Olya, as usual, was putting her daughter Oksana to bed. The girl was tossing and turning, refusing to listen to a bedtime story. Instead, she asked her mother to tell her something about her father, who had passed away a few years ago.
“Your dad was a very brave man,” Olya began softly. “He worked as a high-rise construction climber. They trusted him with the most dangerous heights. And you know what? He loved you immensely. He always called you his little princess,” she added with a hint of sadness in her eyes.
Oksana finally calmed down, and as she drifted off to sleep, she didn’t ask any more questions about how her father died. She had no idea that his death was caused by a tragic accident at work due to a lack of proper equipment. The management had cut corners on basic safety measures, and now Grisha was gone. He had just turned thirty, with his whole life still ahead of him.
After putting her daughter to bed, Olya lay down herself. But sleep wouldn’t come. Her mind raced with memories. In their small one-bedroom apartment, where everything reminded her of family losses, she couldn’t escape thoughts of her parents. Both had died from alcohol addiction, despite all her efforts to help them. They had long stopped paying attention to their daughter’s feelings—drink was always more important. They didn’t even care about their granddaughter. After their passing, the apartment went to Olya, but it brought no joy—only sorrow and pain. Only after shedding many tears did she finally manage to fall asleep.
The morning began in chaos. Mother and daughter nearly overslept for school and work. Olya hastily dressed Oksana in her not-so-new school uniform. She bought the girl’s clothes secondhand, through classifieds. Fortunately, their kind neighbor, Yekaterina Arkadyevna, was always nearby. She helped with Oksana—took her to school, read her stories, and played with her. Without that support, things would’ve been much harder for Olya. At the store where she worked as a cleaner, her coworkers looked down on her. Especially those who saw single mothers as second-class citizens. “Stupid losers,” they whispered behind her back, though Olya tried to ignore their snide remarks.
Things at work weren’t going well either. Olya didn’t like the atmosphere among the saleswomen. For example, Nadya, who had recently moved from the provinces, did everything to stand out—flirting with customers and cheating them at checkout. Her dream was to find a rich husband and never work again. The store job was just a temporary measure for her.
Another coworker, Toma, constantly envied Olya. She was irritated by her long braid, slim figure, and even her gentle nature. Jealousy poisoned her soul, and she often found reasons to mock her.
The day got off to a bad start. A regular “customer,” known for picking on Olya, came in. This time, he stepped right onto the freshly mopped floor and smeared dirt everywhere. Then he demanded the complaint book to file a report against the cleaner.
“Here you go,” Nadya smirked, handing him the book. Toma also couldn’t hide her glee.
Olya was deeply upset. She knew that if her manager saw the complaint, she could be fired. And finding another job under current conditions seemed nearly impossible.
After work, Olya picked up Oksana from Yekaterina Arkadyevna. The girl came home in tears.
“Everyone in class laughs at me,” she sobbed. “They call me a beggar because of my clothes!”
The neighbor, overhearing this, defended Olya:
“What are you saying? Oksana is always neat and tidy! Don’t let anyone put you down!”
Olya calmed down a little but decided she must speak to the homeroom teacher the next day. The situation required serious attention. Yekaterina Arkadyevna had also noticed that the girl had been upset more than once.
The next morning, Olya went to the school. Unfortunately, the teacher proved ineffective. She only complained about the new principal, Vyacheslav Ivanovich, and suggested Olya speak to him directly.
The principal greeted her in an expensive suit that immediately revealed his attitude toward money. The conversation didn’t go well. He didn’t even listen to Olya and instead criticized her for not contributing to the school’s renovation fund.
“What does that have to do with my problem?” the woman protested. “My daughter is being bullied in class, even though I do everything I can to make sure she looks presentable!”
“If you want your girl to be respected, take a more active part in school life,” the principal replied coldly.
Olya left the school with a heavy heart. At home, she told the whole story to her neighbor. After listening, the woman offered help.
“Here,” Yekaterina Arkadyevna said, taking a piggy bank from her cupboard. “This is for healing the soul. Pay it back when you can.”
“I can’t accept this!” Olya protested, but the neighbor insisted.
Meanwhile, things at school got worse. The teachers started giving Oksana lower grades. One day, as Olya was walking home, she saw a little puppy. She decided to bring it home, and Oksana was overjoyed. But that evening, while browsing social media, Olya came across a post about a missing dog. Despite knowing it would upset her daughter, she decided to call the owner.
Some time later, a man in his sixties came to their home. His appearance revealed he was well-off. Olya invited him in for tea, and he introduced himself as Eduard Borisovich.
“Thank you for finding Mukhtar,” he said. “He’s the last memory I have of my son.”
Seeing how attached the girl had become to the puppy, he added:
“Let him stay with you for now. Why do you look so sad?”
Unable to hold it in, Olya told him about the problems with her daughter and the school. The businessman promised to help.
The next day, he attended the parent meeting in Oksana’s class. Right in front of the principal, he threw a stack of money on the table and said:
“Is this enough? Now leave the child alone.”
The teachers fell silent in embarrassment. The businessman took Olya by the arm, and they left together.
The story made it to the internet, and soon the principal was publicly fired in disgrace. Olya sincerely thanked Eduard Borisovich, who continued to stay in touch. He admitted he had always dreamed of having a granddaughter like Oksana.
The rescued puppy became a symbol of change for the family. The businessman helped Olya find a good job with a decent salary. Life began to improve, and their hardships were finally left behind.
