‘You’re not family to me!’ — How a Husband’s Words at an Anniversary Became the Start of Galina’s New Life” Chapter 1. The Final Touches Galina ran her palm over the snow-white tablecloth— not a crumb in sight. She checked the salads: neat mounds crowned with fresh herbs. Her signature meat roulade was slow-cooking in … Read more
“I don’t understand why you put up with this,” Natasha, Yulia’s colleague, said, shaking her head in surprise. “I would’ve put my foot down long ago.” Yulia just sighed, stirring her coffee. The lunch break was almost over, and talking to her friend hadn’t brought any relief. “You know, sometimes it feels like I live … Read more
“Ugh, I’ve got no strength left,” the beauty exhaled. Anfisa had spent the whole day at her brother Taras’s place. His wife, Larisa, had recently given birth to a lovely little girl, Alina, but had taken to bed herself. The caring sister-in-law took over the baby chores. Her three-month-old niece instantly won her aunt’s heart. … Read more
“So you’re choosing your pride over our family?” Marina slammed the medical report down on the table. “How lovely—now you’re going to blackmail me?” Viktor smirked. “Very original.” “Vitya, it’s just a procedure! Millions of couples do it!” “Millions of idiots jump off bridges—should I jump too?” Three months earlier, Marina sat in the doctor’s … Read more
This story begins with an ordinary celebration that turned into a fateful event. Sometimes a single careless phrase can completely change people’s lives. What will someone feel who publicly humiliated another when they learn the truth? I invite you to plunge into this gripping story with an unexpected ending. It was one of those evenings … Read more
“Without me you’re nothing, Anna. Remember that well,” Igor threw the last of his clothes into the suitcase and yanked the zipper shut. His words sliced through the apartment’s half-light like a cold blade. Anna stood in the doorway, clenching her fists until they hurt. She was silent—not out of fear, but from a strange … Read more
— “Well, look at that—our culinary star oversalted it again!” Igor theatrically pushed his plate away. “Mom, just look. Marina, have you ever in your life eaten normal chicken? Or have you always been satisfied with these experiments?” — “Igoryok is right,” Valentina Sergeyevna pursed her lips. “Marina, dear, I told you yesterday—the chicken needs … Read more
“Marina has been sleeping in the living room for the third month! The third month, Igor!” a woman’s voice trembled with anger. “She’s your wife, and you say nothing!” “Mom, stop…” “No, you stop! Your wife is not a servant!” Two hours before that conversation, Marina was standing at the stove, stirring soup. Klavdia Petrovna, … Read more
“Soon we’ll get to the finishing work. It’s almost done,” my husband said to me that evening as we were getting ready for bed. “So that means the renovation is next, and that’s it?” I rubbed cream into my hands, working it into my fingers and wrists. “Yes. Hard to believe, right?” Arkady settled in … Read more
“We’ll start on the finishing work soon. We’ve almost completed it,” my husband told me in the evening as we were getting ready for bed. “So the renovation is soon, and that’s that?” I said, rubbing cream into my hands and wrists. “Yes. Hard to believe, isn’t it?” Arkady settled in more comfortably, pulling up … Read more