Mom, where are you?” Lena exclaimed, noticing the empty apartment and the absent look in her little brother Vanechka’s eyes, who had just come home from school. “She’s gone. Didn’t answer her phone, and there’s no note,” added Vera from the doorway, Lena’s older sister, who had also stopped by to visit their mother. They … Read more
Vanya woke up earlier than usual. The room was dark and cool, the cold draught coming from the window. He pulled the blanket up to his chin and closed his eyes for a moment, but sleep did not return. Outside, it was November—gray and chilly. The streets of the village were deserted, and it seemed … Read more
Diana always felt that she had been incredibly fortunate from birth. She grew up in a family of entrepreneurs and never wanted for anything. After finishing school, her parents got her into a prestigious university, and then she started working at the family business. Needless to say, she had her own apartment and car right … Read more
Oh, wait, Katya! Someone is ringing the doorbell. I’ll call you back after I find out who it is and why they’re here,” Lyudmila reluctantly interrupted her phone conversation with her old friend, who was vividly and humorously telling her about her mother-in-law’s recent anniversary. Lyudmila was laughing non-stop as if she were watching a … Read more
Will you stay at your parents’ tonight?” her husband asked casually. “We need to free up the apartment.” Sveta smiled and nodded. Another woman in her place might have demanded an explanation or at least asked why her husband needed the apartment for the evening. But it was Sveta and Igor’s wedding anniversary, … Read more
I never thought I would find myself in this situation—planning revenge against my own husband. Life sometimes presents twists that make it feel like you’ve been thrown out of your familiar reality. I developed a plan for retribution after his words at the holiday dinner, and every second of waiting was unbearably oppressive. Something … Read more
Darling, my friends are inviting me on a trip to Astrakhan. It’s only for a couple of weeks. I’ve cleared it at work, but how are things at home? There’ll be tents, fishing…I haven’t caught anything in ages,” Mikhail began the conversation with Irina one evening. The couple had gotten married a year ago, … Read more
In the complete silence of the room, the phone emitted a short beep, illuminating the ceiling with a cold blue light. It was two in the morning. Larisa carefully reached for the nightstand, trying not to disturb her husband, but Viktor had already propped himself up on his elbow, his eyes wide open. “Who … Read more
— “I have a small child, where are we supposed to climb!?” Anna’s voice, a young woman with a tired face, sounded sharp, yet also carried a note of desperation. — “And you suggest an old woman like me climb up there?!” Tatiana Arkadievna’s voice, dry and categorical, cut through the stuffiness of the train … Read more
Christina fell in love at first sight with a modest green house on the edge of the village. Very convenient location. A half-hour drive and you’re in the city. Of course, the house needs a lot of work. The yard and garden are overgrown with weeds. The roof needs replacing. Everything is very old and … Read more