— A loving wife would give the car to her husband, — he was offended that my parents had given me a car.
Yana looked up sharply when a banking notification appeared on her phone. Another transfer. Another expense. Valery had spent money again without warning her.
— Valera, what is this transfer for one hundred thousand? — her voice sounded tense.
— Oh, that? — her husband didn’t look away from the computer. — New equipment for work. You know the old stuff is completely useless.
— Equipment? — Yana slowly rose from the sofa. — For one hundred thousand?
Indignation boiled inside her. First it was three hundred thousand on some courses. Then two hundred thousand on “important tools.” It was always the same story.
— Yana, don’t start again, — Valery finally turned around. — It’s an investment in our future.
— An investment? — her voice trembled with barely restrained anger. — Valera, we live in a rented apartment! We don’t even have any decent savings!
— So what now? Are we supposed to save our whole lives and never spend anything?
Yana paced around the room, trying to calm herself down. But every step only made her anger stronger. How could someone be so irresponsible? They dreamed of owning a home and had planned to build up their savings. And he simply threw money away left and right.
— Valera, we had an agreement! — she stopped in front of her husband. — Major purchases only after we discuss them!
— Yes, yes, we agreed, — he waved his hand dismissively. — You’re against spending money on anything anyway.
— I’m against pointless spending!
Valery grimaced and turned back toward the screen. That gesture always drove Yana mad. Ignoring her. Showing complete disregard for her opinion.
— Valera, I’m talking to you! — her voice became sharper.
— I hear you, I hear you, — he muttered. — Another lecture about what a terrible person I am.
— Not terrible. Irresponsible!
Yana sat on the edge of the armchair, clenching her fists. How could she explain to him that money didn’t grow on trees? That every hundred thousand he spent pushed them farther away from having a home of their own?
— Valera, calculate it yourself, — she pulled out her phone. — During the last three months, you’ve spent six hundred thousand. Six hundred!
— So what? — he finally turned toward his wife. — Money exists to be spent.
— On reasonable things! — Yana jumped to her feet. — Not to throw it away on nonsense!
Valery frowned. Apparently, he didn’t like his wife’s tone.
— It’s not nonsense! — he stood up as well. — These are necessary things for development!
— Development of what? — her voice was almost hysterical. — Your fantasies?
The tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Yana could see her husband growing angry, but she could no longer stop herself. The emotions that had built up inside her demanded to be released.
— You know what, Valera? — she walked toward the window and looked at the neighboring buildings. — If it weren’t for your constant spending, we would have bought an apartment already. We’d be living in our own place instead of renting someone else’s!
The words escaped before she could stop them. Yana immediately realized she had gone too far. A heavy silence filled the room.
— I see, — Valery’s voice became cold. — So I’m the reason we’re still renting.
— Valera, that’s not what I meant…
— No, you said exactly what you meant, — he began pacing around the room. — A bad husband. A loser. Keeping his wife from living in her own apartment.
Yana turned toward him. There was hurt in her husband’s eyes. Real, deep hurt. The anger inside her faded slightly, replaced by anxiety.
— Valera, I’m sorry, — she tried to approach him. — I said it in the heat of the moment.
— In the heat of the moment? — he gave a bitter laugh. — Or is that what you’ve been thinking for a long time?
The following days passed in strained silence. Valery barely spoke to his wife. He answered her with single words and avoided eye contact. Yana tortured herself over what she had said, but pride prevented her from being the first to make peace.
Her birthday was approaching. Usually, they planned the celebration in advance. But now even mentioning it felt awkward.
On the morning of her birthday, Yana woke up to the ringing of her phone.
— Happy birthday, sweetheart! — her mother’s voice sounded festive. — Get ready, we’re coming to see you!
— Mom, what happened? — Yana sat up in bed.
— You’ll see, — her mother laughed mysteriously. — Get dressed and be downstairs in half an hour!
Yana exchanged a glance with Valery. Her husband shrugged, but curiosity flickered in his eyes. It was the first normal emotion she had seen from him in several days.
Her parents were standing near the entrance to the apartment building with broad smiles on their faces. Beside them stood a gleaming brand-new car.
— Mom, Dad, what is this? — Yana could hardly breathe.
— Your present, sweetheart, — her father held out the keys. — Happy birthday!
Yana took the keys with trembling hands. The brand-new car sparkled in the sunlight. It was the gift of her dreams. Her parents hugged their daughter and congratulated her.
— Mom, Dad, this is too expensive, — her voice trembled with overwhelming emotion.
— Nothing is too much for our princess, — her mother stroked her cheek. — You deserve it.
— The documents have already been registered in your name, — her father added. — The car belongs entirely to you.
Yana looked toward Valery. Her husband stood aside, studying the car. His expression was difficult to read. Happiness seemed mixed with some strange tension.
— Valera, you’re happy, aren’t you? — she walked over to him. — Now we won’t have to squeeze onto buses every day.
— Of course I’m happy, — he forced a smile. — It’s a beautiful car.
Something in her husband’s tone made Yana uneasy. But her parents were already inviting them to a birthday lunch, and the rest of the day passed in cheerful excitement.
The problems started the following morning.
Yana was getting ready for work and picked up the car keys.
— Where do you think you’re going? — Valery blocked her way.
— To work, — she looked at her husband in surprise. — Why?
— In my car? — his voice sounded tense.
Yana froze. Her stomach tightened with surprise. What did he mean by “his” car? The car had been given to her. The documents were in her name.
— Valera, the car is mine, — she slowly pronounced each word. — My parents gave it to me.
— They gave it to the family, — he crossed his arms over his chest. — And in a family, the man is in charge.
— What are you talking about? — her voice became sharper. — It was a personal gift to me. For my birthday.
Valery grimaced as if his wife had said something indecent.
— Yana, a woman behind the wheel is dangerous, — he adopted a patronizing tone. — Accident statistics speak for themselves.
— What statistics? — her indignation grew with every second. — Valera, I’ve had my driver’s license for ten years!
— Having a license is one thing. Real driving skills are another.
Yana stood there unable to believe what she was hearing. Where had these ridiculous accusations come from? She had driven her parents’ car many times. She had never been in an accident. And now her husband had suddenly decided that she was incapable of driving.
— Valera, I don’t understand, — she tried to remain calm. — Yesterday you were happy about the gift. And today you’re forbidding me from using it?
— I’m not forbidding you, — he shrugged. — I just think it would be more sensible for the man to control the car.
— Control it? — her voice dropped almost to a whisper. — It’s my gift, Valera.
That was where the conversation ended. Yana still drove her car to work, but the unpleasant feeling remained.
That evening, Valery once again brought up the subject of the “family car.”
The situation became worse a week later when Valery’s mother came to visit.
Galina Petrovna had never been known for tact, but that day she outdid herself.
— Yanochka, dear, — her mother-in-law sat down at the kitchen table. — I need to talk to you.
— Of course, — Yana poured tea, already anticipating an unpleasant conversation.
— You understand that a car is a great responsibility, — Galina Petrovna began. — Especially for a young woman.
Yana placed the cup down with a noticeable clink. Anger was already boiling inside her. Had her mother-in-law also decided to interfere in her personal affairs?
— Galina Petrovna, I drive perfectly well, — her voice was calm but cold.
— Of course, dear, — her mother-in-law smiled patronizingly. — But still, a man is more reliable behind the wheel.
— What exactly are you trying to say? — Yana’s patience was running out.
Galina Petrovna cleared her throat and began stirring sugar into her tea. She looked as though she were about to announce something extremely important.
— I think you should make Valera a co-owner, — she finally said what she had come to say. — It would be more proper that way.
— A co-owner? — Yana almost choked on her tea. — Galina Petrovna, the car was given personally to me.
— But you’re a married woman, — her mother-in-law continued pressuring her. — Everything in a family should be shared.
Yana stood up from the table. Her legs were trembling with anger. How could someone be so shameless? Demanding that another person’s gift be transferred partly into her son’s name?
— Galina Petrovna, — she slowly turned toward her mother-in-law. — The car will remain registered in my name. And that is not up for discussion.
— Yanochka, don’t get so worked up, — her mother-in-law pursed her lips. — Think about the well-being of your family.
— I am thinking about it, — Yana’s voice was firm. — And I believe everyone should own what was given to them personally.
The conversation ended there.
But the atmosphere at home became unbearable. Valery openly supported his mother. Yana felt like an outsider in her own family.
Two weeks later, a heavy downpour began one evening.
Yana was at home preparing dinner. Valery was supposed to return from work by seven.
At half past seven, the front door flew open with a crash. Valery stumbled into the hallway, soaked to the skin. His hair was plastered to his head, and water dripped from his clothes.
— Valera, what happened? — Yana ran out of the kitchen.
— My umbrella broke! — he threw what remained of it into the corner. — The taxi never came! I stood in the rain for half an hour!
— Why didn’t you call me? — she handed him a towel. — I could have come and picked you up.
Valery glared angrily at his wife. His eyes burned with rage.
— And what would you have come in? — his voice was filled with sarcasm. — My car that you’ve taken for yourself?
Yana froze with the towel in her hands. A chill ran through her. Did he truly believe that she had “taken” her own gift away from him?
— Valera, the car is mine, — her voice trembled with indignation. — It was given to me for my birthday.
— A loving wife would give the car to her husband! — he shouted, spraying saliva as he spoke. — But you’re selfish! You only think about yourself!
Yana took a step backward. How could he be so ungrateful? So cruel?
— Have you lost your mind? — her voice rose into a shout. — It’s my present! My parents bought it for me!
— Your parents! — Valery continued yelling. — And they forgot all about your husband! Forgot that I have to walk around in the rain!
— You could have taken the car today! — Yana raised her voice as well. — I would have given you the keys!
— You would have given them to me! — he laughed bitterly. — Like charity! No, thank you!
Yana stared at her husband and hardly recognized him.
Where had the man she had married gone?
This strange, soaked, furious man was demanding her property. Demanding something that did not belong to him.
— Valera, you’re asking for the impossible, — she tried to speak calmly. — The car was given to me. I’m not obligated to give it to anyone.
— Not obligated? — he stepped closer. — Am I some stranger to you?
— You’re not a stranger, — tears filled her eyes. — But that doesn’t mean I have to give you everything I own. You already wasted all our savings on your short-lived hobbies!
The argument continued late into the night. Valery accused his wife of selfishness. Yana defended her right to her own property.
By morning, it had become clear that their marriage was falling apart.
A month later, they filed for divorce.
Valery tried to claim half of the car through the courts. He argued that the gift had been intended for the family.
But the documents spoke for themselves.
The car had been registered personally in Yana’s name.
On the day the court announced its decision, Yana got behind the wheel of her car.
In the rearview mirror, she caught a glimpse of her ex-husband’s face. Valery stared angrily after her.
Yana started the engine and slowly drove away from the courthouse.
A new life was beginning ahead of her.
A life in which no one would try to claim what belonged to her.