— Maybe it’s a sign? — Maria stopped at the gate, her gaze falling on an apple that had dropped right in front of her and split in two. Nikolai silently picked up both halves. He handed one to his wife. His eyes said more than any words ever could. The sixth test. The sixth … Read more
— I spent three days cleaning like a cursed woman! — Maria Olegovna spoke indignantly, not hiding her resentment. — Three sleepless nights, but I did everything: scrubbed the floors, dusted, washed all the dishes. And them… they trashed the apartment in an hour! How can you ruin a brand-new home like that? You weren’t … Read more
I can’t live like this anymore, Anya,” Sergey threw his keys on the table, and flour scattered like snow across the surface. I froze, clutching the dough in my hands. The children in the other room fell silent, as if sensing the oncoming storm. I tried to breathe evenly, though my heart was pounding in … Read more
I miss you so much,” Maria whispered, shuddering at the sound of her own voice in the silence of the room. Her fingers froze above an old photo album. In the faded photograph, Sasha was smiling, holding little Artyom on his shoulders. Maria gently ran her fingertips over his image. Nine years had passed, but … Read more
Polina scrutinized the new curtains. Light blue, with a small floral pattern—exactly what she wanted for the living room. She carefully adjusted the pleats, stepped back a couple of paces, and smiled. — Sergey, how do you like it? — Polina turned to her husband, who was sitting in an armchair, absorbed in his phone. … Read more
When it seemed like everything was lost, she appeared…” The small hospital room was dimly lit. The faint glow of the nightlight barely illuminated the face of the teenager. She had just turned fifteen, but fate had already given her trials that would have broken even an adult. Katya was left without parents after a … Read more
I love the morning light — it always seemed like a promise to me. I’m making breakfast, humming a song that was playing on the radio yesterday. It’s quiet at home. Boris is still in the shower, and I’m setting the cups — a blue one for him, the one with the chipped handle for … Read more
The sun was barely breaking through the kitchen window when Olga was already bustling around the house. The morning greeted her with the usual silence, only interrupted by the mumbling of the television from her mother-in-law’s room. Olga straightened the tablecloth, brushed off invisible crumbs from the table, and opened the fridge. Eggs, milk, cottage … Read more
Yana stared at the laptop screen, double-checking the numbers in the table. The last payment on the loan had been sent. Three years of monthly payments, strict budgeting, and constant side jobs had come to an end. The house was officially hers—fully paid off, with no encumbrances. Outside, the maple leaves rustled, gently swaying in … Read more
— Are you leaving garbage in the hallway again? — Artem stood in his coat, with a bag in his hand. — I’ve been at work all day, then I went to the store, and now I still have to clean up your mess? — The bin was full, I tied it up and put … Read more