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Nadezhda stood at the window of their rented apartment, watching the rain wash over the dull gray courtyard. For five years, she and Igor had been renting this tiny one-bedroom on the outskirts. Every month, more than half of their combined income went to the landlady—an elderly woman who arrived on the first like clockwork, … Read more

Svetlana set her coffee on the windowsill and stared out at the rain. The drops slid down the glass like tears she refused to let herself cry. October had been especially vile this year—gray, damp, and heavy. Just like her life for the past six months. “Sveta, are you even listening?” Andrey asked, his tone … Read more

“So, like always, we’re hosting at our place. It’s tradition by now.” Diana froze, staring at her phone. The family group chat was exploding—confetti emojis, looping champagne GIFs. Her mother-in-law was already describing in detail which “herring under a fur coat” salad she’d make—bringing only that, naturally. Lyudmila Sergeyevna was asking what vegetarian options there … Read more

Valentina Pavlovna stood in the middle of the young couple’s kitchen with a freshly ironed stack of dish towels in her arms. “I sorted your towels by color — that’s the proper way,” she said, studying her daughter-in-law’s face as if it were a test. She was clearly waiting for fireworks: a fight, hurt feelings, … Read more

Klavdia Petrovna lay there, not breathing. The act had to be perfect. The heavy, cloying reek of camphor and valerian—poured into the pillows by her own hands—now felt less like props and more like something suffocatingly real. She was awkward in this part, but backing out was no longer an option. She had faked it. … Read more

Oleg barged into the entryway long after midnight. He didn’t just smell of the usual—motor oil and metal shavings from his auto shops. Cutting through that ground-in, familiar stink was another scent: sweet, cloying, чужой. Cheap perfume. Svetlana silently raised her eyes from her book. She’d stopped asking where he’d been a long time ago. … Read more

“We’re splitting Mom’s millions!” Yegor scoffed, eyes fixed on the closed living-room door. He and Sveta were in the kitchen. Their mother, Elena Sergeyevna, had shut herself in there with a notary half an hour ago. “Lower your voice,” Sveta hissed, nervously turning her phone over and over. “She’ll hear.” “Let her. Today everything gets … Read more

“You don’t get it, guys! I’m the one feeding this whole city!” Oleg Grebenyuk’s voice—owner of the “GrenkI” bakery chain—thundered through his spacious, high-end kitchen. Andrey, his childhood friend, shifted a heavy glass awkwardly in his hands. Egor and Sergey, his billiards buddies, pretended to study the patterns in the oak tabletop. “Every bun I … Read more

The restaurant throbbed. A pricey, airless, self-important swell of hundreds of voices—glasses chiming, laughter ricocheting, and a saxophone that kept pushing its way into everything. Lena sat at the farthest table, tucked beside a column. The perfect place to dissolve into the shadows. She hadn’t wanted to come. She’d begged Yegor to let her skip … Read more

A year. A full year my sister, Masha, kept feeding me renovation excuses. “Katya, how could you come over? There’s dust up to my knees—everything’s covered in plastic.” “No, not today—I’m waiting for the workers. I’m basically living out of suitcases.” “It stinks of paint so badly you can’t even breathe.” At first I believed … Read more