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The doorbell rang at the exact moment Lena finally exhaled after a brutal workweek. Saturday morning was supposed to be lazy: the smell of fresh coffee, plans to repot the flowers on the balcony, and maybe a long breakfast with her husband. But the insistent chime seemed to slice the cozy silence of the apartment … Read more

Karina couldn’t stand family gatherings at her mother-in-law’s. Valentina Mikhailovna would always take out her “special occasion” china with gilded rims—kept locked away in the cabinet on ordinary days—and put on a performance as the most hospitable hostess in the world. Today she was bustling around the kitchen again, making a roast and fanning out … Read more

Karina couldn’t stand family gatherings at her mother-in-law’s. Valentina Mikhailovna would always take out her “special occasion” china with gilded rims—kept locked away in the cabinet on ordinary days—and put on a performance as the most hospitable hostess in the world. Today she was bustling around the kitchen again, making a roast and fanning out … Read more

Alina struggled to open the door, shifting the heavy grocery bags from one hand to the other. Friday evening—the end of a long week—and the only thing she wanted was a hot bath and silence. But the moment she stepped inside, her foot struck someone’s huge backpack lying right in the entryway. “What is this?” … Read more

Olga had barely closed the door behind her, kicked off her shoes, and stretched—dreaming of hot tea and silence. But instead of the usual “How was your day?” she was met by Alexey, standing in the middle of the kitchen with a sheet of paper in his hands. His face was tense, as if he … Read more

— Have you lost it, Ilya? — his mother’s voice cut through the air like a knife. — You know perfectly well the apartment isn’t going to you alone! — Mom, — Ilya leaned on the kitchen doorframe with his arms crossed, — here you go again. No theatrics, okay? Just give me the documents. … Read more

Irina opened the door and froze. On the threshold stood Anton’s parents—Viktor Petrovich and Galina Nikolaevna. The very people who, three years earlier, had thrown her out of their home when they found out she was pregnant. “Hello, Irochka,” Galina Nikolaevna tried to smile, but it came out crooked. “We’ve come to meet Mashenka.” “You … Read more

The restaurant Maxim chose was on the top floor of one of Stalin’s high-rises. It wasn’t flashy so much as exclusive—statusy, for insiders. Lena stepped into the dim hall where soft music mingled with the clink of glasses. Maxim was already waiting at a table by the window, with a breathtaking view of the night-time … Read more

Lika was just finishing her coffee during the break between appointments—a warm, slightly bitter sip was supposed to perk her up before the next couple of hours of intense work. She set the cup on the table and reached for a napkin when, with a loud clatter, a chair dropped down beside her. Alla, an … Read more

“So,” the notary—a woman in her fifties with perfectly even eyebrows (drawn on, of course)—opened a folder. “Nadezhda Pavlovna Zavyalova, your aunt, passed away on the third. The will was made in the presence of two witnesses and notarized six months ago. The heir…” She narrowed her eyes and gave a slight nod. “Is you. … Read more