— Oh dear, I expected better. Vadik, you said the apartment was in decent condition, but here it looks like it needs six months’ worth of repairs, and the appliances will have to be replaced. Keep in mind, the renovation is on your dime! — declared Olga, Vadik’s sister. It was her first time in this apartment and she hadn’t even really had time to look around, but what she saw didn’t please her.
“— Hold on a minute, why are you deciding what needs to be changed in my apartment and whose money it’s on? — retorted Irina at the words of her future sister-in-law.
“— You’re strange, Irina. It seems you either have a bad memory or just can’t think straight, since you’ve forgotten what we told you.
“— Could you explain to me once again what this conversation is about? — Irina sat down on the sofa, preparing to listen.
Since childhood, Irina had dreamed of marriage, picturing her wedding. She was determined to have a beautiful white dress, a veil, and, of course, a handsome prince by her side, and then—“they lived happily ever after,” just like in the books.
Irina had grown up in a broken family. She was raised by her mother and grandmother. Her father disappeared as soon as he encountered his first difficulties—sleepless nights and a lack of money. At first, he moved in with his parents, and then he completely stopped communicating with his daughter and his ex-wife. Irina desperately missed him.
She saw how her friends lived, observed their relationships with their fathers, and longed for someone similar to appear in her life—a strong, brave, and reliable man who would take all her problems upon himself, protect her, and care for her.
But as the years passed, Irina grew up and her dreams of a father gradually transformed into dreams of an ideal husband.
— Even though I didn’t have a good father, my children will have one for sure! I’ll do anything for that, — Irina decided and began her search.
It must be said that her requirements for her future life partner were rather naive: a kind, gentle, and caring man who loved children and took marriage seriously. Irina never thought about what he would be like in everyday life or how a woman’s life alongside a man should be arranged.
Once, at an event organized by the company where Irina worked, she met a quiet, modest, and attentive man. His name was Vadim.
From their conversation, Irina understood that Vadim belonged to a well-known noble family. He lived with his mother and his sister Olga, who was five years younger than him. They lived in a nice apartment in the center.
Vadim was an educated young man who knew a lot; he didn’t give expensive gifts but courted her in a refined manner. He helped out whenever he could—he was quite the handy guy. Irina fell in love and already mentally planned their future together.
Not even the fact that Vadim was an overly obedient son alarmed Irina. He always answered his mother’s calls and did everything she asked, sometimes even against his own plans and interests.
But Irina thought that was all right—at least until she became his wife, after which, of course, he would listen to her. So she took all his explanations that he was busy because his mother had asked him to do something in stride, philosophically even. Six months later, Vadim introduced his chosen one to his mother.
It was time for Irina to learn the plot of other fairy tales in which the handsome prince had a quarrelsome, witch-like mother and an envious sister.
That’s exactly how Anna Igorevna and Olga, Vadim’s mother and sister, appeared to Irina. It seemed the women had prepared in advance to give the future daughter-in-law not a mere introduction but a full-blown interrogation with prejudice.
The prospective relatives were especially interested in the bride’s dowry. Vadim had already let slip that the apartment in which Irina lived was hers. And Irina’s mother and grandmother lived together; they owned a house outside the city. It was then that Anna Igorevna first brought up the apartment issue:
“— Irочка, in our family it’s customary that all property is owned by the men. Even everything that’s left of my husband is registered in Vadik’s name. A woman cannot own property. Only a man can. When you have a son, you’ll register it on him, but for now—it’s on Vadik.”
At that moment, Irina let those words pass by her ears. There had been no talk of marriage yet. The introduction itself went relatively well. Irina was prepared for the worst, but in the end, they even sat together heart-to-heart and talked.
After the “interrogation,” Anna Igorevna switched to talking about their family’s connection with the noble lineage, and Olga left altogether half an hour later—she had another meeting.
A few months passed.
The young couple continued to see each other. Vadim never once disappointed Irina; on the contrary, she fell even more in love with him. Irina no longer met with her future mother-in-law and sister-in-law.
And then came the day that the young woman had been waiting for—Vadim proposed, and she accepted. The preparations for the wedding began.
Lately, Vadim had been living with Irina. One day, he called his future wife and warned her that she wouldn’t be dining alone: his mother and sister were coming over as guests.
“— They’re just curious to see how we live; they’ve never been to your place before, — remarked the groom.
“— Let them come, no harm done! — replied Irina.
They arrived. But, to the hostess’s surprise, as soon as the prospective relatives crossed the threshold of the apartment, instead of going to the table where Irina was finishing the last preparations, Olga began to inspect the apartment with a condescending air, constantly making remarks.
“— Mom, what is this? How many years has it been since any repairs were done here? Vadik, you said Irina’s apartment was normal.
“— What’s wrong with it?
“— Has your Irka ever heard of modern appliances and furniture? Does the ‘loft’ style mean anything to her? The wallpaper hasn’t been changed since the Soviet era. Oh my God, Mom, you must see this—she even has a carpet on the wall! — Olga burst into laughter. — It’s just gloomy!
“— Vadik, you’ll have to pay for the renovation, the purchase of furniture, and appliances! How is Olga supposed to live here? — declared Anna Igorevna, disdainfully flicking dust off a cabinet with her finger and wrinkling her nose. At that very moment, Irina came out of the kitchen. She saw this scene and felt a little ashamed that she hadn’t managed to clean the apartment before the guests arrived. But what she heard next she didn’t like at all.
“— And what exactly are you talking about? Why are you discussing my apartment at all? I’m fine with the way it is, and it seems Vadik is too. In time—we’ll do it.
“— I don’t have time to wait. We’ve decided that after your wedding, I will live here, and you will move in with your mother. Didn’t Vadim tell you? — Olga spoke as if this matter had long been decided; moreover, from her tone one could think that Irina was already aware of these plans.
Irina turned to her future husband, but he remained silent, staring at the floor.
“— Vadim, aren’t you going to explain anything to me? — she asked.
But Vadim remained silent, as if his tongue had been swallowed.
“— And why are you attacking the boy as if you’re hearing it for the first time? — suddenly the future mother-in-law began. — I warned you: in our family, only men can own property. Immediately after registering the marriage, we’re going to the notary. You’ll transfer the apartment to your husband by means of a gift deed. And then he will be free to do with it as he pleases.
“— Have you all lost your minds? I’m not going to transfer the apartment into your son’s name! — Vadim’s mother’s proposal left Irina stunned.
“— Don’t raise your voice at me! I accept no objections. This is our condition and it’s non-negotiable! We discussed it and decided that Olga will live here. She’s a creative person; she needs space. And you will live with me. Besides, it will be more convenient for Vadim. He complained that he barely cooks and has no time for cleaning. Both of you work, after all. And I’ll be the one cooking—men need a proper meal. And as for you as a hostess, frankly speaking, you’re nothing. I’ve seen everything already. I’m the one who keeps order. You hardly ever home, so what does it matter where you sleep? You’ll have a separate room.
Irina stood there, unable to utter a word.
She had heard much about shameless relatives, but she could not have imagined that there would be some who, without even being related by blood, would start dictating their rights.
“— Alright, it’s all clear here. Let’s go to dinner. Let’s see what you have to offer, daughter! — Anna Igorevna approached her future daughter-in-law and embraced her, but Irina pulled away.
“— Look at you, full of attitude! — Anna Igorevna smirked.
“— You’ve come up with everything so neatly, but my opinion apparently doesn’t matter to any of you? By the way, Vadik, why are you silent? Do you really think that I cook and clean poorly and that you want to live with your mother by your side? — Irina suddenly felt an outburst of anger she had never experienced before.
“— Vadim, you said that Irina never raises her voice, but here I see you have a sassy daughter-in-law! If you do, of course— and now turning to Vadim, she continued—Who do you think you are for your opinion to even matter? We’ve already decided everything. If you want to enter a respectable family, to obtain a noble surname, to be related to a noble lineage—then you must comply. By the way, Vadik very much asked for my consent to your marriage, and I gave it, — the mother-in-law looked at Irina as if she were an insect.
“— Vadik asked? I don’t need this marriage so much as to fulfill all your whims and, so to speak, conform to your family’s standards, — Irina understood everything. — Now both of you get out! I won’t allow anyone to dictate over my property or my life. Vadim, we’ve been together for a year, and I don’t want to end it like this. If you agree with me—stay, but if you share your mother’s views, then leave with her. I definitely don’t need such a husband.
“— Vadik! Let’s go! Does she not need such a husband? We don’t need such in-laws! Who did you choose for a wife? I’m not going to spend a minute in this house! — Anna Igorevna was practically out of breath from indignation.
“— Ir, why are you reacting like that? What does it matter whose apartment it is? Is it really that important to you? And it will indeed be better for me—indeed, for us—to live with my mother. Besides, work is closer there.
“— Don’t try to persuade her! She’ll regret it and come crawling to ask for forgiveness on her own! Clinging to the apartment—this is exactly how a person shows their true nature! — Anna Igorevna viciously threw these words in Irina’s face.
To Irina’s surprise, Vadim left with his mother. But contrary to their expectations, Irina did not regret her decision, and she didn’t call anyone. Meanwhile, the unmaterialized mother-in-law and sister-in-law began calling her for various reasons within a couple of weeks.
A few months later, Vadik himself appeared. He came to give Irina a chance to fix the situation, and upon receiving her refusal, he accused her of mercantilism and demanded compensation for some of the expenses he incurred while living with her