I transferred your trip voucher to my sister, and you can sunbathe at the dacha,” my husband stunned me with his audacity, but in the end, I actually benefited.

Anna placed the last blouse into a beautiful new suitcase and smiled contentedly. The long-awaited trip to Turkey was very close now—only a week left. She was already imagining the warm sea, golden sand, and cocktails at sunset. Sergey was also in high spirits, constantly studying guidebooks and making plans for each day of their … Read more

My mortgage, but others will live there? No way!

A summer Friday evening promised to be calm, but Alexander came home with a peculiar expression on his face. Tatiana immediately noticed the tension in his movements, his unusual restlessness. “Tanya, we’re having guests today,” her husband announced, taking off his shirt. “Mom is coming, and Maxim too.” “At this hour?” Tatiana was surprised, glancing … Read more

— Your son hasn’t been living here for a long time — the daughter-in-law stated when his parents came to visit.

The blue car parked at the familiar entrance with usual confidence. Vladimir Nikolaevich turned off the engine and looked back at his wife. “Lyudochka, don’t forget the jam for the grandchildren,” reminded the father-in-law, pulling heavy bags of groceries from the trunk. Lyudmila Ivanovna nodded, adjusting her summer dress. The July sun was mercilessly scorching, … Read more

She wanted to throw away the old toy chest, but what her son had hidden inside made her cry and then changed their lives forever.

Just a week ago, on a warm, sunlit Sunday, Victoria, gathering her thoughts and courage, finally decided to tidy up the attic — the very same place where, over the years, things had been set aside; at first, it was too painful to forget them, and later there simply was no time to sort through … Read more

I was suspected of a huge shortage at work, but then I noticed that the financial director, my best friend, had bought herself a new foreign car.

“Seven million four hundred thousand,” Orlov, the general director, said. His voice was so steady and emotionless that it sounded less like a number being read aloud and more like a sentence being passed. There was no anger, no sympathy — only emptiness. And it was precisely that which made his words especially terrifying. He … Read more

Arthur brought his chosen one home to meet his parents, but as soon as she stepped over the threshold, his parents recoiled in fear.

Arthur had long stopped living under the same roof with his parents. After graduating from university, he stayed in Moscow — a city full of opportunities, noise, lights, and a wild pace. There he got a promising job, rented a cozy apartment overlooking an old park, and began a new chapter of his life. His … Read more

The former classmate, upon seeing Alina in the restaurant, wanted to slander her, not realizing who was in front of her…

In the very heart of a cozy, warm restaurant, decorated with the soft glow of candles and the aroma of fresh pastries, a meeting full of unexpected turns took place. That evening, Alina, a beautiful, confident woman and owner of a chain of upscale restaurants, was sitting at one of the tables, enjoying the moment. … Read more

“Consider this humanitarian aid, and don’t ever set foot in our house again!” — the wife placed a heavy bag, stuffed to the brim, on the table…

Elena stood for a long time at the threshold of her mother-in-law’s apartment, gathering her courage. In her hands, she held a huge construction bag that barely fit in the elevator. The bag was so heavy that she had to stop three times on the way from the car to the entrance. The doorbell rang … Read more

— “Relatives”? No, they’re marauders! Divorce, Misha. For ten years you chose between me and their greed — now live with that.

— Why are you tense again, Sveta? — Misha came into the kitchen as if nothing had happened and loudly opened the fridge. — Mom just popped in. To say hello. And to look at the dress. Svetlana was standing by the sink, peeling potatoes as if it wasn’t potatoes but a symbol of collective … Read more