Vlad Kunitsyn

Anya giggled at her reflection in the mirror. Lena, her best friend, stood next to her, also barely holding back her laughter.

"So, are you ready for the most epic date of your life?" Lena whispered, pushing Anya toward the door.

The first date went surprisingly smoothly. Vlad turned out to be less arrogant than he seemed at first. He joked, told funny stories, and Anya, forgetting the argument, genuinely enjoyed the evening. Lena, of course, was delighted with every new message from Anya, teasing her and anticipating their victory.

But after a couple of weeks, everything began to change. Vlad seemed to have truly fallen in love. He became more attentive, caring, and his glances at Anya no longer seemed like mere play. Anya, though she tried to keep her distance, sensing that it was still an argument, began to notice that she was beginning to care.

Suddenly, Vlad raised his voice. "Dad, stop! She's not just a girl, she's dear to me! I love her and I want to be with her!"

"What are you saying, son? You know what I chose for you!" his father growled.

"And I choose her!" Vlad answered firmly. "And I want to marry her in the future!"

At that moment, Anya stopped laughing. She understood how Vlad, who had lived under his father's oppression his entire life, was willing to go against him for her. She saw in his eyes not just infatuation, but true love and determination. And she realized that this argument, which had begun as lighthearted fun, had turned into something much more serious.

Anya sat on the couch, trying to comprehend what had happened. Vlad sat on a chair, having finished his story about why he left home.

"Can I stay the night at your place now?" he asked.

She nodded without looking at him.

Vlad sighed. "I know. It was… difficult. He's been watching me, controlling me my whole life. But I can't do this anymore. I don't want to live by his rules."

He paused, and then quietly asked: “You’re not dating me on a dare, Anya?”