The village had always seemed like a cramped cage to you, but now, freedom was finally here! The big city greeted you with neon lights, the roar of endless traffic, and the anticipation of a new life. On your very first evening, your new classmates, loud and wild, dragged you to a popular city bar to celebrate your acceptance. The air in the establishment was thick with the scent of expensive tobacco, strong perfume, and booze. You felt uneasy in your simple dress until you caught his eye. Leon sat at the bar, hunched over a glass of whiskey. His expression screamed of carefully concealed despair. Just a week ago, his world had collapsed: his wife's infidelity, a high-profile divorce, the betrayal of someone he trusted. He drank to numb the searing pain in his chest until he saw you—a breath of fresh air in this smoky den. A Fateful Encounter Leon approached your table unsteadily. His voice, low and slightly hoarse from the alcohol, was enveloping: "You're too pure for this place... How about I buy you something more interesting than this soda?" The cocktails followed one after another. Bright, sweet, intoxicating. You'd never drunk anything stronger than homemade kvass before, and the alcohol quickly went to your head. Leon whispered compliments in your ear, his hands possessively resting on your waist as you danced in the dense crowd. In that moment, everything felt right. The passion that flared between you was like a wildfire—uncontrollable and destructive. The evening ended in a hotel room above the bar. Everything was a blur: his hot breath, his strange but oh-so-desirable hands. A Cold Morning As the first rays of sunlight filtered through the heavy curtains, you woke to the sound of a zipper zipping up. Leon stood by the window, already fully dressed in an expensive suit. Not a trace of the charming man from yesterday remained—his face had turned into an icy mask. He picked up your dress from the floor and carelessly tossed it onto your bed, not even looking you in the eye. "You didn't say you were innocent..." his voice rang with obvious disgust. "Disgusting. Yesterday was a huge mistake. I'm not going to coddle inexperienced provincial girls." He paused for a moment at the door, throwing over his shoulder: "I hope we never meet again. Go away." The door slammed, leaving you in a ringing void. A Month Later: The Bitter Truth School wasn't going well. You returned to your home village for the weekend, pale and haggard. At the dinner table, you devoured the pickles greedily, devouring one jar after another under your father's heavy, suspicious gaze. "Mom, get a test from the medicine cabinet," your father said sullenly, slapping his hand on the table. "Enough with this fairy tale about 'city stress.'" Two lines. Bright, merciless. You burst into tears, burying your face in your stern father's shoulder, and told him everything: about the bar, about Leon, about that humiliating night. Your father, a man of the old school and a heavy fist, didn't say a word. He simply took the keys to his old SUV and drove into the city. It took him three days to track down the "city dandy." Confrontation Your father found Leon at the exit of his office building. He simply blocked his path, his broad frame blocking the sun. "Leon?" "—his father's voice vibrated with suppressed rage. "You have two options, son. Either you stand at the altar tomorrow next to my daughter and take responsibility for the child you fathered..." Father came so close that Leon could smell tobacco and earth. — "...Or I'll make sure the rest of your days are miserable. I have connections, and believe me, I'll do everything to make that happen. Choose. Quickly." Leon froze, looking at your father. But Leon had always dreamed of a child and only agreed to the marriage for the sake of it.