I suggest we live together as a threesome,» my husband declared to me. «I’ve always dreamed of this. Tanya, why are you being so stubborn? I’ve thought it all through! Look, Alya will move in here, into your house. You’ll help her until the baby is born, and then the three of us will raise our child with Alya. This is a great option! I’ll continue painting, and you’ll keep developing your business. We won’t need anything!»

Stas was a wonderful boyfriend. When he proposed to me, I thought that thanks to him, I would become the happiest woman in the world. I was already 32, and it was time to seriously think about starting a family, but I had absolutely no luck with relationships. All the good men were already taken, and when I turned thirty, I suddenly realized that I had spent too much time building my career.

Yes, I had my own beauty salon. Yes, I had my own two-story house, boxes full of the most fashionable and expensive jewelry, an expensive car, and “chests” full of clothes. I had everything except happiness. And I didn’t have a man. There was no prospect of one either because I had already been through nine circles of Dante’s hell, dating losers, mama’s boys, and other human garbage who made me want to vomit just being near them, let alone think about building a family.

Yes, I had high standards for my partner. And I could afford to choose. My close friend, Oksana, who had been married for a long time but not very happily, once told me:

— «Never get involved with poor guys. Never, you hear me? Nothing good will come of it. Look at me. What good did I see? I married my ‘crocodile’ when I was eighteen. By the way, for love. I thought we’d achieve everything together, rise from the very bottom. But no, we’re still at the bottom.»

I knew Oksana’s story. I had witnessed her emotional struggles. She met Vitya in her first year at university. He was “one of the common folk,” studying on a scholarship, with big hopes. Oksana thought that with Vitya, a bright future awaited her. Her professors were happy with him, they predicted a brilliant future for him. Alongside Vitya, a local rich kid, the son of a city bigwig, was courting Oksana. He followed her around, wouldn’t let her breathe, showering her with expensive gifts. Oksana was reluctant in her response to his advances; she didn’t like him. She often told me:

— «You know, he’s slippery… I’d even say he’s slimy, like a worm. I feel uncomfortable next to him. Yes, he’s rich. Yes, he can give me everything I dream of right now. But how would it be to live with him? How could I sleep beside him without love? How could I have children with him? But Vitya… Vitya is different. I can’t imagine life without him.»

— «Oksana, maybe love will come?» I said to her. «From one perspective, the son of rich parents is much better than a poor student. With him, you won’t worry about your future. You won’t have to think about how to feed kids that could come at any moment. If I were you, I’d give him a chance.»

— «You don’t understand anything,» Oksana chuckled. «Money is here today, and gone tomorrow. But I can’t live like this — without love. I don’t even consider Volodya as a husband. As a person, he’s nothing. He has everything just because of his rich daddy. But Vitya… Vitya will make it on his own. I’m sure. Even my mom said he’s a very promising young man. She’s great at reading people, and I trust her judgment.»

They had their wedding almost immediately. A student wedding, modest, but Oksana was happy. I even envied her at that time, thinking: what a smart girl, she didn’t give up on her principles, she didn’t give in to pressure, and married the one she truly loved. But as the years passed, the former “promising student” couldn’t find his place in life. Vitya kept hopping from one company to another, trying to land a well-paying job. But his own ambitions held him back.

Viktor thought of himself as a great specialist, he believed employers should line up to hire him. And now, after so many years, Oksana finally changed her opinion. Now, she regretted turning down the son of wealthy parents. Maybe if she had agreed to marry him, her life would have turned out differently.

As for me, I wanted everything all at once. I wanted both a wealthy man and one I loved. I believed that these two factors could exist in one person. I didn’t want to marry for money or for love alone.

I had the example of my parents’ happy marriage right in front of me. They married after school, and my father loved my mother dearly all his life, and she adored him. She would start a sentence, and he would finish it. He would extend his hand, and she would place her glasses in it when they became elderly. I admired them and dreamed of having the same kind of marriage.

— «The best thing you can do for your children, Tanya, is marry a man who will carry you on his hands, and who will treat your children the same way,» my mother would say.

And I firmly remembered that phrase. Then life brought me to Stanislav. Wealthy, courteous, and very charming.

I met Stas by accident. My friend had been dragging me to an exhibition of some trendy artist for two months, and I had a businesswoman’s schedule and simply couldn’t find time for culture. Eventually, I found three free hours in my busy schedule, but then Lucy came down with a cold. Deciding that it was silly to waste time, I went to the exhibition alone.

The paintings were breathtaking. Huge canvases depicting the harsh northern nature in minute detail. Cranberries seemed to sparkle with dew, they looked so realistic that you wanted to touch them with your fingers, pick them off the vine, and pop them in your mouth. I heard the sound of the White Sea, saw the rocking of the boats, and heard the cries of birds…

— «Do you like it?» I jumped at the voice behind me.

— «It’s amazing!» I honestly responded.

— «Thank you for the high praise of my modest works,» smiled the young man.

He turned out to be the artist everyone had been talking about. We chatted as we moved from one painting to the next, and later continued our conversation in the gallery’s cozy café. Afterward, he offered to walk me home.

Stas, that was his name, lived in a house right on the border of my neighborhood.

— «And you live there?» he nodded toward the elite cottages and looked at me with respect.

— «Yes, that red-tiled roof, that’s my house,» I smiled.

We talked for a long time, parted quite happy with each other, exchanged phone numbers. An hour later, I received a message from him on social media. I can’t remember the last time I had such a late-night conversation with anyone. But there’s always a first time.

Stas was superbly educated, had a great sense of humor, and… no wedding ring. How it happened, he told me himself shortly afterward.

He was married. At eighteen, he fell in love with a beautiful girl, Alevtina, and married her, but it didn’t work out. It often happens, especially in youth. He was passionate about art, and she was beautiful but had the IQ of a goldfish, and, worst of all, she didn’t want to develop. She reproached him for spending too much time with his paints and too little with her. She didn’t rush to get a job either, and at that time, Stas wasn’t successful or well-known, so they lived very frugally. Dreaming of a beautiful life, Alya began systematically driving him crazy, he lost his inspiration, got frustrated, and eventually broke up with her.

— «We just quietly and peacefully parted ways. No reproaches, no more arguments. We forgave each other and parted as friends, which I am thankful for. We still talk sometimes.»

— «That’s very respectable,» I honestly said.

We dated for eight months, and then we quietly got married at the registry office, and my husband moved in with me. We rented out his apartment to good people. In my spacious house, we set up a studio, quickly settled into domestic life, and at first, everything seemed perfect. Then I found out that my husband was constantly in touch with his ex-wife.

— «That’s not normal, you already have me!» I said to my husband, but he clearly didn’t see it as anything wrong.

— «Come on, don’t be jealous. We just sometimes have coffee together, and I help her out with things around the house sometimes. She’s alone, with a small salary, it’s not easy for her. And she’s a really good person,» my husband explained.

I frowned. I definitely didn’t like this situation. Three people in a marriage, not counting our cat, who lived as if he were his own person and wouldn’t let us pet him.

What kind of person Alevtina was, I honestly didn’t care. But the fact that my husband was visiting her after work, often texting her in the evenings, and sending her money, was a problem. It wasn’t jealousy, no, I didn’t feel a real threat to myself as a wife. I was just irritated by his behavior.

In my mind, ex-wives are ex-wives. Especially if there are no children involved, and luckily for me, there were no children between Alevtina and Stas. It’s a closed chapter that shouldn’t be reopened, but my husband clearly thought otherwise.

— «I would really like you to stop having any contact with her!» I approached my husband again.

— «Don’t start, honey! It doesn’t suit you. We just talk, sometimes meet up. What’s wrong with that, tell me?»

— «It bothers me, can you understand that? Put yourself in my shoes. How would you react if I were texting my ex-boyfriend?»

— «But I’m not with her like that!»

And so it went again, in a circle. Stas didn’t want to listen to me, and I didn’t want to accept the situation.

— «Old love never rusts!» my friend said when we met in a café.

— «Do you think there are still feelings left?» I raised an eyebrow.

— «I think so, otherwise why meet so often? I would be angry too if I were you.»

— «But I don’t know what to do. It makes me really uncomfortable, hurts. I’ve asked him a hundred times to stop talking to her, but…»

— «Maybe you should have a baby? It’s time.» My friend suggested, taking a big sip of sea buckthorn tea.

— «I really want to, but Stas is asking me not to rush.»

— «Then what are you waiting for? You’re married, you’re not getting any younger, and your health isn’t improving.»

— «I understand all that, but how do I get it across to him?»

— «Oh, these men! Just get pregnant — say it was fate, honey! And he won’t run anywhere.»

But this arrangement didn’t quite suit me either. I believed in honesty in relationships, and having a child when one partner isn’t ready isn’t a great idea. Children aren’t weeds by the fence, they require time, effort, and love. And here we were with Stas’s ex-wife trailing behind, ugh!

— «Stas, when are we having a baby, huh?» I purred as I snuggled up to my husband in the evening.

— «Oh, not now! You know I’ve got a new exhibition coming up, tons of work, so when can we have a kid?» He responded, typing something on his phone.

He was texting Alevtina again. I managed to catch a glimpse of her photo and the open conversation window.

— «So when then?» I decided not to push it.

— «Let’s wait until the exhibition is over, I’ll finish up my work, and then we’ll actively discuss the matter, okay?» My husband gave me a perfunctory kiss on the cheek, blocked his phone,

and turned to the wall.

He made it clear he didn’t want to discuss it any further, and soon his breathing became deep and even. I lay awake for a long time, feeling my anger boil inside me.

The exhibition opening took place on August 1st. It was lavish, with media coverage, a ton of guests, and… with Alevtina. As per tradition, after the formal part, we went to the buffet.

Luxurious tables with an array of appetizers — red caviar in tartlets, sandwiches of all kinds, many delicious skewers. I gloomily nibbled on pear cubes with blue cheese, scanning the room. I had on an exquisite green dress for the occasion, and I was also planning to tell my husband the news at home.

Lately, I had been feeling nauseous in the mornings. I’d lost weight and didn’t know what to think until Lucy came to me with a pregnancy test, and we sat together at the table, watching as the second bright pink line appeared.

No, I didn’t follow my friend’s advice and didn’t scheme anything. It just happened. The baby decided to come to me, and soon I would be a mom. I hadn’t told my husband yet; he was too excited about the exhibition. It was important for sales — Stas sold a dozen paintings worth over three hundred thousand right away. He was even proud of a special order from Japan.

Now, he was a bit tipsy, the life of the party, and Alevtina was practically hanging on him, swaying in her mind-bogglingly high heels.

Instinctively, I placed my hand on my lower abdomen, feeling more and more furious as I watched this spectacle. My husband’s ex-wife was laughing loudly and hugging him. Stas was already covered in her bright red lipstick, but he took it all for granted.

Suddenly, Alya jumped onto the stage where some pop singer was performing, grabbed the microphone from him, and said:

— «I’ve always known Stasik is mine — the best. And today, guess what, he bought us a vacation to the sea, and we’re going to relax!»

At that moment, I snapped. I set my glass of pomegranate juice on the table so hard that the ruby liquid splashed onto the fish pâté baskets and swirled on my heels. I was leaving, marching with purpose, never looking back.

I ordered a taxi and went home. There, I started packing Stas’s things, making the final decision — this is it, the end. His trip with his ex to the sea definitely didn’t fit into my idea of a happy marriage. Let him go off to the sea with his beauty, while I would keep something much more valuable and important.

Inside, it felt like a tiny fish had brushed its tail against me. An incredible sensation.

— «Hello, little one!» I said, gently patting my still-flat belly beneath the green satin fabric.

My husband called me several times, but I didn’t pick up. He showed up at home after midnight when I had already washed up and was preparing for bed, reading a book in my cozy whale-print pajamas.

— «Are you upset?» Stas knelt before me. «Sorry, but I promised Alya… Tanya, don’t think, there’s nothing going on… We’re just going as friends. I’ve promised her for a long time, and recently she reminded me. So I just mentioned I’d take her after the exhibition. And Tanya, I think we need to rest from each other. You’ve been so nervous and irritable lately. It’s hard for me to find common ground with you. I need this trip. I need inspiration. I’m an artist, a creative person. I can’t live without it, you understand?»

I was silent. For some reason, I didn’t want to talk to my husband. What would I even say to him?

Should I stoop to market-level arguments, yell at him, tell him he’s completely out of line? What would it change? We’d fight, and our already awful relationship would get even worse. Stas was waiting for my reaction, gazing intently into my eyes, and I didn’t know what to say. I, who had never struggled for words in my life, didn’t know how to react to what was happening. My husband was going to the sea with his ex-wife, without me!

— «Stas, you promised, so keep your word,» I said coldly. «But without me! I’m done with this three-way tango.»

— «But no, there’s no…»

— «I’ve already decided. We’re not meant to be. I’ll send you the paintings, and the paints too. Your things are packed. I wish you a happy trip.»

— «Alya’s pregnant,» my husband suddenly said.

— «What? And whose is it?» I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

He looked away, and his hands trembled. The answer was obvious, and I laughed, tilting my head back.

— «So that’s how you were just having coffee, huh? Just like that?»

— «It happened, but I’m not going to live with her. I love you. I won’t abandon the child, of course.»

— «And of course, now your relationship with his mother will get official recognition, and that means you’ll have the right to a fling. Right?» I looked at him firmly.

— «No, what are you talking about! It was just a one-time thing.»

— «One time, then another, then again, and again, and again!» I sang loudly, quoting a famous song.

My husband flushed quickly and grabbed my hand.

— «Come on, give me a chance, forgive me! Everything was so good!»

— «For you, yes. You’ve got a wife, a second wife too. And soon, a baby will be on the way. But you know, something about this relationship just doesn’t sit right. You feel like an ill-fitting sneaker. So, I’ll say goodbye. I’ve already packed your things, so…»

— «But it can’t just end like this?»

— «You know, after today’s news, I seriously think that nothing even began between us. You’ve always been with your precious Alya, and I… I don’t know what I was needed for. You’re a creative person, always up to some antics.»

— «Okay, I get it.»

Stas left. I filed for divorce. I didn’t enjoy my newfound freedom for long. Stas showed up three weeks after he left. He came to my house and said he urgently needed to discuss something important with me. I didn’t want to talk to the traitor who had been deceiving me for so long, but I decided to hear him out. Stas proposed what he thought was a brilliant solution to the situation.

— «Listen, Tanya, what if we just live together as a threesome? What’s the problem? I think it’s the only way out. Alya needs your help, she’s pregnant, I don’t want anything bad to happen to my child. You love me, I’m sure of it. And you only filed for divorce out of revenge. Tanya, don’t run away from yourself, I can belong to both of you!»

At that moment, I thought my ex-husband had some kind of mental disorder. No rational, capable adult could say something so ridiculous! I didn’t listen to him any longer. I firmly told him:

— «Get out of here, and don’t ever show up in front of me again. I never want to see you again. You’re no Sultan Suleiman, you’re a damn polygamist! Are you out of your mind? Who do you think you are? Get out, I never want to see you again!»

The divorce went through, and I gave birth to a son on time. I named him Alexander, after his father. Later, I learned from mutual acquaintances that Stas had reconciled with Alevtina, and they now had a daughter. My ex had gotten terribly fat, quit painting, started drinking, and now I was actually glad we had parted ways.

I didn’t get what I had with my mom and dad. But I have Sasha. My golden-haired, smiling boy, whom I love beyond measure and am thankful to Stas for. This is the best thing he left me. Maybe I’ll meet my person one day, but if not, I already have everything I need to be truly happy as a woman and mother.