Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

How could she ever do this to him? It hasn't been even a year since he broke up with her and she's already dating some snobby guy from upstate?

She's too simple and too... you know... too frigid in bed. "He's going to dump her ass and send back to Brooklyn as soon as he realizes that." He told his friends all the time.

Still doesn't understand how she even caught that guy. She's not even pretty enough for someone wealthy to fuck, nothing special. Well, he thinks, he himself definitely could do better. Like get some model with mile long legs and bouncy meaty tits, which Alina not even close to.

She's just skin and bones, well, she is his sticks afterall for a reason. He would never tell anybody, but he kinda maybe misses her. She always took care of the bills, cooked him food and never followed him when he spent nights getting drunk and high in clubs whenever he wanted to. He loves this lifestyle way too much to abandon it for some lame job, which he has to go to now. Paying rent apparently is so exhausting.

He looks around the apartment scattered with his unwashed clothes, smelly socks and empty pizza boxes. Huh, he lives alone, so why is this so messy? It's all her fault, obviously! Remembers how it was always her long black hairs all over everywhere, even in the shower sink, it annoyed him to a point of rage, how he screamed at her for not cleaning better after her.

It gets more ridiculous when he sees the diamond ring on her finger in her Insta story, which he's not stalking from fake account! This thing is too huge, a few rubies scattered around, gold band with intricate ornaments. It's too on the nose, Alina! If you wanted me back, you should've just crawled on your knees to me and beg for forgiveness!

There’s bitter taste of betrayal on his tongue when she just blocks him and makes her account private after the message. How could she! He took her in after the orphanage - that scared scrawny little girl. He even as much as fucked her constantly just to make her feel better about her appearance, let her take care of him, told her his biggest dream of getting a farm in a few years when he’s done partying, always truthfully told her how sickly and tired she looks, how those tiny skirts and tight tank tops aren't for her and how stupid her hobby was - the jewelry that no one would ever buy from her. So how could she? He was such a good boyfriend!

He thinks that what goes around, comes back around and can't wait for her to crawl back to him crying and sobbing, because she realizes how much she loves him, how much she needs him. He's the best she can do!

So he decides to make her jealous, finds some naive empty-brained and bleached-hair girl. She is everything Alina is not - always loud in bed, moaning, screaming, asking for more. He always finishes in mere minutes with her, she is so nice to fuck, he doesn't even need to put any effort, she always jumps his bones. Her body is the perfect embodiment of hourglass, her lips are red from her lipstick, she always dresses prettily for him and loves to go out to clubs with him. He posts so much photos of them together and waits, always waits for a slip of an account that is hers, or at least some frequent fake one, but for some reason, not a month and not even three more after he hasn't noticed anything.

And this girl he fucks suddenly moves in with him. Her clothes are scattered with his own, pizza boxes are nestled with vegan takeout’s now and that bleached hair he finds in his ass cheeks sometimes. He demands her to clean, to cook, but all this useless girl does is smiles and shows him some plastic stick with + written on it.

"Mal'enushka, malysh, I'm pregnant! I can't do any of that, it might hurt the baby." She pouts and cradles her perfectly flat stomach, and he feels his head swirling, sucking him in the hurricane of the dread. "What the fuck!" He wants to yell, but he can't even say a word.

"I think it's might be the time to get that farm of yours you wanted so much, right, malysh?" And for some reason he isn't sure he's ready to abandon his freely life that easily. And where Alina will go crawling back to him if he moves?

It takes all of his will and three more months to go to Alina himself. He knows, she doesn't deserve him, but he'll give her one more chance, just because he's so gracious.
For some reason she isn't at the apartment her distant aunt had left her and they rented out to afford a better one, closer to all the bars he loved going out so much, new tenants don't even know anyone with her name, saying they are living here for the past 9 months already.

He feels like tugging his hair out, teeth clenching. Wherever she might be if not in this shoebox apartment in the worst of Brooklyn outskirts? As if she could afford moving anywhere, her job as a waitress and the second one as a Russian tutor could never let her to get out of this neighborhood.
So where the hell is she? He doesn't know any of her stupid friends to ask, always coming up with excuses to not meet them, all have studied together at college she decided to waste her time on.

What good it did to her, huh? He told her art is boring and could never help them to live his dream life. "There's no time for your pictures and your trash jewelry on the farm, Linka, you should study agriculture! I'm obviously not going to plant those corps!" He told her time and time again, but she'd never listen. And now here he is - all alone, his apartment is a mess, a useless whining girl that cares about her appearance too much, a child on the way and a dream of his getting as far as his bills pile up on the counter, hardly can pay rent when the brainless cow buys more than he ever did in years!

And it's all Alina's fault! How could she have yelled at him that day? So what he threw away that garbage she called jewelry, so what he was drunk again and his friends was yelling as they watched football game on the TV he took a loan for, so what one of his shirts had a red stain from a girl he fucked in the bathroom of a bar he went out to to celebrate this important thing he got himself!

It's not like it was the first time and she known better than to yell at him, his hand on her cheek a load slap, and the audacity of her to cry and slam the door at his face. The next day his apartment was half empty. All the things he got, she took away with her, and she didn't even respond to his countless voice messages and SMS to return them unshattered and countless more of how they are over! Whatever she thought she could get out there without him?

"The rent is up next week, I expect you on your knees with a check in your mouth now!"

"Why didn't you tell me that I was supposed to pay bills?"

"How could you abandon me like that?"

And right now he had no idea what to do, barely listening to the stupid chatter of his girlfriend.

"You know, there's this famous jewelry shop..."

Wants to shut that high pitched noise she makes all the time.

"And the owner is so pretty..."

Wherever Alina might have ran away?

"I wonder who paid for her huge studio in the Upper-East-Side of all areas..."

He wishes for Alina's borsh now, she really knew what she was doing.

"She's Asian or whatever..."

He would like to eat anything warm that isn't pizza or those strange vegan salads his girlfriend can make only.

"Do you think I should make my eyes more narrowed?"

She makes that move to stretch the outer corners of her eyes, just how Alina always got bullied in the orphanage when they were kids.

"Also, sweetie, could you give me new credit card? The other one you gave me last week got declined."

He thinks that guy she was seeing has definitely dumped her already, so why isn't she crawling back to him yet?

"There's this pretty ring I want you to get me for our engagement, look."

She shoves the screen of her new iPhone into his face. And there on the screen that photo of the diamond ring with rubies and golden swirls around. His face pales, it's the exact photo, but...

He scrolls through the whole Insta page: rings, earrings, chokers, bracelets, pendants - all are fucking expensive, a subscriber count - 12 million, a face on every third post - Alina, eyes happy, cheeks fuller, her ring finger is taken by the two - one is a simple golden band and the other one is an uneven surface with clear sparkly diamonds in seven different colors buried within, an ugly thing really.

Comments asking for the exact one and her response:

"It's a one and only ring handmade by my pretty husband who only knows how to run companies. You can watch the making process of his struggles on my TikTok account!"

Watches her TikTok, goes through all the videos and scrolls to the first one dated 3 years ago, a table he still uses, familiar instruments he threw away to put the TV there and 6m views.

" Apparently, she had some shithead boyfriend that never supported her. And actually, these earrings she made in the first video, he threw away! Can you imagine?"

In the comments he reads how many people are asking if she could replicate them, setting their own prices as high as $300 for the pieces of some junky plastic. What the fuck?

She was just lucky! There's nothing interesting in that. She doesn't play video games or does slutty anime cosplays, so how did she get so many views? And why those weirdos support her? Are they blind? He was so right to threw away that junk in the trash. Why is she so popular? 

Chapter Text

What goes around, comes back around - playing as the background music in the video. The song is old, but Justin Timberlake was one of her favorites back then. Alina loves rewatching her first TikTok so much, it always warms her heart: all that support she got for those cute butterfly earrings, that with the flaps of their beaded wings opened new opportunities for her. Finally could stop hiding, finally could afford to improve her hobby and find happiness she was starved of for so long.

She rarely thinks of Mal anymore, still traumatized from all the shit he put her through, but he was still her first everything: a friend in the cold and hostile orphanage, a savior from all the hateful and racist bullying, her first clumsy and too wet kisses, her first awkward sex that finished way too early and left her in a little pain with blood smeared on her thighs and Mal panting hard on top of her.

He was the first one she told about getting in the college of her dreams: “A fine art degree I’ve been dreaming about and a whole scholarship!” She was on the cloud nine, wanted to live in the dorm with other students, but Mal insisted on living with him: “It would be easier for you, Linka.” His apartment was way too far from the college, but she figured that way she could spend more time with him. Mal was her whole world. She loved taking care of him, learned how to cook just for him, never heard Thank you, but considered his affections in bed was thank you enough even if she never got to finish, it is okay for most women she’s been taught by Ana at orphanage, and sex was not about her anyway.

Not even two months in living with him, he demanded her to pay for apartment too. “I’m not going to feed you, dress you and buy your stupid notebooks, Sticks.” She kept it to herself that she never even asked for a penny from him, has been tutoring Russian to students already. Paid for her own expenses, bought all the food they ate and managed to save a little. She thought he was right in some way, so took in a few more students and started giving him money for rent.

Sticks he called her ever since she turned 13 and every girl her age started growing rounder, she thought it was affectionate even if it stings a little to be called that still. She loved her petite body – so much easier to find clothes in thrift shops.

College was fun: studying art that fascinated her ever since she was a little girl, gaining new friends, that supported her; drawing, laughing and going on exhibits together, felt a little sad when Mal was too busy to attend them with her. It was fun, really, until it was not. Mal lost his job: “Can you imagine they fired me out of nowhere?” he told her, but considering how often he was late and hangover, it is a surprise they haven’t fired him earlier. She kept it to herself, he didn’t like hearing about his flaws, better to shut up than listen his screaming.

Not enough money for rent anymore, a friend of her mom with no relatives dying and leaving her small apartment all of a sudden. She thought it was a blessing from the saints, but disdainful look on Mal’s face and his muttering of how far it is from his favorite bars “I can’t spend 2 hours on bus every evening, Linka!” He was being stupid, but it was even farer from her college too, so they started to look for a new one.

A link Mal sent her, while she was at class, a message right after I got us an apartment, a price, that was way higher than they could afford now that Mal lost his job even with her apartment rented out and her tutoring, “I can’t find a job, Sticks, you should find a job instead of wasting your time on that useless college of yours, you’re not even studying agriculture like I told you to!” later he told her with asking money for a deposit - everything she saved up for jewelry courses she found interesting. Loved learning new things, had no time for them now anyway.

The only job she could get was a waitress in a nearby Russian restaurant, the pay was nice enough, the free time was non-existent now. “You look so tired, babe” Mal was telling her all the time, and she was, but she had to do it for them, for him. Hoped he’ll find new job soon enough, but as the time went on, he only spent more money on bars and things they didn’t really need, her body aching all the time, college she had to pause for a year just to close all the loans Mal took, loan sharks she had to deal with when one or another debt surfaced out of the blue, her friend’s sad gazes she got every time she had an hour or two to meet them.

Her 22 birthday coming up all of a sudden, Zoya’s first exhibition in a popular gallery upstate “You should come, Lina, I’ll treat you to a nice dinner after!”. Her unkept hair, legs that barely hold her upright after a long shift at restaurant, a painting she found fascinating and Zoya’s nowhere to be seen.

“I loved this one the most too” smooth low voice behind her, a tall dark and handsome, suit that was probably more expensive than she earned in a year, a smile that somehow warmed her more than Mal’s calloused hands at night.

Hours that passed in a blink of an eye she spent talking to him about everything, “I never had that much connection even with Mal before” – a thought that passed her as Call me Aleksander was leading her to a night diner. She felt at ease, words, dreams, aspirations flowing out of her – a dam built by Mal broken, an inspiration to start that jewelry hobby she dreamed for so long growing.

“You know I could use an art advisor” he told her. She thought this a joke, but not even 12 hours later a contract in her email, an invitation to a restaurant. Asked Genya for a dress and heels to wear, her reassuring smile that her legs look fucking fantastic, and Aleksander’s ravishing gaze exploring her body that she tried to ignore the whole evening.

“Mal I got a job in art!” She told him as soon as she got back and “I told you that you look bad in short skirts, Sticks” she got instead, Mal getting back to his computer game right after, not even noticing the tears in her eyes.

With this new job she gained a new friend, money to pay all of the debts and time to get back to college. Spending time with Aleksander visiting galleries, meeting new people, learning how to laugh and be happy again, Mal at home brooding and drinking, she doesn’t even remember when was the last time they shared a bed, thinks about endless dark pools of Aleksander as she brings herself to shattering orgasms in a cold worn out bed.

Starts making beaded chokers and earrings – simple enough for a person with no experience and a few YouTube tutorials on her phone screen.

“What is this garbage, Linka? You better watch how to grow carrots and tomatoes, when I’ll get the farm, you will not have time for this bullshit.” Mal’s nagging, disappointment blooming in her chest, eating all of her hopes and dreams, anxiety settling once again, desire to hide, to close off herself building again.

“Have you made it yourself, Alinochka? It looks so pretty! You should make those tikitaki tutorials.”

Aleksander as it turned out 12 years her senior, CEO of a whole corporation, so stiff and commanding with his subordinates, always so sweet and supportive with her.

“How were your classes today, Alinochka?”

“You know, I heard there are some courses for jewelry making in your college.”

“Why are you so sad, Alinochka, have that boy done something again?”

“Are you hungry? I have a reservation in that French restaurant you love so much.”

Her heart fluttering every time his dark puppy eyes looking at her, her thighs clenching every time his deep voice rumbles behind his ribcage as he embraces her, his heavenly smell settling in her lungs. She thinks it’s totally normal to be attracted to him this much, even if she has boyfriend at home.

Realizes she hasn’t seen Mal in a week, she’s at college in the morning and at jewelry classes or with Aleksander at evening, Mal is either still not back from partying at 6am or already off to another bar with his friends at 9pm. Gets only occasional “I’m out of money, send me $100”, isn’t even sure anymore why she’s still with him, doesn’t remember any kind words from him lately, doesn’t feel the way she used to, only ever ends up crying more often than not, when catches perfume she doesn’t own on his shirts, lipstick stains she never left on his collars, ignores them as much as she can. She still loves him, right?

Strong smell of beer and loud booing meets her as soon as she opens the door. A huge TV on the table, she was filming her TikTok video on, that she hasn’t even finished editing yet, her butterfly earrings nowhere to be seen, beads and instruments she just brought as an upgrade - vanished, Mal’s slurred words “Sticks, look what I bought!” Has he got a job, finally?

“How did you pay?” Her voice is calm and steady, but Mal immediately boiling with rage, a vein on his forehead pulsing, his jaw tensing.

“Have you taken another loan, Mal?”

“So what if I did? Can’t you just congratulate me and shut up for once?” His voice mocking her, eyes burning in anger.

Notices red stain on his shirt, dark bruise on his neck blooming, a yellow one next to it, his friends laughing at her.

“Is that a hickey?”

Loud slap, her cheek on fire - another first he gifted her, realizes, that it is the last one she’ll take from him. Eyes fogged with tears, a door slamming behind her, her legs leading her to a safe haven, she spent so many evenings at, strong hands on her back and soaked with her tears shirt her cheek rests on.

Wakes up in the middle of next day in Aleksander’s bed, smell of mouth-watering food reaching her, her eyes still puffy, her cheek is still red, changes into one of the shirts she finds in his wardrobe, the hem of it long enough to not be embarrassed of her small ass.

“I made you breakfast and sent Ivan to take all of your stuff and put in…” His mouth hangs open in the middle of the sentence as soon as he lifts his eyes from coffee he was making, his eyes caressing her naked thighs and she thinks it’s where they belong, stops herself before she does something stupid and breaks the silence with quiet Thank you.

Living with Aleksander is nothing like living with Mal: a room that is bigger than the apartment is all for her, quiet breakfasts together, a ride he gives her, dinners she never has to cook, a whole apartment she doesn’t have to clean anymore, no arguing and screaming. She dreads the moment he’ll ask her to move, but as days turn into weeks the sexual tension between them gets unbearable instead. Doesn’t even realize it finally broke until she feels his hot mouth on her neck and his palms on her ass.

It turns out she can finish up to 5 times with Aleksander, regrets wasting so much time without him. Lives in his bed for weeks after her graduation – “You need a vacation, Solnyshko, you’ve been working so hard.” Doesn’t question how a CEO of a huge company can afford to turn off his phone for so long.

Feels uncomfortable spending his money, but uses it to her advantage and rents a little studio, just to try everything she learned at those jewelry courses. Takes her a lot of tries, to start creating instead of repeating after others, but she’s so proud with her first actual golden ring with an actual ruby and a few cheap zirconia stones, even posts it to her stories with a link to her jewelry store account, thinks that she is ready to share it with real people that she knows and loves. Only ever posted on her faceless TikTok and Instagram before, thinks that it’s time to use all the fame she gained, feels confident to grow it bigger.

Gets strange message from an empty fake account @iamthebestestever and knows right away who that is, doesn’t want any negativity in her life, so she blocks him and goes on private. The audacity he had, the nerve! A bitter laugh leaves her lips, doesn’t even feel any anger anymore, feels so at peace.

A stray summer sun ray suddenly reaches her eyes and she blinks out of her memories. Her gaze turns to her engagement ring, an ugly thing really, but she loves it so much. Still can't believe her Sasha decided to surprise her with a ring he had no idea how to make, sneaked to her now much bigger studio, when she was on spa resort with her friends, bullied her sweet assistant to help him. She's so glad that Wylan turned on her cameras to film his struggles, and saved them long enough for Sasha to propose, took him almost 4 months to gain a nerve, remembers how she cried watching all of the footage, her heart fluttering in her chest.

Loves how different he can be: a scary shark in the business world, a soft kitty cat at home, always following her: kisses on her shoulders, warm palms on her toned stomach a murmur of "I love you." How he turns to jelly when she fucks him, and how he always knows what buttons on her body to push to make her complete with pleasure. A simp she calls him all the time, his confused face the first time he heard it, an hour she had to spend to explain this young people term. Loves her old man so much, enjoys every day with him, stashes them in her heart to stay warm in a softest embraces during cold winters of New York.

Chapter Text

The first word that came to his mind, when he saw her was Yes. If he had to become the weakest man in order to have her, to want her, to love her – he would be the one, no matter what his mother taught him. He couldn’t turn away his eyes from the girl, that even with her tired eyes and barely noticeable trembling limbs was radiating light, her stray hairs – a halo around her head. She is the goddess, he’s been dreaming of.

Almost missed Zoya’s cooing: “She was one of the most extraordinary in our year, too bad that useless boyfriend of hers decided to destroy her life. Now she has to work two jobs to pay the bills for both of them. So much talent wasting.”

Couldn’t listen more and in a blur of a moment his eyes found hers. How is she so gorgeous? She is smart and so much more interesting than all those empty girls, that always tried to hunt him for money. They were good for releasing the tension, but never good enough to share a soft morning and with miss Starkova he was ready to spend every morning, waking day, cozy evening and sleepless night there is until the rest of his days.

They’ve been talking so much about nothing and everything, he’s been saving every word of hers, every sigh, noticed how by the end of the night her eyes were burning with new energy. And somehow at that moment he decided to make it his life goal to make her shine brighter than the summer sun, to give her everything he can.

The job offer was really a swift of a moment, but as he was lying in bed with rising sun rays caressing his cheeks, he found that it was brilliant, made the whole contract in two hours. It was most definitely unconventional one for Art Advisor, but if she’ll agree, if she would only say Yes, he would take any chance he can to be closer.

The way she dressed so prettily for him, the hem of her short dress caressing her thighs with every step, the high heels making her taller, the swell of her breasts in the low neckline, her hair nicely done, her eyes bright and happy and a little spark of amusement deep down there. Couldn’t take his eyes off of her, she was everything he never knew he needed. Spent the night with her talking about her dreams and desires, and could see himself in her: young, talented and taken for granted, wanted to let her be herself, to not let anyone disregard her accomplishments.

He didn’t really need her advice on art, thought he knew about art enough himself to make decisions on what artists to sponsor, what pieces to buy, but the way she talked about art, how it made her feel and think, only made him want her more.

He bought the first diamond next morning – yellow as the sun glowing within her eyes.

Realized he was totally gone, when Ivan’s concerned gaze met him while he was leaving work second week in a row at sharp 5 pm instead of his usual 9. The intervention in face of Fedyor, Vanya’s husband, came right after. Are you terminally ill, Sasha? He couldn’t hold the laugh even if he tried. Pochti, Fedya, pochti. And the knowing gaze on the opposite side made him realize, that maybe he was actually ill, that if Alina would leave him one day, he could actually die. But to leave, she actually has to be his first, isn’t it? His mother’s mocking voice always in the back of his head. Couldn’t get rid of her even six years after her death. Stopped himself before he went to deep into self-loathing and self-doubt. He loves her and it’s all that matters.

He found the second diamond that same evening – orange as the flames of love starting to burn him within.

Spending time with her meant breathing, didn’t even know he was barely living before her. She became his friend quite quickly. It was so easy to tell her anything, it was so frustrating to listen her talk about that useless boy of hers and do nothing but to very carefully advise. He couldn’t possibly understand what for she suffered and sacrificed so much, when that boy couldn’t even find a job to pay off his own debts, when he hasn’t even spent time with her at all. What kind of connection she has, that she can’t see how much he hurts her?

Wanted so much to just take her home and hold her until she realizes how much love he has for her, how much he wants her for who she is, for she makes him.

The very first gala he took her to was charity auction for orphaned children. The tears in her eyes, the pain settled so deep within her, his own aching heart for all of she had to suffer through, wanted to take all of the pain away, to be her safe haven, to guard her from all the suffering. She asked if she could stay with him for a little longer after and he took her to his apartment.

A bottle of whiskey they shared, her tiny arms on his shoulders, her thin waist in his arms, warm puffs of breath on the side of his neck hot tears of the past, slur of her beautiful voice and the story she never told anyone before: the story about little girl losing her parents, all alone in the world, no one out there that wanted her, no one who cared, only a little boy by her side to fight off the bullies. Holding her close, listening her cry and talk – made him want this more. Wanted to know everything, wanted to hold her like that forever, to make everything he can to never let her feel that pain anymore.

Thought about how perfect she fit in his arms for days before he couldn’t stop himself from hugging her every moment he could find. Friends hug each other, Alinochka. And we are friends, are we not? If he held her for longer than friends are supposed, she never said a thing, just like he ignored how disappointed she looked when he let her go.

Around fifth and sixth time he got to hold her, he found the third diamond – black as the pain and suffering she went through.

He completely forgot about his birthday until the most delicious smell of baking cake greeted him from his kitchen when he came home earlier. The sight of Alina behind the counter in her favorite oversized t-shirt and baggy jeans, flour smeared on her right cheek, her hair flying in different directions from messy bun and her concentrated gaze on making the perfect chocolate cream. She didn’t even notice him until he shamelessly swept the chocolate from the counter near her.

“Sasha? You’re earlier than I was expecting you!” Her gaze turning from surprised to confused as he flicked his tongue around his own finger, the moan he couldn’t contain filling the air between them.

“Alinochka, were you trying to surprise me?”

“Y-yes.” She sheepishly said, the red blooming high on her cheeks. “Vanya said your birthday is today and that you never celebrate, so I… I decided to bake a cake for you. Please don’t be mad at Vanya, I had to bribe him with Napoleon cake recipe for Fedya in order to find out your birthday.” He couldn’t be happier about Fedyor’s recent obsession with baking. Almost wanted to give Ivan another annual bonus this year.

“No worries, Alina, I’m glad you’re here.”

The taste of chocolate melting on his tongue was heavenly, the noises he couldn’t contain - sinful, but the way her thighs clenched every time, the deep red stain that spread to her chest hidden in that enormous t-shirt of hers, the endless black of her dilated pupils – almost broke his restraint.

Although the way she cared so much for him, that she wasn’t afraid of asking Ivan for his birthday, the way she baked the whole cake from scratch, the thing his own mother never bothered to do – too lost in memories of her long-lost love instead of caring for the only one, who that love produced, made his heart beat faster, his chest ache with all the love he couldn’t show her and at the same time – sitting with her in the kitchen he barely uses himself, eating the cake she made for him, listen to her excited talk about those jewelry courses he convinced her to take, the pretty bracelet she showed him, that she weaved herself from sparkly beads – made him feel… right, as if that’s where his place – beside her.

He bought the fourth diamond after that – clear blue as the peaceful sky above that brings him calmness, just like Alina brings peace in his hectic life.

The night she came to him face smeared with tears, her cheek red - an ugly hand print blooming, couldn’t let her go until the sobs in her chest subdued, until her breath evened out, her mind finally lost to the deep restful sleep. Grumpy Vanya’s voice on the phone, 3 am on his watch.

“Kak auknetsya, tak i otkliknetsya, Sasha. No need to punish him, I’m pretty sure life would do it for you. But he needs to learn a lesson first. I’ll take care of it, you take care of Alina, she’s been through a lot.”

A sigh leaving his lips, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose, defeat: “Okay, Vanya, I trust you.”

Couldn’t stop himself from coming back to Alina, holding her through the night, his own sleep too far away to grasp it. Watching her, caressing her unruly hair out of her face, calm settling in, would never let anyone or anything to hurt her. She was safe here – in his apartment, in his bed and in his arms, the smell of her coconut shampoo lulling him to sleep at last.

A week after - a clear white diamond, as the symbol of a new start, settling in along other four in his safe.

Living with her and not being able to kiss and touch her beyond the hugs he got accustomed to – was torture, the fact that she was so close to him everyday – a blessing. The smell of her perfume filling the air, her notebooks and pens left around living room from her studying, all the dinners they spend together laughing and sharing secrets. Couldn’t be happier when her first TikTok reached already 3 million views, the pride for her achievement warming his heart.

The way she always made him watch all the cheesy romcoms together, the way her eyes roamed his body when he forgot to wear a t-shirt after a shower, the way she caressed his hair when he got a fresh haircut, he way her hips swayed in that tiny scrap of fabric she called shorts and the way he barely could function at work thinking of all the noises he heard from her room that night, her breathy Sasha haunting him. He didn’t know if that was intentional, but when weeks after he got to taste noises those plush lips of hers made and to smell the ripe of her cunt – he was a changed man.

That was when he bought the sixth diamond – green as the spring that bloomed between them.

He couldn’t stop from touching her after that. Followed her like a needy cat, leaving kisses on her neck and shoulders, holding her close to his chest, distracting her from all the studying she had to do to pass her exams and jewelry courses, couldn’t let her out of their bed until she came at least once - just a little treat to survive a day in the office, Alinochka. Took the first vacation in years, to spend the time with her alone after her graduation. He would lie, if told anyone, that they had any rest that month. Ivan smug and tired meeting him in the office, the workload he had to go through almost unbearable.

When Alina’s jewelry hobby started to grow - he couldn’t be prouder. The first ring she showed him – “It’s just a synthetic ruby and zirconia, nothing fancy.” He loathed that boy for making her feel less, to shy away from her achievements. The ring she made much more gorgeous and unique than all of the rings he’s been stalking on Tiffany website for months.

Loving her, giving her all the resources to create her own thing, her own business, and supporting her -made him the happiest man. He felt on top of the world, the only person above – Alina – shining bright and making his life a life, he didn’t even know he was mostly surviving before her. Looking at her at the lights of rising sun, making her skin glow pink, made him realize that maybe it’s time.

The seventh diamond and the last one – pink the color of her cheeks from all the praise and love he gives her.

He knew, he could never buy a generic ring or order one from Alina’s competitors. Wanted to surprise her, to make her proud. Begged her assistant to help him for a whole week before he agreed. Made a 3D model together after Wylan looked at the stones, a spark of satisfaction blooming in his eyes, an uncertainty blooming in Aleksander’s chest. Spent hours looking at the screen, before both of them were happy.

Felt lost as his own hands clumsy and not used to manual labor went through all of the routine, he saw Alina going through in her videos. Wylan’s encouraging instructions, his own shy smile from the little praises, and a whole ring he completed himself, his back wet from all the sweat and his hands trembling from the work he had done, the pride for himself filling his chest. Almost proposed to her that night she came back from the spa resort, but…

What if she doesn’t want me?

The nerves getting to him, making him doubt all of the sweet words she said, all of the quiet love confessions they shared. Took him six inspirational speeches from Ivan and Fedyor before he fell to his knees in front of her – naked, hair messy from the sleep, her eyes glossy with tears, the smile bright on her face and her happy Yes before he even asked the question.

Looking at her with the ring he made, flowy white gown caressing her legs, the lights of setting sun making her look ethereal, ocean waves – the only sound beside their speeches, their friends witnessing – the moment he won’t ever forget. Almost wanted to propose her one more time, just to marry her once again.

They spent their honeymoon on private villa he bought her as the wedding present. Couldn’t leave her alone for more than five minutes, praising her, loving her, kissing her. A simp she called him, confusion blooming on his face. An actual hour she spent explaining, showing video compilations.

“So, you mean, that a simp is a man who is super into his partner?” Her relieved smile and a nod, kiss on his cheek: “Yes, something like that, Sasha.”

“Then I’m the biggest simp for you.” Her bright giggles and his wide smile. Added a whole description on his Instagram page:

Aleksander Morozov

The biggest simp for my wife @AlinaStarkova

A CEO on the side