Months passed. Gradually, the memories that once pulled Hayk back began to fade. So much so that it even started to feel like a relief — as if everything truly had been left in the past.
One day, during another meeting, Anna received a call. She glanced at the number and, as if lost in strange thoughts, quietly stepped out of the room to answer it.
This immediately unsettled Hayk — no matter how many calls came in, Anna had never left a meeting before.
Now he found himself forced to continue the discussion while watching her through the glass door out of the corner of his eye.
The longer he watched, the stronger the тревожное feeling grew.
Anna hung up, froze for a moment, and then quickly returned to the room.
— What happened, Anna? — Hayk asked impatiently, interrupting the meeting.
— Mr. Shalunts… — she began, struggling to find the words.
— Anna, calm down and explain what happened, — he said, trying to hold back his irritation.
— Pause the meeting… and turn on the TV, — Anna replied. — It will be faster.
Within seconds, urgent news appeared on the screen:
A government service helicopter had crashed in a remote mountainous area during an emergency landing. Contact with the crew had been lost.
— Anna… don't tell me this happened near our mines, — Hayk said quietly, already knowing the answer.
— Yes, — she confirmed. — In our area. They called from the minister's residence. They're requesting permission to conduct rescue operations.
— They don't need permission, — Hayk replied immediately, but after a short pause added: — The terrain is difficult. They'll waste time… and they might lose people.
— What are you suggesting? — Anna asked, already guessing.
— I'll go myself. I'll lead the rescue operation. No one knows these mountains better than I do, — Hayk said firmly. — Request the list of the injured and arrange a helicopter. I'll get my things.
— I'll call right now, — Anna said and hurried out.
As he packed, Hayk suddenly felt a strange unease.
He paused for a moment, placed a hand on his chest, and was surprised at how fast his heart was beating.
But there was no time — he pushed the feeling aside and focused on the task.
He was already heading toward the helicopter when Anna ran up to him with the list of the injured.
— Here… — she said, handing over the papers, watching him closely.
Hayk took the list almost automatically, but immediately noticed her condition — the pale face, the tense look, the fear she couldn't hide.
He quickly scanned the names…
Then he stopped at one.
His gaze froze.
His fingers tightened slightly on the paper.
In that moment, he understood everything.
— Anna… am I right? — he asked quietly, without taking his eyes off the list.
— Yes, — she replied. — Arevik's name is on the list.
Hayk stared at the paper for a few more seconds.
Then slowly turned toward the helicopter.
— I sees.
— Hayk … — Anna grabbed his hand.
He turned back and gave a faint smile:
— Everything will be fine.
But his calm voice didn't convince her.
On the contrary — that restraint made it clear: inside him, a storm had already begun.
Upon arriving at the crash site, Hayk immediately formed several rescue teams, divided the area into sectors, and clearly assigned routes. For himself, he chose the most inaccessible sector. According to his calculations, the crash was most likely there — geolocation in that area barely worked.
Despite numerous objections, no one could talk him out of it.
He was certain: he had to go himself.
For nearly an hour, Hayk surveyed the area from the air, methodically checking one sector after another until he finally spotted signs of the crash. He immediately relayed the coordinates to the other teams, and soon the rescuers were fully engaged in evacuating the injured.
Hayk continued searching.
He was looking for her.
But Arevik was nowhere to be found.
Soon, a message came in: one of the crew members was in critical condition. Hayk headed there — and even before reaching the spot, he felt something inside him tighten sharply.
It was her.
Arevik lay unconscious. She was already connected to medical equipment, but her condition remained critical — she needed urgent surgery.
Hayk stepped closer.
Doctors moved around her in a rush, voices giving commands, but he no longer seemed to hear any of it.
He just looked at her.
He managed to see her face only for a brief moment — it was quickly covered by an oxygen mask. Now only her eyes were visible…
barely tightening with pain.
— She needs to be taken to the hospital immediately, — one of the doctors said.
The voice pulled Hayk out of his daze.
— I'll take her by helicopter, — he said shortly and ordered them to prepare for transport.
During the flight, as soon as the signal returned, his phone rang. It was Anna.
— Hayk, how is it?
— I found her, — he answered calmly, though the words came with difficulty. — We'll be at the Republican Hospital soon.
— I'm on my way there, — Anna said quickly. Then, after a pause: — How are you?
— I… don't know yet.
— Stay strong. I'll be waiting, — she said softly.
Hayk didn't respond and ended the call.
He looked at Arevik again.
That was when the panic crept in.
He noticed that the expression of pain on her face had disappeared.
Too suddenly.
Now she lay completely still, almost peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Something inside him broke.
No… not this.
Hayk's heart tightened. His breathing became uneven, heavy, out of control. He quickly contacted a doctor. The doctor explained that the painkillers had taken effect and tried to reassure him.
Hayk silently ended the call.
His hand instinctively went to his throat.
There wasn't enough air.
They reached the hospital. Arevik was immediately taken to the operating room.
After some time, Anna came up to Hayk.
— I was told the others have already been transported. No one's life is in danger, — she said, watching him carefully.
Hayk gave a barely noticeable nod.
— That's… good news, — he said quietly.
— Maybe you should go home? — Anna suggested gently.
He didn't answer.
He just looked at her.
There were emotions in his eyes he could no longer hide.
Anna understood everything.
— I thought… she was already in the past, — she said quietly.
— So did I, — Hayk replied and, holding his head in his hands, added: — As you can see… she isn't.
Hayk and Anna were standing near the operating room when a woman ran up to them with a small child in her arms.
— Excuse me, is Arevik being operated on here? — she asked anxiously.
— Yes, here, — Anna answered, since Hayk at that moment couldn't take his eyes off the child. — You must be her mother?
— Yes… I'm her mother, — the woman confirmed.
— And the child? — Anna asked carefully.
— He's, her son.
Anna froze for a moment.
— How old is he?
— He's already one… — the woman replied and added: — You must know Arevik?
— We… used to work together, — Anna answered.
— Ah… from her previous job, — the woman nodded. — Tell me… will the surgery take long?
— The doctor hasn't come out yet. We've already been waiting for two hours, — Anna said.
She cast a quick glance at Hayk, trying to understand his state.
But all this time, Hayk was looking only at the child.
And the child… at him.
— Arevik used to talk a lot about her previous job… — the woman suddenly said. — At first, she was very happy there.
— Why did she leave? — Hayk asked suddenly.
His voice came out sharp — too sharp for an ordinary question.
It was the very question that had been haunting him for a long time.
— After she was transferred to another department, things got worse, — the woman explained.
— Another department? — Anna and Hayk repeated at the same time.
— Yes. She was transferred right after her leave…
The woman was about to add something else, but at that moment the doctor came out of the operating room.
— The surgery is over! Excuse me… — she said quickly and hurried toward him.
Hayk stepped forward as well, but Anna remained where she was for a moment.
Suddenly, everything fell into place.
All the information she had gathered before began to come together like pieces of a puzzle. If before she knew everything except the name of the employee Meruzhan had been tormenting, now she knew that too.
But it still needs to be confirmed, she thought, and walked over to Hayk.
— The operation was successful, — the doctor said. — She's sleeping now.
— Can I see my daughter? — Arevik's mother asked with hope.
Hayk looked at her.
He wanted to go in too.
He wanted to see her first.
But realizing that right now there was no one closer to Arevik than this woman, he silently lowered his gaze.
— Of course. But the child must stay here, — the doctor said.
— But who will I leave him with? — the woman asked, confused.
— I'll take care of him, — Anna said immediately. — Go ahead.
— Thank you… — the woman replied with relief and handed over the child.
As soon as she disappeared behind the door, Anna almost instantly passed the baby into Hayk's arms.
So quickly that he didn't even have time to react.
— What are you doing?! — he said, startled. — I…
He fell silent.
He had never held a child before.
— Aren't you curious… who this little one is? — Anna asked quietly.
— I am… — Hayk answered shortly, trying to hide his confusion. — But right now, what matters more is—
He didn't finish.
— Wait for me, — Anna said and walked away.
— Anna… don't leave me, — he called after her.
But she didn't turn back.
Hayk was left alone.
With the child in his arms.
He held it awkwardly, as if it were both foreign and fragile. He carefully turned it, trying to find a comfortable position... and at some point, their gazes met.
Hayk froze.
He looked into the child's eyes — and couldn't look away.
Something inside him began to tighten.
Too familiar.
Too… close.
His breathing grew heavier.
His hands trembled ever so slightly.
He didn't understand what was happening to him.
But the longer he looked, the stronger that feeling became.
As if something inside him was opening — something he wasn't ready for.
A soft child's sound brought him back to reality.
Hayk lifted the baby slightly, adjusted him in his arms, and, still not looking away, said quietly:
— Well then… little one… let's get to know each other…