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Part 1. The Ultimatum in the Kitchen Igor sat at the kitchen table with his elbows spread wide, as if trying to occupy every inch of available space. In front of him was a plate with the remains of dinner, though he was no longer eating. Instead, he lazily dragged his fork across the tablecloth, … Read more

“You’re a broke nobody from the provinces! You arrived here with one suitcase, and you’ll leave with that same suitcase!” Inga Petrovna’s face, usually so polished and arrogant, was now twisted with open rage. Her fingers, tipped with an expensive salon manicure, dug into my wrist so hard that white marks instantly appeared on my … Read more

Marina was setting the plates on the table, counting them out loud. Eight. Exactly eight — not one extra, not one accidental place setting. Each plate belonged to someone she was truly happy to see, someone she wanted beside her that evening. “Dasha, sweetheart, take the napkins to the table, please,” she asked her daughter, … Read more

Alice was asleep in the next room. Yulia could hear her soft breathing through the half-open door, and every time her daughter turned onto her side, the springs of the old sofa gave a thin, tired creak. Two years in this apartment. Two years of someone else’s walls, someone else’s rules, someone else’s schedule. Galina … Read more

Inna adjusted the plain little dress she had bought on sale at a second-hand shop and took a deep breath. The Versace silk suit she usually wore to business negotiations had been left behind in her walk-in closet. So had the Cartier watch, the Chanel clutch, and the shoes that cost as much as an … Read more

“Have you completely lost your mind?” Mila stood in the middle of the kitchen, her hands still wet, staring at Fyodor as if she were seeing the real him for the very first time. “You gave your mother the alarm code?” Fyodor had not even taken off his jacket. He stood in the hallway, tired, … Read more

“Kristina, you really should be more generous. You’re the oldest, you’re already firmly on your feet,” Aunt Tamara said briskly, tapping her teaspoon against the edge of a crystal jam dish to bring the noisy family council to order. “You have your own career at the bank, a stable income, and you’re in no hurry … Read more

The phone rang at half past eight on a Saturday morning, just as Irina had put the kettle on. An unfamiliar number lit up the screen. Out of habit, she answered — she was waiting for a call from the veterinary clinic, where she had taken her cat for a checkup the day before. “Irina, … Read more

When Pavel and I first met, I was a little unsettled by his unhealthy attachment to his younger sister, Snezhana. There was a seven-year age gap between them, and Pasha had grown used to playing not just the role of an older brother, but also father, bodyguard, cash machine, and magic genie all in one. … Read more

Tuesday morning began for Marina with her usual routine: the alarm clock, a cup of strong coffee, and a quick shower. In her mind, she was already going through the workday ahead. As a specialist who designed automotive diagnostic stations, Marina was used to clear systems and precise procedures. She understood cars no worse than … Read more