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Maxim—our brand-new head of the sales department, barely thirty—spun a pricey smartphone in his hand as if he were bored, not once looking at the projected slides. “Right here, Marina Pavlovna, I’d ask you to stop,” he said. “The charts are nice, the numbers seem to match, but… how do I put it gently… there’s … Read more

“I’m the one who buys the groceries, and this house is mine—so pack up and get out.” I cut my mother-in-law’s little performance short. Darya lived in a house she owned on the edge of the village—neat yard, a cozy heated porch, everything registered in her name long before she ever married. The house stood … Read more

Oksana bought her apartment long before she ever got married—a two-bedroom place on the second floor of a brick building. She took out a mortgage and paid it for six years. By the time she married Maksim, there wasn’t much left—just one more year until it was fully paid off. Maksim moved in with her … Read more

Elena stepped out of the метро and headed toward home. In her hands she carried a cake box from the bakery she passed every day but had never once gone into. Today was a special occasion. An October evening wrapped the city in cool air; wet leaves whispered under her shoes, but Elena barely noticed … Read more

Lena woke at six in the morning even though her alarm was set for seven. Her heart was racing, as if she weren’t simply preparing for her husband’s birthday, but about to sit an exam that could decide her whole life. Dima was turning thirty. Twenty guests were coming. And among them—Alla Viktorovna, her mother-in-law. … Read more

Alena found out about Sveta’s divorce—Sveta being her husband’s sister—through the family group chat. First came a message from her mother-in-law: “Girls, things are really hard for Svetochka right now. Let’s support her.” Then Sveta called in tears. Her voice trembled, her sentences broke apart mid-word. Andrey had left. Just packed his things and walked … Read more

I knew the day was about to go off the rails when Marina called me at three in the afternoon—four hours before the guests were due to arrive. “Ksyush… listen, don’t lose it, okay?” my sister began, using the exact voice people reserve for minor disasters. “Your mother-in-law found out about tonight.” I froze with … Read more

The Day Everything Started Falling Apart The first real warning sign hit in mid-March, when Oleg came home earlier than usual with a cardboard box in his hands. Marina could tell from his face right away—something they’d both secretly feared for months had finally happened. “Downsized,” he said curtly, dropping the box of his office … Read more

Lena Stood in Front of the Mirror… and Realized She Was Done Living Second Lena stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of her new blouse, smiling at the woman looking back at her. Thirty. Soon she’d be thirty, and it wouldn’t be just another birthday — it would be the celebration of … Read more

I didn’t read the bank alert until ten at night. I was already in bed with my tablet, flipping through work messages, and I must’ve missed the notification when it first came in. But now it was right there on the screen: **“Card transaction **3847: 42,000 rubles. ‘Diamond’ Jewelry.” I read it three times. Forty-two … Read more