Lying on a hospital bed and listening to the conversations of her wardmates, Lera thought wistfully about her work, which wouldn’t do itself while she “cooled her heels.” If only she could have guessed that this was the least of her worries soon to come… Who would have thought that she, who had never […]
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Mom, what are you doing?” Pavel stood in the doorway, holding Vera Nikolaevna’s hand as she determinedly headed for the cupboard with the dishes. “I’m helping your wife with the table setting. Fifteen people—it’s no joke. Everything needs to be beautifully organized,” the mother-in-law attempted to free her hand. “Fifteen people?” Alina froze with a […]
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“I’m not buying the act—I saw everything,” Igor said, planted in the middle of the kitchen, hands on his hips, eyes narrowed. “It’s all in your name. The apartment, the documents, even that damn bank account! What are we—roommates who barely know each other?” “Don’t you feel any shame?” Arina turned from the stove, her […]
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“You expect me to cook for your mother every single day?!” Yulia snapped without turning around. She slammed the pot onto the stove. Boiling water splashed over the edge of the burner and hissed as it hit the hot metal. Steam curled up toward the ceiling where an old chandelier with three shades hung—one […]
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My phone buzzed in the pocket of my jeans at the exact moment I was hauling my suitcase across the slick tiles of Domodedovo Airport. Rain drummed on the terminal’s glass roof, building a noisy symphony that mixed with announcements in three languages and the constant hum of the crowd. Katya lit up on […]
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Aurora stood by the window, watching Yevgeny carry in the last box. Leaving his mother’s place hadn’t been easy for him, but Aurora could see it in his eyes—he truly wanted a fresh start. The two-bedroom apartment felt huge for just the two of them, even though the mortgage payment landing every month was […]
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“My parents will finish the dacha, and your little cakes can wait.” I looked at my husband and didn’t recognize him. Seven years of marriage, thousands of shared dinners, dreams we once spoke about like they were already real—gone in a single moment. He said it as casually as if he were asking me […]
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My name is Tamara Alexeyevna. I am seventy-four years old. I used to have a full life: a loving husband, a beloved job, a warm home, and three children. But ten years ago, my husband passed away—his heart couldn’t take it. After he left, the house became empty, and I became unwanted. The children started […]
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I was taking revenge on you for my daughter. Instead of taking care of me personally, she preferred to hire strangers. She comes only once a month — just to hand over money. She pushed the grandchildren away from their grandmother, as if I were some shameful burden to be hidden far away. I […]
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Aline heard the front door click—Igor was back from work. She stood at the stove, stirring vegetables in a pan for a stew, and didn’t turn around. Over the last few weeks, a polite chill had settled between them, as if they weren’t husband and wife at all, but two roommates sharing the same space […]
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