“I always thought you’d had other guys before,” he said warmly. “I’m so glad I was wrong.”
“With my father? That would’ve been impossible,” she replied.
“Well then… next time I see him, I’ll thank him properly,” he said, and kissed her again—slowly, deeply, as his hands began to roam across her body.
From then on, they no longer hid their happiness. Spartacus couldn’t pass by his wife without a kiss—or at least a gentle touch, a caress, a glance. Nadya’s cheeks hurt from smiling so much.
Katerina Alexandrovna, in her own way, decided to honor her daughter-in-law with something special—a family heirloom passed down for generations.
“I nearly sold it once,” she confessed, holding a small velvet box. “When the fire happened… Spartacus was ten, and we had nothing left—no home, no husband.”
She sighed deeply. They were sitting on the couch, and Nadya gently took her hand.
“Thank God I didn’t,” Spartacus’s mother added with a warm smile, stroking Nadya’s cheek. “Now it’s going where it belongs.”
“Thank you… it’s an honor,” Nadya replied softly as she accepted the gift.
“It’s emerald with diamonds,” the older woman explained. “It’s worth a good amount of money, but I want you to sell it only if there’s absolutely no other choice.”
“Don’t worry, Mama. We won’t sell it. One day, we’ll pass it down to our children,” Nadya promised, earning a proud tear in return. They hugged like true family.
New Year’s came with laughter and fireworks. And during the holiday break, Spartacus and Nadya made a decision—they would buy a car.
A big trip no longer appealed to either of them. They had enough saved for a decent vehicle. They went to Krasnodar and returned behind the wheel of their new Kia Optima.
Spartacus looked great driving it, and with the rest of the money, they bought clothes—both for themselves and for the whole family. Now, Nadya sat in the passenger seat with a half-smile tugging at her lips. Spartacus reached over and took her hand.
“Hey… What are you thinking about, my love?”
“I was just remembering that first trip to Krasnodar. That night.”
He threw his head back and laughed.
“A night that changed everything.”
“Yeah… and when I saw your stepfather, I realized he was the one who sent you to me.”
“True. But does it matter now? We did want to help you.”