“Mom, my sneakers… well… you know.”
“They tore?” Marina looked at her son anxiously. “But we just bought them!”
“They’re the only pair I’ve got. I wear them every day.”
“You’ve been playing football again, haven’t you?”
Misha scowled and snorted angrily. His little sister Sveta, four years younger than him, put her arm around his shoulder.
“Mom, why are you picking on him? All boys play football. What, should ours start playing with dolls now?”
Marina took a deep breath.
“I understand you, my dear ones, but you need to understand me too. The factory was shut down. Your father doesn’t pay alimony. Where am I supposed to get money for all this?”
Misha snapped bitterly:
“So what does that have to do with us? Were we born just to feel worse off than everyone else?”
He abruptly stood up and went to his room, leaving Marina sitting alone.
Her eyes welled with tears, but there was no time to cry—she had to be at work in two hours.
Work… She had worked at the factory for ten years, risen to the rank of team leader, and then, just like that, it all vanished—the company shut down.
At first, everyone hoped it was temporary, but it soon became clear: it wasn’t coming back.
The enterprise had been taken over by a private owner, and no one in the town knew what went on there now.
All that was known was that only outsiders worked there.
At night, buses brought in people of a different nationality.
Marina’s ex-husband, who had also worked at the factory, had done a short stint as a taxi driver, but he didn’t last long.
One day he packed his things and said:
“What is life nowadays? Just digging your own grave.”
At first, Marina thought he was joking, even snorted:
“Fine, I’ll go with you then.”
But then it hit her—he was serious.
“What do you mean, Rom? What about me? The kids? Your kids?”
“What can I do? Think of me as a scoundrel if you want, but I’m leaving. I can’t anymore. I feel like I’m going to lose my mind.”
“So I’m just supposed to hold everything together?”
“Marina, my mind’s made up. You’ll figure it out somehow.”
With those words, he walked out and disappeared.
That’s when Marina truly felt fear. Misha was in school, Sveta was still little.
Even without thinking about new clothes, just food and utilities alone required a decent salary.
But there were almost no jobs left in the city. There were queues even for janitor positions, with every other applicant holding a college degree.
Marina spent two days running around the city. First trying to get jobs that paid better, then those that paid a little less, and eventually just anything that paid at all.
It turned out there were many openings, but the salaries were either “in the future” or “based on performance.”
By some miracle, she managed to get a job as a cleaning lady in one of the new office buildings.
These kinds of offices were opening everywhere, though nobody really knew what those companies actually did.
The pay wasn’t great, but it was enough to live on—just without any extras.
No sausage, no butter, nothing tasty. And if she needed to buy shoes or clothes—it immediately became a problem.
She had to borrow. And borrowing meant repaying. Once she repaid—she had to borrow again.
Marina had long sold her chain and wedding ring. There was nothing else of value left at home.
What to do next—she didn’t know. Sneakers had to be bought.
Only one question remained: how? Payday was still a week away.
Maybe she could ask for an advance?
She knew some employees had done that. But they weren’t just cleaners—they held better positions.
Marina tried to avoid the boss—he gave off an unpleasant vibe.
Sometimes he would yell at the younger employees so badly they cried.
Let him yell. She could take it. The main thing was getting that advance.
“Mish, Sveta, I’m off,” Marina called out as she left the apartment.
A muffled “okay” or something like it came from one of the rooms. No one came out to see her off.
Marina sighed again. Of course, it was partly her fault—she had spoiled the kids.
Though they could be understood too. Other kids had things to wear, while hers had nothing decent to even go outside in.
Out on the street, the image of her ex-husband floated back into her mind. After he left, Marina had filed for divorce herself.
She also filed for alimony. But it made no difference.
Either he wasn’t working or he was hiding his income—an entire year passed, and she hadn’t received a single ruble.
She hadn’t married out of great love—more because it seemed like the right time.
Roman worked at the factory, didn’t drink, and was a calm, reliable man.
They hadn’t dated long. One day he said:
“Marina, why drag this out? You see we’re good together.”
And she had seen it.
Roman, like Marina, didn’t like loud parties and preferred the peace of home.
And what he ended up doing—she couldn’t have imagined.
Even if someone had told her beforehand that he was capable of something like that, she wouldn’t have believed it—she’d have dismissed it as nonsense.
Marina reached the office almost without noticing. She was so lost in thought that the road flew by.
As soon as she walked in, she sensed the tense atmosphere.
The female staff were whispering among themselves, no one was working.
Marina nodded a brief greeting to everyone:
“What’s with the long faces?”
— Marin, you don’t know anything yet! Remember, our company was preparing an important deal?
— Of course! You were all on edge here.
— Looks like the boss screwed it all up.
— Looks like, or for sure? — Alla chimed in, sitting nearby.
— Most likely for sure.
— Come on, girls, nothing’s clear yet, and you’re already upset.
— How can we not be? If things are really as we think, our Pavel Vasilievich will simply be fired.
And we might go down with him. He’s not the kind to take the blame. He’s just not that kind of person.
Marina sighed:
— Damn… and I was just about to go see him.
— Why?
— To ask for an advance. Mishka’s sneakers are completely falling apart.
— Well, it’s not the best timing, but you don’t have a choice. Go — maybe you’ll find out more about what’s going on.
After gathering her thoughts, Marina walked up to the boss’s office and knocked carefully.
— Andrey Alexandrovich, may I?
He was about to say no but changed his mind and gestured for her to come in.
If he wasn’t mistaken, she was their cleaning lady.
Her life, it seemed, wasn’t easy — her husband had left, the factory had shut down, and she had two kids.
The HR rep had mentioned her once.
Some thoughts flickered in his mind related to her, but nothing had formed into a clear plan just yet.
— Hello, Andrey Alexandrovich. I need to speak with you.
The boss smiled:
— Please, take a seat.
— Thank you, I’d rather stand, — Marina replied. — Andrey Alexandrovich, could you possibly give me an advance?
My son’s shoes are completely ruined. He’s got nothing to wear to school. And payday’s still a whole week away.
Andrey looked at her closely, then leaned back in his chair and smiled broadly.
— Go ahead and sit down. I actually have a proposal for you, too.
He paused, choosing his words carefully. He wanted to be cautious — the woman was clearly in a tough spot, and his goal was not to scare her off.
Andrey was sure she would agree to anything, because she needed money.
If he could shift the failure of the deal onto another employee — especially the chief accountant — management would forgive his own mistakes.
Besides, he had a grudge against the accountant.
She had once rejected one of his ideas, calling it insane, and that had really hurt his pride.
Now he had a chance to get revenge and dodge the consequences.
— What do I have to do? — Marina asked timidly.
— Don’t be scared. Nothing terrible will happen. But the task is… not exactly ordinary.
Marina felt her palms sweat. Andrey noticed and quickly wrote a number on a piece of paper.
Marina nearly fainted — the amount was huge.
With that money, she could not only buy new shoes but also pay off debts and maybe even enjoy life a little.
— What exactly do I have to do? — she asked, swallowing hard.
— You need to swap the documents in the folder the chief accountant always carries with her.
Bring me the ones that are there now, and replace them with mine.
— Will she get hurt?
— Yes, but not like you think. At worst — she’ll get fired.
But with her experience, she’ll find a new job easily. You don’t need to torment yourself over this.
Besides, I’ll pay well for your guilt. Think about it until evening.
— Okay.
— And not a word to anyone. The big boss is coming in two days. We need to act fast.
Marina left the office in a daze. Her coworkers immediately surrounded her with questions:
— Well? Did he give it to you?
She nodded at first, then shook her head and waved them off, heading to her closet.
Her thoughts were racing. Her first instinct was to refuse — her conscience wouldn’t allow it.
But if she didn’t do it, he’d find someone else. Taking the money and pretending to agree was risky too.
She had two kids. She couldn’t put herself in danger.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
— Come in.
Standing in the doorway was Olga Gavrilovna — the chief accountant.
— Hello, Marinachka. Andrey Alexandrovich left, and I wanted to talk to you.
Marina jumped up:
— I’m so glad you came!
And then she broke down — she burst into tears. The woman sat down on a crate.
— I knew it. He’s decided to make me the scapegoat.
The conversation didn’t last long, but before leaving, Olga Gavrilovna handed Marina an envelope.
— Here’s a little money. Should be enough for sneakers. Please, take it. Think about it until evening.
At home, her children met her at the door. Mishka was the first to apologize:
— Mom, I’m sorry, I just…
— It’s okay, son, I understand. Here — sneakers and a cake.
We’re having guests tonight. Will you help me tidy up?
— Of course, Mom.
Marina tried not to think about the fact that she’d agreed to Andrey Alexandrovich’s request.
Although, to be honest — she already regretted it. The money sat in a bag, and she hadn’t even dared to take it out.
It felt like it was burning her from the inside.
That evening, Olga Gavrilovna and someone else were supposed to come over.
Marina had never seen the company’s big boss before. But when he walked in, she couldn’t hide her shock:
— Vanka?.. I mean… Ivan Nikolaevich, I’m sorry.
The man who arrived with the accountant blinked in surprise:
— Marinka? Is that you?! No way!
They had gone to the same school years ago.
Then Marina went to trade school — after her parents died, she had to survive somehow.
Vanya stayed to finish tenth, then eleventh grade. A year later, his family moved away.
They had always had a warm relationship, but Marina had kept her distance — their lives had become too different.
They stayed up late visiting. The children were long asleep when Olga Gavrilovna stood up:
— Well, it’s time for me to go. You two probably have more to talk about.
Ivan walked her to her car.
— Thank you for everything, Olga Gavrilovna. Get some rest.
I’m sure a week will be enough for me to sort things out.
— Thank you for your trust, Ivan Nikolaevich.
Once the guest had left, they were alone in the kitchen, lost in memories and silence.
Finally, Ivan broke it:
— So tell me, Marinka, how did the girl I used to copy homework from end up a cleaning lady?
She sighed and began her story:
— Right out of trade school, I got a job at the factory and got married?
— Yeah, there weren’t many options. I chose the path of least resistance.
— That’s not like you.
— I was just scared to fight. I just wanted peace.
You remember how I lived with my parents — every day was like a ticking bomb: fights, drinking…
Ivan tapped the table thoughtfully.
— I remember. Well, Marin, you’re going back to school.
— Seriously? Who studies at my age?
— Everyone. Even me. Don’t argue. I’ll help you — financially, and in every way I can.
I’ve got lots of free time — I just got divorced.
And then you’ll come back to the company. But not as a cleaning lady.
— Vanya, I can’t do it.
— Remember how you used to tell me I had to understand physics even if I didn’t get it?
You’d slam the textbook on the desk and forbid me from saying “I can’t”?
— I remember. I really did slam it.
— Well, we’re doing that again. Now give me your… ex-husband’s details. I think he owes his kids something.
Three years later, Marina Valentinovna was taking over company affairs.
She could have done it sooner — Vanya had offered — but she wanted to finish her education, even if on an accelerated program.
Few would recognize her as the same Marina. Her posture, clothing style, and speech — everything had changed.
But most importantly — she felt like a completely different person: confident, successful, and loved.
Loved not just for her mind and position — but for her heart.
Her husband was Vanya. The same one who never believed she would break.
