My husband threw it in my face that I was “living in his place,” so I reminded him whose home it really was. “Where are my slippers? Why aren’t they where they’re supposed to be again? Lena, I’m pretty sure I asked you to keep the entryway in order!” Sergey’s voice—sharp and demanding—filled the apartment … Read more
“She’s dumb as a cork—she’ll sign over everything,” my traitor of a husband bragged to his mother… The kitchen was thick with the smell of fried smelt and pure nerve. Tamara Ilyinichna moved around like she owned the place, as if Alisa weren’t the rightful owner of a three-room Stalin-era apartment in the city center, … Read more
Kirill stormed into the apartment like a tornado—only this one didn’t sweep anything clean, it made a mess. He didn’t even take off his shoes. Straight into the hallway, where boxes of tile were stacked like barricades and paint cans reeked so sharply his throat burned. Anger slid down his face—thick and greasy, like yesterday’s … Read more
My husband’s sister trashed my cooking at the holiday table—until I suggested she eat at home “Oh, come on—how much mayonnaise do you have to use?” Larisa sighed. “It’s nothing but cholesterol, Lena. Do you feel any sympathy for Andrey? He’s been getting wider around the waist lately. It’s honestly painful to watch you two … Read more
On the eve of the holidays, Irina shut her laptop later than usual. It had been one of those days where every minute mattered, and the to-do list refused to shrink—multiplying instead, like cells in a lab dish. She was the chief accountant at a mid-sized construction company, where forty employees produced a flood of … Read more
“Take it off—this is a mistake!” — my husband went pale when he saw me wearing the gift meant for his mistress “Do you honestly think I’m going to buy the ‘emergency meeting’ story on a Saturday night, Vadim?” Lena stood in the doorway with her arms folded, watching her husband nervously cram a phone … Read more
Lyudmila woke to the sound of a key turning in the lock. She glanced at the clock—7:30 a.m., Saturday. Konstantin had already left for work, even though he’d promised to take the day off. From the kitchen came the gentle clink of dishes—her mother was making breakfast. Vera Sergeyevna had arrived from Kaluga the day … Read more
Lena stood in front of the mirror, straightening the collar of her new blouse, and smiled at her reflection. Thirty. Soon she would turn thirty, and it wouldn’t be just a birthday—it would be a celebration of a new chapter. A month earlier she’d been offered the position of Head of Marketing. Her salary had … Read more
I didn’t notice the bank notification until around ten that night, when I was already in bed with my tablet, skimming through work messages. I must’ve overlooked it when it came in, but now it caught my eye: **“Card transaction **3847: 42,000 rubles. ‘Brilliant’ jewelry store.” I read it three times. Forty-two thousand. Jewelry. At … Read more
Lena stood by the window, staring out at the December courtyard where the streetlights were already glowing. Snow drifted down in heavy flakes, settling on the bare branches of the trees. Inside, the apartment smelled of mandarins and pine—she’d just carried home groceries for the New Year’s table. Her plan was simple: put everything away, … Read more