Dear Diary,
Sarah told me this heartbreaking story about her friend Olivia, and I need to write it down to process it. It all began when Sarah entered the room and froze on the threshold. Before her stood Olivia in a wedding dress, and she looked amazing. The dress perfectly accentuated her figure, and a quiet, almost weightless happiness glowed in her eyes. Sarah couldn’t contain her delight:
“God, you are simply glowing!” she exclaimed, not taking her gaze off her friend. “I am so happy for you! At last you have been able to turn the page and open your heart to new feelings, forgetting about Daniel! You are such a big girl!”
Olivia barely winced, the smile instantly disappeared. She hurriedly took hold of the dress fasteners, trying not to look at Sarah.
“Better take it off,” she muttered, skillfully unfastening the small hooks on the side. “There are only two weeks left until the ceremony. If something happens to the dress, it won’t be possible to find the same one.”
Sarah bit her lip. She immediately understood that she had said too much. Why mention Daniel? Now that a worthy man had finally appeared in Olivia’s life, references to the past were absolutely unnecessary! Daniel wasn’t worth a single tear from Olivia especially after everything he had done!
Once, Olivia sincerely believed he was the one, the only one. The girl thought their relationship was serious and for keeps! But gradually everything began to fall apart. First he started to distance himself, finding reasons not to meet, then openly criticizing her choices, her friends, her dreams. He convinced her to drop a promising project at work, persuaded her to refuse an internship abroad, and then insisted that she change her line of work.
Olivia’s family didn’t understand what was happening to her. They saw how she was changing, how she was losing herself, but they couldn’t do anything. Attempts to talk turned into scandals Daniel convinced Olivia that her relatives simply didn’t accept him and were trying to destroy their “perfect love”. The conflict grew, and at some point Olivia almost stopped communicating with her parents.
Then he vanished. He just up and left, without explaining anything, not even leaving a farewell letter. All that remained was a deep emotional wound and the child, whom Olivia decided to keep despite everything.
Now, watching her friend hurriedly take off the wedding dress, Sarah felt acute guilt. She had only wanted to rejoice for Olivia, to see her happy. And she certainly wasn’t going to awaken painful memories…
Now little Danny is four years old. He was a lively, curious child who constantly asked questions about everything in the world. Sometimes he tried to figure out why the sky is blue, sometimes he was interested in where the clouds go, sometimes he excitedly examined bugs on a walk. The caregivers at the preschool often noted his cleverness: Danny learned new things quickly, easily memorized poems and listened to long stories with interest.
Almost all the time the boy spent with his grandma and grandpa Olivia’s parents. They gladly took on the care of their grandson and developed him in every way. It was they who chose the preschool with English language lessons, they who began taking the kid to the swimming pool, they who enrolled him in dance classes. Olivia visited her son several times a week, but never stayed longer than an hour.
The reason was simple and painful. Danny turned out to be strikingly similar to his father. The same dark curly hair, the same eye shape, the same slightly mocking smile. Every time she looked at her son, Olivia seemed to return to the past to those days when she believed their family would be happy. She loved the boy with all her heart, was proud of his successes, rejoiced at every smile. But along with the love always came a sharp, aching pain. As soon as she took her son in her arms or looked into his eyes, tears would well up on her lashes. She would turn away, pretend to fix her clothes or look for something in her bag, and then quietly cry when Danny couldn’t see.
One evening Olivia went to pick up Danny from her parents’ house. The boy was sitting on the carpet assembling a puzzle, frowning in concentration. Seeing his mom, he joyfully jumped up and ran to her.
“Mom, look!” he pulled her to the carpet. “I almost finished it. There’s a house and a tree, and here… here will be a dog!”
Olivia sat down next to him, trying to smile.
“Very beautiful,” she said, patting him on the head. “You’re doing great, putting it all together so neatly.”
Danny thought for a moment, then raised his eyes to her:
“Mom, where’s my dad? All the kids at preschool have a dad, only I don’t have one…”
Olivia froze. Everything inside her clenched, but she tried to keep a calm tone:
“I don’t know, sonny. Dad is far away right now. But he thinks about you, truly.”
“Why doesn’t he call?” Danny frowned, as if trying to solve a difficult problem. “I would tell him that I learned to tie my shoelaces myself!”
“He… he’s just very busy,” Olivia muttered, feeling a lump rising in her throat. “But I’m sure he’s proud of you.”
The boy thought for a second, then nodded as if accepting her explanation, and returned to the puzzle.
“Okay. Then I’ll assemble this house, and dad will see how smart I am!”
Olivia sat next to him, watching him, and silently swallowed her tears. She wanted to say something else to him, to comfort him, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, she simply extended her hand and patted his hair again, inhaling the scent of children’s shampoo and trying to hold onto this moment the moment when her son was nearby, happy and trusting, despite all the questions for which she had no answers.
Despite this, Olivia did not stop thinking about Daniel. Deep in her soul she continued to find justifications for him. Maybe something terrible happened to him? Maybe he got into trouble and can’t let anyone know? These thoughts helped her hold on, not to slide into a pit of despair.
Her close ones tried more than once to talk to her frankly. Her mom carefully hinted that she shouldn’t live in the past, that she needed to focus on her son and her own life. Friends said straight out: “He left you. It’s time to accept this fact and move on!” But Olivia refused to listen to their arguments. She would hotly object, talk about how happy they were, recall the promises he gave. The arguments often ended with her closing up in herself, and the interlocutors, sighing, would retreat.
At the same time, Olivia didn’t sit idle. From time to time she checked social networks, called old familiar places where he might show up, even wrote posts asking for help in the searches. All without result! But she couldn’t or didn’t want to come to terms with the thought that Daniel simply left of his own will and isn’t going to return.
And then, after five long years, a person appeared in Olivia’s life who managed to melt her heart. It happened almost by accident: they met at the birthday of a mutual acquaintance. Andrew immediately attracted her attention. The man was… reliable, there’s no other way to say it. He was real! Sincere, kind, caring… The very best!
From the very first meetings Olivia felt that with this man she could be herself. Andrew didn’t demand feigned cheerfulness or a perpetual smile from her. If she was tired, he simply suggested going home. If she wanted to be silent, he didn’t try to talk her into it. Andrew turned out to be exactly the man she seemed to have been looking for: serious, balanced and, most importantly, sincerely in love.
His feelings manifested even in small things: in how he would find out in advance what coffee she likes, how he remembered the names of her colleagues and inquired about their affairs, how he unobtrusively took on solving household issues. He was ready to literally carry her in his arms, and Olivia, to tell the truth, took full advantage of these feelings.
What especially touched her was how Andrew found common language with little Danny. In their first meeting the boy warily examined the unfamiliar man, holding onto his mom’s hand. But Andrew surprised her even here! The man squatted down to be at the same level with Danny and asked what cartoons he likes. Within half an hour they were already assembling a construction set together, and Danny was excitedly showing the guest his favorite toys.
Over time Andrew became a frequent guest at Olivia’s parents’ house, where Danny lived. He took the boy to the park, taught him to ride a bicycle, read him stories before bed. And once, when Olivia caught them drawing together, Andrew calmly said: “I would like to become a real father to him. If you allow, I am ready to adopt Danny.”
Sarah was sincerely happy for her friend. She saw how Olivia gradually changed: a sparkle appeared in her eyes, the eternal shadow of anxiety disappeared from her face, and her smile became not forced but real. But today Sarah made an annoying blunder accidentally touched an old wound, mentioning Daniel in the conversation. Now she only hoped that Olivia wasn’t too upset and wouldn’t sink into despondency.
But the girl behaved surprisingly calmly.
“I have grown up,” she said with a light smile, carefully laying out the dress on the bed. “And I clearly realize that my feelings for Daniel should remain in the past. Sometimes I even regret naming my son the same. I was foolish, didn’t want to listen to anyone’s advice… How did you all tolerate me?”
Sarah cautiously touched her hand:
“Are you planning to take Danny from your parents?”
“Yes,” Olivia answered, instantly becoming serious. “Andrew especially insists on this. He even suggested changing the boy’s name. He says that will make it easier for me. In any case the birth certificate will have to be redone when the adoption goes through.”
She paused, looking at how raindrops were running down the window glass.
“You know, I used to be afraid that little Danny would constantly remind me of the past. But now I understand that I was wrong. He is my son, and he should have a full childhood, with two parents who love him! Grandma and grandpa are good, of course, but they can’t replace parents! And Andrew understands that. He really wants to become a father to him! If you saw how strongly he has become attached to the boy!”
“Great idea!” Sarah perked up. “You can ask your son which name he likes better. That way he will get used to the changes faster.”
“Not sure. I don’t know what to do yet. There’s still time, we’ll think it over.”
In reality Olivia was being disingenuous. She still loved Daniel, and this love hadn’t gone anywhere. But this love hadn’t led her to anything good. Her parents more and more often refused her communication with her son, because the girl almost every meeting started to sob, scaring the little one. Friends already didn’t want to hear about her problems and doubted her sanity behind her back. So it was time to let go of the past and focus on the present.
On the wedding, for example.
But this is terribly difficult!
Andrew was undoubtedly a good person, but… he wasn’t Daniel. Olivia didn’t feel deep feelings for him, she was only using his attachment for her own interests.
If Daniel returned… She would give everything to be next to him…
Then, Sarah told me that later Olivia came with shining eyes and said: “There won’t be a wedding!” She was almost dancing. “We are going our separate ways like ships passing in the night!”
Andrew looked at her in bewilderment, trying to comprehend her words. There was only a week left until the wedding they had already discussed the menu, chosen the flowers, invited the guests. Everything seemed so real, so close… And now she says there won’t be a wedding?
“How is that ‘won’t be’?” the man tried to understand, seriously wondering if his fiancée was speaking seriously or just very stupidly joking. “Olivia, what happened? Explain normally.”
But Olivia only brushed off his questions. She rushed around the room, grabbing things from the shelves and throwing them into the open suitcase. Her eyes were shining, a smile playing on her lips, such an unusual, such… sincere one.
“Daniel is back!” she blurted out, not looking at Andrew. There was such genuine happiness in her voice that everything inside him turned over. “He arrived yesterday, we explained everything… I didn’t even believe at first that it was true!”
She finally stopped, turned to him, and in her gaze there was not a shadow of regret only delight and impatience.
“I am grateful to you for the last six months,” she continued, softening her tone a little. “It was calm, comfortable with you… You are a wonderful person, Andrew. But I never loved you truly. Now that I have a chance for real happiness, I can’t miss it.”
Andrew felt a cold emptiness growing in his chest. Daniel. Again Daniel. The same person about whom Olivia spoke with such adoration that Andrew involuntarily felt superfluous. He knew that she still thought about him, but he hoped that time and their joint life would change her feelings.
“Have you already talked to him?” he finally squeezed out, his voice sounding muffled, as if he lacked air. “What did he say? What excuse did he come up with this time?”
“He didn’t justify anything,” Olivia answered rather sharply. “He just said that he realized what a mistake he had made. That all this time he thought only about me!”
She turned away again, continuing to pack things, and Andrew remained standing in place, feeling how the world around slowly lost its colors.
“We talked on the phone,” she continued, sorting through things in the desk drawer, checking if anything important was left. “His parents insisted on studying abroad, and he couldn’t warn me about the departure. Can you imagine? All this time he thought only about me, he just didn’t have the opportunity to get in touch. But now everything will work out we will be together and live a long happy life!”
In Olivia’s memory surfaced that very conversation with Daniel their first phone call after a long separation. Daniel’s voice sounded excited, slightly halting:
“Olivia, I know that all this looks terrible. But understand my parents literally put me before a fact. They said: either study in New York, or they disown me. I tried to resist, honestly tried… But they blocked all my cards, cut off access to the accounts. I didn’t even have my own phone!”
“Why didn’t you call me at least once?” Olivia’s voice trembled, but she tried with all her might not to show offense.
“I couldn’t. What could I tell you? That I turned out to be a weakling for obeying my parents?”
Then, listening to his confused explanations, Olivia felt warmth spreading inside. All the offenses, all the bitterness of the last months seemed to dissolve in his voice. She suddenly realized that she had been waiting for this call all the time every day, every hour.
“Now everything will be different,” Daniel continued. “I dropped out of my studies, returned. And I’m not going anywhere else.”
These words echoed in her consciousness as she now stood before Andrew.
She fell silent for a second, quickly looked around the room, as if making sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. And only then noticed how pale Andrew had become. His face had become almost white, and his gaze froze somewhere in one point, as if he was looking through her.
“Don’t worry,” Olivia added a bit softer, but without a shadow of doubt in her voice. “I’ve already told everyone about canceling the wedding. Explained everything, asked them not to bother you. Of course, you’ll be surrounded by people feeling sorry for you, but you’re strong, you’ll cope.”
She approached the suitcase, pulled it towards her and adjusted the handle, as if that was the most important thing right now. Then she looked at Andrew again, and in her gaze there was no regret, no hesitation.
“And please don’t call me, don’t write meaningless messages and don’t leave voice messages,” she said firmly, almost in a commanding tone. “My decision is final, and I won’t change it under any circumstances!”
She picked up the suitcase, slightly swayed from its weight, but immediately straightened up and headed to the door, as if afraid that the slightest delay could shake her resolve.
Andrew stood in the middle of the room, feeling how everything inside was contracting from pain and bewilderment. He took a deep breath, trying to pull himself together. He wanted to shout, demand explanations, but he held back he didn’t want to look weak, desperate. The man clenched his fists, then slowly unclenched them, trying to speak calmly, almost everyday:
“Maybe you’re rushing too much?” he said, looking intently at Olivia.
She froze at the door, holding the suitcase handle, but didn’t turn around. Her shoulders were tense, her fingers tightly gripping the leather handle.
“What if he doesn’t want to resume the relationship?” Andrew continued, taking a step closer. “Or refuses to recognize the son? Or maybe he has already made you a proposal?”
Olivia turned sharply. Her face was burning from excitement and irritation. She took several steps towards Andrew, as if wanting to prove something, make him understand.
“He invited me for a serious conversation!” she blurted out. “That’s enough! And don’t try to blacken him Daniel isn’t like that!”
Her voice trembled on the last words, but she immediately took herself in hand, straightened up and again pulled the suitcase to the door.
“You could help,” she muttered through her teeth, with difficulty lifting the heavy suitcase.
Andrew mechanically stepped forward, as if really intending to help, but stopped immediately. And why would he help a person who had trampled on his feelings? The man clearly saw that mentally the girl was already far away, next to Daniel. In her eyes one could read confidence, almost euphoria: a new life full of happiness and love was about to begin. She was clearly imagining how Daniel would meet her with a smile, say that everything would be fine, that they would finally be together.
But in reality everything was different. Daniel, who had invited her for a “serious conversation”, was not going to make a proposal or swear eternal love at all. He only wanted to explain himself, close the old chapter in order to start a new one but already without Olivia. Moreover, he was already occupied.
And Olivia, carried away by her dreams, did not notice the obvious. She had waited for this moment for so long that now she was ready to believe in anything, just not to be disappointed again.
With difficulty dragging the suitcase to the door, she stopped for a second, put her palm on the handle, as if about to say something. But she changed her mind, abruptly opened the door and left, without even looking back.
Andrew remained standing in the middle of the room, looking at the closed door. The air still held a light aroma of her perfume, and in his ears sounded the last words: “Daniel isn’t like that!”
The man slowly sank onto a chair, feeling fatigue falling on him in a heavy wave. Everything happened too quickly, too irrevocably. And now he had to learn to live with this without Olivia, without plans for the future, without illusions…
Then Sarah continued: Daniel opened the door, surprised by such an early guest visit. On the threshold stood Olivia with two suitcases, her face glowing with joy, and her eyes burning with anticipation. He froze, unable to say a word. Only one thought was spinning in his head: “How could she be so mistaken?”
He was sure that everything was long over. When Olivia began dating Andrew, Daniel finally breathed a sigh of relief. Now he could calmly return to his hometown, live here with his wife, without fearing sudden calls, tears and accusations. He even mentally thanked Olivia for finding another it solved all the problems at once.
Yes, he called her and tried to convey that everything had changed, and even suggested meeting on neutral territory, but that was pure formality!
And now she stands at his door with things, clearly counting on something more than just a conversation. Daniel involuntarily stepped back, trying to gather his thoughts.
“Daniel!” Olivia exclaimed as soon as she saw him. “I’ve decided everything. I’m here, and we will finally be together!”
Her voice sounded so confident, as if there could be no other option. She took a step forward, but Daniel instinctively raised his hand, stopping her.
“Olivia, wait…” he began, trying to speak as softly as possible. “You probably don’t know everything.”
She frowned, the smile slowly sliding off her face.
“What are you talking about? We agreed to meet and discuss everything!”
Daniel took a deep breath, understanding that the moment was inevitable.
“I’m married, Olivia. For two years now. We are very happy with my wife.”
Olivia froze, her eyes widened in shock. She was silent for several seconds, as if she couldn’t believe what she had heard. Then her face distorted her gaze mixed panic, resentment and indignation.
“What are you saying?” she whispered, shaking her head. “This can’t be… You called me, said that everything had changed!”
“I called to say goodbye like a human being,” he answered quietly. “I wanted to explain that time has passed, that each of us now has our own life. But you, apparently, understood it differently.”
Olivia stepped back, her hands trembled. She clenched her fists, trying to pull herself together, but emotions overwhelmed her.
“You… you just lied to me all this time!” she shouted, her voice trembling with anger. “How could you do that? I left everything for you!”
Daniel felt irritation growing inside. He didn’t want a scandal, didn’t want to justify himself, but Olivia clearly wasn’t going to leave without clearing things up.
“I never promised you anything,” he said firmly. “You decided yourself that we would be together. I just didn’t want to hurt you, so I spoke carefully. But now everything is clear, right?”
Olivia screamed, grabbed one of the suitcases and threw it on the floor with force. Things scattered across the hallway, but she didn’t care about them. She screamed, accused, demanded explanations, her voice becoming louder and louder.
Daniel had to politely but persistently escort her to the entrance hall. He closed the door, hoping that this would put an end to the conversation. But Olivia didn’t calm down she knocked on the door, shouted, called his name. Neighbors began to look out from their apartments, someone coughed disapprovingly, someone loudly expressed indignation.
An hour later, when Olivia’s screams became even louder, and the neighbors seriously threatened to call the police, she finally left. Before leaving, she turned around, looked at the door of Daniel’s apartment and through tears shouted:
“I’ll be back! You’ll regret this!”
Daniel closed his eyes, feeling fatigue cover him head to toe. He understood that this was not the end. Olivia was stubborn, and if she had something in mind, she wouldn’t back down so easily.
He went into the living room, sat on the sofa and thought. He needed to take urgent measures. It was no longer possible to stay in this apartment Olivia could come again, cause a scandal, disturb the neighbors. Daniel took out his phone and opened the real estate site.
“I need to sell the apartment and look for a new one,” he decided. “Preferably at the other end of the city”…
Then, Olivia walked along the street, not noticing anything around. Tears blurred her eyes, fragments of thoughts swirled in her head, her soul was heavy and empty. She still couldn’t fully realize what had happened. In her imagination Daniel was supposed to meet her with open arms, say that he had been waiting for this moment, that they would finally be together. But reality turned out to be completely different cruel and merciless.
She wandered around the city for a long time, trying to gather her strength. Her feet led her to Andrew’s house. Olivia stopped at the entrance, wiped her tears, fixed her hair she wanted to look at least a little collected. Taking a deep breath, she went up to the required floor and hesitantly pressed the bell.
Andrew didn’t open the door immediately. When he finally appeared in the doorway, his face remained cold and detached. He silently looked at Olivia, making no attempt to invite her inside.
“Andrew, please,” she began in a trembling voice. “I know what I’ve done. I understand how stupid and cruel I acted. But I… I want to fix everything.”
She fell silent, trying to find the words. Tears sparkled in her eyes again.
“I will never mention Daniel’s name again,” she continued, looking him straight in the eyes. “I swear. All this was a mistake. I realized that only with you can I be happy. Please give me a chance.”
Her voice sounded sincere, almost desperate. She really believed what she was saying at that moment it seemed to her that if Andrew forgave her, everything would work out.
Andrew slowly shook his head. No, he wouldn’t fall for it the second time!
“Olivia,” he said quietly, “you already decided everything. A couple of hours ago you were standing in my apartment with suitcases and saying that you were leaving for him. You were sure of your choice.”
“I was wrong then!” she interrupted. “I didn’t understand what I was doing! I was on emotions! I…”
Andrew sighed, ran a hand through his hair. It was hard for him, but he firmly knew: he couldn’t give in to emotions again.
“You didn’t just leave me you left for him. You made a choice, and I accepted it. And now, when everything went wrong, you want to come back?”
“Yes!” Olivia exclaimed. “Because I love you. Only you.”
He was silent for a few seconds, then smirked and unexpectedly firmly declared:
“I no longer believe in the sincerity of your words. Goodbye.”
Olivia felt everything inside her breaking. Andrew looked at her calmly, without malice, but there was not a drop of doubt in his eyes. He really no longer believed her.
“Please…” she whispered, but her voice trembled and broke.
“I’m sorry,” Andrew said. “But this will be better for both of us.”
He closed the door, leaving Olivia standing in the empty corridor. She stood motionless for a few more seconds, then slowly sank onto the step, covered her face with her hands and cried. This time the tears were not from resentment or anger from the bitter realization that she had lost both Daniel and Andrew, and now didn’t know how to live further.
From this whole story, I learned a personal lesson: one should not hold on to the past at the expense of the present, as it can lead to losing what is truly important in life, like true love and stability. It’s better to move forward with honesty and acceptance rather than chasing illusions.Dear Diary,
Sarah told me this heartbreaking story about her friend Olivia, and I need to write it down to process it. It all began when Sarah entered the room and froze on the threshold. Before her stood Olivia in a wedding dress, and she looked amazing. The dress perfectly accentuated her figure, and a quiet, almost weightless happiness glowed in her eyes. Sarah couldn’t contain her delight:
“God, you are simply glowing!” she exclaimed, not taking her gaze off her friend. “I am so happy for you! At last you have been able to turn the page and open your heart to new feelings, forgetting about Daniel! You are such a big girl!”
Olivia barely winced, the smile instantly disappeared. She hurriedly took hold of the dress fasteners, trying not to look at Sarah.
“Better take it off,” she muttered, skillfully unfastening the small hooks on the side. “There are only two weeks left until the ceremony. If something happens to the dress, it won’t be possible to find the same one.”
Sarah bit her lip. She immediately understood that she had said too much. Why mention Daniel? Now that a worthy man had finally appeared in Olivia’s life, references to the past were absolutely unnecessary! Daniel wasn’t worth a single tear from Olivia especially after everything he had done!
Once, Olivia sincerely believed he was the one, the only one. The girl thought their relationship was serious and for keeps! But gradually everything began to fall apart. First he started to distance himself, finding reasons not to meet, then openly criticizing her choices, her friends, her dreams. He convinced her to drop a promising project at work, persuaded her to refuse an internship abroad, and then insisted that she change her line of work.
Olivia’s family didn’t understand what was happening to her. They saw how she was changing, how she was losing herself, but they couldn’t do anything. Attempts to talk turned into scandals Daniel convinced Olivia that her relatives simply didn’t accept him and were trying to destroy their “perfect love”. The conflict grew, and at some point Olivia almost stopped communicating with her parents.
Then he vanished. He just up and left, without explaining anything, not even leaving a farewell letter. All that remained was a deep emotional wound and the child, whom Olivia decided to keep despite everything.
Now, watching her friend hurriedly take off the wedding dress, Sarah felt acute guilt. She had only wanted to rejoice for Olivia, to see her happy. And she certainly wasn’t going to awaken painful memories…
Now little Danny is four years old. He was a lively, curious child who constantly asked questions about everything in the world. Sometimes he tried to figure out why the sky is blue, sometimes he was interested in where the clouds go, sometimes he excitedly examined bugs on a walk. The caregivers at the preschool often noted his cleverness: Danny learned new things quickly, easily memorized poems and listened to long stories with interest.
Almost all the time the boy spent with his grandma and grandpa Olivia’s parents. They gladly took on the care of their grandson and developed him in every way. It was they who chose the preschool with English language lessons, they who began taking the kid to the swimming pool, they who enrolled him in dance classes. Olivia visited her son several times a week, but never stayed longer than an hour.
The reason was simple and painful. Danny turned out to be strikingly similar to his father. The same dark curly hair, the same eye shape, the same slightly mocking smile. Every time she looked at her son, Olivia seemed to return to the past to those days when she believed their family would be happy. She loved the boy with all her heart, was proud of his successes, rejoiced at every smile. But along with the love always came a sharp, aching pain. As soon as she took her son in her arms or looked into his eyes, tears would well up on her lashes. She would turn away, pretend to fix her clothes or look for something in her bag, and then quietly cry when Danny couldn’t see.
One evening Olivia went to pick up Danny from her parents’ house. The boy was sitting on the carpet assembling a puzzle, frowning in concentration. Seeing his mom, he joyfully jumped up and ran to her.
“Mom, look!” he pulled her to the carpet. “I almost finished it. There’s a house and a tree, and here… here will be a dog!”
Olivia sat down next to him, trying to smile.
“Very beautiful,” she said, patting him on the head. “You’re doing great, putting it all together so neatly.”
Danny thought for a moment, then raised his eyes to her:
“Mom, where’s my dad? All the kids at preschool have a dad, only I don’t have one…”
Olivia froze. Everything inside her clenched, but she tried to keep a calm tone:
“I don’t know, sonny. Dad is far away right now. But he thinks about you, truly.”
“Why doesn’t he call?” Danny frowned, as if trying to solve a difficult problem. “I would tell him that I learned to tie my shoelaces myself!”
“He… he’s just very busy,” Olivia muttered, feeling a lump rising in her throat. “But I’m sure he’s proud of you.”
The boy thought for a second, then nodded as if accepting her explanation, and returned to the puzzle.
“Okay. Then I’ll assemble this house, and dad will see how smart I am!”
Olivia sat next to him, watching him, and silently swallowed her tears. She wanted to say something else to him, to comfort him, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, she simply extended her hand and patted his hair again, inhaling the scent of children’s shampoo and trying to hold onto this moment the moment when her son was nearby, happy and trusting, despite all the questions for which she had no answers.
Despite this, Olivia did not stop thinking about Daniel. Deep in her soul she continued to find justifications for him. Maybe something terrible happened to him? Maybe he got into trouble and can’t let anyone know? These thoughts helped her hold on, not to slide into a pit of despair.
Her close ones tried more than once to talk to her frankly. Her mom carefully hinted that she shouldn’t live in the past, that she needed to focus on her son and her own life. Friends said straight out: “He left you. It’s time to accept this fact and move on!” But Olivia refused to listen to their arguments. She would hotly object, talk about how happy they were, recall the promises he gave. The arguments often ended with her closing up in herself, and the interlocutors, sighing, would retreat.
At the same time, Olivia didn’t sit idle. From time to time she checked social networks, called old familiar places where he might show up, even wrote posts asking for help in the searches. All without result! But she couldn’t or didn’t want to come to terms with the thought that Daniel simply left of his own will and isn’t going to return.
And then, after five long years, a person appeared in Olivia’s life who managed to melt her heart. It happened almost by accident: they met at the birthday of a mutual acquaintance. Andrew immediately attracted her attention. The man was… reliable, there’s no other way to say it. He was real! Sincere, kind, caring… The very best!
From the very first meetings Olivia felt that with this man she could be herself. Andrew didn’t demand feigned cheerfulness or a perpetual smile from her. If she was tired, he simply suggested going home. If she wanted to be silent, he didn’t try to talk her into it. Andrew turned out to be exactly the man she seemed to have been looking for: serious, balanced and, most importantly, sincerely in love.
His feelings manifested even in small things: in how he would find out in advance what coffee she likes, how he remembered the names of her colleagues and inquired about their affairs, how he unobtrusively took on solving household issues. He was ready to literally carry her in his arms, and Olivia, to tell the truth, took full advantage of these feelings.
What especially touched her was how Andrew found common language with little Danny. In their first meeting the boy warily examined the unfamiliar man, holding onto his mom’s hand. But Andrew surprised her even here! The man squatted down to be at the same level with Danny and asked what cartoons he likes. Within half an hour they were already assembling a construction set together, and Danny was excitedly showing the guest his favorite toys.
Over time Andrew became a frequent guest at Olivia’s parents’ house, where Danny lived. He took the boy to the park, taught him to ride a bicycle, read him stories before bed. And once, when Olivia caught them drawing together, Andrew calmly said: “I would like to become a real father to him. If you allow, I am ready to adopt Danny.”
Sarah was sincerely happy for her friend. She saw how Olivia gradually changed: a sparkle appeared in her eyes, the eternal shadow of anxiety disappeared from her face, and her smile became not forced but real. But today Sarah made an annoying blunder accidentally touched an old wound, mentioning Daniel in the conversation. Now she only hoped that Olivia wasn’t too upset and wouldn’t sink into despondency.
But the girl behaved surprisingly calmly.
“I have grown up,” she said with a light smile, carefully laying out the dress on the bed. “And I clearly realize that my feelings for Daniel should remain in the past. Sometimes I even regret naming my son the same. I was foolish, didn’t want to listen to anyone’s advice… How did you all tolerate me?”
Sarah cautiously touched her hand:
“Are you planning to take Danny from your parents?”
“Yes,” Olivia answered, instantly becoming serious. “Andrew especially insists on this. He even suggested changing the boy’s name. He says that will make it easier for me. In any case the birth certificate will have to be redone when the adoption goes through.”
She paused, looking at how raindrops were running down the window glass.
“You know, I used to be afraid that little Danny would constantly remind me of the past. But now I understand that I was wrong. He is my son, and he should have a full childhood, with two parents who love him! Grandma and grandpa are good, of course, but they can’t replace parents! And Andrew understands that. He really wants to become a father to him! If you saw how strongly he has become attached to the boy!”
“Great idea!” Sarah perked up. “You can ask your son which name he likes better. That way he will get used to the changes faster.”
“Not sure. I don’t know what to do yet. There’s still time, we’ll think it over.”
In reality Olivia was being disingenuous. She still loved Daniel, and this love hadn’t gone anywhere. But this love hadn’t led her to anything good. Her parents more and more often refused her communication with her son, because the girl almost every meeting started to sob, scaring the little one. Friends already didn’t want to hear about her problems and doubted her sanity behind her back. So it was time to let go of the past and focus on the present.
On the wedding, for example.
But this is terribly difficult!
Andrew was undoubtedly a good person, but… he wasn’t Daniel. Olivia didn’t feel deep feelings for him, she was only using his attachment for her own interests.
If Daniel returned… She would give everything to be next to him…
Then, Sarah told me that later Olivia came with shining eyes and said: “There won’t be a wedding!” She was almost dancing. “We are going our separate ways like ships passing in the night!”
Andrew looked at her in bewilderment, trying to comprehend her words. There was only a week left until the wedding they had already discussed the menu, chosen the flowers, invited the guests. Everything seemed so real, so close… And now she says there won’t be a wedding?
“How is that ‘won’t be’?” the man tried to understand, seriously wondering if his fiancée was speaking seriously or just very stupidly joking. “Olivia, what happened? Explain normally.”
But Olivia only brushed off his questions. She rushed around the room, grabbing things from the shelves and throwing them into the open suitcase. Her eyes were shining, a smile playing on her lips, such an unusual, such… sincere one.
“Daniel is back!” she blurted out, not looking at Andrew. There was such genuine happiness in her voice that everything inside him turned over. “He arrived yesterday, we explained everything… I didn’t even believe at first that it was true!”
She finally stopped, turned to him, and in her gaze there was not a shadow of regret only delight and impatience.
“I am grateful to you for the last six months,” she continued, softening her tone a little. “It was calm, comfortable with you… You are a wonderful person, Andrew. But I never loved you truly. Now that I have a chance for real happiness, I can’t miss it.”
Andrew felt a cold emptiness growing in his chest. Daniel. Again Daniel. The same person about whom Olivia spoke with such adoration that Andrew involuntarily felt superfluous. He knew that she still thought about him, but he hoped that time and their joint life would change her feelings.
“Have you already talked to him?” he finally squeezed out, his voice sounding muffled, as if he lacked air. “What did he say? What excuse did he come up with this time?”
“He didn’t justify anything,” Olivia answered rather sharply. “He just said that he realized what a mistake he had made. That all this time he thought only about me!”
She turned away again, continuing to pack things, and Andrew remained standing in place, feeling how the world around slowly lost its colors.
“We talked on the phone,” she continued, sorting through things in the desk drawer, checking if anything important was left. “His parents insisted on studying abroad, and he couldn’t warn me about the departure. Can you imagine? All this time he thought only about me, he just didn’t have the opportunity to get in touch. But now everything will work out we will be together and live a long happy life!”
In Olivia’s memory surfaced that very conversation with Daniel their first phone call after a long separation. Daniel’s voice sounded excited, slightly halting:
“Olivia, I know that all this looks terrible. But understand my parents literally put me before a fact. They said: either study in New York, or they disown me. I tried to resist, honestly tried… But they blocked all my cards, cut off access to the accounts. I didn’t even have my own phone!”
“Why didn’t you call me at least once?” Olivia’s voice trembled, but she tried with all her might not to show offense.
“I couldn’t. What could I tell you? That I turned out to be a weakling for obeying my parents?”
Then, listening to his confused explanations, Olivia felt warmth spreading inside. All the offenses, all the bitterness of the last months seemed to dissolve in his voice. She suddenly realized that she had been waiting for this call all the time every day, every hour.
“Now everything will be different,” Daniel continued. “I dropped out of my studies, returned. And I’m not going anywhere else.”
These words echoed in her consciousness as she now stood before Andrew.
She fell silent for a second, quickly looked around the room, as if making sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. And only then noticed how pale Andrew had become. His face had become almost white, and his gaze froze somewhere in one point, as if he was looking through her.
“Don’t worry,” Olivia added a bit softer, but without a shadow of doubt in her voice. “I’ve already told everyone about canceling the wedding. Explained everything, asked them not to bother you. Of course, you’ll be surrounded by people feeling sorry for you, but you’re strong, you’ll cope.”
She approached the suitcase, pulled it towards her and adjusted the handle, as if that was the most important thing right now. Then she looked at Andrew again, and in her gaze there was no regret, no hesitation.
“And please don’t call me, don’t write meaningless messages and don’t leave voice messages,” she said firmly, almost in a commanding tone. “My decision is final, and I won’t change it under any circumstances!”
She picked up the suitcase, slightly swayed from its weight, but immediately straightened up and headed to the door, as if afraid that the slightest delay could shake her resolve.
Andrew stood in the middle of the room, feeling how everything inside was contracting from pain and bewilderment. He took a deep breath, trying to pull himself together. He wanted to shout, demand explanations, but he held back he didn’t want to look weak, desperate. The man clenched his fists, then slowly unclenched them, trying to speak calmly, almost everyday:
“Maybe you’re rushing too much?” he said, looking intently at Olivia.
She froze at the door, holding the suitcase handle, but didn’t turn around. Her shoulders were tense, her fingers tightly gripping the leather handle.
“What if he doesn’t want to resume the relationship?” Andrew continued, taking a step closer. “Or refuses to recognize the son? Or maybe he has already made you a proposal?”
Olivia turned sharply. Her face was burning from excitement and irritation. She took several steps towards Andrew, as if wanting to prove something, make him understand.
“He invited me for a serious conversation!” she blurted out. “That’s enough! And don’t try to blacken him Daniel isn’t like that!”
Her voice trembled on the last words, but she immediately took herself in hand, straightened up and again pulled the suitcase to the door.
“You could help,” she muttered through her teeth, with difficulty lifting the heavy suitcase.
Andrew mechanically stepped forward, as if really intending to help, but stopped immediately. And why would he help a person who had trampled on his feelings? The man clearly saw that mentally the girl was already far away, next to Daniel. In her eyes one could read confidence, almost euphoria: a new life full of happiness and love was about to begin. She was clearly imagining how Daniel would meet her with a smile, say that everything would be fine, that they would finally be together.
But in reality everything was different. Daniel, who had invited her for a “serious conversation”, was not going to make a proposal or swear eternal love at all. He only wanted to explain himself, close the old chapter in order to start a new one but already without Olivia. Moreover, he was already occupied.
And Olivia, carried away by her dreams, did not notice the obvious. She had waited for this moment for so long that now she was ready to believe in anything, just not to be disappointed again.
With difficulty dragging the suitcase to the door, she stopped for a second, put her palm on the handle, as if about to say something. But she changed her mind, abruptly opened the door and left, without even looking back.
Andrew remained standing in the middle of the room, looking at the closed door. The air still held a light aroma of her perfume, and in his ears sounded the last words: “Daniel isn’t like that!”
The man slowly sank onto a chair, feeling fatigue falling on him in a heavy wave. Everything happened too quickly, too irrevocably. And now he had to learn to live with this without Olivia, without plans for the future, without illusions…
Then Sarah continued: Daniel opened the door, surprised by such an early guest visit. On the threshold stood Olivia with two suitcases, her face glowing with joy, and her eyes burning with anticipation. He froze, unable to say a word. Only one thought was spinning in his head: “How could she be so mistaken?”
He was sure that everything was long over. When Olivia began dating Andrew, Daniel finally breathed a sigh of relief. Now he could calmly return to his hometown, live here with his wife, without fearing sudden calls, tears and accusations. He even mentally thanked Olivia for finding another it solved all the problems at once.
Yes, he called her and tried to convey that everything had changed, and even suggested meeting on neutral territory, but that was pure formality!
And now she stands at his door with things, clearly counting on something more than just a conversation. Daniel involuntarily stepped back, trying to gather his thoughts.
“Daniel!” Olivia exclaimed as soon as she saw him. “I’ve decided everything. I’m here, and we will finally be together!”
Her voice sounded so confident, as if there could be no other option. She took a step forward, but Daniel instinctively raised his hand, stopping her.
“Olivia, wait…” he began, trying to speak as softly as possible. “You probably don’t know everything.”
She frowned, the smile slowly sliding off her face.
“What are you talking about? We agreed to meet and discuss everything!”
Daniel took a deep breath, understanding that the moment was inevitable.
“I’m married, Olivia. For two years now. We are very happy with my wife.”
Olivia froze, her eyes widened in shock. She was silent for several seconds, as if she couldn’t believe what she had heard. Then her face distorted her gaze mixed panic, resentment and indignation.
“What are you saying?” she whispered, shaking her head. “This can’t be… You called me, said that everything had changed!”
“I called to say goodbye like a human being,” he answered quietly. “I wanted to explain that time has passed, that each of us now has our own life. But you, apparently, understood it differently.”
Olivia stepped back, her hands trembled. She clenched her fists, trying to pull herself together, but emotions overwhelmed her.
“You… you just lied to me all this time!” she shouted, her voice trembling with anger. “How could you do that? I left everything for you!”
Daniel felt irritation growing inside. He didn’t want a scandal, didn’t want to justify himself, but Olivia clearly wasn’t going to leave without clearing things up.
“I never promised you anything,” he said firmly. “You decided yourself that we would be together. I just didn’t want to hurt you, so I spoke carefully. But now everything is clear, right?”
Olivia screamed, grabbed one of the suitcases and threw it on the floor with force. Things scattered across the hallway, but she didn’t care about them. She screamed, accused, demanded explanations, her voice becoming louder and louder.
Daniel had to politely but persistently escort her to the entrance hall. He closed the door, hoping that this would put an end to the conversation. But Olivia didn’t calm down she knocked on the door, shouted, called his name. Neighbors began to look out from their apartments, someone coughed disapprovingly, someone loudly expressed indignation.
An hour later, when Olivia’s screams became even louder, and the neighbors seriously threatened to call the police, she finally left. Before leaving, she turned around, looked at the door of Daniel’s apartment and through tears shouted:
“I’ll be back! You’ll regret this!”
Daniel closed his eyes, feeling fatigue cover him head to toe. He understood that this was not the end. Olivia was stubborn, and if she had something in mind, she wouldn’t back down so easily.
He went into the living room, sat on the sofa and thought. He needed to take urgent measures. It was no longer possible to stay in this apartment Olivia could come again, cause a scandal, disturb the neighbors. Daniel took out his phone and opened the real estate site.
“I need to sell the apartment and look for a new one,” he decided. “Preferably at the other end of the city”…
Then, Olivia walked along the street, not noticing anything around. Tears blurred her eyes, fragments of thoughts swirled in her head, her soul was heavy and empty. She still couldn’t fully realize what had happened. In her imagination Daniel was supposed to meet her with open arms, say that he had been waiting for this moment, that they would finally be together. But reality turned out to be completely different cruel and merciless.
She wandered around the city for a long time, trying to gather her strength. Her feet led her to Andrew’s house. Olivia stopped at the entrance, wiped her tears, fixed her hair she wanted to look at least a little collected. Taking a deep breath, she went up to the required floor and hesitantly pressed the bell.
Andrew didn’t open the door immediately. When he finally appeared in the doorway, his face remained cold and detached. He silently looked at Olivia, making no attempt to invite her inside.
“Andrew, please,” she began in a trembling voice. “I know what I’ve done. I understand how stupid and cruel I acted. But I… I want to fix everything.”
She fell silent, trying to find the words. Tears sparkled in her eyes again.
“I will never mention Daniel’s name again,” she continued, looking him straight in the eyes. “I swear. All this was a mistake. I realized that only with you can I be happy. Please give me a chance.”
Her voice sounded sincere, almost desperate. She really believed what she was saying at that moment it seemed to her that if Andrew forgave her, everything would work out.
Andrew slowly shook his head. No, he wouldn’t fall for it the second time!
“Olivia,” he said quietly, “you already decided everything. A couple of hours ago you were standing in my apartment with suitcases and saying that you were leaving for him. You were sure of your choice.”
“I was wrong then!” she interrupted. “I didn’t understand what I was doing! I was on emotions! I…”
Andrew sighed, ran a hand through his hair. It was hard for him, but he firmly knew: he couldn’t give in to emotions again.
“You didn’t just leave me you left for him. You made a choice, and I accepted it. And now, when everything went wrong, you want to come back?”
“Yes!” Olivia exclaimed. “Because I love you. Only you.”
He was silent for a few seconds, then smirked and unexpectedly firmly declared:
“I no longer believe in the sincerity of your words. Goodbye.”
Olivia felt everything inside her breaking. Andrew looked at her calmly, without malice, but there was not a drop of doubt in his eyes. He really no longer believed her.
“Please…” she whispered, but her voice trembled and broke.
“I’m sorry,” Andrew said. “But this will be better for both of us.”
He closed the door, leaving Olivia standing in the empty corridor. She stood motionless for a few more seconds, then slowly sank onto the step, covered her face with her hands and cried. This time the tears were not from resentment or anger from the bitter realization that she had lost both Daniel and Andrew, and now didn’t know how to live further.
From this whole story, I learned a personal lesson: one should not hold on to the past at the expense of the present, as it can lead to losing what is truly important in life, like true love and stability. It’s better to move forward with honesty and acceptance rather than chasing illusions.
