Marina stood by the window. The July heat pressed down on the city. In the yard, children ran between the trees, hiding in the shade. “Marinka, where’s my shirt?” came from the bedroom. “The checkered one!” “It’s hanging in the closet,” she replied without turning. “On the top shelf.” Alexey appeared in the doorway of … Read more
Yulia stood in the center of the living room of her three-room apartment, admiring the result of long, hard work. Her grandfather had left her the apartment in a prestigious district of the city a year ago, and since then Yulia had poured all her strength and savings into it. The summer sun flooded the … Read more
Lyudmila straightened the folds on her blue dress. Today they were celebrating her mother-in-law’s birthday. All the relatives had gathered in Tamara Ivanovna’s apartment. “Lyuda, come to the table,” her mother-in-law greeted her with an icy smile. “Valera is already here.” At the festive table sat Oksana with her husband, Uncle Grisha, and Aunt Nina. … Read more
Yulia sighed wearily. In the living room sat Svetlana, Nikita’s sister. The woman was a couple of years older than Yulia and always carried herself with a certain air of superiority. — Nikit, I need to talk to you. Nikita set aside his phone and looked at his sister attentively. Yulia froze with a teacup … Read more
Nastya laid out another of Danila’s shirts on the bed and carefully hung it in the wardrobe. He had more clothes than she expected, but there was still enough space. “Where should I put your books?” Nastya asked, holding a stack of technical literature in her hands. “On the top shelf, if you don’t mind,” … Read more
“You will become the brightest star, the most gifted of all. They will notice you—your name will shine from every poster.” Sophia sobbed quietly, burying her face in the blanket that covered her father’s frail body. His hand, weak yet still warm, slipped through her hair with a tender touch. “Don’t cry, my girl,” he … Read more
“Gena, have you really thought this through?” “Mom…” “I know what I’m saying. She’s only with you for the money, isn’t she?” Gennady let out a weary sigh. “Mom, I understand your worries, but they’re completely unfounded. Arguing with you is pointless—you won’t change your opinion anyway. Think what you want. We’re not planning anything … Read more
Alina carefully held the knife over the cutting board. She needed to slice carrots for the borscht, but her hands trembled slightly with tension. “You’re cutting it all wrong,” Nina Petrovna came up from behind and took the knife away. “Watch closely how it should be done. In thin strips, like this.” “Sorry, I didn’t … Read more
The next day, closer to noon, Galina was standing by the stove making herself a light soup. She had planned to spend the day peacefully, without unnecessary conversations, but the doorbell shattered that quiet. At first she thought it might be a neighbor asking for salt or a delivery courier, but when she peeked through … Read more
“The apartment obviously stays with me. The cars, too,” my husband Kirill’s voice cut like a knife, bouncing off the polished walls of the attorney’s office. He wasn’t speaking to me but to my representative—a young man in a perfectly tailored suit, who until that moment had only silently nodded along. “I’ll toss you a … Read more