It all started with a few undelivered letters… Veronica was more than just a pretty face on a bike.
Smart, driven, and full of quiet determination, she spent her mornings delivering newspapers and her nights buried in textbooks, chasing her dream of becoming a respected editor.
To make ends meet while finishing her university degree, Veronica took on a part-time gig delivering mail for the local post office. Most days were routine—just another stack of letters, another set of quiet doorsteps.
But one day, her usual route took a turn.
She was handed a bundle of undelivered letters and asked to help finish off the day’s backlog. Wanting to be helpful, she agreed without hesitation, eager to wrap things up before sunset.
One of the names on her list stood out: Stepan Viktorovich Razgulyaev.
He was a wealthy man, older and recently widowed, known in town for his stern demeanor and solitary life. When Veronica knocked on his door, she expected a quick thank-you and nothing more.
Instead, she found herself face-to-face with a man who was instantly captivated by her.
Stepan saw something in Veronica—her charm, her warmth, her quiet intelligence. And from that moment on, he began to pursue her.
At first, it was polite conversation. Then, daily invitations. Flowers. Letters. Gifts. Promises of a better life.
Veronica, caught between gratitude, pressure, and confusion, began to pull away.
And then… she vanished.
Where did she go?
Why did she run?
And what is Stepan not telling us?