Sofia couldn’t believe the words coming from Daniil’s mouth. The man she had once loved, the man who had promised to stand by her side, was now telling her what to do with her life. And worse—he was telling her what to do with their child.
“—I booked you an appointment for tomorrow,” Daniil said coldly, not meeting her eyes.
Sofia’s breath hitched in her chest. The words hung in the air like a heavy weight. She had been expecting many things, but this?
“What appointment?” Her voice cracked.
“At the clinic. We agreed this was for the best,” he replied without hesitation.
No—she wanted to scream. *We never agreed to this*. You made this decision for both of us. Alone.
But even as the words stayed caught in her throat, Sofia knew the truth. The past few weeks had been a blur of silence, confusion, and a growing distance between them. Daniil had become a stranger to her, coming home late, barely speaking, and only touching her when it was necessary. He hadn’t even kissed her belly in weeks. Her pregnancy had once brought them closer, but now it seemed to be the thing that made him pull away.
And then, she had heard the whispers: Daniil and Veronika—his new business partner. *Younger, ruthless, and childless*.
Sofia looked at him, feeling the tightness in her chest, and whispered through trembling lips, “I’m not going to do this.”
He turned, coldly meeting her eyes, his face unmoving. “You don’t have a choice. If you want to keep living in my house, you will.”
Tears welled in Sofia’s eyes. “You mean, if I want to keep you.”
He didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. He stormed out of their bedroom, slamming the door behind him.
Sofia didn’t sleep that night. She packed a small suitcase with only the essentials—nothing to tie her to the past. No farewell letters, no tears. She only took what mattered: her unborn children and her resolve to protect them.
At dawn, she left.
—
Five years passed. The days were filled with challenges, triumphs, and the quiet joy of raising two incredible boys. Sofia had found strength she didn’t know she had, and with it, she built a life for herself and her children. The pain of that night had never fully gone away, but it was a distant memory now.
But on that day, everything changed.
The engine of a luxury car purred as it came to a stop in front of Sofia’s old city. It was an unfamiliar feeling, the city she once knew now alien to her. She glanced back at her twin sons, now five years old, sitting calmly in the backseat of the car. Their eyes were wide with curiosity, their hands gripping hers with a strength that reminded her so much of herself.
“Ready, boys?” Sofia asked, her voice steady but betraying a flicker of nervousness.
They both nodded in unison.
“We’re going to meet your father,” Sofia said softly, her eyes locking with theirs in the rearview mirror.
Her heart pounded in her chest. She wasn’t here for drama or revenge. She had come for the truth. For justice.
—
Daniil hadn’t changed much, at least not on the surface. He still wore his expensive suits and had the same smug smile that had always irritated Sofia. He stepped out of his silver sports car with an air of superiority, his name now engraved on the door of his law firm: “Voronov, Zhuravlev & Morozov.”
But when Daniil’s eyes landed on Sofia standing on the sidewalk, a shockwave of recognition passed over his face. His jaw dropped.
“Sofia?” he stammered, his voice filled with disbelief.
“Hello, Daniil,” she replied, calm and strong, watching the surprise flicker in his eyes. “Long time no see.”
His gaze shifted nervously to the two children standing beside her.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, still trying to regain his composure.
“I came back,” Sofia said, her voice unwavering. “And they want to meet their father.”
Daniil’s face drained of color as he glanced between Sofia and the twins. He looked as though he had seen a ghost.
“This… is impossible,” he muttered, his voice weak.
“Oh, it’s very possible,” Sofia said, her smile cold. “You didn’t get what you wanted, Daniil. I never did what you demanded.”
“You… lied to me?” he asked, his voice rising in disbelief.
“I protected them,” Sofia replied firmly. “From you.”
Daniil’s face contorted, his eyes flicking to the ground as he sighed deeply.
“We need to talk,” he said, his tone now serious, but with a hint of frustration. “But not here.”
Sofia nodded.
“Fine. At my place,” she replied, her voice calm but firm. “I don’t want them in your house. Not yet.”
—
At the small, rented house Sofia had secured months before her return, Daniil sat across from her at the kitchen table, looking uneasy. The twins played in the living room, their laughter echoing through the room as they built towers with blocks.
“You know I could sue you for taking them from me,” Daniil said, his voice low, angry.
Sofia stared at him, her eyes unwavering. “You could try. But you won’t win.”
Daniil ran a hand through his hair, his frustration mounting. “I want them back. They’re mine too.”
“They’re *our* children,” Sofia said, her voice like steel. “And I’ve done everything in my power to protect them. You don’t deserve them after everything you’ve done.”
His eyes flickered with a mixture of regret and fury, and for a moment, he was silent.
“You think you can just waltz back into their lives after abandoning us for so long?” Sofia continued, her tone cold and unyielding. “You don’t get to control their fate anymore.”
Daniil’s mouth tightened. “I’m their father, Sofia. I have rights.”
“You had your chance,” she replied, her gaze unwavering. “Now, it’s about what’s best for them. Not you.”
The room was filled with silence as the twins continued to play, oblivious to the storm raging between their parents. Daniil looked at them, then back at Sofia, his expression a mix of anger and something else—something Sofia couldn’t quite place.
“Let me see them,” he said finally, his voice softer now. “I just want to see my sons.”
Sofia stood up, walking to the living room where the twins were laughing, playing together as if nothing in the world could shake them. Daniil followed her silently, standing in the doorway, his eyes locked on the two boys.
“Max,” Sofia said softly, crouching down next to her son. “This is your father.”
Max looked up with innocent eyes, his little hand reaching out to Daniil with a smile. “Hi.”
Daniil’s heart seemed to stop for a moment, and for the first time since Sofia had entered his life again, he didn’t know what to say.
And so, it began—this new chapter. Not for him, but for them. The ones who had never needed him before. But now, as he looked into their eyes, he realized how much he had lost.
And how much, just maybe, he could still win back.