Quickly taking off his clothes and shoes, he headed to his son’s room.
“Quiet, quiet, daddy is here,” he calmed the baby, taking him in his arms. “Where is our mom?”
Artem gradually calmed down and was already smiling at his dad. Kirill, seeing that the child had stopped crying, took out his phone and dialed his wife’s number.
“The subscriber is unavailable,” he heard in response.
Another man would have been worried: after all, the baby was six months old, and his wife had disappeared somewhere. But Kirill, instead of worrying, felt anger.
Apparently, not everyone is gifted with maternal instinct. Alice was always quite selfish, she loved herself. But she was spectacular, beautiful, quite witty, and Kirill fell under her spell. Over time, the man began to understand that Alice was not quite the heroine of his novel. It was pleasant to spend time with her, but he wanted to build a family with someone who appreciated home comfort, who would support and understand. Alice saw only her own benefit in everything, and she preferred to talk about herself.
But, apparently sensing the man’s doubts, Alice suddenly announced that she was pregnant.
– How so? – Kirill was surprised then. – You take pills.
“Well, they don’t give a 100% result,” she shrugged. “Apparently, something went wrong.”
She probably set it all up. But Kirill wanted this child, and even put up with the deception. And he married Alice because she claimed that the baby should be born in marriage.
He also believed that when their son was born, Alice would reconsider her values. After all, all women are given the notorious maternal instinct. At least, that’s what he thought then. But now he realized that he was very much mistaken.
At first, Kirill thought that Alisa had postpartum depression. She was in no hurry to approach the child when he cried, and immediately refused to feed him, saying that she did not want to ruin her figure.
But Artem grew up, and Alice still behaved as if the baby was just an annoying obstacle to her peaceful life.
Kirill mostly got up at night, even though he had to go to work in the morning. Alisa might not go for a walk with the child even once during the whole week, saying that it was inconvenient for her. When Kirill was at home, she would rush off somewhere. For example, to meet up with her girlfriends or go shopping. During the time she was away, she never called or inquired about her son. She just had fun. And she could come home in the morning, drunk.
Of course, Kirill tried to talk to her, but Alice only snapped.
– And you sit here, locked within four walls! And before that, walk around like an elephant for nine months! When you experience all this, then you can present it to me, – she gave what she thought were weighty arguments.
But to leave the baby alone like that… Perhaps Alice had done this before, Kirill just didn’t know. Today he came home from work early, apparently Alice didn’t suspect that she might get caught.
Kirill hoped that she had gone away for just a couple of minutes. You never know, maybe she urgently needed to buy something from the store. Although, there are deliveries.
But Alice returned only an hour later, and it is not known when she left.
Kirill met her with a child in his arms. And it was clear from his face how angry he was.
— Where have you been?
“Why are you here so early?” Alice asked immediately.
– Well, that’s it… It just happened. I come and you’re not there. Artem is crying.
“He should have slept for two hours. It’s not my fault that he sleeps so little,” she shrugged.
– So, where were you? What made you abandon your child?! – Kirill was already starting to get furious.
– Oh, don’t start! Nothing happened to him, – Alice walked past them. – And I needed to go for a walk!
– How could you leave a child?! – Kirill followed her. – What kind of mother are you?! Are you really not worried at all?
– Oh, my God! Leave me alone! Let me breathe easy! Why should I worry?! Where will he go?!
“He’s scared, how come you don’t understand!” Kirill barked.
– It’s okay, let it strengthen your character…
Kirill looked at his wife and understood that this was the end. He shouldn’t have gotten married at all! He could have had a child without marriage. But it was Alice who insisted then.
“I can’t do this anymore…” he shook his head. “I’m divorcing you.”
Alice turned sharply and stared at the man.
– Are you serious?! Because I went for a walk for an hour?
——————————————————-
– Because of everything. You are a disgusting wife and mother…
– Oh, as if you were perfect! Kir, calm down. Stop being hysterical. Well, if you’re angry, I won’t leave the child alone anymore.
– His name is Artem, – the man said quietly. – At least call him by his son’s name. And I’m not hysterical, my patience has run out. Divorce, Alisa.
How Alice screamed! She threatened, got angry, tried to persuade. And in the end she said that she would take Artem away.
“You don’t need a son,” Kirill shook his head.
– Yes, but you need him. If you want to keep the child, pay.
It was so disgusting that Kirill even started to feel sick. But he knew that his wife would stick to her principles. And he didn’t want to leave his son in danger.
– Okay, we’ll agree. But at the trial, the child’s place of residence will be determined with me. If you want to visit him…
“I don’t want to,” Alice interrupted him. “But you must fulfill all my demands.”
It looked like blackmail. Or rather, that’s what it was. But Kirill had few options, and he agreed.
Kirill was quite well off and could afford a lot. That’s why Alisa was brazen. She made him give her one of the apartments, buy her a car and give her a fairly large sum of money. And in return for this, she said in court that she didn’t mind the child living with his father.
Kirill hired a nanny. And when his mother was no longer around, Artem even became more cheerful. The man suspected that his son was afraid of his own mother, and now he was sure of it.
And when he had already decided that everything was over, Alice appeared again.
“I was thinking that you should pay me alimony,” she said.
– Why? I’ve already given you enough!
— Because I gave birth to your child!
– Yes, but he lives with me.
– And you should thank me for that too. In general, you will fork over a certain amount per month, and then everyone will be happy.
Kirill didn’t answer. And when Alice left, he turned to the lawyer.
She became very impudent. And the first time he still tolerated it, he thought that it would be easier to solve everything without scandals, peacefully. But, apparently, Alice decided that she could do whatever she wanted. But this is not so.
On the advice of his lawyer, Kirill took the surveillance footage, which showed Alisa leaving the child alone. He also collected all the receipts, which showed that Alisa had not invested a single ruble. He also met with her again and recorded their conversation on a dictaphone.
The woman did not think that her ex-husband would do such a thing. She believed that she could twist him as she wanted. So she voiced her demands again, mentioning more than once that she would take away the child she did not need if Kirill did not agree to her conditions.
And what was Alice’s surprise when she was summoned to court. And then she was deprived of parental rights, and also ordered to pay child support for her son.
Alisa threw such a tantrum that she had to be escorted out of the courtroom. She threatened Kirill, threatened her own son. But she didn’t know yet that soon her ex-husband would kick her out of the apartment, since the apartment had not yet been re-registered. And he would also take away the car that Kirill had registered in his name. Only the money that her ex-husband had paid her the first time, he could not take away.
Alice, of course, tried to do mischief, but after a conversation with the police, she backed down.
Of course, she didn’t pay any alimony, simply because she didn’t work. But Kirill didn’t develop the conflict any further, he simply retreated. Let him live as he wants, the main thing is that she doesn’t bother him and Artem.
And two years later, Kirill married a very sweet and homely girl who accepted the man’s son well. And after some time, Artem began to call her mom.
And Kirill was glad that his son did not remember the time when his biological mother was around. After all, there was definitely nothing good in those memories.
