Olga was sitting at the kitchen table, absentmindedly stirring the tea that had long since cooled. In front of her was a bank statement—ordinary, unremarkable paper, but the numbers on it made her stomach turn. Thirty thousand. Another transfer to her husband’s sister, the third one this month. Andrey, her husband, was calmly chewing on … Read more
Blood froze in my veins when I heard the click of the lock on our front door. It was her again – without warning, without a phone call, like a ghost from the past materializing in my new life. No matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried to set boundaries – Galina … Read more
— Today is the seventh day. I will be back late tonight, we have an urgent project. I hope you’ve packed your things by now. — What’s the rush, my dear? — smiled Vladislava Vsevolodovna gently. — You have plenty of time. Denis Vadimovich didn’t even pretend to hear. — What the hell?! — Albina … Read more
— So what am I supposed to do now, walk around hungry? — Lev exclaimed, feeling the anger rising inside him. — Of course not, — Anna replied calmly. — You can go to the store, buy some groceries, and make dinner. Or you can order delivery. You have money, after all. — Is this … Read more
Veronika slowly lowered her cup of cooling coffee. Her fingers—adorned with rings, gifts from her husband over twenty years of marriage—trembled slightly. Through the vast panoramic window of the “Bellagio” restaurant, an evening view of the city unfolded, yet she noticed neither the twinkling lights nor the bustling waiters. Her entire world had narrowed down … Read more
Hi! Is Mom home?” asked the unfamiliar man to Yulia as she opened the door for him. “Yes…” Yulia nodded and shouted, “Mom, it’s you.” “What’s the matter…” Mom came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands. “You just can’t do without me…” she began, then faltered. Yulia saw a flash of surprise on her … Read more
Everything came to light completely by accident. Alla had never kept tabs on her husband, never checked his phone, or monitored the flow of money on his bank cards. She had plenty of her own concerns—working at a travel agency where she resolved all sorts of important issues for vacationers, then picking up her three-year-old … Read more
— And what, now I’m supposed to walk around hungry?” Leo exclaimed in indignation, feeling his anger boiling inside him. “— Of course not,” Anna replied calmly. “You can go to the store, buy some groceries, and make yourself a dinner. Or order delivery. You do have money.” “— Is this some kind of strike?” … Read more
Alla Sergeyevna arrived at her daughter’s place at the crack of dawn. She was in such a hurry that she forgot to ring the doorbell and started pounding on the door with her fist: “Lena! Open up! I’m telling you!” “Mom, what’s wrong with you?” sleepy Lena looked at her mother in surprise. “Let me … Read more
Sofya set a vase of flowers on the table and critically examined the result. Everything was perfect. A pristine white tablecloth, crystal glasses, expensive champagne in a silver bucket with ice. In the kitchen, a duck with apples was baking in the oven, and in the refrigerator sat desserts from the city’s best patisserie. And … Read more