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Veronika walked through the old park, her steps slow, shuffling over the fallen leaves. It was late August, but the leaves had already begun to yellow and drift down, as if nature itself were hinting: the time for change had come—and it isn’t always kind. She walked without really watching where she was going, her … Read more

Veronika ran her palms once more over the folds of her strict, perfectly pressed blazer, as if trying to smooth not only the fabric but also her inner tension. She stood before a tall mirror in the spacious, lavishly appointed foyer of an expensive restaurant, and her reflection felt foreign to her—a composed, successful woman … Read more

Sofia stood by the large panoramic window of her new home, her gaze sinking into the endless sea of crimson and gold. Autumn raged outside, and each leaf, spinning in a slow dance, settled on the ground as if laying down a soft, cozy carpet. She felt a new, previously unknown feeling being born inside … Read more

Marish, come here—quick!” Stepan’s shout flew in from the garden, and I startled so hard the half-mixed dough slipped from my hands and plopped straight into the sourdough starter. I ran to the porch. My husband stood beneath the old apple tree. And there—between the carrot rows—two little ones: a boy and a girl. They … Read more

Galina parked the car by the entrance and turned off the engine. It had been a hard day; she just wanted to sit with Nadya and have tea with cookies. Her sister always knew how to lift her spirits. “Nadka’s probably already putting on the samovar,” she muttered under her breath. But then her gaze … Read more

An impeccably dressed woman in a costly coat, gaze weighted and movements restrained, stepped into the weathered municipal hospital. The corridors breathed out the bite of antiseptic; the walls seemed to harbor all the small tragedies they had witnessed. She flinched—less at the smell than at the memories it stirred awake. Her husband—one of the … Read more

It hurts to hear inhuman words from the person with whom you’ve spent twenty years, weathering every hardship and trying to preserve your marriage. Looking at her husband sitting on the couch with his head in his hands, Inga felt tears rising to her eyes. She already knew what Herman had decided to discuss. She … Read more

Nadya stood in front of the mirror, looking at her reflection. Red eyes, trembling lips. Tears again. “Nad, what’s taking you so long?” Oleg shouted from the kitchen. “Mom’s waiting!” She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her robe. Yesterday Anna Petrovna had thrown another fit over the borscht. Said the salt was wrong, … Read more

Zhanna smoothed her hair and looked at Max’s parents’ house. The two-story brick mansion had always seemed too big for two elderly people. “Well, ready?” Max pulled the bags from the trunk. “Of course,” she smiled. Fifteen years of marriage had taught her how to hide awkwardness. The door was opened by Irina Vasilievna. Made … Read more

— Lyuda, my mom is going to stop by for an hour today, you don’t mind, do you? — Ruslan poked his head into the kitchen, where his wife was chopping vegetables for a salad. Lyuda froze with the knife in her hand. It took her a moment to look up at her husband. Everything … Read more