The widow of a rich man received only an old house in the countryside as inheritance and was shocked

the day was so hot that women avoided wearing heels fearing they would sink into the softened asphalt the town's people sought shade under trees and bus stop roofs and enjoyed the coolness of store air conditioners inside one of the city's most famous Notary offices the heat was even more intense the office had comfortable air conditioning but the heated emotions of the participants made it feel stifling more than 10 people were gathered in a cramped room all eager to hear a will while waiting the participants glanced at each other coughing nervously and stealing anxious glances some

of them were meeting each other for the first time while those who were acquainted whispered quietly suddenly a bulky man blotting his forehead with a handkerchief shouted to an elderly man in a cap sitting next to him what do you know about the deceased he was a one wonderful man my mother used to take care of him when he was a child she was his mother's steps sister the elderly man responded angrily even though I'm a cousin of his cousin I am still family we met Eric a few times and had wonderful conversations this sparked

a heated argument with everyone trying to shout over each other listing their connections to the deceased and emphasizing their relationships the room resembled a buzzing beehive although the tone was more akin to dogs fighting over a bone just as the situation threatened to escalate into a fight a tall gentleman in an expensive suit entered the room his presence commanded attention and for a moment silence fell what is this outrage what kind of commotion is going on here he exclaimed in a menacing voice I demand that everyone calm down immediately some people stopped talking while others

fueled by their anger continued to shout insults at the gathered one lady particularly indignant spoke up no one here was around Eric when he was alive but as soon as you find out about the will you all appear the man who had entered was the notary and he interrupted the speaking lady with irritation in his voice don't make me start shouting if you all don't calm down now I'll have to postpone the reading of the will his Stern voice and the threat of delaying the will finally had an effect the room fell silent although the

participants still glared at each other with anger in their eyes almost everyone present that day gathered to hear the reading of the will of the businessman and believed deep down that they were mentioned in it however there was one woman who had been quietly sitting on the sidelines the whole time she was the legal spouse of the deceased and knew that she should expect any special Bounty from him neither in life nor after his death in her youth when she first met him she still hoped to receive love and attention but years later she regretted

the marriage more than once but once everything started gorgeously clear at that time got a job as an assistant secretary in the city Administration maranne Mrs Kerney the director of The Orphanage where Clea had been brought up since she was 3 years old helped her with this Clea was a favorite of all starting from Nan's ending with the director of The Orphanage Mrs Kerney used to say every time she met her what a beauty you will be I hope there will be a prince for such a princess the girl blushed and shyly answered well Mrs

Kerney why do I need a prince I will marry only for love not for riches one once in one of the corridors of the administration Clea accidentally ran into a tall Slender Man she dropped a stack of folders from her hands which she was carrying to the archive and the man helped to collect them handing over the last one he smiled dazzlingly and said I'm ready to accompany such a beauty all the time so that God forbid she doesn't stumble again but first I would very much like to get acquainted and ask her out on

a date my name is Eric Anderson Clea having no experience with men was frightened and picking up the folders thanking the stranger quickly left and she was greatly surprised when at the end of work she noticed a gallant gentleman with a huge bouquet in his hands at the entrance to the City Hall you ran away so quickly that I decided to wait and get acquainted Eric said and apparently seeing the frightened eyes of the girl he immediately smiled and added let's just go for a walk then opposite the city hall there is a beautiful Park

tell me about yourself I'll tell you my soul and you won't be afraid of me then I can finally invite you to the restaurant he smiled so kindly and charmingly that Clea agreed they took a long walk in the park ate ice cream in a street cafe and talked talked talked Eric turned out to be an excellent conversationalist well read and intelligent Clea felt at ease with him from the first minutes of communication as if they had known each other for years he knew so much and told interesting stories that Clea was ready to listen

to him day and night the man was 20 years older but Clea did not feel it at all Eric at that time was a well-known personality in the city and ran a construction company in the city they took a long walk after which the man accompanied Clea home and asked Clea will we see each other again I absolutely hate to part with you but you must promise that tomorrow you will allow me to meet you from work again and agree to have dinner with me that night the girl had trouble sleeping as her thoughts were

consumed by her new acquaintance Clea experiencing these emotions for the first time didn't yet realize that she had fallen in love she wished she could fast forward time to the next evening just to meet Eric sooner it wasn't until early morning that she was finally able to fall asleep with a happy smile on her face from that day on Eric started meeting her after work every day in his expensive car causing Whispers of disapproval from clea's colleagues at work no one could believe that a poor girl from an orphanage who lived in a small room

on the outskirts of the city with no money was involved in a relationship with a mature wealthy man purely out of love people speculated about the girl's ulterior motives accusing her of using Eric for personal gain but they couldn't comprehend that Clea couldn't bear to go a day without seeing Eric she was willing to spend the entire day just listening to him taking in his expensive perfume and feeling the touch of his hands after a month of dating Clea visited Eric's beautiful Country House the rooms were light cozy and featured huge floor to ceiling Windows

as she looked around she couldn't help but wonder how much time it took to clean and wash all of those windows unfortunately quite soon she was able to figure it out by herself and it happened right after they got married a couple of weeks after their wedding Eric embraced his young wife and said darling I've been thinking why do we need a stranger in the house and besides it's an unnecessary expense so I've let go of the housekeeper you're young and full of energy especially since you're not working right now I believe you can handle

everything on your own blinded by love for her husband Clea didn't even consider the possibility that Eric had married her for certain purposes except for his love for her but the Ugly Truth was that he needed a young and beautiful companion by his side to elevate his status as a wealthy and family oriented man in High Society moreover he knew that a girl from an orphanage wouldn't have high expectations or demands and so it went if before the wedding Eric showed clear some signs of affection like giving her Flowers and Gifts after the wedding she

became nothing more than a cover for his successful life and also a housekeeper and a cook all rolled into one and when Clea finally mustered the courage to mention this a year into their marriage Eric coldly dismissed her saying what more do you want you're living in Paradise a beautiful house a renowned husband and all the clothes you could dream of if you're not satisfied feel free to leave with your belongings I've been married four times and finding a fifth wife won't be a problem that night Eric was drunk and clear cried all night but

convinced herself that it was the alcohol talking she desperately wanted to believe that everything would be okay between her and Eric there were moments when he was tender and gentle there were evenings when he would come home from work and say darling tonight we won't be having dinner at home put on your best outfit let's go to our favorite restaurant on those nights they would look at each other affectionately just like before they would drink champagne and dance to beautiful slow Tunes in those moments Clea was willing to put up with her husband's occasional bad

moods blaming them on his demanding job during the first years of their marriage Clea held on to hope that she would give her husband a child and complete their family but when Eric suddenly confessed I'm sorry dear but we can't have children well I can't but it's okay right he looked guiltily as he spoke his gaze fixed on the pale clear what's wrong baby we're good together the house is beautiful and we can travel freely wherever and whenever we want and children they bring worries diapers and sleepless nights the important thing is that we have

each other her husband seemed so affectionate and sincere that Clea clung eagerly to his his chest deciding that there was no reason to upset some people live without children eventually they could adopt a child from an orphanage however after a couple of years Eric changed so much that having a child became impossible after a few years they lived like strangers under the same roof Clea had nowhere to go because in the first year of marriage Eric convinced her to sell the apartment she got from the state as an orphan and to inv invest the money

in his business however the hubby was satisfied with everything the house was clean the meal was cooked and there was a beautiful young wife ready to look after him for a roof over her head relations between them as between a man and a woman came to na Eric would often come home from work go straight to his study pour himself multiple large glasses of whiskey and fall asleep at the table colleagues and acquaintances noticed that Eric had been giving up a lot lately attributing it to work stress and long hours only Clea his loyal wife

knew that his mood swings irregular heartbeat and other health issues were caused by his alcohol addiction however whenever she tearfully pleaded with him to stop drinking Eric would yell at her belittling her and reminding her of her dependence on him what are you trying to tell me you beggar be happy that I have not divorced you yet shut up and know your place you're the wife of an honorable man in town without me you're nothing Eric's mother shared the same opinion coming periodically to visit her son instead of greetings she began to sling mud at

her daughter-in-law right from the doorstep Eric why did you take this beggar on your back she used to say to her son artistic ially wiping a non-existent tear from her cheek how can a person who has never had a house of his own creation Comfort she's completely tasteless in clothes in food in the interior you'd better marry my friend's daughter she has a good education and comes from an honorable family of professors and by the way she's still single Clea endured all of this silently pretending not to notice her mother-in-laws insults but she did not

have a job her husband insisted and she had no friends and relatives either so she had to listen to all these unflattering speeches in her address this continued until Eric's death even at the notary's office the grumpy mother-in-law continued to look at Clea as an enemy Eric's mother was exactly that loud lady who clarified the degree of kinship among those present Clea had no desire to bring up the party asked and she certainly wasn't going to discuss her late husband with anyone she would not have come here at all understanding that it was unlikely that

her stingy husband had left her anything he had made a marriage contract with Clea only so that in case of his death she would not keep her lovers on his money Clea was deeply offended by these accusations because she hadn't given him any reason to think that way but he jokingly explained that all the wealthy people in his Circle did the same Clea had sincerely loved her husband when she married him she considered him wiser because of his age and agreed with him on everything clea's thoughts were interrupted by a venomous hissing sound nearby don't

even hope that Eric left you anything he must have known that you married him for his money so he probably made sure that you only had what you came with Clea turned around and replied to her mother in inlaw quietly but sharply Mrs Anderson you should be ashamed your only son is dead after all and even here you are causing a scene I don't need anything except a place to live and I think I can manage that by myself at the very least have some decency and be quiet in memory of your son Clea had

no desire to dwell on the past nor to speak bad of the deceased she simply wanted it to be over quickly so that she could never see these people again finally the notary requesting silence began reading the will the office was filled with nervous tension the old man in the cap coughed quietly from time to time bringing his hand to his face the overweight man wiped droplets of sweat from his forehead every second Eric's mother glared at her daughter-in-law with hatred and the other people were clearly nervous the first name names on the list of

Heirs of course was Mrs Anderson her son Beed to her his country Mansion where Clea continued to live after her husband's death in addition Eric left his mother all the luxury items that had accumulated in their house there was a time when he collected expensive antique things that had considerable value after hearing the notary Mrs Anderson turned to Clea and angrily whispered have you packed your things I want even your spirit out of my house from tonight Clea didn't respond she simply turned away and continued to listen to the will meanwhile the notary was announcing

all the new names of distant relatives many of whom had last seen the deceased in childhood everyone glared angrily at the Young Widow realizing that now was announced only a small piece of what the businessman possessed it was unclear from where but everyone already knew that the deceased man had considerable bank accounts and investments in some assets since the couple had no children it was expected these items would go to clear but to everyone's surprise the notary announced that the wife of the deceased would receive a small house in a remote Village a couple of

hours drive from the city Clea was sitting behind everyone at a loss she had expected various things from her stingy husband but she had never expected this Clea was aware of that dilapidated H shortly before his death her husband came home drunk upbeat and began boasting from the doorstep darling today a man lost to me in poker and you know how I don't forgive debts so I was given a house in the village from the photo it looks like the house has been abandoned for a long time but it's better than nothing Clea knew that

besides his alcohol addiction her husband had another bad habit he often played cards and not just for fun she could even tell when Eric was losing or winning if he lost he would return home Angry and immediately head to the bar without even taking off his shoes on such days Clea would try to go to her bedroom and avoid him knowing that only a scandal awaited her if Eric won he would shout from the doorstop wifey I'm home and I'm hungry as a wolf your man came home with spoils today on one such day he

mentioned an abandoned house outside the city but CLE could never have imagined that this would be all her husband would leave to her after his death the first one to regain her composure was Eric's mother approaching her daughter-in-law she hissed maliciously you don't seem happy be grateful that Eric at least left you this did did you think you could live happily ever after on Eric's savings no that's not how it works my son wasn't a fool and he did the right thing you lived like a lady for long enough go back to your miserable World

Clea not wanting to hear anymore rushed out into the corridor and sat down on a bench sobbing silently she could hear the scandalous overweight man discussing her what did she expect they marry the men who are fit to be their fathers and and think they've caught the bird of Happiness by the tail let her try to live without Eric I bet she can't even work cleia cried even harder she felt bitter and offended towards her husband with whom she had lived for over 10 years eight of which were a living hell Eric decided that her

attitude to him and her love for him was worthy only of an old ruined Shack although he knew perfectly well that if anything happened she would have nowhere to live he was the one who had convinced her to sell her only home and he was the one who had insisted that she quit her job as a result she was now left without a source of income or a roof over her head cleia couldn't remember how long she had been sitting in the corridor of the notary's office but after calming down a bit she decided to

forget everything as a terrible dream and try to start her life a new first of all she thanked herself for her foresight because she had managed to save some money from the household money her husband had given her it was as if she had a premonition that she needed to rely only on herself she had been saving a little bit every time for the past 5 years she used the money to rent a small one-bedroom apartment on the outskirts of the city and began searching for a job with limited experience and education it was difficult

to find something decent that's when she remembered the orphanage she went there with hope and she was never disappointed over the years the orphanage had undergone many changes the premises were modernly renovated and everything was clean and cozy many employees remained the same and at first didn't recognize the stately well-groomed woman who was once their Ward Clea found the director in her office Mrs Kerney was busy with something scrutinizing the text on the computer the principal took off her glasses and immediately exclaimed happily oh my cleia has arrived I didn't expect you I thought maybe

she had children and couldn't visit us come in sit down tell me how are you doing how many children you have and how's your husband I heard you married well you look just like in a picture Clea shared her entire story and in the end cried Mrs Kerney stroked clea's head just like she did in her childhood and whispered you're my girl why were you punished like this it's true what they say even in a golden cage there is bitterness then she suddenly said to Clea you know what cleia come and work for us for

now you can work as a nanny in the junior group and then I'll give you a recommendation to study to become a teacher you can also live here we have a staff room you can save everything even though the salary is small and so Clea started working the next day the woman was delighted to take care of the children the kids were all under 3 years old and from the very first moment they loved Clea as if she were their own mother yielding to Mrs Ker's Persuasions Clea moved to the orphanage she was given a

beautiful room on the second floor of the building with fresh repairs and new furniture the room had had everything necessary although there was nothing Superfluous a spacious closet with a mirror a bed a couple of chairs a table and a new TV mounted on the wall were all that the room contained but Clea didn't need much more than that it was certainly not the luxurious chamber of her former husband but a quiet and peaceful place where CIA could be alone with her thoughts however she tried to spend as much time as possible at work and

only returned to her room at night the woman finally began to distance herself from the events of the past and less frequently reminisced about her previous life several times she thought about the inherited house in the middle of nowhere and considered giving up such a meager inheritance but luckily she had mentioned it to Mrs Kerney and the wise and experienced woman immediately exclaimed what are you thinking Clea it's still a piece of Real Estate you should go and see for yourself what kind of house it is maybe it's not as bad as you think you

can always sell it if you don't want to live there don't refuse it tomorrow girl you have the day off go and see what you've inherited and then decide what to do with it the next morning Clea took the first bus to the countryside she had not expected the place only 2 hours away from the city to be so abandoned the road was in such a terrible condition that it seemed impossible for cars to drive on them most of the houses in that Village were abandoned only 10 houses appeared to be inhabited but Clea didn't

see any residents around the house turned out to be the second from the end of the village and it looked very shabby and unpleasant The Rundown fence barely enclosed the grounds anymore and it seemed like the whole fence would fall straight to the ground as soon as she opened the gate surprisingly that didn't happen timidly Clea entered the property and began to examine the house although it was difficult to call it a house The Faded graying structure seemed like it could collapse at any moment and the windows were crisscrossed with shapeless wood with some of

the Glass Broken above the entrance was a gaping dower instead of a window frame of the attic and as clear approached a flock of black crows flew out from there Coring loudly scared Clea took a step back however she decided to still inspect the inside of the structure and took out the key given by the notary the door looked like it had been attacked with a knife and had numerous chop marks there wasn't even a handle on the door but Clea turned the key in the keyhole and struggled to open it the inside of the

Hut was no better than the outside the hallway was filled with all sorts of junk that clear had to step over squeamishly to get into the living room the three bedrooms in the house were similar to each other with faded and horribly dirty wallpaper most of the furniture was broken giving the impression that there had been a terrible fight or the house had been ransacked empty bottles and shards of dishes littered the dirty floor Clea wanted to turn around and run away from this place without looking back however her attention was drawn to a small

door on the floor right in the middle of one of the rooms after hesitating for a while Clea decided to check what might be inside surprisingly the wooden door yielded effortlessly and CLE saw a staircase leading to the basement Her Imagination painted a picture of a hidden treasure in the cellar and she felt that going downstairs might reveal some secret or mystery however her excitement quickly faded as she discovered that the cellar was just as dirty and smelly as the rest of the house it was filled with a pile of junk and rags and nothing

else angry and disappointed Clea was about to leave when she noticed a makeshift bed made of plywood and wood it stood in the farthest and darkest corner which is why it hadn't caught her eye immediately next to the bed was a chair with a broken leg and a nightstand with only one intact drawer curiosity getting the better of her clear approached the bed it had a dirty mattress and a crumpled blanket suggesting that someone had recently lived there with a sense of disgust she began to search through the contents of the room Clea lifted and

shook each rag hoping to find something although she wasn't sure what she was looking for suddenly she noticed some writing on the edge of a rag like a sheet in a note someone had tried to communicate that that they were being held against their will and asked her to call a specific phone number back in town Clea immediately dialed the number on the other end a woman burst into tears upon recognizing the reason for the call Clea was frightened and didn't know what to do but then a trembling male voice sounded on the receiver please

tell me where this house is I will come for you right away just tell me your address my son disappeared 6 months ago and it's like that's where the kidnappers kept him just an hour later an expensive car pulled up at the gates of the orphanage and the man who got out of it introduced himself as Mr nenan during the ride Mr nenan shared with Clea that his only son was his source of happiness and pride in his 30s he had achieved a lot and was glad to assist his father in business but one day

Taylor didn't return from his weekly tennis practice Mr Nan continued with a trembling voice he wasn't there in the evening or the next morning his phone was disconnected all that was known was that he left the sports club got into his car and headed home after a moment of silence Mr Nan took a sip of water from a bottle nearby and continued speaking I did everything and went everywhere to find my son I used my security service and hired detectives but no one could find my boy upon arriving at clea's house where Taylor was held

Mr Nan tearfully searched every inch of the shabby dwelling not caring about staining his expensive suit sitting on the cell bed he burst into tears and whispered my boy how have you been living here what have those creeps done to you after a while he turned to Clea and asked how did you end up in this house who lived here before she briefly explained how she became the owner of the house in the darkness she couldn't see the man's face but she understood that every detail was important to him finishing her story she quietly added

but all that happened before Eric won this house I don't think he knew what happened in that house my husband Eric was too lazy to thoroughly inspect every corner of this building he said he only came to see it once from afar when he came to see it if it would cover the debt of a losing car game Upon returning to town Mr Nan asked clear for the house documents to find out the previous owner he immediately made a call and dictated the necessary information in just 5 minutes he received a call back listened attentively

and thanked the person on the other end then turning to Clea he said now it all makes sense to me I know the person who is the owner of this Shack very well he is a friend of my former partner with whom I us used to do business together my impudent parter was always jealous of me and tried to sabotage our success after another conflict I decided to end our Business Partnership which hurt his ego that's when my son disappeared but all this time I couldn't even imagine that someone I had worked with for so

many years could do such a thing Clea thank you for not passing along my son's request for a phone call I owe you one if you need anything don't hesitate to call me he handed Clea his business card and she accepted it saying I wish you luck and I'll help you in any way I can Mr Nan's former business partner was quickly found and a case was opened against him during the trial he proved to be a cowardly person and confessed everything during the first interrogation it turned out that he had kept Taylor at his

friend's house for several months until he lost the house in a card game after that he was forced to move the poor guy to another location which he revealed immediately during the interrogation soon Taylor was rescued but his health deteriorated greatly after his imprisonment the once athletic young man had become almost an invalid his legs which had been Shackled for more than 6 months were badly damaged and had already begun to rot if not treated in time it led to sepsis thanks to Mr Nan Clea was informed about everything that was happening he started visiting

the orphanage frequently several times a week to bring books toys and clothes for the children at some point Clea noticed that every time he came to the orphanage he tried to find the director and speak with her after the sponsor left one day clear approached Mrs Kerney with a smile and said well you predicted a rich groom for for me and it looks like you met such a one Mr Nan seems to have his eye on you the director blushed and waved her hand dismissively replying oh come on clear what groom at my age I'll

spend the rest of my day with my cats probably one day Clea visited Taylor he was admitted to the city's most expensive Clinic Mr Nan was willing to pay any amount to see his son recover however some things cannot be bought Mr Nan was sitting in the Hall and staring wordlessly at his smartphone I'm very upset Clea Taylor's condition is not well time is of the essence and they can't find enough blood for him I can't help him you see Taylor is not my biological son my wife and I deeply loved each other and wanted

a big family with many children unfortunately that dream never came true that's when we decided to adopt a child from the orphanage the moment my wife saw Taylor she knew he was meant to be ours by the way Taylor doesn't know that he is adopted unfortunately my wife passed away when Taylor had just started college it was a devastating tragedy for me but I realized I had to live for Taylor's sake after listening attentively Clea softly asked what blood type does he need maybe we can find a match among people we know when she heard

the answer Clea couldn't believe her ears the blood type was an exact match with hers overwhelmed with emotions he hugged her tightly and tears filled his eyes you're amazing you've saved us once again I owe you my life so Clea became a blood donor for Taylor and now all there was left to do was wait a week later Clea visited Taylor again suddenly Mr Nilan entered the room looking somewhat bewildered holding a white form with some data clear sensed that he might collapse at any moment without hesitation she rushed to his Aid supporting him under

his arm and helping him to sit on the armchair she quickly poured a glass of water and handed it to him Mr Nan took a few sips expressed his gratitude and returned to the glass after a brief moment he looked directly into clear's eyes and said I don't know why but I made a DNA test the test results have come back you and Taylor are brother and sister hearing this Clea automatically drank water in a volley from the glass she was holding at that moment she had a brother but how did this happen it was

beyond her comprehension seeing clea's confusion Mr Nan took her hand and spoke softly we will find out the reasons but right now we need to save Taylor a few days later Mr Nan provided answers to all clea's questions he hired a detective who was able to quickly uncover the truth it turned out that Clea and Taylor's parents had tragically died in an accident when the Twins were just over a year and a half old the babies were taken in by their paternal grandmother who later passed away from grief thus at the age of almost three

they ended up in an orphanage at that moment Mr Nan and his wife came to the orphanage looking for a child and they immediately liked Taylor unfortunately the director just didn't tell them that Taylor had a sister we would never have separated you the man apologized in fact we would have happily taken both of you but nobody informed us CA started to remember in her early childhood there was often a Boy by her side but over the years she had forgotten what he looked like however at times he appeared in her dreams at night though

she never realized he was her brother Clea was waiting impatiently for Taylor to come to his senses and gain strength and now at last that moment had come she rushed to him and hugged the bewildered man sniffling and wiping away her tears she told him everything she had learned from Mr nenan standing at the threshold of the ward Mr Nan watched them cry in each other's Embrace he had come to a decision he would never let the sister and brother be separated again Clea had become as dear to him as his own son so after

everyone calmed down a little he said that now he was strongly opposed to the idea of clear living in an orphanage clear I don't mind if you continue working there children are always a blessing but you can live with me in Taylor our house is huge there's enough space for everyone plus you will be closer to your brother however clear firmly refused arguing that they didn't need to live together to see each other often she also mentioned that she had her own little house in the village even though she knew it was impossible to live

in such a dilapidated place so days passed after days Clea often visited her brother in the hospital taking care of him as if he were a baby sometimes she carefully fed him with a spoon why are you treating me like a baby he asked with a smile I can take care of myself believe it or not I learned to use a spoon and fork on my own about 30 years ago playfully Clea declared I see how independent you are now lying here all bandaged up once you're on your feet you'll have to do everything yourself

until then I'm sorry but as your sister I'll take care of you Clea continued to work at the orphanage dedicating herself to the children she was ready to spend the whole day with them only taking time off to visit her brother Mr Nan kept visiting the orphanage but now he had stopped hiding his intentions he always arrived with a large bouquet and headed straight to the director's office the entire staff joked that Mrs Kerney was having an affair with the millionaire she became 10 years younger and even more beautiful than before in confidence she enthusiastically

shared with Clea that Mr Nan was a very gallant and interesting man they had gone to the theater several times and Mrs Kerney returned from those outings feeling elated looking at the beautiful gray-haired couple Clea wished for their happiness during one of his visits to the orphanage Mr Nan smiled mysteriously and said said Clea how about taking a trip out of town Taylor has agreed to join us and is already in the car I thought we could invite Mrs Kerney to come along too getting some fresh air wouldn't hurt anyone Clea sensed that he had

something planned but she didn't mind spending time with her brother especially Outdoors the four of them merily embarked on their Journey unaware of their destination yet the path seemed strangely familiar to clear the places appeared the same only much had changed instead of a bumpy road the car smoothly traveled on new Asphalt in what seemed like an abandoned Village there stood a beautiful modern bus stop CLE had already imagined an old dilapidated house inherited from her late husband but to her surprise a new wooden house stood in its place in front of the house was

a perfectly man secured plot of land with a lawn and a couple of flower beds instead of a Crooked Fence a new hedge adorned the property Clea couldn't believe her eyes Mr nenan noticing her confusion gently took her hand and placed the key in it saying since you don't want to live with us you'll have your own separate house I hope everything is mostly taken care of and the rest you can settle on your own tears filled clear eyes as she stood there afraid to take a step Mrs Kerney approached hugged her by the shoulders

and whispered come on my dear go ahead open the door you deserve it and don't forget to invite us for a visit clear timidly climbed up onto the porch and inserted the key into the keyhole with a trembling hand the broken door to the creepy Hut and the rusty lock were no more instead there stood a brand new door with a beautiful carved handle and a bell on her right hand she couldn't believe what was happening it felt like it wasn't happening to her or perhaps it was just all a dream carefully and slowly she

began to explore the house meter by meter everything inside was perfectly matched the curtains furniture and dishes were all new it felt as if they were bought with love as she walked through the rooms the Mistress of the house touched everything carefully with her hands as if trying to make sure that all of this was real she was brought back to reality by her brother's voice well Hostess will you at least give tea to the guests he asked with a smile leaning on crutches at the entrance behind him supporting Mrs Kerney under his arm was

Mr Nan by the way I bought some groceries he added and went to the car they spent the day perfectly grilling kebabs on the lawn of clea's new house and sharing the emotions that such a surprise brought I couldn't even imagine that it could be so beautiful here clear exclaimed enthusiastically thank you so much Mr nenan I don't even want to leave the house Mr nenan immediately looked at Mrs Kerney and smiled and now we're going to ask your strict director to give you a week's vacation I think you deserve serve it and as for

security your brother can stay with you I'll provide the groceries and you can settle in and make yourself at home the so-called strict director with a sweet smile immediately replied why not Clea is at work day and night and here is such an opportunity let her have a little distraction we'll miss her of course but we'll manage somehow Clea looked at them all confused and suddenly said tearfully I've been without clothes for a week I need to change so that's impossible probably but Mr Nan winking at his son replied we thought of everything I hope

we guessed your sizes in one of the rooms which was made to be your bedroom there's a closet with everything you need blouses pants tracksuits and even pajamas I had to get maranne to help me buy all sorts of feminine things there's enough food in the kitchen for a couple of days and then marann and I will come again it was the first time he had called Mrs Cy by her name and it startled her but she looked at him affectionately in reply and he came up to her embraced her and added quietly may I

call you by name maranne the woman blushed and shilly nodded her head ating her eyes when Mr Nan and maranne left the brother and sister had been sitting on the porch for a long time telling each other about their past lives it was as if they couldn't talk enough making up for all the Lost Years it was well past midnight shivering from the chill Clea said let's go to bed little brother or we'll freeze here we'll have plenty of time to talk by the way you can sleep as much as you want tomorrow because I'm

going to explore the local Forest that night clear slept like a log she even woke up on the same side of the bed where she had fallen asleep without moving an inch when she opened her eyes and saw a ray of sunshine shining through the curtains onto the wall the woman smiled happily after all it was the first time she woke up in her own home it was difficult to believe but it was true quickly getting dressed Clea took a couple of sips of tea and trying not to make noise so as not to wake

her brother ventured into the forest the weather was glorious the day promised to be hot and sunny but it was still cool in the early morning dew drops glistened on the grass she hummed to herself and followed the path admiring The Greenery of the forest she didn't know how long she wandered but when she was about to return home she realized she was lost she tried to remember where she had come from and looked for something notable or familiar but it was all in vain utterly exhausted the woman sat down on an old stump under

a large tree and said confusedly what's the matter I seem to be well oriented on the terrain and yet I got lost I don't want to die without having lived in a new house at that moment a child's voice came from behind her saying mom don't die you're so young and beautiful you shouldn't I'll take you to my daddy and he'll save you quickly he saves everyone Birds animals and even people my dad is a gamekeeper Clea turned around and saw a little curly haired creature about 6 years old who looked like an angel the

boy took her hand and led her somewhere to the side just then Clea noticed that the boy was limping on one leg and she felt sorry for him she suggested why don't I carry you in my arm you can tell me where to go but he stopped and replied very seriously you don't need to pity me I'm already an adult I'm used to it I hurt my leg a long time ago when my mom was alive I was foolish and climbed up to the attic and that's when I hurt it but my dad says that

someday we'll have enough money to go to the city for an operation that we don't have as much money as we need I told him I'll grow up and help earn it Clea was amazed at how mature the little boy was for his age and her heart achd for Kevin as the boy named himself they walked for about 20 minutes and during that time the boy never showed any signs of tiredness when they arrived at a large bright clearing with a large log house in the center the boy shouted Dad look who I've brought this

beautiful mom was almost crying in the woods and said she was going to die I promised her that you would save her and I brought her here it was only then that CLE saw to whom he was shouting in the far corner of the plot stood a tall young man holding an axe he was wearing only pants and had a bare torso clear admired the handsome tanned and muscular stranger and when their eyes met she shyly lowered her gaze you're right Sunny such beautiful women should not die the man said putting down his axe but

first we'll give her some tea and then we'll help her over tea they got to know each other and shared a little about themselves the man named Patrick was a widower his wife had died of cancer a couple of years ago and he was left with a little son in his arms unable to stay where they were happy he became a gamekeeper and brought his son with him cleia in turn shared about her not so happy marriage the will the house and finding her brother she was surprised at how easily she told all this to

the first man she met and found herself feeling as if she had known Patrick for many years and didn't want to part with him at all she arrived home in the evening to find her brother's frightened face why did you scare me so much he began indignantly I couldn't find peace you were gone all day what if something happened to you in reply she smiled enigmatically and said in a mysterious voice something did happen to me brother I think I've fallen in love he's so strong so handsome so extraordinary I could listen to his voice

for the rest of my life and he has a little boy who needs medical attention Clea recounted in detail to her brother what had happened to her in the forest he listened attentively and responded we must inform farther about the little one he will surely find a way to help him but promise me sister that you won't frighten me like that again I wouldn't be able to Bear it if anything happened to you clear approached her brother and whispered while embracing him no way we will never get lost again I will always be there for

you not just when you need my help Patrick and Kevin visited Clea almost every day bringing her blueberries or strawberries or other treats they even met Taylor and became friends the men had plenty of topics to talk about and Clea was delighted to be able to see Patrick every day and every time they came Kevin ran to Clea and clinging with all his little body whispered Clea I miss you so much I was sad without you and I am without you Clea always whispered in return and it was true she didn't want to part with

Patrick or the boy and she couldn't even imagine how she could go back to the city and live without them on their day off Mr Nan and Marianne came to visit with Patrick's son as a guest they all gathered around the table enjoying each other's company maranne brought Delicious Pies and Clea made a tasty mushroom soup from the mushrooms Patrick and Kevin had brought during lunch Mr Nan appeared to be agitated about something usually cheerful he sat there thoughtfully occasionally stealing glances at maranne finally Gathering his courage he stood up and said children I have

been contemplating and hesitating for a long time but now I am ready for the first time in a long time I am truly happy I have my son with me and now I have met a woman with whom I want to spend the rest of my life taking a small box from his pocket he turned to the astonished maranne and continued maranne though I may not be young anymore I want to ask you in front of my children and our guests to be my wife in return I promis to love you for the rest of

my life there was a moment of silence it seemed as if Mrs nenan would collapse if maranne refused but after a brief pause and wiping away a tear she quietly replied of course I agree I can't imagine life without you either either joyfully he placed a ring on her finger and kissed her firmly which made her blush and say what are you doing there are children here to this Kevin muttered under his breath I'm not a child and I've already seen men and women kissing in movies everyone burst into laughter but the surprises didn't end

there after everyone finished laughing Patrick stood up his serious expression indicated that he had also been preparing for this moment for a long time I didn't know how to say it or when to say what I want to say now the man began with concern but since today seems to be a day of confessions I also want to confess in front of you all that I have developed strong feelings for someone cleia during this week Kevin and I have grown very fond of you and we don't want you to leave Kevin immediately ran up to

Clea limping and clung to her he almost shouted don't go away please I will feel bad without you and Daddy too I want you to be my mom forever Patrick smiling sadly said well son you beat me to it I'd really like you to stay with us clear I realize of course that we are still not well acquainted but you know that Kevin and I are waiting for you eagerly Taylor couldn't stand it any longer and cheerfully slapped himself on the knee he exclaimed gee looking at all of you I'd like to get married myself

but there's no one to marry yet clear go for it Patrick is a good man he won't let you down and he won't hurt you either Clea holding Kevin tightly and stroking his head quietly replied how can I refuse such happiness of being the mother of such a wonderful Angel a few months later two weddings were Tak taking place in one of the most expensive restaurants in the city the brides wore light colored dresses and each had little white flowers in her hair the Grooms dressed in strict perfectly fitting suits gallantly offered their hands before

entering the hall but the prettiest of all was a little light colored boy dressed in a cream shirt with a suit with a bow tie he literally glowed and didn't let go of the hand of one of the brides Patrick jokingly whispered to Cle I'm even confused which of us is the groom me or Kevin to which Clea kissing her husband affectionately replied you are equally dear to me after the wedding CLE moved in with Patrick permanently Mr Nan found good Specialists and paid for Kevin's leg operation in a year Kevin was pedling a bicycle

given to him by his new grandfather Mr Nan loved studying with the boy and Kevin was happy to stay in their city house sometimes maranne also adored the boy and considered him her grandson just like her husband on one such trip Kevin entered the kitchen where marann was cooking dinner he whispered conspiratorially granny I'm about to have brothers I overheard mommy telling Daddy she went to town and when she came back she showed some paper and told Daddy to get ready to raise two more he hugged her and spun her around the room almost dropping

her 8 months later the large family gathered at the entrance of the maternity hospital it consisted of a beautiful elderly couple two men with huge bouquets of flowers and a boy tightly holding his father's hand everyone rushed joyfully to the entrance when a happy clear appeared at the door with two babies wrapped in rosec colored blankets