A broken love story of two homeless souls! | A Romantic Tale Filled with Emotions, Tragedy, and Drama
The Cold Embrace
Victor was freezing. His body had grown stiff from the biting cold, and he was shivering so violently that his teeth clattered like a handful of loose stones hitting the frozen pavement. His eyes gleamed under the yellow light of streetlamp on Bluff Springs Road. It was hard to tell whether that glow came from the lamp above or from icy whiteness that had overtaken his pupils. He lay on the roadside like a living corpse – knees pulled tightly against his chest, trembling beneath a torn sweater that barely covered his face.
Victor’s misfortune was such that life had deprived him not only of his parents’ love but of love itself. All he had ever found was betrayal and deceit – betrayal in love, deceit in friendship. For the past two years, he had no home, no friend. Bluff Springs Road had become his only shelter, and his world was reduced to a few torn clothes and weathered sweaters.
To make things worse, the night before, someone had stolen his only blanket – the last thing he owned that offered warmth. He realized it at dawn, when cold began to gnaw at his bones. As he stirred from uneasy sleep, the truth sank in: the blanket was gone.
After spending half the night under falling snow without a blanket, Victor had developed a severe fever. By morning, he was shivering and weak, stumbling from one homeless soul to another, asking if anyone had seen his blanket. Each one shook their head, some avoiding his eyes, other too numb to care.
From a distance, Marina watched him for a while before picking up an old, patched-up shawl. She walked over and said gently, “Victor… take this. It’s freezing out here.”
That night, Victor lay wrapped in the same shawl, but it did little to keep warm. His condition had worsened so much that even in the biting cold, his body burned with fever. At last, in pain and desperation, he cried out, “Help me… someone, please save me!”
From a short distance, two homeless men stirred at his voice and shouted harshly, “Hey! What’s your problem?” Can’t you let anyone sleep in peace?”
In a frail voice, Victor replied, “Brothers, I’m dying… I’m not well.”
But the men felt no sympathy. One of them snapped back coldly, his words cutting through the night air, “If you’re dying. Go dye somewhere else – don’t ruin our sleep.”
Those words pierced Victor’s chest like arrows. His pained voice faded into silence, and he didn’t even realize when tears began to run down his face.
The noise had woken Marina. She blinked her weary eyes open and gazed at the harsh snowfall, its flakes glowing faintly under the pale streetlight.
Marina was a gentle soul – the kind whose humanity wouldn’t let her ignore someone suffering. Wrapping her blanket around herself, she carefully stepped through the narrow line of sleeping bodies until she reached Victor.
The moment she saw him, her heart broke. There he was – a helpless man, shivering violently in ten-below zero cold, fighting for warmth under the same patched shawl she had given him. When he pulled it over his face, his legs were left bare; when he covered his legs, his head, shoulders, and face were exposed to the cutting wind.
“You can’t survive this cold with just a shawl,” Marina whispered. She knelt beside him and gently touched his neck – it was burning hot, as if she had placed her hand inside an oven.
For a long moment, Marina sat still, thinking. Her first thought was to wake the others, to beg them for help before it was too late. But then those cruel words she had heard earlier echoed in her mind – “If you’re going to die, go die somewhere else.”
She fell silent. Then suddenly, guided by nothing but compassion, she did what her humanity demanded. She spread her blanket over him, then lay down beside him under it. She took his hands in hers, draped one legs over his, and brought her face close to his so that warmth could mingle beneath the shared cover.
As the blanket settled over him, Victor felt as if a wanderer lost naked in the tundra had suddenly been wrapped in fur. And when Marina pulled him close, it felt like someone had lifted him from a slab of ice and set him before a crackling fire.
He was barely conscious, yet a faint, trembling voice escaped his lips:
“Why did you do that?”
Marina rested her head on his chest and whispered softly, “Is this act worse than watching someone die? I just did what I could.”
Tears rolled down Victor’s cheeks, and a weak sigh escaped him. “Thank you…” he murmured.
As time passed, Victor’s body slowly comforted, but his temperature was rising. Then, with a sharp, broken gasp, he collapsed. The sound of his failing breath cutting through the air.
The night slipped away quietly. Perhaps the sun was angry, or maybe the clouds had locked away its rays for themselves. The constant fall of snow and rain whispered one cruel truth – that the homeless souls of Bluff Springs Road would now have to fight for their very lives.
Marina stayed awake whole night, startled with each shriek, movement, and murmur that escaped Victor’s lips.
When morning finally came, she stirred, her eyes heavy with fatigue. She carefully adjusted the blanket over Victor and felt the faint warmth still rising from his forehead. For a few moments, she just looked at his innocent face. The harshness of life had left his skin weathered and stained with dirt, yet even now, a trace of his rugged, masculine charm still screamed silently – “The ruins tell the story of how beautiful the building once was.”
Rising quietly, she glanced around. The air was filled with the restless noise of the homeless – someone eating breakfast, others bickering over nothing at all. Without a word, she slipped away toward the market.
There, her eyes caught a banner swaying gently in the cold breeze:
“Dr. Melanie’s Clinic”
Marina reached into her pocket and found only a few cents and a crumpled twenty-dollar bill. Seeing that, she almost lost the courage to step inside the clinic. But she drew a deep breath, steadied herself, and stepped inside.
At the reception sat a well-dressed young woman, perhaps twenty-five, her voice polite and practiced.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” she said with a professional smile.
Marina approached the elegant reception desk.
“How can I help you today?” the receptionist asked briskly.
Placing a trembling hand on her forehead, Marina said “I need to speak with Dr. Melanie. Someone’s life is in danger.”
The receptionist frowned slightly. “Do you have an appointment?”
“No,” Marina replied quickly. “I don’t – but please, just ask her to give me five minutes. That’s all I need.”
For a moment, the young woman – whose name tag read Clara Williamson – just stared at Marina in silence. Then she said, “Alright, please have a seat, “and picked up the phone.
“There’s a woman here to see you, Dr. Melanie,” she spoke softly at phone.
Still on the line, she turned to Marina. “Miss, could you please tell me your name?”
“My name is Marina, she said, her voice shaking. “And my friend… he’s fighting between life and death. Please Dr. Melanie I need help.”
The background sounds in Marina’s voice carried through the phone to Dr. Melanie. Before Clara could repeat a word, Dr. Melanie spoke firmly, “Send the girl in.”
“Yes, doctor,” Clara replied, hanging up the phone. Turning to Marina with a gentle smile, she said, “Miss Marina, Dr. Melanie will see you now. Please go through that door – it’s open.”
The moment Marina heard the words, she sprang to her feet, her eyes lighting up with sudden hope. She hurriedly opened the door and stepped inside.
“Please, come in and have a seat,” said Dr. Melanie warmly.
“Thank you… thank you so much,” Marina replied, her voice trembling with gratitude.
“Now tell me whose – whose life is in danger? Dr. Melanie asked quickly.
Marina told her everything. As soon as she finished, Dr. Melanie picked up the phone.
“Clara, please send Chris in.”
A few moments later, a middle-aged man entered the room – around forty-five.
“Chris,” Dr. Melanie said, “bring a wheelchair. This young woman will take you to a patient – bring him here to the clinic.”
Tears welled up in Marina’s eyes. She had no words to express her gratitude – only a broken “Thank you, doctor” escaped her lips.
Marina led Chris to where Victor lay. Together, they lifted him gently by the shoulders and placed him in the wheelchair. The moment they reached the clinic; Dr. Melanie examined him and began treatment right away.
The day passed in a blur of activity. Dr. Melanie usually closed the clinic by 2 p.m., and by that time, Victor had already received substantial care. She handed Marina several days’ worth of medication for his recovery.
“Bring him in for a check up tomorrow, if his fever remains the same.” Dr. Melanie spoke while wearing her long black coat to leave.
Marina nodded gently.
Chris and Marina brought Victor back to the place where the other homeless people gathered. As they arrived, everyone turned to stare with eyes wide open. Even the men who had scolded Victor the previous night stood there, silent. This time, eyes were filled with regret, and they lowered their gaze in shame.
Was that a Social Experiment?
A few moments passed as Marina sat quietly beside Victor. His fever hadn’t gone down yet, but there was a new kind of energy in him — the kind that comes only from having someone by your side.
Marina sat leaning against the wall of a nearby plaza, where all the homeless people had gathered in a small circle for shelter.
Victor slowly slipped his hand into the pocket of his trousers and pulled something out, hiding it under the blanket.
“Marina…” he said in a trembling voice.
Marina smiled faintly and moved a little closer to him.
“Are you feeling any better?” she asked softly.
“Put your hand under the blanket,” Victor said, his voice weak but calm. “Whatever I hand you, take it and keep it in your pocket. Then go get something to eat. You’ve been struggling beside me since morning.”
Marina slipped her hand under the blanket, and Victor pressed a few crumpled pieces of paper into her palm – they were banknotes. She quickly took them and tucked them into her pocket without saying a word.
“What will you eat?” she asked gently. “You need to take your medicine too, so it’s better if you eat something first.”
Victor managed a faint smile.
“I’d like a sandwich,” he said.
Hearing that, Marina grew a little uneasy.
Would there even be enough money for a sandwich?
But she didn’t say anything – she simply nodded and gave him a small smile.
“I’ll be right back, okay?”
She walked toward the nearby market. When she reached a burger shop, she slipped her hand into her pocket to check how much money Victor had given her – to see what she could afford.
When she looked down, her eyes widened in disbelief.
There were two notes. Two $500 bills.
She froze, staring at them, unable to believe what she was seeing.
“How could a homeless man have this kind of money?” she thought. “Is he some kind of prankster… or maybe a vlogger doing a social experiment?”
But then she remembered – she had been living here for almost a year, and she had seen Victor every day in the same place.
No cameras. No tricks. Just another soul trying to survive.
Shaking her head, she pushed the thoughts aside. Her hunger reminded her why she’d come.
She ordered a meal for herself, then bought a sandwich and juice for Victor.
When she returned, Victor had managed to sit up, leaning against the wall for support. They both sat side by side and began to eat quietly.
After a few minutes, Marina finally gathered the courage to speak.
“This cost only about forty dollars,” she said softly. “Here’s your change – four hundred and sixty. And this extra five hundred… you really didn’t need to give me that much.”
Victor looked at her, his expression calm but tired.
“I didn’t notice,” he replied weakly. “I just reached into my pocket and pulled out two notes. Didn’t even see what they were.”
Marina hesitated, her brow furrowing. Then, after a short silence, she asked gently,
“Victor… are you really homeless? Please, tell me the truth.”
Victor looked at her, surprised. Then he sighed deeply.
“I’ve been here for two years,” he said quietly. “Do you still have any doubt?”
Marina stayed quiet and then leaned closer to Victor and asked hesitantly, “But how could you manage to have that much of money?”
Victor spoke in a breaking voice, “For the last two years, I have been saving money so that I could rent an apartment and start a new life. Sometimes I do housekeeping and other time I work as cleaner or a street marketer.”
He took a pause and then spoke again, “And sometime people also give a few bucks. I am saving all of it, as I don’t want to spend my whole life as homeless.”
Marina smiled and with her brown eyes filled with curiosity spoke, “Well how much money did you save then?”
Victor smiled faintly. “Just six thousand dollars…”
“What???” Marina shouted in shock.
“Shhh…” Victor hushed her gently, still smiling.
Working Side by Side
They kept talking for hours, sharing stories of their hard past. Both were about the same age – twenty-five or twenty-six. Victor’s mother had passed away, and his father had remarried, cutting him off completely. Marina’s story was no different, she had never really known her father – a Croatian married to a Japanese American woman. After divorce, he disappeared from her life and never returned. Marina had been far too young to understand back then. When she turned fifteen, her mother got remarried and moved to Boston, leaving Marina with her grandmother in a small, rented apartment.
When her grandmother died, her mother stopped spending money. Marina couldn’t continue her education, and paying rent was impossible. Eventually, with nowhere else to go, she ended up living on the streets.
Days turned into weeks, and the bond between Victor and Marina grew deeper. When Victor finally recovered, he started looking for work again – but this time, he wasn’t alone. Marina was by his side. Their identity as homeless made it hard to find decent jobs at first, but after weeks of searching, Marina found work as a dish cleaner in a small restaurant. Victor got a job at the same place, working in the parking lot.
Her Priceless Smile
Time passed, and one night, as they were walking back from work, Victor turned to her and said softly, “I have something for you.”
Marina frowned. “What is it?”
Victor didn’t answer. He led her into a nearby restaurant. As they entered, he called out to one of the waiters, “Is everything ready?”
Marina looked confused. Victor took her hand, but she quickly pulled away. “Victor it’s late,” she said nervously. “You know how dangerous Bluff Springs gets at night. If this is some kind of surprise, can’t it wait till tomorrow?”
Victor stepped closer, gently took her hands in his, and placed a finger over her lips, “Shhhh… just five minutes.”
The waiters led them to a small room and then stepped back, “Thank you,” Victor said, slipping a $20 bill into one waiters’ hand.
Marina looked around, bewildered. “Victor, what’s going on? Will you please tell me what this is?”
He stayed quiet for a moment, glancing at his watch. Then, with a soft smile, he spoke – and the words made Marina’s eyes fill with tears. She froze where she stood.
“Happy Birthday, Marina,” he said gently. “It’s January 11th.”
For a moment, she couldn’t breathe. The harshness of life had made her forget her own birthday. She didn’t know what to say; she could only stare at Victor’s face.
He took her by the hand and led her inside the room. It was glowing softly under dim lights, filled with balloons. On the table sat a small chocolate cake – her favorite.
Victor grinned and began shouting, “Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, Dear Marina!”
And soon, his voice was joined by many others. The restaurant workers and a few of the homeless invited by Victor, who stood at the door, clapping and singing along.
It was all Victor’s plan.
Marina couldn’t believe it. For the first time in years, someone had celebrated her birthday. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at Victor. Then, suddenly, she threw her arms around him in a tight hug. He held her gently, comforting her, and together they cut the cake.
Afterward, Marina smiled through the tears. “It’s been so many years since I’ve celebrated my birthday like this, “she said softly. My dad never even bothered to check on me. I am dead or alive, he doesn’t care. And my mother… she’d only give me a call to wish me. And mostly she forgets it.”
She paused her eyes glistening. “Victor, thank you. You spent so much just for me.”
Victor shook his head, his smile tender. “That smile on your face…” he said, pointing gently to her cheeks, “… is priceless. If I could, I’d do even more just to see it again.”
Marina looked at Victor, her eyes wide and searching. She stepped closer – so close their noses almost touched. Without a word, Victor leaned in and kissed her. It wasn’t a casual kiss; it was full of emotion and longing, the kind of kiss that says everything words cannot. Under the cold night sky, standing by the roadside, they silently confessed their love through touch and closeness.
They talked through the night, sharing stories, dreams, and laughter until dawn. From that day on, their bond grew stronger. Months passed, and love became the rhythm of their lives. They found stolen moments together – in parks, in elevators, under the quiet cover of night. Every hug, every tender touch seemed to draw them even closer, filling their lonely lives with warmth and meaning.
Beyond the Blanket
One evening, Victor rented a small room at a modest restaurant – a rare luxury for them. That night, their affection deepened into something unspoken but undeniable, a moment where love turned into complete surrender.
Neither Marina nor Victor had known real romance for years. But tonight, as they drew closer, they felt it – the pull, warmth, and quiet comfort of belonging.
Victor held Marina in his arms with his hands gently sliding down her back. He kissed Marina on her neck and ears, stirring emotions so strong that she wrapped her arms tightly around him, pressing herself close against his back. Victor slipped Marina’s dress off her shoulders, brushing his lips softly against her boiling skin before leaving a gentle bite on her neck.
Overwhelmed by emotion, Marina pulled Victor close, and they tumbled onto the bed together. The world outside seemed to disappear as passion, longing, and unspoken love consumed them – a moment where connection meant more than words.
After that night, Marina’s feelings became more than love – they turned into obsession, a devotion that lived deep in her soul.
The Weight of Betrayal
Days later, as they lay side by side beneath a thin blanket, Marina softly asked, “Victor… why don’t we get married?”
Victor stayed silent. He stared into the distance, quietly. Marina turned to him again, her voice trembling.
“I’m asking you, Victor. Do you want to marry me or not?”
He sighed heavily, avoiding her gaze. “Marina… we need more than a blanket to start a life. Let’s talk about the money we’ve saved first, okay? That’s my only focus right now.”
Those words cut deep – sharper than she could have imagined. She sat up, her heart breaking. “Then what was all this, Victor? The gifts, the birthdays, the promises? Was it all just a way to get close to my body? And now that you have…. it’s over?”
Victor stayed quiet. Guilt flickering across his face.
Marina spoke again, her voice shaking. “I thought you were different – but you’re just like all the others. Disloyal. Lustful. Unfaithful.
She stood up abruptly and pulled the blanket away from him.
“Marina, what are you doing?” Everyone’s watching,” Victor said softly.
“I don’t care who’s watching. I’m done,” she cried, voice breaking.
She walked away, clutching the blanket to herself, and sat down alone in a dark corner. There, away from the world, she buried her face in her hands and wept – loud, aching sobs that came from a heart too often broken.
That night felt like a curse upon Marina. Every few moments, she broke down, sobbing like a child. Eventually, exhaustion overtook her, and she fell asleep in the same cold corner, tears still glistening on her cheeks.
When she opened her eyes, the sun was high – bright and golden after what felt like ages of darkness. It was already noon. She sat up, disoriented, and then remembered she had to go to work. Her shift started at four and ran till midnight. She’d been working extra hours to save money – to build a future she believed in.
From money, she realized that for the past eight months, she’d been keeping her savings, over $5,000, with Victor. He had insisted that he had a bank account where they could save together – “We’ll buy a small house someday,” he had said, “maybe take a little bank loan and start fresh.”
In panic, Marina rushed to where Victor used to sleep. Everyone else was there – but Victor’s things were gone.
A few steps away, she saw a man in his fifties lying down. She asked him, “Where’s Victor?”
The man turned his head lazily and said, “Your boyfriend? The one with brown eyes? He left this morning. Said a friend gave him a house to stay in.”
Marina froze. It felt as though the ground had vanished beneath her feet. Eight months of hard-earned money, her every effort, her every dream – gone like water slipping through her hands.
Her heart screamed, It wasn’t love. It was betrayal.
He had used her – for her body, for her trust, for her money. Maybe right now, he was using their savings to get a house, living the dream they had built together – but without her.
Tears blurred her vision as she ran toward the bus stop, hoping to see Victor at work, to ask – Why?
When she reached the restaurant, she rushed to the parking lot, where he used to work. But inside the booth sat a stranger.
“Where’s Victor? The guy who used to work here?” she asked breathlessly.
The man shrugged. “Don’t know. I just started today. They said the old guy quit early this morning.”
Her last bit of doubt vanished. It was all true. Victor had left.
Not just with her money – but with her trust, her love, and a piece of her soul.
Marina had loved him – truly, deeply. Forgetting him would not be easy. No amount of wealth could fill that ache inside her chest.
The whole day passed in a haze. She went through the motions at work, but her heart wasn’t there. She just wanted it all to end – the shift, the day, the pain. She wanted to escape somewhere far away, where no one knew her name, where she could scream her grief into the sky and ask God why her, always her?
First her parents. Then her home. And now, her love. Every time she reached for something pure, it slipped away.
When her shift finally ended, she didn’t even notice the time. It was night. The silent streets felt like the open, waiting jaws of a beast ready to swallow her. Streetlights pierced Marina’s tear-filled eyes like needles. A cool breeze, though gentle, ached her heart with every gust.
She wandered aimlessly, tears flowing down her cheeks. Her mind re-visualized the moment her mother left her and moved to Boston with her new husband. She remembered crying in the corner of her grandmother’s apartment, knowing neither parent wished her a happy birthday. She relived the trauma that shook her when her grandmother died, leaving her all alone. She thought of the day she was ousted from her apartment because her mother stopped paying. She resided on the road, facing harassment and cruel remarks from passersby. At last, she found love, she thought her life had got a purpose now. But that was a broken love found for a few moments on Bluff Springs Road.
The Sky Confessed
Lost in her grief, Marina wandered without realizing how far she had gone – until she found herself standing before a lonely bridge.
A thought crept in – Maybe death would be kinder than life.
Slowly, she climbed onto the edge, ready to end it all. To leave behind the pain of losing everything: her parents, her grandmother, her dignity, and her love. Marina had always been fragile, carrying the weight of the world on her heart. And now, she had reached her breaking point.
But just as she intended to jump – something happened.
Time seemed to freeze.
Across the night sky, fireworks exploded, red and gold. And among the bursts of color, glowing letters appeared in the sky.
“Will you Marry Me, Marina?”
She collapsed to the ground, staring at the lights through her tears, sobbing uncontrollably. And then, out of nowhere, a car screeched to a step beside her.
A man was driving – someone she didn’t recognize. But from the back seat, a figure jumped out and ran toward her.
It was Victor.
Without saying a word, he wrapped his arms around her.
“Marina,” he whispered, his voice trembling, “I only left to make sure everything was ready. I found us a house. My friend called this morning, he had a small property and offered to sell it if I could pay part of the amount now and the rest in installments. I didn’t want to tell you till it was certain.”
He cupped her face gently. “That night when you asked me to marry you, I hesitated because I didn’t want us to marry while still living on the streets. I wanted to give you a home – our own place. So, I met with my friend Martin, someone I knew from school. He agreed to help. I resigned from the restaurant, signed the property papers, and got us a job on his poultry farm outside the city. I was going to surprise you.”
Victor’s eyes glistened as he whispered, “I’m sorry, my love. I didn’t know you would lose faith in me… that you’d think of ending your life.”
Marina broke down completely, clinging to him like a child. Through her tears, she managed to whisper, “Never… never leave me like that again.”
Victor smiled faintly, brushing her hair aside.
“I could die,” he said softly, “but I could never live without you.”
Everything’s ready. Tomorrow we’re getting married.
1 thought on “Broken Love on the Bluff Springs Road”
lovely story brother, i really like your shared story.