You can’t even imagine how much your dullness and mediocrity irritate me now,” Andrey said, his eyes sparkling. “I don’t need a grey mouse; I deserve more!”
“Do you really think that money makes you better?” Olga replied with pain in her voice, trying to hold back tears.
The evening light cozily illuminated the kitchen where Olga was cooking dinner. The smell of freshly cooked borscht and fresh pies filled the air.
Andrey burst into the room with a noise, waving an envelope and smiling from ear to ear.
“Olya! Olya! You won’t believe it!” he shouted, not yet having taken off his shoes. “I got a letter that I have an inheritance from some distant relative! Now I’m rich!”
Olga turned around, wiping her hands on her apron.
“That’s wonderful, Andryush,” she calmly replied. “But who is this relative? We didn’t know anyone…”
“Who cares!” Andrey laughed and approached her, kissing her on the cheek. “Now we can afford everything we want!”
Olga raised her eyebrows in surprise but didn’t manage to say anything before Andrey began talking about plans for the future, gesturing wildly and dreaming of luxurious purchases.
However, the next day, apparently after a sleepless night as a future millionaire, Andrey turned into a completely different person.
He looked at Olga with disdain, started commanding, and demanded attention only to himself. All his conversations were about how rich he now was and how successful he was. As if the letter he received was not about an inheritance but about being awarded the Nobel Prize.
“You know, Olya,” he said at breakfast, not looking at her, “now that I’m rich, I think we need to reconsider our relationship.”
Olga shuddered and stared at him, not believing her ears.
“What do you mean?” she asked, trying to hold back tears.
“Well, you understand, I’m now on a completely different level,” he said, biting into a sandwich.
“Other people? What are you even talking about, Andrey?”
“About the fact that I’m now rich,” he repeated, as if that explained everything. “And you… you’re too ordinary.”
Olga was shocked. She called her best friends—Kate and Lena—to meet at a cafe and tell them what had happened.
“Girls, you won’t believe this!” she began as soon as they sat down at the table. “Andrey received some inheritance and now thinks I’m not his match!”
Kate snorted.
“Well, that’s news. Who is this relative who suddenly popped up?”
Lena frowned, listening intently to Olga.
“What are you going to do?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” sighed Olga. “Andrey has become so… so… despicable!”
Kate shook her head.
“Olga, are you sure this isn’t some mistake? Maybe he’s just gone a bit mad?”
“I don’t know,” Olga repeated. “But this isn’t like him.”
Lena, frowning even more, was deep in thought.
That evening ended there. Olga went home where Andrey awaited, already immersed in browsing catalogs of luxurious cars. Anxiety settled in her heart, but the hope of help from her loyal friends kept her spirits up.
Several days passed, and Andrey became increasingly unbearable. Although he hadn’t yet received the inheritance money, his behavior had changed. He walked around with his head held high, acting as if he were already a millionaire, and treated Olga with arrogance and disdain.
“Olga, where’s my suit?” he yelled one morning. “I have an important meeting today!”
Olga found the suit and neatly hung it on the bedroom door.
“Andrey, can we talk?” she asked timidly, approaching him.
“Not now,” he dismissed her. “I don’t have time for trivialities.”
Olga felt her eyes well up with tears. She didn’t understand what was happening or why the man she loved had turned into this cold, alien person. She decided it was time to talk to her friends again.
In the evening, Olga met Kate and Lena at a small cafe on the corner. They sat at a cozy table by the window, ordered coffee, and began discussing the situation.
“Girls, I can’t live like this anymore,” Olga began, barely holding back tears. “Andrey has just become unbearable. He treats me like a servant and says he needs different people around him.”
Kate snorted, setting down her coffee cup.
“What a scoundrel! Olga, you need to put him in his place. He hasn’t even received the money yet, and he’s already putting on airs.”
Lena frowned, listening intently to Olga.
“Ol, we’re always with you. Don’t worry, everything will work out.”
Lena, looking away, thoughtfully said:
“Olga, you must stay strong. Kate and I won’t let him hurt you,” Lena assured her, patting Olga’s hand.
“Thank you, girls. I couldn’t have coped without you,” Olga replied quietly, trying to calm herself.
Days went by, and Andrey’s behavior became more and more intolerable.
He continued to demean and insult Olga, accusing her of being mercenary and waiting only for his inheritance money.
“Olga, do you understand that I am now a completely different person?” Andrey said, returning home one evening. “You’ve always been a grey mouse, but now I see right through you. You’re just waiting for me to get rich so you can live off my wealth.”
Olga looked at him with horror and pain.
“Andrey, how can you say that? We’ve been together for so many years, I’ve always supported you!”
“Yes, yes, supported,” he sneered. “But now it’s clear to me that all you care about is money.”
Olga felt her heart breaking. She couldn’t understand why Andrey had become so cruel. All this time she had tried to be patient and understanding, but his words cut through her like a knife.
“Andrey, let’s discuss everything, talk it out,” Olga said firmly.
“Talk about what? About how you’re waiting for my money?” he asked sarcastically.
“No, about what’s happening to you. I want to understand why you’ve changed so much.”
Andrey looked at her with contempt.
“You wouldn’t understand. You’re too simple for this level of life.”
These words were the last straw for Olga. She decided she wouldn’t tolerate it any longer.
The next day, she met with her friends. They sat in the same cafe, and Olga felt the girls’ support by their presence.
“Olga, we have to tell you the truth,” Kate began, glancing at Lena.
Lena nodded and added:
“Sorry, Ol, we wanted to joke around, but it got out of control.”
Olga looked at them anxiously.
“What do you mean?”
Kate sighed and said:
“The inheritance letter… It’s fake. Lena and I orchestrated it to show you what a person can become if they suddenly come into money.”
Olga was stunned, not believing her ears.
“Are you saying this was all a lie?” she whispered.
Lena took her hand.
“Olga, we did it because we saw how Andrey was treating you. We wanted to show you who he really is. And it turns out, he’s really a terrible person.”
Olga felt her eyes filling with tears. She didn’t know whether to feel anger, disappointment, or relief.
“How could you do this?” she asked, not hiding her tears. “Did you think this would help?”
Kate looked at her regretfully.
“We thought it would help you see the truth. We didn’t expect him to turn out like this…”
Olga was silent for a long time, processing what she had heard. Finally, she spoke.
“I don’t understand why you did this. But it was too cruel. Now I know that Andrey isn’t who I thought he was. And my friends aren’t who I thought they were.”
Chapter 5: Exposure
When Andrey came home, he found Olga in the living room. She sat on the couch with a determined look, her eyes burning with resolve.
“Olga, what now? Another important talk?” Andrey asked irritably, removing his jacket.
“Sit down, Andrey,” she said calmly. “We need to discuss a lot.”
Andrey sat down, grumbling discontentedly.
“More of these talks? I’m tired of them.”
Olga sighed, gathering all her strength.
“Andrey, I know the truth about the letter. It’s fake. My friends did it to show me who you really are.”
Andrey turned pale. A mix of surprise and anger flashed across his face.
“What? Fake? Are you serious?”
“Yes, Andrey. You acted as if you really became rich. You became arrogant and cruel. You humiliated me and insulted me, thinking money gave you the right to behave that way.”
Andrey jumped up from the chair, his face flushed with fury.
“This is ridiculous! You believe your friends more than me? They’re just jealous of our happiness!”
Olga calmly stood up from the couch, looking him straight in the eyes.
“No, Andrey. They helped me see the truth. You’re not worthy of me and our love. You showed your true face when you thought you were rich.”
Andrey breathed heavily, his eyes burning with rage. He realized he had lost.
“This is your choice, Olga. You’re destroying our family. I’m leaving.”
Olga watched him gather his things. Her heart ached, but she knew it was the right decision. Andrey was not the man she loved. He had changed, and this new persona was foreign and repulsive to her.
When the door slammed behind Andrey, Olga felt a mix of pain and relief. She knew a new phase of life awaited her, but she was ready for it.
Kate and Lena arrived almost immediately after Andrey’s departure. They found Olga on the couch, still shaken but resolute. The friends sat next to her, embracing her, expressing their support and care.
“Olga, how are you?” Kate asked cautiously, holding her hand.
“It was difficult,” Olga admitted, wiping away tears. “But I know it was the right thing.”
Seeing that Olga had calmed down a bit, Lena asked:
“Olga, we told you the whole truth about the fake letter, but we didn’t explain why we did it. Do you want to know?”
Olga nodded, looking at them with interest and anxiety.
“Of course, I want to understand why you decided to set all this up…”
Kate sighed and began to explain:
“The thing is, three weeks ago a lawyer from Switzerland contacted me. He said he had been trying to contact you, but you know, you’re a bit paranoid, all social media is locked down. I don’t know how he managed to find me, but the point is, he left me his number, asked me to pass it on to you. There’s a real case of inheritance, he didn’t tell me the details, confidentiality and all that.”
Olga stared at her friends in shock.
“What? Real inheritance? From which relative? You weren’t joking?”
Lena continued:
“This lawyer left a number for you to call. Kate and I thought, since it’s Switzerland, there must be a lot of money. And we decided to test Andrey first, before telling you about the real inheritance. We wanted to make sure it wouldn’t spoil your marriage, and he wouldn’t hurt you.”
Olga sat in silence, digesting what she had heard. She couldn’t believe that all this time they were testing her husband, and it turned out he was indeed insincere with her.
“So, this was all for my good?” she finally asked.
Kate nodded.
“Yes, Olga. We wanted to make sure you saw his true face before you received the inheritance. We knew he might not be who he seemed.”
Olga cried again, but this time they were tears of relief and gratitude.
“Thank you, girls. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Lena hugged her tighter.
“We’re always here, Olga. Now you need to call this lawyer and find out all the details about the inheritance.”
Olga took the phone and dialed the number her friends had given her. After a short conversation with the lawyer, her face lit up with joy.
“He confirmed everything. I really did receive a large inheritance from a distant relative,” she said, disbelief in her happiness.
Kate and Lena clapped their hands, rejoicing with their friend.
“Olga, you’re now rich!” exclaimed Kate.
“And most importantly, you’re free from Andrey and his manipulations,” added Lena.
Olga smiled through tears. She felt her heart fill with joy and hope for the future.
Now she had the opportunity to start a new life, free from lies and humiliation. And she knew her friends would always be there, supporting her every step of the way.
They raised their glasses of champagne, which Kate had brought just in case.
“To a new life, full of happiness and freedom!” proclaimed Kate.
“To real friends and a better future!” added Lena.
Olga raised her glass, feeling her soul warmed with gratitude.
“To you, girls. Thank you for everything.”
They drank, laughing and embracing, rejoicing that their friend was now free and wealthy.
Olga knew that new challenges lay ahead, but now she was ready for anything, knowing she had loyal friends and a new life full of opportunities.