After leaving his wife penniless following their divorce, Anton rubbed his hands in satisfaction. But three years later, when he unexpectedly ran into his ex, he couldn’t believe what he saw.

Anton had always seen himself as the master of his own life. While others buried themselves in textbooks, he was busy running businesses—sometimes flipping cars, sometimes building custom computers.

That’s when he met Albina, a quiet and diligent student majoring in foreign languages. Unlike Anton’s flashy girlfriends, Albina was modest and grounded. But something about her drew him in.

They fell in love. They got married. Soon, their first child, Dimka, was born. Albina embraced motherhood wholeheartedly. Two years later, their daughter, Lenochka, arrived. Caring for two young children consumed all of Albina’s time and energy. She thought about hiring a nanny.

Anton refused.
— “Mothers should raise their children,” — he said firmly.

He insisted he was focused on growing his business, but while he was out buying himself a giant TV or a new car or partying with friends, Albina was left without support. When she asked for a new hairdryer, he scoffed and said the old one still worked.

Time passed. The kids started school. Albina felt increasingly exhausted and lonely. Anton always had an excuse when she asked him to spend time with her—but he never missed a hangout with his buddies.

Then one day, out of the blue, Anton said:
— “We’d better get divorced. I’m tired of this whole family game. I have my own life. I want freedom.”

— “Divorce? What about the kids? What about me?” — Albina asked in shock.

— “You’ll manage,” — he shrugged. — “You’re a mom. You’ll figure it out.”

That same night, Anton packed up and moved out, taking everything. Albina was left stunned. Her comfortable life had collapsed overnight. She started searching for work, often leaving the kids with a neighbor.

Eventually, she managed to get a job as a cleaner at a shopping mall. It wasn’t what she wanted, and she had to take on night shifts to make ends meet. Albina was torn between work and home, collapsing with exhaustion every evening.

— “Mommy, why are you always working?” — little Lena asked one night. — “I miss you so much.”

— “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” — Albina sighed. — “I have to earn money so we can have food and clothes.”

— “But what about Daddy? He earns a lot. Why doesn’t he help us?”

Albina didn’t have an answer. Anton had vanished from their lives.

One day, she managed to get time off and went to a notary’s office. There, she received shocking news. Her grandfather had spent his entire life quietly buying stocks in various companies—and now he had left his entire estate to his beloved granddaughter.

Albina couldn’t believe it.

She remembered how he used to say:
— “Save your pennies, granddaughter. One day, they’ll be useful.”
Now she understood.

Determined to make the most of the money, Albina enrolled in professional development courses to return to her career. She invested part of the inheritance into a small business and opened a cozy café in her neighborhood.

She enjoyed working in the dining area from time to time—it helped her feel the vibe of the place and connect with customers.

One day, as the bell over the café door jingled, Albina turned to greet the guests—and froze. It was Anton. And next to him stood a striking young blonde. Albina walked over to the table they had chosen.

— “Good afternoon. What would you like to order?” — she asked calmly.

Anton looked up from the menu, stunned:
— “Albina? Are you working here… as a waitress?”

— “Yes, I work here,” — she replied steadily. — “So, what will you have?”

— “Two cappuccinos and some croissants,” — he said with a smirk. — “Wow, look at you. I thought you were still cleaning floors. I guess this is a step up, huh?”

— “Your order will be ready in a few minutes,” — she said, walking to the counter.

When she brought the order to their table, Anton couldn’t resist another jab:
— “You seem to be doing well. Maybe serving coffee really is your calling?”

Albina said nothing.

Just then, another man entered the café.
— “Albina! How are you? Shall we talk about that proposal now? Are you free?”

Albina smiled:
— “As you can see, I’m just helping out a little up front.”

The man laughed:
— “You’re the same as always. Everyone else is stuck in an office—and here you are, among the people.”

Albina replied:
— “Enjoy your drinks.”

Anton sat there, stunned.

— “Wait… you’re the owner?” — he finally managed to say.

Albina turned and smiled:
— “Yes. This is my café. If you need anything else, you can ask the waitress—Lena.”

And with that, she walked into her office. She could feel Anton’s stunned gaze following her. But she didn’t look back.

It was clear now—she had finally moved on.