Anna was stunned. What she accidentally overheard today, having arrived unannounced at her mother-in-law’s place, was terrible. She couldn’t leave it like this. She needed to act, and swiftly and decisively at that!
«How could it be? Could I have been so wrong for all these years? Did I really trust a scoundrel and a traitor?» she said to herself, rushing back home without telling her mother-in-law that she had visited.
Today was Anna’s last day of vacation. After finishing all the tasks she had planned for the day, she decided to visit her mother-in-law, Galina Gennadievna. She had promised several days ago that she would help iron and hang curtains in the living room.
«Anya, I need your help. I already took down the curtains, washed them in the machine. Now they need to be hung up. You know I have back and arm pain, and the curtains are heavy. I can’t manage alone. You’re on vacation now anyway, so please help me,» she had asked Anya days ago.
«Galina Gennadievna, wouldn’t it be easier to call a professional from a cleaning service? They’ll do everything quickly and efficiently. They could even wash the windows,» Anna suggested, not wanting to spend even a day of her precious short vacation dealing with her mother-in-law.
«What! That would be so expensive! I’m not used to throwing money around. I don’t have the income to afford that,» Galina Gennadievna replied displeasedly.
«I’ll give you whatever it takes,» Anya even decided to make such a sacrifice to avoid losing a whole day of her vacation.
«No need. I can’t stand strangers in my apartment. Come and help me when it’s convenient for you. I’m not rushing you, Anna,» the mother-in-law was unyielding.
And so today, she decided it was time to go to her husband’s mother and help her with the curtains.
She called Galina Gennadievna to let her know she was coming, but got no response.
«Fine, I’ll go anyway. She’s home anyway, nowhere else to go,» Anna decided.
She dialed her husband’s number, who was at work, wanting to say that she might stay late at her mother-in-law’s today. But he didn’t answer either.
«They don’t want to talk to me. Well, fine,» Anna said to herself and drove to her mother-in-law’s.
How surprised she was when she saw her husband’s car near the five-story building where Galina Gennadievna lived.
«What the heck! Why is Dmitry here? Did he also come to hang curtains?» Anna asked herself, surprised. «Well, let’s find out what he’s doing at his mother’s during work hours.»
Anna went up to the third floor, where the apartment was located. The door was ajar, and she could hear bits of conversation between her husband and his mother. Strangely, a baby stroller stood by the door.
«Strange, why is the door open? Whose stroller is this? The neighbors forgot it? What is going on here?» Anna thought.
She entered and stopped in the hallway because she decided to eavesdrop on the emotional conversation between Dmitry and Galina Gennadievna.
But what happened next made Anna literally press herself into the gap between a narrow cabinet and the wall in the hallway. Her mother-in-law periodically stored various boxes and packaging there, disassembled, saying everything would come in handy around the house. Fortunately, this space was free now, and slender Anya easily hid there, thanking fate that the room was dimly lit.
Listening in, she realized that besides her husband and his mother, there was another woman in the room. And most paradoxically and surprisingly, there was the presence of a small child who was constantly whining, distracting the adults from their serious conversation.
«No, how do you imagine this, Dima? Housing them at my place is one thing. But how am I supposed to explain this to your wife? She’s not stupid and knows very well how I feel about strangers in my home,» the mother-in-law spoke discontentedly. «I don’t like your idea.»
«Oh, why make a problem out of nothing? Just say, we’re short on money, so you decided to let lodgers in,» Dmitry was teaching her. «Besides, it’s only for two or three months, no more.»
«With a small child? You think this is the best option? Look what a spoiled rascal he is, listens to no one,» the mother-in-law’s voice indicated she was not thrilled about what was happening.
«Just say that some acquaintances asked you. What do I have to teach you?» Dmitry was also nervous.
«I told you, Dima, a long time ago, to buy us an apartment with Zhorik. As soon as he was born, I asked you then. But you didn’t care about us. And now here we are, wandering from place to place like hobos,» the stranger interjected. «And your own child is suffering.»
«What? Whose own child is suffering? What did I just hear?» Anna was shocked and was about to come out of her hiding to confront her husband and this stranger.
But something held her back. Probably the desire to learn more details about her own husband’s vile betrayal.
«Well, what apartment? You know my situation, Vika. I even struggled to find money for your studio’s rent. And now I have to house you with my mother. We need to wait. We all need to wait,» Dmitry was convincing his lo.ver.
«Wow! So they’re all in cahoots! And the mother-in-law, who always smiled at me to my face, knew that her son had another woman and child on the side. What cynicism! What filth!» Anna barely restrained her emotions.
«And how are they going to live here? Look what he’s doing? He’s a disobedient boy! You better raise the child properly, darling!» Anna heard the indignant voice of the mother-in-law.
«Oh, you think I’m eager to live here! That’s funny! Living with a completely stranger auntie is such a pleasure,» the brazen Vika started arguing with the mother-in-law.
«Look at her nerve! Dima, couldn’t you find a better woman? She’s humiliating your mother!» Galina Gennadievna spoke loudly.
«Stop it! What are you really thinking about now? We need to think about how to convince Anya to sell her apartment, and give me the money. I’ve already started discussing with her that we need to open our own business. A car repair shop, for example, with a car wash. That I can’t keep going on these business trips, living who knows where for a month, to earn at least a decent amount of money.
«Well, and what does she say?» Vika was interested. «Agreed?»
«Well, what about her? Obviously, she’s reluctant to sell the apartment she got from her parents. And to give all the money to me for the business. It’s risky. And the wife understands that very well. I even tell her that for some time we’ll have to rent a small apartment until the business starts making a profit. And only then can we afford to buy ourselves decent housing,» Dmitry continued.
«Not you, but we with you!» his lo.ver clarified.
«Yeah, us. Us with you and the child. For you, I’m trying. Otherwise, why would I come up with all this? You think it’s that easy? Think again!» Dmitry said cynically.
At some point, Anna felt sick. She even thought she might faint right there, in the mother-in-law’s hallway.
Holding back her accelerated heartbeat and trying to breathe evenly, she quietly emerged from her hiding place and left the apartment.
Anna decided not to show these three that she now knew everything. That she heard every word they said against her. No, she wouldn’t tell them anything. She would act differently.
Having caught her breath outside and feeling some relief, Anna went home. There was much to think through and endure. And to make the only right decision in such a difficult situation.
«Why are they doing this to me? Was I a bad wife and daughter-in-law? Didn’t I love my husband and respect my mother-in-law? Is it all because I couldn’t bear a child during five years of marriage? But that’s not a sentence. And is it right—to run to the side and impregnate the first woman you meet just because the wife can’t get pregnant yet? Anna had suggested to her husband—more than once—to adopt a child. And even suggested doing IVF. But Dmitry refused. He brushed her off like an annoying fly, repeating the same phrase every time: don’t worry, I don’t really need this.
No, she wanted a child, very much so. But for some reason, she believed her husband, thinking he really wasn’t ready for fatherhood and didn’t suffer much from the lack of children.
Anna was a strong woman. She realized this after losing both parents one after the other. Having endured their loss with great difficulty, she decided that she would live, no matter what. And she would try to be happy, for their memory.
Meeting Dmitry, Anna decided that this was exactly the person with whom she could bravely go through life. He was caring and attentive, convinced her that only he could love her as no one else could. And only he would make her happy.
«He did, tried very hard, it seems,» Anna said with a bitter smile.
But what shocked the woman more than the betrayal and infidelity of close people was the cynicism with which her husband was preparing to strip her to the bone. To leave her without housing and leave with her money to another woman.
«That’s not happening, dear!» she said confidently.
In the evening, Dmitry returned from work. He behaved as usual. Hugged his wife, pecked her on the cheek, asked what was for dinner. After eating, he went to sleep. Said he was very tired from work.
Anna barely held back from showing that she knew everything.
The next day, her husband again talked about selling the apartment.
«Anya, let’s decide already. We’ll endure a couple of years in a rental, but then we’ll live like people—we’ll have our own business, and we’ll buy another apartment—a big, new one. Then we can plan for children,» her husband persuaded her, choosing the most convincing words.
«Okay, I’ll think about it. Maybe you’re right. It’s time to change something in our lives,» Anna replied dryly to Dmitry. «When you return from your business trip, we’ll deal with this issue.»
«Really! That’s great, that’s right! Maybe you could look for buyers for your apartment in the meantime? So as not to waste time. And I’ll return and start negotiating the purchase of the car repair shop. Okay?»
Dmitry was happy and did not hide his joy. He could not even imagine that everything could be resolved so easily with his wife.
Two days later, the husband went on a business trip for two weeks. And Anna, without wasting a minute, began to act.
She contacted a girl she knew, a realtor, and asked her to find buyers for her apartment. After going to work, Anna wrote a resignation letter. And then she hastily started advertising the sale of furniture and appliances. It was surprising, but the entire apartment’s furnishings were sold in just a few days. And at a good price. Thus, by the time the first buyers came to see the apartment, it was practically empty.
The woman sold her parents’ apartment to a nice elderly couple who gave a good price for it.
The only thing left was to file for divorce. Anna did this on the last day before leaving for a major regional city, where her friend from college lived.
Lily had long invited Anna to move closer to her. She promised to employ her in her company, as such specialists were needed everywhere. Anna had already asked her friend to look for an apartment. The woman planned to buy herself a home with the money from the sale upon arrival. And start a new life. Far from all scoundrels and traitors.
Dmitry, returning from the business trip, tried to call her, but Anna blocked her ex-husband’s number. She enjoyed imagining his face when in her apartment he saw completely strangers, asserting that it was now their apartment.
Served him right! That’s the only way to deal with scoundrels. And Anna now had an interesting new life in the big city. And everything would be fine for her. The main thing is not to despair and believe in the best.
