Alice slowly regained consciousness and felt fear invade her body. Her head throbbed with unbearable pain, and a metallic taste rose in her mouth: a mixture of blood and bitterness. She lay on a cold concrete floor, covered in mold and a film of damp. A weak light bulb flickered above her, casting ominous shadows on the gray walls.
As she tried to move, she realized that her arms and legs were tightly bound by a rough rope that dug into her skin. Panic gripped her heart. Where was she? How had she gotten there? Alice looked around: before her eyes, the same gray walls, the rusty pipes, a puddle of water in the corner. An ordinary basement, but for her it had become a cell.
She tried to remember what had happened. Fragments of memories flashed through her head: Sergei’s face, the pain in her neck, the darkness… Tears streamed down her cheeks as she realized how hopeless the situation was. Her thoughts were confused, fear paralyzed her movements, and a cold sweat ran down her back. Her memory seemed clouded by a fog: a dull buzzing sound echoed in her head, every breath strained, as if the air had become too heavy.
Three days earlier, Alice had come home early. She wanted to surprise her husband: she had bought him his favorite pastries and a bottle of good wine. She quietly unlocked the door and heard a woman’s laughter in the bedroom. Everything inside her froze, leaving behind an icy emptiness.
Sergei was in the room with another woman, a beautiful blonde in her thirties. They were so absorbed that they didn’t notice her immediately. Her husband jumped up and tried to explain something, but Alice silently walked towards the exit. The cookie bag slipped from her hands and fell to the floor.
“Wait!” she shouted, pulling on her dressing gown. “It’s not what you think!”
“What is it?” Alice asked, stopping in the doorway. Her voice was calm, but with a hint of stiffness.
Sergey hesitated and chose his words, clearly looking for the best way out of the situation.
“But I love you!”
“Love or money?” She looked at him with bitterness and contempt. “Do you remember the terms of the marriage contract? If you cheat on me, you get nothing. Tomorrow I’ll file for divorce.”
She went and slammed the door shut. Sergey stood there, his face twisted with anger. Alice couldn’t believe this was really happening. Inside, everything was boiling, but outwardly she remained calm.
She got into the car and started the engine. Her hands were shaking, but her determination was unwavering: she had to consult a lawyer. She would not forgive this betrayal. But suddenly a sharp pain shot through her neck. Alice turned around: Sergey was standing next to her, holding a syringe in his hand.
“Forgive me, darling,” she whispered with a smile. “But I will not be without money.”
The world began to blur. Her strength was rapidly decreasing, her limbs were weakening, her consciousness was clouding. The last thing she felt was that she sank into the seat, and everything disappeared into darkness.
When Alice regained consciousness, she was already in the damp basement. Sergey was sitting in an old chair, smoking, and looking at her mockingly. There was not a hint of remorse in his eyes.
“He has finally come to his senses,” he said, brushing off the ashes. “I’ve already arranged your funeral. A coroner I know will issue a death certificate for a heart attack. And I’ll be a rich widow.”
“You’re crazy!” Alice muttered, trying to break free.
“No, on the contrary, I’ve finally woken up. Do you think I enjoyed pretending to be a loving husband? Listen to your sermons? Stop your antics? Better to settle it all at once.”
She stood up, stubbed out her cigarette on the floor, and headed for the exit.
“I’ll be back soon. Think about how I’m going to leave this life: quickly or suffer.”
Alice struggled with the ropes, but her strength failed her. Despair and fear tightened her chest; she realized that she was on the verge of life and death.
A few hours later, Sergey loaded the bound Alice into the trunk of the car. The drive was long and bumpy; every pothole echoed with pain in her body. She tried to remember the curves, but in the darkness it was useless. Finally the car stopped.
“Here we are, darling,” Sergey said, pulling her out of the car.
The dense forest stretched out all around them. The pines surrounded them tightly, creating an almost impenetrable wall. There was no sign of anyone. He tied Alice to a massive tree and tested the strength of the knots.
“No one will find you here,” he said with cruel delight. “And the beasts will quickly dispose of the body. I will mourn my beloved wife and take her entire fortune.”
Then he got into the car, started the engine and drove away. Alice screamed for help, but all she heard was an echo and rustling leaves. When her voice died away and her strength ran out, she burst into tears. The forest seemed endless and merciless. The silence was thick, and every rustle made her heart beat faster.
A huge, dark figure suddenly appeared from behind the trees. Alice’s heart sank: it was a wolf! She screamed in terror and lost consciousness.
She woke up and felt someone carefully untie the ropes from her hands. In front of her stood a man in his forties, with a friendly but exhausted face and an attentive gaze. Next to him sat a large German shepherd with a wagging tail; it was the one Alice had mistaken for the beast.
“What is your name?” the man asked softly. “My name is Yegor, I am the local hunter. This is Jack, my dog.” He found you.
“Alice…” she whispered, still not believing she was alive. “My husband… wanted to kill me.”
Yegor frowned, but didn’t ask any questions right away. He carefully helped her up; her legs were trembling, sluggish. He supported her as they walked slowly along a narrow path toward a small wooden house that seemed to be a refuge for Alice.
The interior was warm and welcoming. It smelled of wood and wild herbs. Yegor sat her in a soft armchair by the fireplace, bandaged the wounds on her wrists, and poured her hot tea with honey and herbs.
“Drink,” he said carefully. “It will help you calm down. You are safe now.”
Alice took the first sip and felt calm for the first time in hours. He didn’t ask unnecessary questions, didn’t demand details. He was simply there. His voice, his confidence, became her support. She felt she could trust people again.
The next day, Alice told him her story: meeting Sergey at a business dinner, love at first sight. The loss of her father in her youth and the inheritance of his company. The marriage contract that was supposed to protect her, but didn’t.
“Dad said that money attracted dangerous people,” she sighed, staring into the flames of the fireplace. “But I was too naive to understand.”
Yegor listened quietly, adding only a few more words. She read understanding and deep pain in his eyes. Even he knew what it felt like to be betrayed.
“I’m so sorry you went through this,” he said finally. “But you’re alive. And that means you have a second chance.” That night, Alice slept without nightmares. Jack lay on the floor next to her, and Yegor dozed off in a chair nearby. For the first time in a long time, she felt completely safe.
In the morning, Yegor said gently but firmly:
“It’s not safe to hide here.” Sergey might come back. We need to act quickly.
They drove into the city in an old UAZ. At the hospital, the doctors found signs of forced treatment, and Alisa wrote a statement to the police. The investigator listened attentively and promised to help. An investigation was launched.
Meanwhile, the funeral for the “deceased” Alisa continued at the Goldfish restaurant. Sergey, dressed in a luxurious black suit, masterfully played the role of a grieving widower. Svetlana, his mistress, sat next to him.
“Alisa was an incredibly kind person,” he told the audience, theatrically wiping away an imaginary tear. “I can’t imagine my life without her…”
Svetlana stroked his hand compassionately, pretending to feel sorry for her. Everyone was moved by her “pain.”
But suddenly the door burst open. Alisa stood on the threshold, safe and sound, accompanied by the police. The room froze.
“I hope you missed me a lot,” she said with a cold smile as she entered. “Especially you, my beloved husband.”
Sergey’s face paled. The glass slipped from her hands and shattered on the floor.
“Tell everyone how I died!” Alice asked, approaching.
Sergei began to justify himself frantically, but his voice trembled. The police handcuffed him. They also arrested the bribed coroner who had been among the guests.
“I didn’t mean to kill!” Sergei shouted, as they led him away in his arms. “Svetlana convinced me!”
But no one listened to him anymore. The guests stared at him with disgust. Alice stood in the middle of the room and felt months of fear disappear. The nightmare was over.
Later, Alice learned from the local police about Yegor’s past. He had been a successful businessman, the owner of a construction company. But his best friend and partner betrayed him and convicted him of a crime. Yegor lost everything: his business, his freedom, his reputation. He spent three years in prison for a crime he did not commit.
After he was released, he could not return to his old life. Disillusioned with people, he ran away to the forest and became a hunter. For many years he lived alone, only with his faithful dog, Jack.
When Alice came to his house, he was chopping wood.
“Thank you for everything,” she said, handing him the check. “Please take it.”
Egor shook his head.
“I don’t need money. I helped you because it was necessary.”
“Then take me with you,” she asked unexpectedly. “I don’t want the city anymore. I don’t want to be someone’s prey or a means to an end.”
Egor looked at her in surprise and smiled for the first time in years.
Can you live far away from everything?
“I’ll learn,” Alice replied. “I feel alive with you.”
Two years passed. Alice sold most of her inheritance, keeping only a small part to ensure her stability. Now she lived in the forest with Egor. She learned to cook on the stove, read animal tracks and predict the weather using the sky.
They fell in love, sincerely and honestly: two people who had lost faith in the world, but who regained it in each other’s arms. One day Alice came back from a doctor’s visit and showed him the ultrasound with a happy smile:
“Look. Our family will soon grow.”
Egor hugged her gently. They remained for a long time, in silence. Jack wagged his tail happily, as if he also understood that he would soon have a new friend.
