Natalya was walking back from the grocery store with two heavy bags. The October wind tugged at her hair, and the gray sky threatened rain. At home, her daughter Oksana was waiting for her. After school, she had probably already finished her homework and was now drawing yet another picture. The girl dreamed of becoming an artist, and Natalya supported her daughter’s dream in every possible way.
As she climbed to the fourth floor, Natalya thought that the apartment would soon need renovations. She had inherited it from her grandmother, but nothing had been changed there since then. The worn parquet floor, cracked corners, old plumbing — everything needed updating. And in three years, Oksana would be applying to university. If she got into a paid program, they would need a decent amount of money.
That was exactly why Natalya had been saving money for many years. Every time she received her salary, she immediately put aside three or four thousand. Sometimes more, sometimes less — whatever she could manage. Not obsessively, but regularly. Her husband Igor knew about it and had never objected. On the contrary, he even praised his wife for being so prudent.
The money was kept in a metal safe that stood in the walk-in closet behind a stack of old blankets. The key to the safe lay in a dresser drawer where Natalya kept her underwear. Only Natalya herself and her husband knew about that place. They had not told their daughter — why would a child need that kind of information?
Safes and lockable drawers.
Over seven years, quite a bit had accumulated. Not millions, of course, but for an ordinary family, it was a substantial amount. Natalya had even roughly calculated the renovation estimate and realized that, if they approached it economically, there would be enough for the apartment and still some left for her daughter’s education. True, considering inflation and rising prices, she still needed to save for another two years or so, but Natalya was not worried. The main thing was to keep moving toward the goal.
Almost no one knew about the savings. Natalya did not advertise the fact that she was putting money aside. Why invite unnecessary conversations? People were different. Some would start envying her, some would ask to borrow money, and some would decide that if she had savings, then she could share. Natalya believed that family plans should remain inside the family. So she kept her mouth shut.
The only person Natalya told about the safe was her husband. Igor found out about the savings by accident when he saw his wife hiding an envelope. Natalya decided not to conceal anything and explained what she was saving for. Igor took it calmly, even approvingly. He said she was doing the right thing, that they needed to think about the future. Since then, they sometimes discussed renovation plans, chose tiles online, and looked at furniture options.
Family.
But there was one problem.
Her mother-in-law.
Galina Ivanovna found out about the savings from her son. One evening at dinner, Igor let it slip that Natalya was saving for renovations. Casually, in passing. He did not think it would become a problem.
But his mother immediately became alert. A few days later, she called and asked, as if by the way:
“Igorek, is it true that Natalya has money?”
“Well, Mom, she puts a little aside. We’re saving for renovations.”
“And how much is there already?”
“I haven’t counted. Natalya keeps track of it. That’s not my business.”
Products and services for security.
“The money is common, family money,” Galina Ivanovna continued. “It’s not just hers.”
Igor did not understand the hint and simply replied:
“Mom, well, that’s for Natalya to decide. The apartment is in her name, so let her save for the renovation.”
Galina Ivanovna fell silent, but Igor noticed that his mother’s tone had changed. Colder somehow. He did not attach any importance to it, and that was his mistake.
From then on, his mother began regularly bringing up money. Sometimes she would hint that it would be nice to help the elders. Sometimes she would suddenly start telling a story about how her friend had received help from her daughter-in-law for medical treatment. Sometimes she would say directly:
“Young people are lucky. They can save money. And we pensioners can barely make ends meet.”
Natalya listened patiently and tried to change the subject. She did not want to answer. Because any answer would lead to a scandal. And Natalya had no intention of fighting with her mother-in-law.
Igor noticed that his mother was hinting at money, but he preferred not to interfere. He told his wife:
“Don’t pay attention. Mom is just like that. She likes to talk.”
Natalya nodded, but inside she was boiling. Because she understood perfectly well: Galina Ivanovna was not merely making conversation. Her mother-in-law believed she had a right to that money. She believed Natalya had to share with her, since she had married her son.
But Natalya was not going to share with anyone. Because neither Galina Ivanovna nor anyone else had contributed a single kopeck to those savings. Every ruble was the result of her labor, her effort, and her refusal to spend on unnecessary things. She alone would decide what to spend it on.
The problem was that explaining this to her mother-in-law was impossible. Galina Ivanovna was not the kind of person who listened to other people’s arguments. For her, only her own view of the world existed, and it was impossible to change it.
So Natalya simply kept silent and waited for her mother-in-law to eventually leave her alone.
But Galina Ivanovna did not leave her alone.
One Saturday, the phone rang. Natalya was folding laundry after washing, and Oksana was watching cartoons in her room.
“Natashechka, it’s me, Galina Ivanovna,” a cheerful voice sounded through the phone. “Listen, I just decided I haven’t visited you in a while. May I stop by for tea today?”
Natalya froze. Her mother-in-law never called for no reason. And she certainly never asked permission to visit. Usually, she came whenever she pleased and behaved as if she owned the place.
“Of course, Galina Ivanovna,” Natalya answered, trying to speak calmly. “Come over.”
“I won’t be alone. I’ll bring Igorek with me. It’s more fun together, right?”
“All right, we’ll be glad to see you.”
Natalya hung up and frowned. Something was wrong. Igor usually went fishing on Saturdays or met with friends. And now, suddenly, he was coming over with his mother.
An hour later, the doorbell rang. Natalya opened the door. Igor and Galina Ivanovna were standing on the threshold with a bag of cookies.
“Here we are!” her mother-in-law announced and walked into the apartment without even taking off her shoes.
Igor shrugged and silently followed her inside.
Natalya showed the guests to the kitchen and put the kettle on. Galina Ivanovna sat down at the table and began telling some story about a neighbor. Igor sat silently, staring at his phone.
“Igor, help me for a second,” Natalya asked. “I need to get the jam from the refrigerator, but I can’t reach it.”
Her husband stood up and went to the refrigerator. Natalya set the table, arranged the cookies on a plate, and took out the cups. Galina Ivanovna continued talking without stopping for even a minute.
When Natalya turned away to pour water into the kettle, Igor and Galina Ivanovna exchanged glances. Quickly, almost imperceptibly. But Natalya noticed that look from the corner of her eye.
Something was wrong.
“Galina Ivanovna, are you staying long?” Natalya asked, turning toward her mother-in-law.
“No, not long. I just missed you. I want to see my granddaughter,” she replied with a smile.
“Oksana is in her room. Drawing.”
“Oh, I won’t disturb the child. Let her be creative.”
Natalya sat down at the table and poured tea into the cups. Galina Ivanovna started talking about her friend who had recently been to a sanatorium. Igor remained silent and looked out the window.
A few minutes later, Galina Ivanovna rose from the table.
“Oh, Natashechka, may I use the bathroom?”
“Of course,” Natalya nodded.
Her mother-in-law left the kitchen. Igor finished his tea and also stood up.
“I’ll go check on Oksana,” her husband said and headed toward the child’s room.
Natalya was left alone. She cleared the dishes, wiped the table, and thought about her own things. She noticed nothing suspicious.
At that moment, Natalya’s mother entered the apartment.
Vera Sergeyevna had arranged with her daughter that morning to take her granddaughter for a walk. Oksana loved walking with her grandmother. She bought her sweets and told her interesting stories.
Vera Sergeyevna opened the door with her key and entered the hallway. She took off her shoes and hung her coat on the rack.
“Natasha, it’s me!” Vera Sergeyevna said loudly. “I came for Oksana!”
Natalya came out of the kitchen.
“Hi, Mom! Come in. Oksana is in her room.”
“Do you have guests?” Vera Sergeyevna asked, noticing unfamiliar shoes in the hallway.
“Yes, Galina Ivanovna and Igor stopped by for tea.”
Vera Sergeyevna nodded and headed toward her granddaughter’s room. Passing by the bedroom, she noticed from the corner of her eye that the walk-in closet door was slightly open.
Strange. It was usually closed.
Vera Sergeyevna stopped and looked inside.
What she saw made her blood run cold.
Galina Ivanovna was standing beside the open safe, stuffing bundles of money into her bag. Her hands moved quickly and confidently. Igor stood beside her, holding the key to the safe.
Safes and lockable drawers.
Vera Sergeyevna did not immediately understand what was happening. For a second, she simply stared, trying to process what she was seeing. Then it hit her.
“What are you doing?!” Vera Sergeyevna said loudly, stepping into the walk-in closet.
Galina Ivanovna flinched and turned around. Igor turned pale.
“This is none of your business,” the mother-in-law snapped and continued putting money into her bag.
“What do you mean, none of my business?! You are stealing my daughter’s money!”
“Nobody is stealing anything. This is family money, and I am family,” Galina Ivanovna retorted.
Vera Sergeyevna turned around and shouted:
“Natasha! Come here immediately!”
Natalya heard her mother’s shout and rushed into the bedroom. What she saw in the walk-in closet shocked her.
“What is going on here?!” Natalya’s voice trembled.
Family.
“Your mother-in-law is dragging off our money!” Vera Sergeyevna grabbed Galina Ivanovna by the arm, trying to take the bag away.
“Don’t you dare!” Igor barked and shoved Vera Sergeyevna in the shoulder.
Natalya’s mother staggered and grabbed the wall to keep from falling.
“What are you doing?!” Natalya rushed to her mother. “Mom, are you all right?”
Vera Sergeyevna straightened up, her eyes flashing with fury.
“I’m fine. But what is happening here is outrageous!”
Galina Ivanovna zipped up her bag and turned to Natalya.
“My dear, don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. We simply took a little money. I need it, do you understand? I, the mother of your husband! And you’re here saving it, hiding it, being greedy!”
“That is my money!” Natalya shouted. “Mine! I earned it! Give it back immediately!”
“I won’t,” Galina Ivanovna answered calmly. “It is mine now. Igor, let’s go.”
Her husband silently moved toward the exit. Natalya blocked his way.
“Igor, what are you doing?! Explain this to me!”
“Natalya, move aside,” her husband said quietly, not looking her in the eyes.
“Igor, these are our savings! For renovations! For Oksana’s education!”
“Mom needs it. She needs it more.”
“Needs it?! What does she need it for?! She has a pension, an apartment, she lacks nothing!”
“That is none of your business,” Igor cut her off and pushed his wife aside with his hand.
Natalya grabbed her husband by the sleeve.
“Igor, come to your senses! This is a crime! This is theft!”
“What theft?” Galina Ivanovna smirked. “My son took the key and opened the safe. Everything is legal. We’re family, aren’t we, Igorek?”
Igor said nothing.
“Give back the money, or I’ll call the police!” Natalya’s voice rang with fury.
“Call them,” her mother-in-law said indifferently. “Only how will you prove we took anything? There are no witnesses.”
“There are! My mother saw everything!”
“Your mother?” Galina Ivanovna snorted contemptuously. “Who is going to listen to her? We’ll say she made it all up. Or that she’s gone senile in her old age.”
Vera Sergeyevna stepped forward.
“I have not gone senile. And I am a witness to the fact that you stole the money. I am ready to give testimony.”
“Testimony?” Galina Ivanovna laughed. “My dear, do you even understand what you’re saying? Igor is Natalya’s husband. He has a right to this money. And if he has a right to it, then there is no theft. So go away and stop getting in our way.”
Natalya stood there, unable to utter a word. Everything happening felt like a nightmare. Her husband, whom she had trusted, who knew how hard she had saved that money, had simply taken it and stolen it. For his mother. A woman who did not even need it.
Galina Ivanovna and Igor headed toward the exit. Natalya rushed after them.
“Stop!” Natalya shouted, running into the hallway after them. “Give the money back immediately!”
Galina Ivanovna did not even turn around. She was putting on her shoes, holding the bag under her arm. Igor silently opened the front door.
Vera Sergeyevna rushed forward and grabbed the mother-in-law by the arm, trying to snatch the bag away.
“Give it back right now! This is theft!”
“Get your hands off me!” Galina Ivanovna yanked the bag toward herself.
Vera Sergeyevna did not let go. Both women pulled the bag in different directions. The money inside rustled.
“Enough!” Igor roared.
Her husband grabbed Vera Sergeyevna by the shoulder and shoved her sharply to the side. Natalya’s mother lost her balance, stepped back, and crashed into a chair standing by the wall. The chair fell with a loud bang. Vera Sergeyevna lost her footing and collapsed to the floor.
“Mom!” Natalya rushed to her mother.
Vera Sergeyevna was lying on her side, clutching her wrist. Her face twisted in pain.
“What have you done?!” Natalya knelt beside her mother. “Mom, does it hurt?”
“My arm…” Vera Sergeyevna whispered. “I think I dislocated it…”
Natalya raised her head and looked at her husband. Igor stood in the doorway, pale, staring at his mother-in-law with wide eyes.
“Igor, you pushed my mother!” Natalya’s voice trembled with fury.
“I didn’t mean to… She herself…” her husband faltered.
“Herself?! She fell by herself?!”
“Come on already, Igorek,” his mother urged, adjusting the bag on her shoulder. “They’ll sort it out without us.”
Natalya could not believe her ears. Her mother-in-law had just stolen money, her husband had pushed her mother, and now they were simply going to leave. As if nothing had happened.
Vera Sergeyevna tried to get up, but groaned and sank back to the floor.
“Mom, don’t move,” Natalya carefully supported her mother under the arm.
“Natasha, call an ambulance,” Vera Sergeyevna said quietly. “I can’t move my arm.”
Natalya helped her mother lean against the wall. Then she straightened up and took out her phone. Her hands were shaking.
“What are you doing?” Igor asked, looking at his wife.
Natalya did not answer. She dialed a number and raised the phone to her ear.
“Hello, police? I want to report a theft. The address is Sadovaya Street, building twelve, apartment forty-three. A large sum of money has been stolen. The thieves are still here.”
Silence fell. Galina Ivanovna froze, staring at Natalya. Igor opened his mouth but said nothing.
“Yes, I’ll wait,” Natalya continued in a calm, almost cold voice. “Thank you.”
She hung up and looked at her husband and his mother.
“You are not going anywhere. You will wait for the police.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Galina Ivanovna laughed nervously. “What police? Igor is your husband! The money is common property! There is no theft!”
“The money is not common property,” Natalya cut her off. “The apartment is mine. I inherited it. The money is mine. I earned it. And it was kept in my safe. Which your son opened without my knowledge.”
Safes and lockable drawers.
“Natasha, you don’t understand…” Igor began.
“Be quiet,” his wife interrupted. “Just be quiet.”
Igor closed his mouth. Galina Ivanovna tightened her grip on the bag.
“I am leaving,” the mother-in-law declared and stepped toward the door.
“Stop.”
Natalya blocked her way. She stood in the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest.
“I said we are waiting for the police.”
“Move aside!” Galina Ivanovna tried to push Natalya away.
Natalya did not move.
“Try hitting me. Then assault will be added to theft. The camera saw everything.”
Galina Ivanovna froze.
“What camera?”
“The surveillance camera in the hallway,” Natalya answered calmly. “We installed it a month ago. Everything is being recorded. How you came in, how you went into the bedroom, how you carried the money out of the safe. And how my husband pushed my mother. Everything is on the recording.”
Her mother-in-law’s face turned pale. Igor sank onto the hallway sofa and covered his face with his hands.
“You’re bluffing,” Galina Ivanovna muttered.
“We’ll check when the police arrive.”
Vera Sergeyevna sat by the wall, holding her injured arm. She looked at her daughter with pride and pain at the same time.
Natalya approached her mother and crouched beside her.
“Mom, how is your arm?”
“It hurts. But it’s bearable.”
“Should I call an ambulance too?”
“I’ll wait for now. The main thing is not to move it.”
Natalya nodded and returned to the door. Galina Ivanovna stood in the middle of the hallway, clutching the bag. Igor sat with his head lowered.
From Oksana’s room came a child’s voice:
“Mom, when are Grandma and I going for a walk?”
“Soon, sweetheart,” Natalya answered. “Sit and draw for now.”
“Okay!”
The door to the child’s room was closed. Thank God her daughter had not seen that nightmare.
About ten minutes passed in complete silence. No one spoke. Galina Ivanovna shifted nervously from foot to foot. Igor sat there with his face buried in his palms.
Finally, the doorbell rang. Natalya opened it. Two police officers stood on the threshold — a middle-aged man and a young woman.
“Good afternoon. Did you call?” the man asked.
“Yes, come in.”
The officers entered the apartment and looked around.
“What happened?”
Natalya took a breath and began explaining. Her voice sounded even, emotionless, as though she were retelling someone else’s story.
“My mother-in-law and my husband stole a large sum of money from my safe. My mother caught them at the scene. When she tried to stop them, my husband pushed her. My mother fell and injured her arm. The money is currently in my mother-in-law’s bag.”
Safes and lockable drawers.
The officers exchanged glances. The woman took out a notebook.
“Let’s go in order. Who is who?”
Natalya pointed to her mother-in-law and husband.
“This is Galina Ivanovna, my mother-in-law. This is Igor, my husband. This is my mother, Vera Sergeyevna. And I am Natalya, the owner of the apartment.”
“Understood,” the policeman nodded. “And where is the stolen money?”
“In Galina Ivanovna’s bag.”
The policeman turned to the mother-in-law.
“Please show us the contents of your bag.”
“I won’t show you anything!” Galina Ivanovna flared up. “This is my money! My son gave it to me!”
“One moment,” the policeman interrupted. “Your son gave you money from his wife’s safe? Without her consent?”
“The money is common property! We are family!”
“Family or not, let’s sort this out,” the policeman said calmly. “Whose apartment is this?”
“Mine,” Natalya answered. “I inherited it from my grandmother. I can show the ownership certificate.”
“All right. Whose money was in the safe?”
“Mine. I saved it for seven years. My husband knew about it, but he had nothing to do with the savings.”
“Understood. Who opened the safe?”
“My husband. He took the key without my knowledge from my dresser.”
The policeman looked at Igor.
“Is that true?”
Igor was silent. Then he nodded.
“Why did you take the key?”
“Mom asked…”
“Asked you to steal money from your wife?”
“Not steal! Just borrow it… She said she would return it…”
“Did your wife know about this loan?”
Igor fell silent.
“So she did not,” the policeman concluded. “All right. Where is the surveillance camera?”
Natalya pointed to the corner of the hallway. A small camera was indeed hanging there.
“Is the recording saved?”
“Yes. To a flash drive. I can show you.”
“Please show us.”
Natalya went into the room, took a flash drive from a desk drawer, returned, and handed it to the policeman.
“Here. Everything is recorded there. How they came in, how they went into the walk-in closet, how they opened the safe, how they took the money. And how my husband pushed my mother.”
Safes and lockable drawers.
The policeman took the flash drive and put it in his pocket.
“All right. Now, Galina Ivanovna, I ask you to show us the contents of the bag.”
“I will not!”
“Then we will have to seize the bag by force. According to the law, if there is suspicion of theft, we have the right to conduct an inspection.”
Galina Ivanovna stood there, clutching the bag. Her face reddened, her eyes shining with anger.
“Galina Ivanovna, don’t make the situation worse,” the female officer said gently. “Show us the bag voluntarily.”
The mother-in-law stood there a little longer. Then she abruptly thrust the bag toward the policeman.
“Here! Take it!”
The policeman opened the bag. Inside lay thick bundles of banknotes. Many bundles.
“Is this the money?” the policeman asked Natalya.
“Yes. My savings.”
“Approximately how much?”
Natalya named the amount. The policeman nodded.
“We will have to count everything and document it. Galina Ivanovna, do you admit that you took this money from the safe?”
“I didn’t take it! My son gave it to me!”
“All right. Igor, did you give your mother this money?”
Her husband nodded.
“From your wife’s safe?”
Another nod.
“Did your wife give permission?”
Silence.
“I see,” the policeman sighed. “Then this is indeed theft. We are seizing the money. We will draw up a report. Everyone will come to the station.”
“What do you mean, to the station?!” Galina Ivanovna shrieked. “I am not going anywhere!”
“I’m afraid you will have to. A theft report has been filed, there is evidence, and there are witnesses. Everything must be officially documented.”
Natalya approached her mother and helped her stand.
“Mom, maybe we should call an ambulance after all?”
“Yes,” Vera Sergeyevna nodded. “My arm has gone completely numb.”
Natalya called emergency services. She explained the situation and gave the address.
“They’re coming,” she said to her mother. “Sit for now. I’m right here.”
The police officers drew up the report. They wrote down statements. Galina Ivanovna grew angry and tried to justify herself, but the officers listened silently and continued writing.
Igor sat on the sofa, looking at the floor. He did not say a word.
When the report was ready, the policeman turned to Natalya.
“Will you file a theft complaint?”
“Yes.”
“And for causing bodily injury to your mother?”
Natalya looked at her husband. Igor raised his head and met her gaze. His eyes were pleading.
“Yes,” Natalya said firmly. “I will.”
Igor lowered his head.
“All right. Then come to the station tomorrow, and we will complete everything officially. Here is the address.” The policeman handed her a business card.
Natalya took the card and nodded.
“Thank you.”
“For now, Galina Ivanovna and Igor will come with us. We need to take their statements.”
“I am not going!” the mother-in-law shouted.
“I’m afraid you have no choice,” the policeman answered calmly.
The ambulance arrived. The doctors examined Vera Sergeyevna and put a splint on her arm. They advised her to go to the trauma clinic for an X-ray.
“It looks like a fracture,” the doctor said. “Better to check.”
Vera Sergeyevna agreed. Natalya got ready to go with her mother.
The police took Galina Ivanovna and Igor away. The mother-in-law left, loudly protesting. Igor silently followed the officers.
When the door closed, Natalya leaned against the wall and shut her eyes. Her whole body was trembling.
“Natasha, you did well,” Vera Sergeyevna said quietly. “You did the right thing.”
Natalya opened her eyes and looked at her mother.
“Mom, forgive me. You got hurt because of me.”
“Nonsense. I got involved myself. The main thing is that you didn’t let them hurt you.”
Natalya hugged her mother carefully, trying not to touch the injured arm. They stood like that for several seconds.
“Let’s go to the hospital,” Natalya said. “We’ll check your arm.”
Vera Sergeyevna nodded.
Natalya went into her daughter’s room. Oksana was sitting at the table, drawing.
“Sweetheart, Grandma needs to go to the hospital. We’ll be back soon, all right? Can you stay alone for a little while?”
“What happened to Grandma?” the girl asked anxiously.
“She fell and hurt her arm. Nothing terrible. We’ll check it and come back.”
“Okay, Mom. I’ll draw.”
Natalya kissed her daughter on the top of her head and left.
At the trauma clinic, they took an X-ray. The diagnosis was confirmed — a fracture of the radius bone. They put a cast on her arm. The doctor prescribed painkillers and told her to come back in a week for a follow-up X-ray.
When they returned home, it was already dark. Oksana met them in the hallway.
“Grandma, does it hurt?” the girl asked, looking at the cast.
“A little. But it will pass soon,” Vera Sergeyevna smiled.
“I’ll draw you a picture! So you’ll feel happier!”
“Thank you, sweetheart.”
Natalya put her daughter to bed. She read her a fairy tale and kissed her goodnight. Oksana fell asleep quickly, tired from the day.
Vera Sergeyevna settled on the sofa in the living room.
“Natasha, I’ll stay the night here, if you don’t mind. My arm hurts. I don’t want to sit alone at home.”
“Of course, Mom. Stay.” Natalya brought a pillow and a blanket.
Her mother lay down and covered herself. Natalya sat beside her.
“Mom, thank you. If not for you, I wouldn’t have found out about the theft.”
“It’s good I came in time,” Vera Sergeyevna sighed. “What are you going to do now?”
“I don’t know. Tomorrow I’ll go to the police and file the complaint. And then… then we’ll see.”
“Are you going to divorce Igor?”
Natalya was silent for a moment.
“I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it yet. But to keep living with him… I can’t. Not after what happened.”
“I understand. It’s a difficult decision.”
“Mom, he pushed you. For the sake of his mother. Who was stealing. How can I trust him after that?”
Vera Sergeyevna took her daughter’s hand.
“Natasha, do what you think is right. I will support you either way.”
“Thank you, Mom.”
Natalya kissed her mother on the cheek and went to her bedroom. She lay down on the bed without undressing and stared at the ceiling.
It had been a hard day. The hardest day of her life.
Her husband had betrayed her. He had stolen money. He had pushed her mother. And he had not even apologized. He had simply stayed silent and stared at the floor.
Natalya understood: there was no way back. It was impossible to continue living with Igor. Trust had been destroyed. And without trust, what kind of family was that?
Family.
The next day, Natalya went to the police. She filed a theft complaint. She gave the investigator the flash drive with the surveillance footage. The investigator watched the recording and nodded.
“Everything is clear. We will open a case. There will be an investigation.”
“And what about my husband?” Natalya asked.
“He may also face liability. Complicity in theft. Plus causing bodily injury to your mother.”
Natalya nodded.
“All right. Thank you.”
When she returned home, she found her husband in the bedroom. Igor was packing his things into a bag.
“Where are you going?” Natalya asked.
“To my mother’s. For now,” her husband answered quietly.
“All right.”
Igor raised his head and looked at his wife.
“Natasha, I…”
“Don’t,” Natalya interrupted. “Just leave. And leave the keys.”
Igor took the set of keys from his pocket and placed it on the dresser.
“Natasha, forgive me. I didn’t want everything to turn out like this…”
“Igor, you pushed my mother. So that your mother could steal my money. Did you think about that?”
Her husband was silent.
“Pack your things. I don’t live with people who protect theft.”
Igor nodded. He finished packing his bag and took his jacket.
“I’ll call,” her husband said.
“Don’t.”
Igor left. The door closed. Natalya remained alone.
A week passed. The investigation moved forward. Galina Ivanovna was questioned, and the money was seized as physical evidence. Igor also had to give a statement.
Natalya received a certificate from the police confirming that a criminal case had been opened. She took the document and went to the registry office. She filed for divorce.
Oksana took the news of the divorce calmly. Natalya explained to her daughter that Dad would now live separately. The girl nodded and asked nothing. Apparently, she sensed that something serious had happened.
A month later, the trial took place. Galina Ivanovna was found guilty of theft. She received a suspended sentence and was ordered to return the money. Igor was fined for complicity and for causing bodily injury.
The money was returned in full. Natalya put it back in the safe. She changed the lock on the safe and bought a new key.
Safes and lockable drawers.
The divorce was finalized three months later. Igor did not object. The apartment remained Natalya’s, as it should by law, since she had inherited it.
Natalya stood by the window and looked out at the autumn courtyard. Leaves fell from the trees, and the wind chased them across the asphalt. The sky was gray, but there was no rain.
The apartment had become quieter. Calmer. No one interfered with advice, no one hinted at money, no one demanded that she share.
Vera Sergeyevna came into the living room, holding her arm in a cast.
“Natasha, will you have tea?”
“Yes, Mom, thank you.”
Her mother went to the kitchen. Natalya heard dishes clinking and water running.
Oksana sat at the table and drew. She was drawing a new picture for her grandmother. With flowers and butterflies.
Natalya smiled. Life goes on. Yes, it had been painful. It had been frightening. It had been hurtful. But the main thing was that justice had prevailed. The thieves had been punished. The money had been returned. And she herself had understood who could be trusted and who could not.
Trust is worth more than money. And people who are ready to betray for money do not deserve a place in one’s life.
