and Olivia genuinely worried about her friend. She fully understood that much of Sarah and Kyle’s relationship would depend on these weekends. Sarah returned happier than before the trip.

Olivia immediately started asking how everything was going. “I really liked it. I was really shy at first, but then Kyle explained to me that there’s no need to be, that we’re the closest people now, and it will always be that way.”

The last sentence alerted Olivia. “In what sense will it always be like this? Does he have relationships with everyone he’s slept with? Or did he tell you that you’re his one and only?” “No, he said he’s had girls before me, but I’m exactly the one he’s been looking for his whole life.” “Interesting, of course,” Olivia commented, but didn’t say anything else so as not to ruin her friend’s euphoria.

But Kyle’s words didn’t sit well with Olivia, as if there was something false about them. “So how old is Kyle?” “Thirty-one, why?” “Nothing, just curious. So you’re ten years apart?” “Yes, but it’s not noticeable at all.”

You know, it’s so… Sarah started listing all the positive adjectives she could remember and invent about Kyle. Olivia listened and fell silent. “What’s going on here? I don’t understand.”

Such a solid man, single at thirty-one… Well, it’s fine, but for such a man to confess his love after just a couple of weeks and say he can’t live without a woman was somewhat dubious, especially considering Sarah is from a small town and, to put it mildly, doesn’t fit her status. It was on Olivia’s mind. But she still didn’t say anything to Sarah. First of all, Sarah definitely wouldn’t share her doubts…

Secondly, she’s in love, and in that state, it’s completely useless to try to explain anything. Two weeks passed. On another day off, Sarah called Olivia at work and screamed into the phone.

“Olivia, he proposed.” “Already?” Olivia couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “So fast?” “Yes, he gave me a ring and a huge bouquet and proposed to me.”

“I suppose you agreed, right?” Olivia summarized. “Sure, Olivia, can you imagine? I’ll be his wife.” “It’s hard to imagine, really.”

“Come on, you’re just jealous of me. After all, you liked him at first sight too.” “That was offensive,” Olivia said.

—I never envy anyone. If they chose you for a reason, that’s how it should be. And there’s nothing to envy here.

I can only be glad you’re lucky. “If you’re lucky,” Olivia thought. But of course, she didn’t say it out loud.

“Well, I’m sorry, I’m just a little sensitive. I know you don’t envy me,” Sarah tried to smooth things over. “So when’s the wedding?” Olivia skipped the apology.

“We want to get married on August 28th.” “The 28th? That’s in two weeks.” Olivia was completely stunned.

What’s the rush? — Kyle likes this date. It’s nice. Twenty-eight, zero eight.

— Yes, discussion. — Parents? — I need to meet the parents. — Kyle doesn’t have parents; they’re dead.

Her father was a long time ago, her mother three years ago. For her part, just her godfather with his wife and daughter. “And can you introduce me to yours?” Olivia clarified just in case.

—Sure. On Friday, my day off, we’ll go to my parents’ house in the village. —At least call your parents and let them know you’re coming with your fiancé.

—I already called. They’re surprised, of course, but happy for me. — Then, fine.

“Sarah, I’m sorry, I can’t talk right now. A lot of people have come in,” Olivia lied, not wanting to continue the conversation. Everything that was happening was disturbing her.

But Olivia didn’t believe Kyle’s feelings were sincere. Something wasn’t right. Only Olivia couldn’t figure out exactly what it was.

Why does he need Sarah? How and where can he use her? He’s not such a big businessman that he’d register something in his name. Besides, the business isn’t his, but his godfather’s. Or maybe not? Maybe he’s cheating on Sarah? How to figure all this out? Olivia thought, but she couldn’t find any answers to her questions.

Sarah went with Kyle to the small town to introduce her future husband to her family. When she returned, she was very upset. “How did it go?” her friend asked from the doorway.

“Not much,” Sarah admitted, tears in her eyes. “Why? Didn’t your parents like Kyle?” Olivia wasn’t surprised at all. Naturally, parents usually have good intuition about suitors and girlfriends.

“Apparently, they also sensed the insincerity of his attitude toward Sarah,” Olivia thought. “Yes, especially Dad. We almost argued.” Sarah was already crying.

“And what did he say? Did he explain his attitude in any way?” Olivia probed. “He told me privately that, first, he’s much older, and second, he proposed to her too soon. And something’s wrong.”

“So what’s going on? What? Isn’t it normal for a man to meet his wife, fall in love, and want to marry her? I’m not some rich bride who’ll marry me for a dowry. So what’s the catch?” Olivia looked at her friend in silence, not daring to comment on what she heard. Sarah looked at her intently, wiped her tears, and suddenly asked, “What’s the catch?”

“You were the one who warned them, right?” “Who?” Olivia honestly didn’t understand. “My parents.” “Warned them about what?” Olivia was still puzzled.

—Kyle’s up to something, and it’s too soon for us to get married. —Are you serious? First, I don’t know your parents. Second, I would never do that; it’s your life and your decision.

“Yeah, sure. You could have checked their number, called, and said a bunch of nonsense; otherwise, why did they take it so badly?” “Can you explain it to me?” Sarah was getting furious and very angry. “I’ll answer you, but only once, out of respect for our friendship…”

I didn’t call your parents, I don’t snoop on other people’s phones, and I don’t blatantly pry into other people’s lives, not even my friends’, especially because it might ruin their own. As for your parents and their opinion of Kyle, oddly enough, I understand. If even I understand that your Kyle is using you, then for those who have lived longer than me, it’s obvious.

“And how do you think he’s using me?” “I don’t know. That’s what bothers me. But I, like your parents, don’t believe in the sincerity of his feelings, forgive me.”

—Great, I understand everything. You’re jealous of me. My parents lived their whole lives in that little town and didn’t see anything good.

They’re jealous that I live a luxurious life, go to restaurants, wear expensive clothes, and travel to other countries, and you’re jealous for the same reason. You’ve never had a man like that, so you’re slandering Kyle. You want us to break up and for him to continue living with you.

Well, too bad, you’re not going to wait. I’m not going to leave Kyle because I love him and I’ll prove them all wrong. Sarah flew out of the kitchen.

Olivia heard her call Kyle. “Kyle, I have a problem. I had an argument with my roommate and I don’t have a place to live.”

Kyle was saying something to her, and from his replies, Olivia realized her friend was already packing. “Yes, honey, okay. I’ll have half an hour to pack, and I’ll wait for you.”

Olivia decided to try reasoning with her friend one last time. “Sarah, listen to me. You’re making a mistake.”

Don’t go with him. You’ll be completely dependent on him. Stay here.

I won’t say another word to you. — Why? So you can ruin my dress before the wedding? No, thank you. I have somewhere to go, someone to look after me…

If you don’t understand or accept it, that’s your problem. I’ll handle everything myself. Or rather, not myself, but with my loving husband. Quickly stuffing her things into a bag, Sarah put on a sports jacket, grabbed her backpack, and slammed the door behind her, leaving the apartment.

Olivia sat on the edge of the couch and cried. She felt hurt. She tried her best to help Sarah, helped her with her work, supported her, and in return, she received a strange gratitude.

“Let her do what she wants. After all, she’s an adult and should be responsible for what she does,” Olivia decided, and went to the kitchen to make dinner. The next day, Sarah arrived at work, wrote her resignation, gathered her things, and left without saying a word to her friend.

Olivia was in shock. Two years passed. Sarah’s home life was disastrous and strange from the start.

That night, when Kyle picked up Sarah and her things from the rented apartment, he took her home. But it suddenly turned out that his cousin, Anna, was living in the house with him. The girl was clearly spoiled, arrogant, and unhappy with Sarah’s arrival.

At first, Sarah tried to befriend her future husband’s sister, but to no avail. Anna didn’t contact her; she also constantly mocked Sarah. After the wedding, which her parents didn’t even attend, Sarah tried to talk to Kyle about the possibility of Anna moving out.

However, the newlywed was adamantly opposed. “Look, Anna will be living with us, and that’s out of the question. I have no other relatives, and she found herself in a difficult situation, and I promised to help her.”

“But we don’t get along with her. Is that a reason to kick a family member out on the street?” “I didn’t say that. We could rent her an apartment, for example,” Sarah tried to convince her husband.

“What if we have a big house with room for everyone?” Kyle began to get angry. “Let’s get this over with. The house is mine, and I decide who lives in it.”

Sarah didn’t bring up the subject again; she didn’t see the point. But the oddness didn’t end there. The strangest thing was that Kyle didn’t sleep with Sarah, but in a separate room.

He sometimes visited his young wife, but he never stayed overnight. He came, fulfilled his marital duty, and went to his room. At first, Sarah tried to figure out why he did this.

But Kyle said he couldn’t stand someone sleeping next to him, and Sarah accepted his position. And over time, she grew accustomed to her husband’s quirk. Overall, Kyle changed a lot after the wedding.

He became completely different, cold, unfeeling, and somewhat alien. He forbade Sarah not only from working but also from studying. “You should stay home, keep things tidy, cook, clean, and wait for me when I get off work.”

And most importantly, giving birth to my son.” That’s exactly what Kyle said the day after the wedding. “Working, let alone going to school, is pointless.”

“I’ll support you and our children.” Sarah was in shock. Where had that caring, loving, and romantic Kyle she’d met a few months earlier gone? And why couldn’t he work or study? After all, when she complained about failing her exams, he supported her and assured her that he would definitely help her study.

But Sarah immediately understood that arguing with Kyle was pointless and simply accepted his terms. About a year after the wedding, Kyle began pressuring Sarah to have a child. “Honey, I’m not twenty anymore, I want kids.”

But I don’t just want to be a father; I also want to wait for my son to grow up, become independent, get married, and give me grandchildren. What’s going on? Why aren’t you getting pregnant? “I don’t know,” Sarah said sincerely, not understanding why she hadn’t gotten pregnant yet. “I think you need to go to the doctor and get checked out.”

“Okay, I’m going.” The visit to the doctor didn’t affect the situation at all. They examined Sarah and said she had no health problems.

“Your husband needs a checkup too. Sometimes men can’t have children.” Sarah told Kyle about it, but he got really angry.

“I was at the doctor’s, everything’s fine, I can have children. Which clinic were you at?” “The one you sent me to,” Sarah said, frightened. “And you’re okay?” Kyle didn’t believe it.

“Yeah, everything’s fine, I can have kids.” “So why aren’t you pregnant yet?” Kyle got even angrier. “I don’t know.”

“Obviously you don’t know. And what did the doctor say?” “He said it’s okay, that we have to try and wait.” “Okay, we’ll wait.”

It’s worth mentioning that Kyle wasn’t always so irritable and angry. No, he gave Sarah gifts, took her to restaurants, various events, and social gatherings. But his sister was always with them everywhere…

And if Kyle brought his wife a bouquet of flowers, he gave the exact same one to Anna. If he gave her jewelry, Anna received the same thing. At first, Sarah was surprised, then outraged, but then she got used to it and stopped paying attention.

For the next year, Sarah concentrated on a possible pregnancy, but the miracle didn’t happen. Kyle grew increasingly angry, until finally he couldn’t stand it and sought out a professor who was supposed to help them. The visit to the professor didn’t improve the situation; quite the opposite.

The professor recommended compatibility testing. “Sometimes it happens that both spouses are healthy, but they can’t conceive a child,” the professor explained. “And do you know why? Because they simply don’t complement each other.”

Yes, the percentage of couples like this is small, around 7%, but it still happens. So let’s get you tested and then continue the conversation. And how long have you been married? “Almost two years,” Kyle replied.

“Oh, my God! Why raise the alarm now? Live for your own pleasure for a couple more years, because when a child is born, you certainly won’t have time for yourselves.” “We’ll decide when to raise the alarm,” Kyle replied rather rudely. The professor glanced at him sideways, but didn’t react to his outburst.

“Take the tests, then we’ll continue,” he said calmly and formally. A couple of days later, Kyle and Sarah returned to the appointment with the professor, where an unpleasant surprise awaited them. “Young people, I have some bad news for you, unfortunately,” the professor began, directly addressing the main point.

“We did the test and found out they can’t have children.” “Who?” the couple asked in unison. “Both of them, or rather, together…”

With other couples, yes, but not with each other. There’s a total incompatibility. Unfortunately, no one can help you with this matter.

“You can’t waste time and money on tests and visits to other doctors. Unfortunately, it won’t work.” Kyle was furious, and Sarah was shocked.

For some reason, she felt the professor’s words sound like a death sentence. She shuddered and looked at her husband. The expression on his face didn’t bode well.

Kyle grabbed Sarah’s hand and dragged her toward the hallway. “Kyle, it hurts,” Sarah complained. He let go of her hand and looked her straight in the eyes.

“Do you understand what this means?” she hissed. “Yes, unfortunately, we can’t have children. But we can try other options,” Sarah tried to smooth things over.

“What else?” Kyle asked delicately and mockingly. “I don’t know yet, but medicine doesn’t stop. Perhaps there’s a way out of our situation?” “Are you really stupid, or do you have such a peculiar sense of humor? What way out of our situation? They told you clearly.”

No one can help you. What do you think? “So what do I do now?” Sarah asked, frightened. “I think the answer is obvious: divorce.”

Kyle’s words sounded like thunder in a clear sky. Sarah wasn’t prepared to hear them. Tears streamed down her eyes.

“How do you get a divorce? I love you! We’re a family!” She didn’t finish her sentence because Kyle abruptly interrupted her. And what he said ultimately shattered her.

What love? What family? What kind of normal family can there be without children? Are you in your right mind? I married you so you could give birth to my child. Without a child, there’s no stamp in the passport. Without marriage, without a family, just a stamp in the passport.

Suddenly, Sarah understood everything Olivia had told her and why she was so opposed to her marriage to Kyle. Kyle needed a child—not Sarah, but a son. But why marry for that? “So you married me just for the child?” Tears were already streaming down Sarah’s eyes.

She didn’t just feel offended, she felt deeply hurt. She was used and betrayed. She argued with her parents, with her only friend.

And all for what? For whom? “Hey, I’ll tell you something now, but no hysteria, okay? I never get hysterical.” “Well, every situation is different. I don’t know how you’ll react in this case.”

He paused briefly and said, “You see…” At that moment, his phone rang. Kyle was clearly expecting an important call, because he answered it immediately.

After listening to the other person, he said abruptly, “Yes, I’m leaving. I’ll be there in 15 minutes.” “Did something happen?” Sarah asked worriedly.

“It’s work. We’ll talk tonight, then you go home yourself.” Kyle quickly left the clinic, and Sarah remained standing in the middle of the hallway, as if afraid to move.

Gathering her thoughts and strength, she slowly headed toward the exit. She really wanted to talk to someone, but who? Definitely not her husband’s sister. They couldn’t stand each other.

With Olivia? Unlikely. Olivia would send her away, and she’d be absolutely right. After Sarah packed her things and quit her job, she never called or wrote to her friend.

Sarah took a taxi and returned home. Another surprise awaited her there. As soon as she crossed the threshold, Anna appeared and said with a victorious look:

“You’re finally leaving our house. I can’t stand you anymore. I told Kyle right away that marrying you was a bad idea.”

She wants a child and wants everything to be official, legal, and natural. Sarah looked at Anna and didn’t immediately understand what was going on. Anna, you’d better mind your own business, not other people’s.

Aren’t you tired of going everywhere with your brother? Or are you hoping to find someone richer at some event? Anna laughed out loud, almost hysterically. Then she looked at Sarah and suddenly said, “My God, where did he get you? What remote place? Have you still not understood anything?” She laughed again…

“I’m not Kyle’s sister, I’m his lover.” Sarah staggered and nearly fell to the floor at what she heard. “What did you just say?” She couldn’t believe her ears.

“Just like you heard. I’m Kyle’s mistress and, in the future, his legal wife.” For a moment, she even looked at Sarah with compassion and continued calmly.

Kyle wants children, but I can’t. The aftermath of a failed abortion. And he came up with this plan.

Find a naive girl like you, so she can give birth to his child, then kick her out and keep the child. The court won’t let you have the child, without an education, without a job, without a home. All beautiful and intelligent.

Who would have thought you were incompatible? Sarah was in shock. Now everything clicked. Never in her life had she experienced such strong negative feelings.

“Now I feel sorry for you, honestly,” Anna said. “Where will you go? I hope you had the good sense to save some money, at least for once.” From Sarah’s expression, Anna realized she hadn’t saved anything and hadn’t even thought about it…

“Oh, what a fool,” said the husband’s mistress frankly and sincerely. “With men, you always have to be on your guard. They’ll throw you out on the street and that’s it, just like now.”

“Okay, I’ll help you.” She grabbed her purse, pulled out a couple hundred dollars, and tossed it to Sarah. “Remember my kindness!” She laughed again.

When Kyle returned that evening, Sarah had already packed his things, but she wanted to talk to him one last time. She couldn’t believe what Anna had told her. But Kyle confirmed the information and finally honestly admitted that he only used her for his own purposes.

“I’m sorry I never loved you, but think about yourself, who I am and who you are. What future awaits us? You should thank me. I cleaned you, clothed you, and brought you out into society.

During this time, didn’t you pay close attention? Perhaps one of the drivers or security guards? He was clearly mocking her, and Sarah didn’t understand why. “Why are you behaving like this? What wrong did I do to you? Why are you humiliating me so much now?” “And what good? I wanted you to give birth to my child. You didn’t.”

“So I have the right to be angry with you. But you have no right to humiliate me, neither you nor your witch.” Sarah took the few hundred dollars Anna had given her out of her pocket and threw them to Kyle.

“Oh, how proud and sensitive we are!” Sarah heard behind her. “You should say thank you. At least for the first time, you’d have money for a snack; otherwise, eating leftovers isn’t very pleasant.”

“I’ll figure it out on my own.” Sarah grabbed her purse, which she came with, picked up her backpack, and left the house. She didn’t take anything she bought during the wedding, just what she had before.

It was around nine at night, and Sarah didn’t know where to go. She took out her wallet and checked the money she had left from buying food, called a taxi, and went to the cafe where she usually worked. The cafe was open until eleven, so she had a chance of catching Olivia at work.

But an unpleasant surprise awaited Sarah. Olivia wasn’t at the café. The new manager said Olivia wasn’t working.

“Did he quit a long time ago?” Sarah asked. “He didn’t quit; he’s not working today.” “Oh, I see, thanks…”

“Give me four profiteroles.” Sarah grabbed her friend’s favorite pastries and headed to the familiar address of the rented apartment. “I’ll fall at her feet, confess everything sincerely, and ask for her forgiveness.”

Olivia is kind, she’ll forgive me when she finds out everything. Sarah approached the door and didn’t dare ring the bell. It was very embarrassing and scary.

What if Olivia kicks her out? If she’s not alone, where would she go then? Steeling herself, she pressed the button. The door opened literally seconds later, as if Olivia were standing right next to her. “Olivia, please forgive me, if you can,” Sarah sobbed throughout the entrance.

“Lord, what happened?” Olivia asked, also crying, seeing her friend’s condition. “Come in now, you scumbag.” Sarah recounted how she’d been through the past two years, why Kyle married her, the story of his wayward mistress, and how she’d been kicked out of the house today.

Olivia listened silently to her friend’s story and didn’t interrupt her once. When she finally finished her confession with words of forgiveness, she said, “Now at least everything is clear, and all this time I thought about you and hoped I was wrong, that everything was okay and you were happy.” Why didn’t you call even once if everything was so bad? “I was ashamed,” Sarah admitted, lowering her gaze.

“And now I feel so embarrassed in front of you for saying nasty things to you and for not listening to you or my parents. And then Kyle forbade me from communicating with you.” “Well, of course, the jerk understood that I don’t believe his fairy tales.

She was probably afraid I might reason with you.» «Will you forgive me?» «I forgave you a long time ago,» Olivia smiled. «You’re a true friend.

Do you think they’ll take me back? —I don’t know, honestly. We’re fully staffed, but I promise to speak with Mrs. Andrews. By the way, she recently divorced her husband.

Evil as hell. He ran off with his mistress after 17 years of marriage and left her with two children. So evil…

I’ll tell you your story briefly. It should work. Out of solidarity, she’ll accept you,” Olivia winked at her friend and smiled. A year passed.

Kyle married a new victim, who did become pregnant and was in a birthing center. Meanwhile, he continued to have fun with his mistress and had dinner at a restaurant. They had already finished dinner and were about to leave when, suddenly, Anna saw a girl down the hall who looked just like Sarah.

“Honey, look, isn’t that your ex?” Kyle turned and smiled. “It seems so. But what’s she doing here? This place is too expensive for her.”

“She probably came to pick up scraps from the tables after the rich people. You left her penniless. And with her education, her prospects are slim,” laughed Anna, who barely finished high school…

“Let’s say hi and ask how she’s doing. Is she our ex-relative?” They both laughed and confidently approached the girl. It was Sarah.

They didn’t even notice what she was wearing, and as they got closer, they immediately started making fun of her. “Hello, dear,” Anna said, smiling. “I told you to bring at least a couple of hundred, and now you have to go pick up food from restaurants so you don’t starve to death.”

Sarah looked at them and remained silent, with only a slight smile on the corner of her lips. “How are you?” Kyle asked in a calmer tone. “Haven’t you managed to get married again?” “Thank you, I’m fine,” Sarah replied pleasantly.

“And you? Did you find a new egg donor for your childless girlfriend?” Anna’s expression changed, but she remained silent. Kyle looked at Sarah intently. “You’ve changed, you’ve become touchy and sarcastic.”

“Everything flows, everything changes, it’s normal, life doesn’t stop,” Sarah commented philosophically. At that moment, a waitress approached and said to Sarah: “Ms. Sarah, they’re calling for you, can you come?” “Yes, Katie, I’m coming.”

“Did you run into some old acquaintances?” Sarah replied, smiling and turning to the stunned Kyle. She added, “Sorry, business, have a good night.” Ms. Sarah didn’t believe Kyle.

“So what’s going on here?” Anna and Kyle looked at each other in surprise. “Do you understand anything?” she asked her companion. “No,” Anna said sincerely.

“Wait, we’ll ask the waitress.” They found Katie, who called Sarah over and asked, “Excuse me, who’s Ms. Sarah?” “She’s the owner of our restaurant,” the waitress smiled kindly.

“A very good, intelligent girl, despite being so young for this business.” “The owner of this restaurant?” Kyle didn’t believe it. “Yeah, she bought it recently.”

Sorry, I have to go. There are customers waiting. Have a nice day! Come back soon. Katie left, and Kyle and Anna were left standing in the middle of the aisle.

They seemed frozen, just staring at each other. Kyle even thought that maybe he shouldn’t have divorced Sarah, since she’s so successful. But when he remembered the impossibility of having children together, he immediately dismissed that thought.

“Can you imagine? She’s the owner of the restaurant,” Anna said indignantly. “A small-town girl.” “Actually, she’s not stupid, unlike some of them,” Kyle said angrily.

And he glared angrily at his companion as well. She instantly fell silent. A little trip down memory lane.

Sarah’s life changed for the better in a completely unexpected way. After returning to Olivia and work, literally a month later, her godmother arrived from Germany. She found her goddaughter in the big city and apologized for not being back in so long.

“Sarah, darling, please forgive me. I’m guilty before you, but business takes up all my time,” the godmother apologized. “And what business do you have?” Sarah asked. “What do you do?” “I have a whole chain of restaurants…”

I want to open a few more in the United States, with German cuisine. “Great, I like that direction too.” And Sarah told how she applied and didn’t get in, how she got married unsuccessfully and ended up on the streets.

She loved her godmother and missed her. The godmother didn’t have children, so when she visited, she spent a lot of time with Sarah. “I have a great idea,” said the godmother.

“Since I was a bad godmother for so long and didn’t wish you a happy holiday, choose any restaurant you want and I’ll give it to you. Deal?” “How do you give it?” Sarah didn’t understand. “Well, as always, we give gifts, simple and heartfelt, without objection, dreams do come true.”

Besides, remember the Cinderella story? Who granted wishes there? Yes, the fairy godmother. Well, I’m your godmother too, and I can afford to grant your long-cherished wish. “I don’t even know what to say; it’s too expensive a gift,” Sarah tried to object.

“Well, you’d better not argue with me, especially when I’ve decided everything,” she winked at her goddaughter. “But I don’t understand any of this, especially on the scale of managing an entire restaurant,” Sarah continued to try to object. “Well, hello.”

And why do you have me? I’ll help you at the beginning. I’ll send you a good manager who will support you while you learn. You definitely need good training.

“The easiest way is to study part-time, without quitting your job, so to speak,” the godmother winked at her. “I’m not sure I’ll manage it.” “You’ll manage it, I’m sure,” the godmother said.

Selecting the restaurant and completing all the paperwork took about two months. And now Sarah was the owner of a fine dining establishment in the city center. And as her deputy, she appointed, of course, Olivia.

The friends returned to working together and living together, now in a rented apartment, but on a completely different level.