On the outskirts of a small provincial town in Central Russia stood an old school. Its walls were peeling from age, the asphalt in the yard cracked, and the lonely sandbox froze under icy gusts of wind in winter, while in summer it filled with the voices of children and leftover toys. Everything here was … Read more
In one of the tallest skyscrapers of a modern metropolis, where glass reflects the clouds and life seems too distant and soulless, there lived a man named Maksim. He was a millionaire—not just rich, but incredibly successful, one of those self-made men: he started from nothing and in ten years built an empire in the … Read more
Marina ran her hand over the freshly painted fence board and smiled. The white paint had gone on smoothly, without drips, and now the plot looked completely different—not like an abandoned grandmother’s dacha, but like a real vacation home. “Alyosh, look how beautiful it turned out!” she called to her husband, who was busy with … Read more
— Yanochka, dear, why didn’t you tell me right away that you now have some money? — Hello, Yulia Konstantinovna. I don’t understand what you mean. — How so? Kirill said that your mother transferred a nice sum of money to your account. Yana was a terrible careerist. Work consumed her completely: early mornings, late-night … Read more
Marina stood by the window of the notary’s office, holding the documents in her hands. Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of her chest, and her fingers trembled slightly. “Sign here,” the notary quietly said. This was not a fantasy or a waking dream — it was really … Read more
Semyon stood by the window as if rooted to the floor. His heart froze, his breath stopped. Outside the glass, in the dim light of the evening sky, there was a light burning in the house. Not a bright, ordinary one — no. The light was strange, soft, as if a lamp was burning on … Read more
When the lawyer said, — You are expected at Viktor Nikolaevich’s estate on Saturday at ten in the morning, — I nodded automatically. The words sounded so ordinary, as if I had just scheduled a business meeting or a doctor’s appointment. But inside, a quiet race of thoughts had already begun. So… an old estate … Read more
Raisa Alexandrovna never thought she would have to prove her right to the apartment. She had lived there for thirty-two years. Especially to her husband. And definitely not in a notary’s office, where they had come for a completely different reason. “Do you want to make a gift deed to your son?” the notary asked … Read more
— Do you understand that these are my first days off in two months? — Marina’s voice trembled with exhaustion and indignation. — There was a crazy rush at work, I worked until eleven every night, and you’re telling me I can’t rest? Andrey didn’t lift his head from the phone, lying on the couch … Read more
Inheritance Seven in the morning. Who the hell could be calling at seven on a Saturday morning? Marina groped for the phone on the nightstand without opening her eyes. — Hello? — Marinushka, dear, it’s me, Valeria Petrovna. Mikhail Semyonovich and I are already on our way up to you. Don’t worry, we have the … Read more