Yulia sighed wearily. In the living room sat Svetlana, Nikita’s sister. The woman was a couple of years older than Yulia and always carried herself with a certain air of superiority.
— Nikit, I need to talk to you.
Nikita set aside his phone and looked at his sister attentively. Yulia froze with a teacup in her hands, anticipating an unpleasant conversation.
— I’m listening, — Nikita said.
— The thing is, I urgently need a car, — Svetlana began, fidgeting with the strap of her handbag. — I can’t take public transport anymore. Everyone at work has a car, and I’m the only one walking.
Conversations about money in their family always ended badly.
— I see, — Nikita said slowly. — And what are you suggesting?
— I’ve found a great option, — Svetlana brightened. — I can get a loan, but I need a down payment. A little over five hundred thousand.
Yulia choked on her tea. Half a million? That was half of their savings for their own apartment!
— Sveta, that’s a serious amount, — Nikita said cautiously.
— I know! — his sister exclaimed. — But you understand, I really need a car. I’ll pay off the rest myself somehow.
Yulia looked at her husband, hoping to see refusal in his eyes. They had been living in a rented two-room apartment for two years, saving every penny for their own place. A bedroom, living room, and a tiny kitchen — that was all they had now.
— Nikit, — Svetlana called softly. — You’ll help your sister, won’t you?
Nikita ran a hand through his hair and sighed heavily. Yulia could already read in his face his willingness to agree, and that terrified her.
— I need to think about it, he finally said.
— You can’t think too long, Svetlana insisted. — The car might be sold to someone else.
Half an hour later, Nikita’s sister left, leaving behind a heavy atmosphere. Yulia walked her to the door. Nikita stood in the hallway, leaning against the wall, staring gloomily at the floor.
— Nikit, — Yulia called. — You’re not actually going to give her our money, are you?
Her husband raised his head and frowned. Yulia read the answer in his eyes before he could say a word.
— Yul, she’s my sister, Nikita began. — She’s asking for help.
— And what about our apartment? — Yulia tried to speak calmly, but her voice trembled. — We’ve been saving for two years for our own place!
— We’ll save again, Nikita brushed it off. — But Sveta really needs a car.
— We really need our own apartment too! Yulia snapped. — I’m tired of living in a rental, paying for someone else’s walls!
— Don’t shout, Nikita said coldly. — The neighbors will hear.
— I don’t care about the neighbors! — Yulia stepped closer to him. — You’re about to give half a million to your sister without even asking me!
— I’m the head of this family, Nikita cut her off. — And I make the decisions.
Yulia looked at her husband as if at a stranger. Where was the man who had promised her a future together?
— So your sister is more important than our family? — she asked quietly.
— Don’t put it so harshly, Nikita muttered, heading to the bedroom.
Yulia stood in the hallway, burning with resentment and helplessness.
She silently got ready for work and left, slamming the door.
Two weeks passed in tense silence. Nikita avoided conversations about money. Yulia didn’t bring it up, hoping he would change his mind.
On Saturday morning, Yulia stood on the balcony with a cup of coffee. Their apartment was on the third floor, and the courtyard was clearly visible from there. Suddenly, a brand-new red car pulled up to the entrance.
Svetlana got out of the driver’s seat. She walked around the car, carefully wiping specks of dust from the hood with a special cloth. Then she opened the trunk and pulled out a cake in a pretty box.
Yulia froze. So Nikita had given her the money after all. And hadn’t even told his wife.
A few minutes later, the doorbell rang. Yulia went to open it, already knowing who she’d see.
— Yulechka! — Svetlana exclaimed happily, holding out the cake. — Congratulate me! I bought a car!
In the kitchen, all three sat at the table. Svetlana cut the cake and kept chattering about her new purchase.
— Just imagine what a beauty! she chirped. — The color is divine, and the interior is so comfortable! Nikitka, thank you so much, I’d never have managed without you.
Nikita smiled and nodded, avoiding his wife’s gaze. Yulia silently picked at the cake with her fork, realizing that her money had gone into that car too.
— And the best part, Svetlana continued, — I’m independent now! If I want, I’ll drive to the sea; if I want, to the next town for work.
— Wonderful, Yulia said dryly. — Very convenient to spend other people’s money.
Svetlana looked up from the cake, surprised.
— What do you mean?
Yulia stood up.
— Nothing special. Just wondering how many more of our plans will have to be postponed for your wishes.
Nikita warned:
— Yul, don’t start.
Yulia turned to her husband.
— Why not? I’m just stating facts. We were saving for an apartment. And the money went to buy your sister a car.
Svetlana intervened:
— Yulia, you misunderstand. Nikita helped a family member in a difficult moment.
— What difficult moment? Yulia exploded. — You have a job! Pay for your own wants!
Nikita stood up sharply.
— Enough! I won’t let you speak to my sister like that!
Yulia looked at her husband, then at Svetlana’s satisfied face. She realized she could no longer stay in the same room with them.
— Fine, she said coldly.
Yulia left the kitchen, quickly got dressed, and left the apartment. Outside, she wandered aimlessly through familiar courtyards, trying to gather her thoughts. The resentment and anger slowly gave way to understanding. Money wasn’t the most important thing in life. She loved her husband. Ending a marriage over this would be foolish.
An hour later, she returned home. Svetlana had already left, and Nikita sat in the living room with a guilty expression.
— Yul, I’m sorry, he said quietly. — I didn’t want things to turn out like this.
Yulia sat down beside him and took his hand.
— I understand she’s your sister, she said. — Just… next time, let’s discuss such serious decisions together.
Nikita nodded and hugged his wife tightly.
The following months passed relatively peacefully. Nikita really did stop giving money to his sister, and they began saving again. Yulia almost forgot about the unpleasant incident.
One evening, while Nikita was late at work, Yulia received a call from an unknown number.
— Yulia Sergeevna? an official voice asked. — This is the notary’s office. We have important information for you.
Yulia sat on the bed, sensing something unexpected.
— I’m listening, she said.
— You are the heir under the will of your grandfather, Sergey Ivanovich Morozov, the notary informed her. — The inheritance amounts to seven million rubles.
Yulia was stunned. Her paternal grandfather… Her father had abandoned her and her mother when Yulia was just five. She barely knew anything about her grandfather.
— Are you sure? she asked.
— Absolutely, confirmed the notary. — You can come tomorrow to sign the documents.
That evening, Nikita came home tired and hungry. Yulia set the table, and when they sat down to dinner in the living room, she told him about the call.
— Seven million? Nikita repeated, putting down his fork. — Are you serious?
— Absolutely, Yulia nodded. — Imagine, now we can buy a proper apartment! Not a one-bedroom, but a real three-room flat.
Nikita hugged his wife and kissed her cheek.
— Congratulations! he said. — That’s incredible!
Yulia was already picturing bright rooms, a spacious kitchen, their dream finally becoming reality.
The inheritance paperwork took more than two months: documents, certificates, endless offices. But the result was worth it — a substantial sum appeared in her account.
One evening, Nikita, Yulia, and an unexpected guest — Svetlana — sat in the kitchen.
— I heard about your inheritance, Svetlana said, cutting herself some bread. — Some people have all the luck! Just like that, seven million.
— Not quite just like that, Yulia objected cautiously. — My grandfather left it to me.
— Well yes, of course, Svetlana waved dismissively. — Anyway, you’re lucky. I’d love my own apartment too, but how could I ever save up?
Yulia nodded, not really listening. Her mind was on real estate listings, imagining their future home.
Three weeks later, Yulia found the perfect place: a three-room apartment in the secondary market, fully renovated and furnished. They could move in right away.
That night, in the bedroom, she showed the photos to Nikita on her tablet.
— Look how beautiful! she said excitedly. — Huge kitchen, bright bedroom, even a separate study.
Nikita looked through the pictures, nodding approvingly.
— It really is a good apartment, he agreed, but something in his tone worried her.
The next morning, Yulia woke to voices in the hallway. She cracked open the bedroom door and heard Svetlana’s familiar voice.
— I already bought it, she whispered. — I move in tomorrow. A two-room flat in a new building, overlooking the park!
— And how do I explain to Yul that the money’s gone? Nikita asked quietly.
Yulia froze. What money?
— That’s not my problem, Svetlana replied. — You’ll deal with your wife yourself.
The front door slammed. Nikita turned — and saw his wife fully opening the bedroom door. Time seemed to stop.
— What money did your sister spend? Yulia asked quietly.
Nikita paled and tried to walk past her into the bedroom.
— Yul, let’s talk calmly, he began.
— Answer me! Yulia blocked his way. — What money was spent?
— It’s complicated, Nikita dodged.
Yulia grabbed her phone, quickly opening her banking app. The balance showed a hundred thousand rubles. The rest was gone.
— Your sister spent my money?! Yulia shouted.
— She didn’t spend it! Nikita objected. — I gave her the money for an apartment!
— Without my consent?! Yulia could hardly believe it. — That was my inheritance!
— Sveta needed a place to live, Nikita defended himself. — As her brother, I had to help!
— And as your wife, I’m supposed to stay silent?! Yulia lost control. — That was my money! My dream!
— Calm down! Nikita tried to grab her hands. — We’ll sort it out!
— There’s nothing to sort out! Yulia pulled away. — You stole my future!
She rushed into the bedroom and began packing. Nikita followed, desperately trying to explain, but Yulia no longer listened.
Soon after, she left for her mother’s.
The divorce was long and painful. Yulia sued to get her stolen money back. Nikita and Svetlana were forced to sell the apartment and return the entire inheritance.
Half a year later, Yulia stood in that very three-room apartment she had once chosen. The place had been waiting for her all this time, as if it was fate. Now it was her home — spacious, bright, filled only with her own dreams and plans.
She would never again entrust her future to anyone else.