For a long time, Elena and Vasily’s married life passed without any major upheavals. Fortunately, the mother-in-law kept her distance from the couple, much to the delight of the young wife. Zhanna Mikhailovna possessed a rather authoritarian character, having become accustomed to commanding her son and considering him her personal assistant. However, once Vasily decided […]
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Yulia stopped the car a block away from her mother-in-law’s house. The clock read 5:45 PM – she had arrived earlier than scheduled. “Maybe she’ll finally appreciate my punctuality,” she thought as she smoothed out the wrinkles in her new dress. The gift was carefully wrapped on the back seat – an antique brooch she had […]
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Marina froze in the middle of the kitchen, unable to believe her ears. The words her husband had carelessly tossed out a minute ago simply wouldn’t register in her mind. They rang with such blatant disdain, such certainty in his own rightness, that for an instant she thought it must be a bad dream. Surely […]
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On the day of Yekaterina and Aleksandr’s wedding, a mysterious old woman appeared at their driveway, ready to read Yekaterina’s palm. Yekaterina, who did not believe in such things, was skeptical… until the old woman revealed details that simply could not have been fabricated. The morning of my wedding was exactly how I had always […]
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Are you seriously deciding to invite your mom to live with us without my consent?» I blurted out irritably, feeling everything inside boiling with outrage. Andrey froze with his coffee cup halfway to his mouth. Outside, a light autumn rain began to fall, droplets tapping on the ledge, creating a tense accompaniment to our conversation. […]
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The phone rang at ten in the evening when Masha had already dozed off over her book. Pavel was tinkering with yet another washing machine in the kitchen—he often took work home to earn extra money. «Pash, it’s your phone,» Masha reached for the smartphone lying on the nightstand. «Mom is calling.» Pavel came out […]
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«And she spent the whole bonus? The entire amount? That much money?» Lydia Gavrilovna asked in surprise. «You said Galya would pay for our trip to the Shishkins! I’ve already promised them that we would come. What’s going on?» — «I don’t know, all of it or half. Mom, why are you starting this again?» […]
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When Natalia returned home, she found her husband, Nikita, in a very anxious state. He was pacing nervously from one corner to another, constantly dialing a number on his phone. “Hi, honey,” Natalia said casually, pretending not to notice her husband’s tension. “What’s for dinner?” It was as though Nikita didn’t hear her; he went […]
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Maria stared absently out the window. Her fingers were gently stroking the photograph in its frame. An old snapshot showed Tamara Ivanovna smiling back at her. Aunt Tamara had been the only person to support Masha after her parents died. Even this apartment was the last gift from Aunt Tamara. Every corner reminded her of […]
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Anna looked at the mess in the living room. Empty bottles, dirty plates, crumbs, and ashes on the couch—an all-too-familiar sight after another of Dmitry’s get-togethers. The clock read three in the morning, yet loud music and raucous laughter still filled the apartment. How had the neighbors not shown up yet? Anna rubbed her temples, […]
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