Who said being a single mother is a tragedy? Believe me, it’s not as bad as it might seem at first glance.

Of course, when my boyfriend found out I was pregnant and instantly disappeared, I was in complete shock. I didn’t know what to do, tried to find him, called mutual friends, but he seemed to have vanished into thin air.

Do you think I’ve given up, thrown in the towel, and given up on my life? No! Not a single man in the world is worth my tears, except for my son, whom I raised and educated on my own.

I won’t lie, it was hard and scary at first—I was only 22 years old at the time. I had just finished university and was making plans for the future.

Thanks to my mother’s support, I believed in myself, and as you can see, everything worked out.

Now I’m 37 years old, a successful businesswoman and the happy mother of a wonderful boy. Ivan has never let me down or upset me in his 15 years with him. He’s a successful student and attends sports clubs, so the only teenage problems I’ve ever seen are from television.

We get along just fine together. I don’t overprotect my son—he’s always at work—and he views me as a friend he can confide his secrets to.

I wasn’t even thinking about a new relationship. After Maxim’s betrayal, it’s hard to open up to anyone again, and I have a lot on my plate. I was completely focused on my professional development.

Who would have thought that after so many years my ex would appear in my life again?

– Alinochka, don’t hang up! I need to talk to you.

At first I wanted to send him away, but female curiosity got the better of me.

When I saw Maxim in the café, I barely recognized him. Life had clearly not been kind to him. His hair was gray, his clothes were threadbare, his face was wrinkled.

“Alinochka, I want to see my son. I want to be a part of your life again. I know I have no right to ask this of you, but believe me, I’ve changed.”

“Maxim, you left me pregnant. In 15 years, you never once asked about your own child.”

– But the boy needs a father!

– What makes you think that? We’re doing just fine without you. He only asked about you once.

– And what did you tell him?

– The truth! Since then, he doesn’t want to hear about you.

“Please give me a chance to make things right. I’ve already paid dearly for my mistakes. An unhappy marriage, years of suffering… Then I barely got a divorce, went out to work. Still no children…”

– I’m sorry, but I don’t want to see you anymore. Forget my number.

What I certainly didn’t expect was that my parents would come to his defense.

“Alina, a woman can’t live alone her whole life. Maxim is no longer the frightened youth he was 15 years ago. Forgive him! Are you really going to leave your son without a father again?!”

I don’t know what to do. Maxim won’t stop calling, and my parents are just adding fuel to the fire. I was living peacefully, so why did he show up again? What should I do now?