Anna stood by the mirror in the hallway, fixing her hair. It was a Saturday morning, and she planned to spend the day with a friend—go shopping, stop by a café, just get away from home for a while. Away from these walls that had recently felt like a cozy nest but now seemed to be closing in on her.
“Where are you going? My mom will be here any minute!” Pavel’s voice came from the kitchen.
Anna froze, her hand with the comb suspended in the air. There it was. Again. Her mother-in-law was coming over, and once again Pavel expected his wife to stay home and endure that cloying, fake attention.
“She’s coming to see you! Do whatever you want with your mommy! I won’t put up with her anymore!” Anna snapped, spinning around sharply.
Pavel appeared in the kitchen doorway with a cup of coffee in his hand. His face showed genuine bewilderment.
“What’s with you? Mom’s trying; she wants to be close with us…”
“Trying?” Anna gave a bitter smirk. “Oh, she’s trying now, all right.”
It all started three years ago, when she and Pavel got married. Back then, Anna worked as an ordinary manager at a construction company, made an average salary, and Pavel’s mother, Galina Viktorovna, treated her like an annoying obstacle. She made a point of not acknowledging her daughter-in-law—talked about her in the third person even when she was present, addressed only her son, and if she did deign to look at Anna, it was as if she were assessing when this temporary inconvenience would end.
“Pavlusha, I made your favorite cutlets,” the mother-in-law would say, setting a big skillet on the table. “And she can finish her little salads.”
At first, Anna tried to win her over. She bought expensive birthday gifts, cooked her mother-in-law’s favorite dishes when she visited, listened to endless stories about what a wonderful child Pavel had been. But Galina Viktorovna remained unwavering in her contempt. She was sure her son had made a mistake, rushed into marriage, and ignored her wise motherly advice.
“I told you, Pavlusha,” she would whisper to her son in the kitchen, thinking Anna couldn’t hear, “it’s too soon for you to marry. You should build your career first, then think about a family. Now she’s hanging around your neck, spending your money…”
Pavel usually kept quiet or changed the subject. For a long time, Anna hoped he would stand up for her, say something to his mother in her defense, but that never happened.
Gradually, Anna stopped trying. If her mother-in-law wanted to ignore her—fine. Anna stopped cooking for her, buying gifts, joining conversations. She simply existed parallel to Galina Viktorovna, trying to cross paths as rarely as possible.
And that’s how it would have continued—if not for the promotion.
Eight months ago, Anna was unexpectedly appointed department head. Her salary tripled, she got bonuses and benefits. Suddenly Anna was making more than her husband, and that changed everything.
First, Pavel changed. He didn’t say it outright, but Anna could feel how proud he was of her success. He told friends about his wife’s promotion, bought pricey things they hadn’t been able to afford before, planned a vacation abroad. He seemed to blossom with the realization that they were now a well-off family.
Then the mother-in-law changed too.
The first sign came barely a week after the promotion.
“Pavlusha, I want to come over this weekend. I miss you,” Galina Viktorovna’s melodious voice sounded unusually warm on the phone.
Before, she came at most once a month, and even then mostly on business, when she needed something from her son. And now, suddenly, she missed him?
But that was only the beginning.
When the mother-in-law arrived, Anna couldn’t believe her eyes. It was as if someone had swapped her out. She smiled at Anna, took an interest in her work, praised her hairstyle, admired her taste in clothes.
“Anechka, darling, you look so much better! A managerial position really suits you,” the mother-in-law chirped, serving the choicest bits onto Anna’s plate. “Tell me, how are things at work? Must be a lot of responsibility, huh?”
Anna sat there stunned. This was the same woman who barely nodded to her a month ago, and now she was gazing into her eyes and asking about her day?
“And do you have your own office now?” Galina Viktorovna went on. “I can just imagine how beautifully you decorated it! You’ve got such taste! I’ve always said so, right, Pavlusha?”
Pavel nodded, pleased that his mother had finally come to appreciate his wife.
But Anna felt uneasy. It was so unnatural, so forced that she wanted to get up and leave. She restrained herself, thinking perhaps her mother-in-law truly had decided to change her attitude. Who knows—maybe she realized she’d been wrong and wanted to make amends?
The next visit shattered those illusions.
“Anechka, dear,” the mother-in-law sat beside her on the couch and took her hand, “I’m so glad everything is going so well for you! You must be making very good money now?”
“Fine,” Anna answered cautiously.
“And I’m just completely tangled up in all these pensions and payments,” sighed Galina Viktorovna. “The utility bills keep going up, and there’s less and less money. I’m thinking maybe I should take out a loan…”
Anna felt herself tighten up inside. Really? Was this whole performance about money?
“Mom, if you need something, we’ll help,” Pavel said quickly.
“Oh no, son!” she waved her hands. “I’m not asking! I’m just worried how I’m going to get by…”
Anna kept quiet, but inside she was boiling. So that’s how it is! When she was just an average manager with a meager salary, she was nobody. And now that there’s money, she’s suddenly “dear Anechka”!
After that, the visits became more frequent. She came every weekend, sometimes midweek too. Always with a smile, always with compliments, always with some half-hint about financial troubles.
“Anechka, darling, my fridge is about to die,” she’d complain over tea in the kitchen. “The repairman said it’s not worth fixing. And a new one is so expensive…”
Or:
“Anechka, I saw this really good blood-pressure medicine at the pharmacy—doctor recommended it. But the price! It’s outrageous!”
Or:
“Anechka, my neighbor is offering a voucher to a health resort, not expensive at all. But I don’t even have that small amount…”
Every time, Pavel would immediately pull out his wallet. And Galina Viktorovna would act as if that wasn’t what she wanted, as if she’d only come to vent a little, and how could she possibly take money from her children! But she took it. She always took it.
And each time, her thank-yous became sweeter, her smiles more fake.
“Anechka, my golden girl, thank you so much! I know it’s your money—you’re the main breadwinner now!” she trilled, counting the bills. “You’re such a star! Pavlusha, you should cherish your wife! She’s a real treasure!”
Anna wanted to sink through the floor from disgust. Those syrupy tones, the pats on the hand, the fawning glances—all of it was so opposite to her previous behavior that it felt like a bad dream.
And Pavel noticed nothing. He was happy that his mother had finally learned to love his wife. When Anna tried to talk to him about it, he brushed her off:
“Oh, come on! Mom has changed; she realized she was wrong. You should be glad!”
“Pavel, don’t you see it’s all because of the money?” Anna tried to explain. “Before, she didn’t consider me a person, and now she’s ready to bow to my feet just to get her share!”
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Pavel grimaced. “Mom’s not like that. She just realized how great you are.”
“She realized it when my salary went up?”
“Anya, stop it!” her husband raised his voice. “She’s my mother! And if she needs help, we’ll help. We can afford it now!”
Anna realized there was no getting through to him. He didn’t want to see the truth because the truth hurt. Admitting his mother was a mercenary, hypocritical woman was too heavy a burden.
So Anna began avoiding her. When Galina Viktorovna planned to visit, Anna suddenly stayed late at work. Or remembered important errands she couldn’t postpone. Or went to a friend’s.
“Is Anechka at work again?” the mother-in-law would say with feigned regret. “Poor thing, she must be exhausted with such a responsible position!”
And at the same time, she’d sigh with relief. Because even for her, keeping up the act was hard. But the money made it worthwhile.
The breaking point came that Saturday morning. Anna woke up in a good mood—a free day ahead, and she had plans to meet Katya, her best friend. They hadn’t seen each other in a long time and had a lot to catch up on.
Over breakfast, Pavel casually mentioned, “By the way, Mom’s coming today. Around two.”
Anna choked on her coffee.
“What do you mean she’s coming? She didn’t say anything!”
“She called last night while you were in the shower. Says she misses us.”
“Pavel, I made plans with Katya! We’ve been arranging this all week!”
“Reschedule for tomorrow,” her husband shrugged. “Mom doesn’t come that often.”
“Not often?” Anna couldn’t believe her ears. “She’s here every week!”
“Not every week,” Pavel waved it off. “And besides, she’s my mother. Family is more important than friends.”
Anna looked at her husband and realized he truly didn’t see the problem. To him, it was perfectly natural that his wife should cancel her plans for his mother’s visit.
“I’m not staying,” Anna said firmly.
“What do you mean, you’re not staying?”
“It means I’ll leave before she arrives and come back after she’s gone.”
“Anna, that’s improper! What will my mom think?”
“I don’t care what she thinks!”
Pavel stared at his wife, at a loss. He was used to Anna, however reluctantly, putting up with his mother. He hadn’t expected open rebellion.
“She’s trying to win you over,” he tried again. “You could at least appreciate it…”
“Trying?” Anna laughed bitterly. “She’s trying to wring money out of me! And you can’t see it!”
“Mom’s not like that,” Pavel repeated stubbornly.
And that’s when Anna knew the conversation was pointless. She got up from the table and went to get dressed.
“Where are you going? My mom will be here soon!”
“She’s coming to see you! Do whatever you want with your mommy! I’m done putting up with her!”
Anna left and came back late that evening. Pavel greeted her with silence. He was clearly hurt and confused. His mother had probably made a scene about the daughter-in-law’s absence.
“Well? How did it go?” Anna asked, taking off her jacket.
“Mom was upset,” Pavel said curtly. “She says you’re avoiding her.”
“She’s telling the truth.”
“Anna, what’s happening to you?” Pavel sat on the couch and looked at his wife. “We’re a family! We should stick together!”
“Family,” Anna repeated. “And where was your support when your mother ignored me for three years? Where was your support when she said you rushed into marriage?”
“She didn’t…”
“She did! I heard it all! And I put up with it! And now that I have money, I’m suddenly ‘family’? Sorry, but that’s disgusting!”
Pavel was silent. Maybe, deep down, he knew his wife was right. But admitting it was too hard.
“She’s my mother,” he said at last. “And if she needs help…”
“Let her come when I’m not home,” Anna cut him off. “Help her all you want. But I’m not taking part in this play anymore.”
After that, a tense atmosphere settled between the spouses. Pavel was offended by his wife’s “coldness” and “disrespect for elders.” Anna was angry at her husband for his blindness and unwillingness to see the truth.
And Galina Viktorovna drew her conclusions. If the daughter-in-law didn’t want to play at family harmony, it was time to change tactics. And the mother-in-law did.
Now she started arriving without warning. She rang the doorbell in the middle of the day when Anna worked from home, or late in the evening when there was no way to say she was going out.
“Anechka, dear!” the mother-in-law chirped, squeezing into the hallway. “I was just passing by and decided to stop in! Is Pavlusha here? No? That’s fine, I’ll wait for him!”
And she waited. For hours. She told Anna about her problems, complained about her health, hinted at her needs. And Anna was supposed to sit, listen, and pretend to care.
It was especially hard on days when Anna worked from home. The mother-in-law seemed to sense it and showed up then.
“Anechka, are you working? Oh, sorry!” said Galina Viktorovna, with no intention of leaving. “I’ll just sit quietly; I won’t bother you!”
And she sat. Sighed loudly, rustled bags, turned on the TV “for background.” Working in those conditions was impossible.
Then came the conversations:
“Anechka, could you advise me what to do?” the mother-in-law would start obliquely. “I’m thinking of taking a loan for renovations. My bathroom is in such bad shape…”
Or:
“Anechka, how much does a good washing machine cost? Mine’s completely broken; the repairman said it can’t be fixed…”
All in the same syrupy tone, with the same ingratiating intonations.
Anna endured it for a month. Then another. And then she snapped.
It happened on a Wednesday evening. Anna came home exhausted—a difficult day, important negotiations, tons of problems. She wanted to take a bath, drink some tea, and go to bed early.
But when she opened the apartment door, she saw a familiar bag in the hallway. Galina Viktorovna was there.
“Anechka, dear!” the mother-in-law sailed out of the kitchen. “So good you’re home! I’m waiting for Pavlusha, but he’s still not here!”
“Pavel’s at a corporate event tonight,” Anna said wearily. “He’ll be late.”
“That’s okay, I’ll wait!” the mother-in-law announced cheerfully. “You don’t mind if I sit with you in the meantime, do you?”
Anna looked at her and realized she couldn’t take it anymore. She couldn’t stand the fake smiles, the syrupy tone, the endless hints about money.
“Galina Viktorovna,” she said without taking off her coat. “Let’s talk honestly.”
“About what, dear?” the mother-in-law tensed, though the smile stayed.
“About why you keep coming here.”
“What do you mean why?” Galina Viktorovna feigned surprise. “Pavlusha is my son; I missed him…”
“You didn’t miss him for three years,” Anna cut in. “And now you’re here every week. Strange, isn’t it?”
The mother-in-law winced. Keeping up the act was getting harder.
“Anechka, I don’t understand what you’re getting at…”
“I’m getting at the fact that your attitude toward me changed drastically at the exact moment my salary went up,” Anna said coldly. “Before that, you didn’t even speak to me. Now I’m ‘dear’ and ‘sweetheart.’ Why do you think that is?”
Galina Viktorovna was flustered. Apparently, she hadn’t expected such directness.
“What… what do you mean?” she stammered. “I’ve always respected you…”
“That’s a lie,” Anna said calmly. “You despised me. You considered me a temporary mistake. You said Pavel rushed into marriage. I remember everything.”
“I never…” the mother-in-law began, but Anna cut her off.
“And you know what? It was unpleasant, but I could understand it. You have the right not to love me. But now I find it even more repulsive. Because now I know your price.”
“What price?” the mother-in-law tried to sound indignant, but her voice shook.
“The price of your love. It’s easily bought with money. And the more I earn, the more you ‘love’ me. It’s disgusting.”
Galina Viktorovna turned pale. The mask of the kindly mother-in-law finally slipped.
“How dare you speak to your husband’s mother like that?” she hissed. “Who do you think you are?”
“Someone who’s tired of hypocrisy,” Anna replied. “If you want money, ask directly. Don’t put on this theater with ‘dear Anechka’ and pats on the head.”
“I’m not asking for money!” the mother-in-law flared.
“Of course. You just happen to mention broken fridges, expensive medicine, and spa trips every time. Pure coincidence, right?”
Galina Viktorovna realized she was caught, but she wouldn’t back down.
“So what if I do?” she demanded aggressively. “I’m a mother! I have a right to count on help from my children!”
“You do,” Anna agreed. “But then don’t pretend you love me. Say it plainly: ‘Anna, I need money, give me some.’ That would be more honest.”
“Screw you!” the mother-in-law snapped. “You think just because you’re making money you can talk to your elders however you like? You’re nobody!”
There it was. Finally, the truth. Anna even felt relieved.
“Thanks for your honesty,” she said. “Now please leave.”
“What?” the mother-in-law was taken aback.
“Leave my home. Right now.”
“This is my son’s home!” she screeched.
“Which was paid for with my money,” Anna reminded her. “And I want you to go.”
“Pavlusha will leave you!” the mother-in-law threatened. “When he finds out how you spoke to me!”
“Maybe,” Anna said evenly. “That will be his choice. For now—leave.”
The mother-in-law glared at her with hatred. All her fake kindness had evaporated without a trace.
“Biiitch,” she hissed and stormed out, slamming the door.
Anna was left alone in the quiet apartment. Inside, she felt empty, but calm. At last she had said everything she thought.
Pavel returned late that night. It was clear his mother had already called him.
“What have you done?” he flew at his wife as soon as he walked in.
“Told the truth.”
“You insulted my mother! You threw her out!”
“Yes, I threw her out. Because I can’t take this circus anymore.”
“What circus? She loves you!”
“Pavel,” Anna said wearily, “your mother loves my money. She hates me. She always has and still does.”
“That’s not true!”
“Want to test it?” Anna offered. “Tell her my salary’s been cut. Or that I got fired. Let’s see how fast her ‘love’ disappears.”
Pavel was silent. Perhaps, deep down, he knew his wife was right. But admitting it was too painful.
“She’s an elderly woman,” he said at last. “She needs support.”
“Support her. What’s stopping you? Just leave me out of it.”
“Anna, she thinks you’ve come to love her! And you…”
“I’ve never given her reason to think that,” Anna interrupted. “That’s her own fantasy. Or calculation.”
Pavel paced the room, trying to find arguments.
“Maybe she really did realize she was wrong?” he tried. “Maybe she wants to make things right?”
“Pavel, she called me a bitch and said I’m nobody,” Anna said tiredly. “Does that sound like someone trying to make things right?”
He stopped. Apparently, his mother hadn’t told him everything in her anger.
“She was upset,” he offered weakly.
“She showed her true face,” Anna corrected. “And you know what? I actually feel better. At least now everything’s out in the open