Maria sighed and averted her gaze from the screen. Her eyes were tired from endlessly studying the blueprints that the restoration architect had been reviewing for the third hour in a row. There was nothing she could do—she had to submit the project by Monday. She took a sip of her cooled coffee and stretched, … 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 ring, 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 Petrovna always found a … Read more
Nina was tired, leaning back into the chair. It was hard to tell what hurt more—her head or her back. There was a quiet knock on the office door. — Nina Sergeyevna, may I come in? The woman raised her eyebrows in surprise. — Rita, why are you still not at home? The girl smiled … Read more
Life is such that first our parents take care of us, and then we care for them in old age. Helping the elderly is not easy. However, sometimes it can turn out in a very unexpected way. That’s exactly what happened to the heroes of our story, who took in an elderly aunt from the … Read more
— “Olga Pavlovna, I can’t hire Polina,” Angela said cautiously. Her mother-in-law had asked several times to secure a job for her daughter. — “But why not? She’s smart, she graduated from college, and she’s married. And if you think she’ll just be on sick leave—if her granddaughter falls ill and I have to sit … Read more
Lyud, you understand…” Volodya began. “No, I love you, but you look so much like her and… I’m confused.” She suspected that he might be cheating on her, but she could never have guessed with whom. It was some kind of madhouse. It just didn’t add up. “Don’t, don’t explain,” she said, suddenly feeling indifferent … Read more
The setting sun slowly sank behind the horizon, turning the sky into a magnificent palette of colors—from deep crimson to golden-orange hues. A gentle breeze, filled with the scents of freshly cut grass and the sweet aroma of blooming linden, wafted through the slightly ajar window, causing the light tulle curtain to sway. Maya, frozen … Read more
Elena Pavlovna, are you really sure about your decision?” the chief physician inquired. “Yes, absolutely,” Lena replied, carefully avoiding his gaze. Andrey Sergeyevich had appeared at their hospital only recently, but a particularly warm rapport had immediately developed between them. He bestowed upon her unmistakable signs of attention that could not be misinterpreted, yet he … Read more
Ten-year-old Grisha hurried home from school. His mother had strictly told him not to dawdle. During the night, a cow had calved, and Lyudmila Sergeyevna spent the entire day by Zorya and the newborn calf. Grisha was supposed to warm up lunch, wash the dishes, and do his homework. But what drove him home wasn’t … Read more
Yulia Antonovna had served the Grigoryevs’ household for a long time — Vladimir and Lyudmila. Today, the hosts had gone somewhere, and the maid, having finished all the household chores, sat down to rest by the window. Suddenly, her attention was drawn to a little boy outside. Thin, in tattered clothes, he was wandering along … Read more