— Buying a house outside the city? Olga, are you out of your mind? Why do you need that headache? You already have a nice apartment, and with Lesha, you have everything you need, — Anna Pavlovna pursed her lips, scrutinizing her daughter-in-law over her glasses.
Olga slowly sipped her tea, trying to stay calm.
— Anna Pavlovna, I will decide myself what to do with my money, — her voice was steady, though inside she was boiling.
— Your own money? — her mother-in-law’s eyebrows shot up. — What about family? You’re supposed to have a shared budget! My Lesha works like a horse, and you spend money on whims.
Alexey buried himself in his phone, pretending not to hear the conversation. As usual.
— Lesha agrees with me, — Olga looked at her husband, but he didn’t even raise his eyes.
Anna Pavlovna snorted, standing up from the table.
— Of course, he agrees with everything. His wife has him completely under her thumb.
Olga clenched her cup painfully. Three years of marriage. Three years of her mother-in-law’s relentless attempts to prove that her son made a mistake by choosing such a wife.
— Do you think it’s normal to interfere in our family with advice? — Olga finally couldn’t hold back.
— And what, am I giving wrong advice? — Anna Pavlovna put her hands on her hips. — Maybe I’ve lived my life and have experience. And you keep jumping around somewhere, earning money. A proper wife stays home and gives children to her husband!
Olga loudly set down the cup, tea spilling onto the tablecloth.
— Lesha, don’t you have anything to say? — she addressed her husband.
Alexey finally looked up from his phone and shrugged.
— Girls, sort it out yourselves, okay? Mom, let’s go watch TV instead?
Anna Pavlovna triumphantly smiled at her daughter-in-law as she walked into the living room after her son.
Olga was left alone in the kitchen. The conversation was repeating itself for the umpteenth time. Her mother-in-law hated that Olga successfully ran her own business. In Anna Pavlovna’s eyes, a woman should know her place — kitchen, children, husband.
At work, Olga shone. As the director of a real estate agency, she saw opportunities where others didn’t. For the past six months, she had been looking at a small house by a lake. Cozy, half an hour’s drive from the city.
— Lesh, I found a great option! A small house, own land, lake nearby, — she told him one evening.
— A house is serious business, — her husband grumbled. — Mom’s right, our apartment is enough.
Olga gritted her teeth. That song again.
— And what if we have kids? — she asked quietly.
— When we have them — we’ll think about it, — Alexey waved her off.
Three months later, Olga came home with a wide smile. Her husband was eating in the kitchen. Olga beamed.
— Why so happy? — he asked suspiciously.
— Lesh, the deal is done! — Olga blurted out to her mother-in-law. — I bought the house by the lake!
Alexey froze, spoon halfway to his mouth.
— You… seriously? — he finally managed.
Olga nodded energetically, biting her lip. Her eyes shone with unusual brightness.
— We signed all the papers this morning. The house is ours! — she sat down next to him and pulled photos out of her bag. — Look, isn’t it beautiful?
Alexey put down his spoon, carefully examining the pictures. His face gradually softened.
— I admit, the place is amazing. And the price… reasonable?
— Excellent! Even some money left over. Shall we go on the weekend? — Olga grabbed her husband’s hand. — There’s so much work to do! But it’s worth it.
Alexey smiled, seeing his wife’s enthusiasm. He hugged Olga and kissed her forehead.
— Congratulations, Ol. I’m proud of you. I thought… you were right. The house will be a great investment.
For two days Olga flew on wings. She made lists of needed materials, drew furniture layouts. On the morning of the third day, her serene happiness was shattered. The front door slammed so hard the walls shook.
— Olga! Olga, explain yourself immediately! — Anna Pavlovna burst into the apartment, waving her arms, cheeks flushed.
Olga peeked out of the bedroom, sleepy and annoyed.
— Good morning, Anna Pavlovna. Isn’t it a bit early for scandals?
— What kind of jokes! — the mother-in-law went to the kitchen and stood with her arms crossed. — How could you just take and throw money away?
— I didn’t throw away my money. I invested it profitably, — Olga calmly turned on the kettle. — Want some coffee?
— What does coffee have to do with it! — Anna Pavlovna slammed her palm on the table. — Lesha is my son! You are family! You were supposed to consult with me!
Olga shrugged, smiling to herself.
— I won’t argue. Come visit us for tea in our new house. Then we’ll talk.
The mother-in-law complained for a long time, but Olga let her words slide. She imagined greeting dawns on the terrace with a cup of coffee.
On the weekend, Olga and Alexey loaded the car with cleaning supplies, tools, and went to settle into their new home. They spent the whole day cleaning, negotiating with local craftsmen, making plans.
— You know, — Alexey said while arranging chairs on the terrace, — I didn’t think it would be this nice here.
Olga smiled contentedly, wiping her hands on her apron.
— Didn’t I tell you?
In the evening, as they were settling down for dinner, there was a loud knock on the door.
— Who could that be? — Olga wondered.
Alexey was a little embarrassed.
— Probably mom. I gave her the address.
Olga froze but didn’t have time to protest. The door was knocked again, more insistently.
Anna Pavlovna stood at the threshold with a pie in her hands. Without waiting for an invitation, she decisively walked into the house.
— Let me take a look around! — the mother-in-law rushed through the rooms, critically eyeing every corner.
Olga exchanged a glance with her husband. Alexey shrugged apologetically.
— Not bad, — Anna Pavlovna unexpectedly concluded when she returned. — Better than I expected. Bright, spacious. This partition here could be knocked down…
— Everything will stay as is, — Olga cut her off.
The mother-in-law ignored the words.
— I thought about curtains. And Lesha needs an office. This room will do.
Olga clenched her teeth hard but held herself back.
A month later, they moved in for good. The city apartment was empty, visited only to pick up things. Olga lovingly arranged the house, but her idyll was under threat. Suddenly, relatives of her husband began appearing in their quiet haven.
First, Alexey’s cousin with her husband came for the weekend. Then an uncle. Then some distant nephews.
— Lesh, what’s going on? — Olga asked after yet another visit. — I bought the house for us, not to open a hotel.
— Well, they’re curious to see it, — her husband shrugged.
Olga suspected who was behind this parade of guests. Anna Pavlovna appeared more often than anyone, bringing things, giving orders.
One Sunday morning, when Olga was still lying in bed, the doorbell rang. She opened and froze. Anna Pavlovna and her daughter stood on the doorstep with suitcases.
Olga decisively blocked the doorway.
— Did I invite you? — she asked sharply.
Anna Pavlovna snorted and adjusted her blouse collar.
— Invite? — she rolled her eyes dramatically. — Darling, this is family property! Especially since the house belongs to my son. I don’t need to ask permission.
Olga stepped back, stunned by such impudence.
— What do you mean family property? The house was bought with my money!
Sister-in-law Irina squeezed past Olga with two suitcases.
— Ol, don’t start, okay? We’re only here for a week. Mom’s right — everything that’s Lesha’s belongs to the whole family, — she looked around. — And the guest room is to the right or left?
Olga turned to stone, watching as uninvited guests brazenly invaded her home.
— Irina, you take the upstairs room, — Anna Pavlovna commanded, taking off her coat. — And I’ll take the room with the lake view. We’ll rest today, and tomorrow morning — swimming! They say the water is warm enough now.
Olga felt something snap inside her. The quiet rage that had been building for months burst out.
— No swimming will happen! — she rushed to the stairs, grabbing Irina’s suitcase. — You will leave right now!
— What do you think you’re doing? — the sister-in-law protested, trying to hold onto her luggage.
Olga yanked the suitcase from her hands and dragged it to the door. Then returned for the second one. Her eyes burned with determination.
— What do I think I’m doing? It’s my house! I bought it, I pay for it! And I’m tired of all of you treating it like a thoroughfare!
Anna Pavlovna clung to her suitcase.
— Are you crazy? We’re Alexey’s family! We have every right…
— You have nothing! — Olga snatched the suitcase and threw it outside. — Get out! You can do whatever you want, but your feet will never again cross the threshold of my house!
— You… — the mother-in-law gasped in indignation. — How dare you speak to your husband’s mother like that?
— I dare! — Olga grabbed Irina’s bag and threw it outside as well. — I’m tired of enduring your interference in our life! Tired of you treating me like I’m nothing! I’m done!
— Ungrateful! — Anna Pavlovna flushed with anger.
Irina started crying:
— Lesha won’t forgive you! He’ll kick you out immediately! Mom, call him right now!
— Call, — Olga threw open the front door. — And now get out of here!
— You’ll regret this! — Anna Pavlovna shouted, retreating to the exit under Olga’s pressure. — Lesha will find out what you’re really like!
— What? A normal woman who won’t allow herself to be humiliated? — Olga practically pushed both women out the door.
At that moment, Alexey appeared in the yard with fishing rods. He looked confused at the unfolding scene.
— Leshenka! — Anna Pavlovna ran to him. — Your wife is kicking us out! Can you imagine? She says we should bow to her and ask to come over!
— Don’t lie! — Olga shouted.
Alexey looked from his mother to his wife.
— What’s going on here?
— Your wife is a real fury! — Irina was crying. — We just came to visit, and she…
— Visit? — Olga interrupted. — Without invitation? With suitcases? Lesh, I’m not running a hostel!
Anna Pavlovna grabbed her son’s sleeve.
— Tell her! Tell her we have every right to be in your house!
Alexey frowned.
— Mom, this is not my house. This is Olga’s house. She bought it with her money.
— What? — the mother-in-law was stunned. — But you said…
— I said we bought the house. Because we are family. But legally and actually — the house belongs to Olga.
Anna Pavlovna turned purple with anger.
— And you’ll let her treat your mother like that?
Alexey looked at his wife, then at his mother.
— Mom, Olga is right. You can’t come without invitation. This is her personal space.
— Hers? — Anna Pavlovna pointed a finger at her daughter-in-law. — You’re defending her?
— Yes, I am. And I always will be, — Alexey said firmly. — Let’s go, I’ll take you to the station.
— Traitor! — Irina sobbed, gathering her things.
Alexey helped load the suitcases into the car. Before leaving, he came to Olga:
— Forgive me. I’ll be back in an hour.
He hugged her tightly and got behind the wheel.
After that incident, there were no more uninvited guests in their home.
Once Olga was enjoying the view of the lake. Alexey sat down next to her.
— You know, I’m grateful to you, — he said, taking her hand.
— For what?
— For teaching me to set boundaries. Even with family.
Olga smiled. Their house had become a real fortress — not from the outside world, but from those who didn’t respect their right to happiness.
A month later, Anna Pavlovna called.
— May I come? Alone. For an hour.
Olga was silent, looking at the lake.
— Okay, — she finally said.
The mother-in-law brought a pie. And for the first time in all those years — apologized. Olga smiled. Perhaps this was a new beginning.