There was a group photo of ten – year – old Marina in an orphanage. She had wild, golden curls and stood in the second row, third from the left.
Life in the orphanage was tough. The place was like the bad shelters you see in documentaries about the 90s. Cooks stole food, teachers were mean, and the director didn’t care about the bullying.
After school, Marina got a job as a waitress at a roadside café called “By the Road.” The pay was low, but the tips were good. Twelve – hour shifts were tiring, but she liked being independent. Her room in a shared apartment was nice, and her neighbors, an old couple, were friendly. She also found out she was good at making cheap clothes look stylish.
Then there was a photo of Marina in a forest meadow, laughing and wearing a flower crown. A handsome, dark – haired guy, Maxim, was hugging her. She had met Maxim when she’d been working at the café for about a year.
One busy summer morning, she tripped and spilled tomato juice on him. His shirt was expensive, but he just smiled and gave her his car keys to get a clean shirt from the backseat. Stas, the café manager, was mean to her, but Maxim was nice. That evening, Maxim came back with flowers and asked her out.
They fell in love right away. Maxim was an economics student. They went on a trip to Sochi, and he introduced her to his friends.
They were so happy, planning their wedding. But then, Maxim’s cousin saw them together and told his dad, the mayor. The Skvortsov family didn’t like Marina because she was from an orphanage.
Maxim’s mom called her, threatening and insulting her. His cousin made a scene at the café. And neighbors said someone was asking bad things about her. Then, the mayor called and told her to break up with Maxim or regret it.
After Maxim left for London, Stas accused Marina of stealing. The trial was a joke, and she was sent to prison. In prison, she found out she was pregnant.
