Vera lifted the laptop lid and checked the time—ten in the morning. In half an hour, an online meeting with clients was supposed to start. Vera worked as a freelance graphic designer; her clients were scattered across different time zones, so her workday started early and ended late. But try explaining that to her mother-in-law. […]
Продолжение...
Yana stood in the doorway of the apartment, holding the last box of her things. Alexei blocked her path, his face twisted with outrage. “I ALREADY EXPLAINED IT TO YOU. The divorce is finalized, the property’s divided. Your mother’s loan is not my problem.” “But you knew about that loan! We went to the bank […]
Продолжение...
Natasha saw the photo in her feed by accident. Vika next to a brand-new foreign car — white, with a red bow on the hood. The caption read: “Thank you, Mom and Dad! Now I can get to the kids faster!” Car dealership Her knuckles turned white. Natasha squeezed the phone in her hand. She […]
Продолжение...
Get out of here!” Marina’s voice trembled like a thin string about to snap. She stood in the doorway, barefoot, hair disheveled, clutching a bundle of children’s toys. At her feet—suitcases jutting out at odd angles, as if thrown together in a hurry. And opposite her—a whole delegation: her mother-in-law with a frozen smile, her […]
Продолжение...
Nadya woke up that morning with a bad feeling. Ten years. A round number. A tin wedding anniversary—at least that’s what Wikipedia said. Though who the hell came up with those names anyway? Tin. As if it were something fragile, easy to melt. Gift baskets She lay there, staring at the ceiling, thinking: I […]
Продолжение...
I knew this conversation would happen sooner or later. Dmitry was sitting in the kitchen, turning a cup of cold coffee in his hands and clearly trying to work up his nerve. In ten years of marriage I’d learned to read him like an open book—especially when it came to his sister, Olga. — […]
Продолжение...
Raisa stepped off the bus that had brought her and her husband from the village into the city. She looked around and then happily walked a few steps, stretching her legs that had gone numb during the trip. After her, her husband Vasily tumbled out of the warm belly of the bus into the frosty […]
Продолжение...
I am not cleaning up this mess after your guests!” Karina snapped. “I didn’t invite them, didn’t feed them, and didn’t pour their drinks.” Alexei flinched at the sharpness in his wife’s voice and guiltily looked at the havoc in the gazebo. Empty bottles were lying under the benches, puddles of spilled beer had dried […]
Продолжение...
So here’s what I was thinking… Let’s give the apartment to Irka. And we’ll crash at your mother’s place for a while,” Vitaliy said without looking up from his phone, poking at his cutlet with a fork. Olga froze with her cup of tea halfway to her lips. Outside, the rain was drumming against the […]
Продолжение...
“So? Are we going to the seaside?” Anya raised her eyes to her husband, who was intently studying the calendar on the kitchen wall. “Of course we are,” Vlad smiled, though not very confidently. “I talked to my parents yesterday. As usual, they’re getting vouchers for the Sea Breeze resort, two weeks in July.” “And […]
Продолжение...