Lesya had long learned to rely only on herself.
Orphaned as a child, she grew up in a world where trust was dangerous and hope a luxury she could not afford.
Her life was a series of battles — for education, for survival, for a piece of future she could call her own.

That day was supposed to be ordinary.
No classes at her technical college.
A rare moment to breathe, to wander the streets without hurry.

She was lost in thought when she heard a call:

— Miss! Miss! Lesya!

She stopped.
A car had pulled up beside her, and a young man was smiling at her through the window.

— Yes, you, — he said warmly. — Come on, hop in. I’ll give you a ride.

Lesya frowned, wary:

— What if we’re not headed the same way?

The man laughed:

— I promise, our roads are the same.

Later, Lesya could not explain why she accepted the ride.
Perhaps it was the way he spoke, or the way the sun hit his face just right.
Perhaps it was the loneliness she had fought for too long.

They drove together all morning.
The city blurred around them, but in that car, time slowed down.

Later that evening, when Lesya looked out her window, she saw the same car parked outside.
Inside, the young man — whose name was Andrey — slept, a giant bouquet of flowers resting on his knees.

From that moment on, they were inseparable.

Three months later, Lesya discovered she was pregnant.

A Shattering News
One afternoon, as she walked home, a woman approached her:

— Are you the girl who was dating Andrey?

Lesya nodded, feeling a sudden chill.

The woman took a shaky breath:

— I’m sorry… It was a horrible accident… He was attacked by some thugs near his house… Three against one…

The world collapsed.

The woman’s voice faded into a distant hum.
Lesya felt nothing but a sharp, hollow ache in her chest.

When she finally found the strength to lift her head, she whispered:

— Do you know where he is buried?..

At the Grave
She found his grave after hours of searching.

She fell to her knees before it.

— Hello, my love… I’ve come…

She wept without shame, the sobs wracking her fragile body.
The pain was too much to bear, and she cried until exhaustion claimed her.

When she opened her eyes, everything was silent — too silent.

And then she saw it.

A sleek, expensive phone lay carefully beside the grave, as if placed there deliberately.

Her fingers trembling, Lesya picked it up and pressed the power button.

The screen flickered to life.

And instantly, a video started playing.

It was Andrey.

Sitting in his car, smiling that gentle, familiar smile.

He spoke directly into the camera:

— Lesya… If you’re watching this, it means I didn’t make it to you…
I want you to know that I love you more than anything in this world.
You gave me hope. You gave me a home. You gave me a future.

He paused, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye.

— I bought us a house. Outside the city.
I wanted it to be a surprise.
I wanted you to bring our child into the world there, surrounded by peace, by love.

His voice cracked slightly.

— If I’m not beside you, remember: I am always near.
Always.

The screen went black.

The phone slipped from her fingers as Lesya fainted, crumpling onto the cold earth.

A New Life
When she awoke, the stars glittered above her in the deep, endless sky.

She was freezing, aching, exhausted.

But something had changed inside her.

A flame had been lit — small but fierce.

She stood up, holding her belly protectively.

She would not give up.
She would not allow her love’s death to be in vain.

Lesya finished her studies.
She found a job.
She rented a tiny apartment, simple but filled with warmth.

And when her son was born, she named him Andrey — after the man who had taught her the greatest lesson of all:
Love is stronger than death.

Every year, on the anniversary of their first meeting, Lesya visited his grave.

She brought fresh flowers.
She placed the phone gently on the stone.

And she whispered:

— You are still with me. Always.