And indeed, he delivered the baby as if he were holding fate itself in his hands. In his gaze, there was no judgment or anger, only steady calm and care.

After the baby was born, he didn’t turn away. He acknowledged the son and helped us. He officially assumed fatherhood, paid child support, and always found time to see the little one.

Gradually, I realized that the “homeless man” I had once met on the street was the only real man in my life. My husband, my family, my friends — all had betrayed me. But he, a random passerby, became a father and support for my child.