The wife, who until that moment had been patiently watching his pacing from the doorway, obediently entered the room and sat on the edge of the sofa. Her face showed a strange mixture of fatigue and alertness. She folded her hands on her knees, unnaturally straight, as if at a meeting with her boss. Mikhail … Read more
The evening light reluctantly filtered through the tulle on the windows when Mikhail threw open the apartment door with such force that it slammed against the wall. Anna flinched, not tearing her eyes away from the laptop screen where she was once again rereading the technical assignment from a client in Moscow. The woman had … Read more
Alena stood in front of the mirror in the hotel room, adjusting the folds of her wedding dress, feeling the familiar anxiety tightening her throat. The dress was truly beautiful — made of silk, with delicate lace inserts and light ruffles on the skirt. It had cost her and Sasha quite a bit, but Alena … Read more
Ah, you insolent brat!” Irina Viktorovna shouted loudly and fiercely, frowning angrily. Her hand swiftly lashed out at Natasha’s head, and a sharp slap rang out across the table like a gunshot. Taken by surprise, Natasha flinched and dropped her spoon onto the plate. A wave of bitterness and anger instantly overwhelmed her — this … Read more
Be grateful that after thirty years of marriage I’m coming home, not docking in someone else’s port,” said the husband. “What if I had cheated on you too?” Marina asked. “For a woman, cheating is abnormal; for a man, it’s natural. Besides, who needs you at fifty and a bit?” Marina had long suspected Gennady … Read more
Anna slowly stirred her coffee, feeling the tension build in her shoulders. Familiar voices echoed from the kitchen wall—her husband Sergey was explaining something to his mother, and she, as always, interrupted him with her admonishments. “Sergey, you must control the family budget!” Valentina Nikolaevna’s voice pierced the quiet of the apartment. “The man is … Read more
“Let’s go to your mom’s,” Katya said, placing her cup in the sink and turning to her husband. The morning light fell on her face, highlighting the faint wrinkles of fatigue near her eyes. “We haven’t been to see her in a while.” Andrey didn’t lift his eyes from his smartphone. Something tightened in his … Read more
Antonina Sergeevna put the kettle on and sat down on a stool. The morning was gray, like most days lately. She glanced at the clock — quarter to nine. Outside, rain was drizzling, leaving winding trails on the window. Drops slid down, merging with each other to form intricate patterns. The three-room apartment she had … Read more
The frost cut into his face like a thousand icy blades. The wind gnawed under his jacket, soaked with sweat and covered with snow, as if mocking his weakened protection. Nikolay Parfenov stood at the edge of the Round Lake near Moscow, as if rooted to the ground. He was trembling—not from the cold. He … Read more
The thunderstorm broke out suddenly. Heavy clouds covered the sky, lightning flashed in the eyes, and thunder seemed to roll across the ground. Klavdiya Stepanovna felt uneasy in her heart, but she couldn’t understand why — it was just a sense of impending trouble that wouldn’t leave her. Suddenly, someone knocked loudly on the door. … Read more