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The tap water trickled sluggishly—rust‑colored and foul‑smelling. Lyuda set the kettle under the spout. Outside, dusk was falling, the April evening invading the city earlier than usual. She watched the kettle fill and thought, “Eighteen years… Eighteen years I’ve been drinking this stinky water—wish someone would install a filter.” “Lyudka, where have you disappeared to?” … Read more

Nadezhda had always known how to work. At twenty‑two, after earning her degree in economics, she got a job at a small company. Five years later, she was already heading the finance department at a large firm. Her schedule—six days a week, often staying late into the evening—never elicited a single complaint from her. Everyone … Read more

White hospital tiles floated before Viktoria’s eyes. Consciousness returned slowly, as though making its way through a thick fog. The beeping of the monitors, the sharp scent of disinfectant, the cold touch of a starched sheet—she realized she was in a hospital. Her eyelids felt unbearably heavy, and Vika decided not to open her eyes … Read more

Marina woke up earlier than usual: the sounds of passersby could be heard outside the window — the night had been warm, and people had been out walking almost until morning. She sat up in bed and looked at her sleeping husband, Andrey. His steady breathing revealed he was in a deep sleep, but he … Read more

You gave birth to four? Take them and figure it out yourself—this is too much!” my husband declared the moment he stepped inside. I stared at him without blinking. My mind was empty. Four tiny bodies in homemade cradles seemed unreal. Four breaths, as faint as a butterfly’s wings. The labor lasted eighteen hours. The … Read more

Ekaterina belonged to the category of people who maintain faith in the best even in the most difficult times. Even after meeting Igor’s mother, she did not lose her optimism. The future mother-in-law’s gaze was cold and judgmental, as if she was evaluating whether Katya deserved her son. “So, you’re an interior designer?” Anna Petrovna … Read more

I heard you’re in trouble,” the woman continued. “And you decided your sister should solve them by selling her apartment.” “It’s not… I just…” Vitaly faltered, then waved his hand. “What choice do I have? I’m on the brink of bankruptcy. I’ve got a wife, responsibilities…” “We’ve already agreed with the realtor,” Vitaly said, turning … Read more

Vera poured herself a coffee and walked over to the window. Dawn was only just breaking, yet her head was already swarming with thoughts about the day ahead. First up was a meeting with a supplier, then a review of the accounting reports, and after lunch—​a call with a client from Tver. Her schedule was … Read more

In the middle of the night the telephone rang sharply. Anna flinched and, fighting off anxiety, grabbed the receiver. She had always had a panicky fear of late‑night calls from unfamiliar numbers. It had happened to her only twice before—when her mother died and when her husband was killed in a car crash. — Anna Sergeyevna? — an … Read more

On the kitchen table lay the wedding invitations—impeccable, polished down to the tiniest detail, as though this weren’t a simple wedding for Olya and Maksim but a royal affair. Olga counted them yet again, as if the disappearance of even one could cancel the celebration and send every guest rushing to return their tickets. “Twenty‑eight… … Read more