— Denis… — Vika looked at her husband in bewilderment and extended some kind of stick to him. — What is this? — Denis twirled the object in his hands, then examined it closely, noticing two stripes, and looked up at Vika. — Is this what I think it is? She nodded. — I’m pregnant, … Read more
Pavel and Olga had long dreamed of having their own house, even though they already owned a modest but comfortable one-room apartment in a multi-family building. Construction began five years ago with the spontaneous purchase of a suburban plot. “Come on, dear,” the husband said to Olga, “we need to invest our money somewhere so … Read more
You shouldn’t have come along with me to your parents’ place!” Ira said discontentedly when she and her husband entered the apartment. “No, you should have! It’s just that you…” “And why are you always pointing your finger at me? Am I supposed to be the only one at fault for everything?” she asked Danila, … Read more
— Arina is complaining about her husband again. He earns so little, and your sister is really struggling. I didn’t sleep all night; I was so upset after she arrived,” Mom said as she began to sob into the phone once more. “— Mom, I understand, but no one dragged her into this marriage on … Read more
Alina stood frozen in the window opening, watching the solitary dampness slowly creeping along the glass surface. The snowy white dress—which just yesterday had embodied the very incarnation of dreams—now lay in a shapeless heap in the corner of the room. Only three days ago, her existence had seemed clear and predictable. Now everything was … Read more
Rita lazily stretched, loosening her stiff limbs beneath an old, grimy blanket that had long lost its original shape and color. Her body felt as if it were made of lead, and every movement sent an unpleasant tingle through her muscles. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes, blinking against the bright sunlight that filtered through the … Read more
— “Larisa, leave the kids alone—why do you always have to cling to them?” Vyacheslav Semyonovich snapped at his wife. “They are building their own lives! Especially since Sasha lost her parents not long ago! Don’t meddle with them!” — “I nearly forgot to ask you, right? You can’t possibly save enough money for us … Read more
Polina stood by the window, gazing at the black BMW parked in the yard. The car hadn’t come easy – they had to take out a loan that she and Artem were still paying off. Or rather, only Polina was paying it off – her husband hadn’t worked for the past three years. “Are you … Read more
After dropping his mistress from the car, Buchin tenderly said goodbye to her and drove home. He paused by the entrance for a moment, mentally weighing everything he would say to his wife. Then he climbed the stairs and unlocked the door. “Hi,” Buchin said. “Vera, are you home?” “Home,” his wife replied in a … Read more
– Arina, where are you? Tolya let me in, and he went off to work!” – the voice of the future sister-in-law echoed through the apartment. Arina sighed tiredly. She forced a smile and invited Olga to the table. Her life was falling apart. Stability. Arina had dreamed of it for as long as she … Read more