Taya took a long time to get ready and kept twirling in front of the mirror, scrutinizing herself. After all, today was a big day! Sergey had invited her to a very expensive restaurant, most likely intending to propose. She also had a surprise for her beloved; she had learned the astonishing news yesterday — she was two months pregnant. Her beloved would be thrilled!
The girl was already looking forward to a soon-to-be wedding, a beautiful dress, and her beloved by her side. Finally, her luck had turned, even as a poor orphanage girl. She had just gotten a job as a waitress in a pizzeria when this guy started pursuing her. Rich, smart, gallant — he gave her extravagant bouquets, recited Yesenin’s poetry. She fell in love instantly, watching him like an idol, hanging on his every word. The only thing that saddened her was that Sergey was in no rush to introduce her to his parents and friends. They always met secretly and stealthily, like thieves. He always said he was too busy, too caught up with work.
But everything went awry! As soon as the young man heard about the pregnancy, it was as if he changed completely; he began to shout and blame Taya for everything:
“You what were you thinking? What children? I have a contract with Spain on the line, fate is being decided! Well, nothing, I will arrange it — I’ll give money, you will go to a trusted doctor and settle everything within a week!” he declared sharply.
Taya burst into tears, trying to reach out to her beloved:
“Sergey, what are you saying? I can’t kill the baby… It’s already alive in there, feeling everything! I thought you loved me and would be happy! Well, know this — I am going to have this baby!” she blurted out and dashed headlong back to her dormitory, jumping over puddles.
Sergey was furious! What a fool, a miserable orphan! He hadn’t even planned to have anything serious with her, just got carried away by a pretty waitress from the pizzeria. In fact, he already had a profitable match, the ambassador’s daughter, Anna, and his departure to Spain was only possible after their wedding. But what if this poor girl tells everything to his father? It could ruin everything. Then he accidentally saw an ad in the newspaper: “A tourist trip to Siberia! Romance, songs around the campfire, the beauty of the wild taiga forest! An unforgettable weekend!” “There’s my chance,” he thought. “Leave her there, no one will even look for this orphan, she’ll disappear in the forest.”
The next day, Taya couldn’t concentrate at work at all, everything slipped from her hands. Then suddenly there was a call. Sergey, sounding affectionate again, said:
“Taya, my beloved, I was wrong and got carried away. Let’s make up. I suggest going on a super trip this weekend, a tour in the taiga forests! You’ve always dreamed of romance, haven’t you?”
The girl almost shouted with joy. “Hooray! He finally came to his senses! I knew he loved me!” she rejoiced, and of course immediately agreed.
The beauty of the taiga amazed Taya to her core: mighty cedars, sprawling firs, a sea of berries, and pure intoxicating air away from the city. She listened eagerly to the guide and never strayed. The tour was nearly over, with just one route left. They spent the night in wooden guesthouses near a small village. Sergey, however, was nervous. His plan was under threat; Taya stuck with the group, singing songs and laughing by the fire. He realized — it had to be now or never.
That night he woke her, panicked:
“Dear, help! I’ve lost my documents! Let’s go look. I can’t go anywhere without them — there are bank cards and licenses in there!”
Taya hesitated:
“Well, let’s already do it tomorrow, tell the guide, he’ll help. We could get lost ourselves…”
But Sergey pressed harder, feigning desperation.
Naive and trusting, she agreed — not even noticing the coil of rope under his jacket. They walked deep into the forest until she was exhausted.
“Serezha, enough, I can’t go on! Your wallet isn’t here. Let’s go back, we’ll search tomorrow!” she begged.
Behind her, Sergey grimaced and hissed:
“Well, you decided this yourself! May you be lost forever, idiot! I hate you!”
He slammed a heavy log on her head. She collapsed, unconscious. He dragged her off the path, tied her tightly to a tree, gagged her, and rushed back to camp. He hoped wild animals would do the rest.
The next day, he lied to the guide: Taya had left by taxi after an argument. No one suspected anything. Sergey was elated — free at last.
But Taya survived. By noon, she woke up, swollen from mosquito bites, tied to the tree — and staring straight into the glowing eyes of a wolf. Just as it prepared to attack, gunshots rang out. The beast fled.
A burly man in camouflage with a scar across his face appeared. “Are you alive? Hold on, I’ll untie you now!” He carried her to his cabin. This was Mikhail, the local ranger.
For weeks he nursed her back to health. At first, she was afraid of him, but his care and quiet kindness touched her. When she confessed her whole story — her fiancé’s betrayal, her pregnancy — Mikhail simply said:
“Stay with me if you want. I’ll accept the child as my own. Life is hard here, but fair.”
Taya stayed. Over time, they built a life together. Mikhail, scarred by his past, learned to love again. Taya gave birth to her son, Yaroslav, and they raised him with warmth and strict fairness. Eighteen years later, they had a happy family.
But fate brought them back to Moscow when Yaroslav applied to university. There, Taya suddenly encountered Sergey — now a homeless beggar, ruined and broken. He recognized her instantly and claimed Yaroslav was his son.
Taya, trembling, revealed the truth to Yaroslav:
“Yes, this man is your biological father. But he once left me to die in the forest when he found out I was pregnant. Mikhail saved us both and raised you as his own. You decide for yourself whether you want to acknowledge him.”
Yaroslav looked Sergey in the eye and said coldly:
“You are nothing to me. My father is Mikhail Kashin, the most honorable man. Stay away from us.”
Sergey was left in the street, destroyed by regret, whispering to himself: “Forgive me, son…”
Back home in the taiga, Taya and Yaroslav returned to Mikhail. Taya embraced her husband, whispering, “How much I love you, Mishenka! We are finally home.”
Yaroslav shook his father’s hand firmly: “Hello, Dad. Tomorrow let’s go fishing — I brought great bait!”
Mikhail smiled, feeling blessed once again for that fateful day when he found a half-dead girl in the forest — the moment that gave him the family he had never dared to dream of.
