Relations between Masha and her mother-in-law were doomed from the very beginning. At their very first meeting, Lidiya Ivanovna decided that her future daughter-in-law was not “her kind of person.”
She never missed an opportunity to convince her son that he had made the wrong choice:
“Vitya, explain to me what exactly you see in that girl? No beauty, no special character, yet she behaves as if the whole world should bow down before her.”
“Mom, stop picking on her. She baked a pie especially for you, trying to make a good impression.”
“I don’t need her pastries. I need a worthy daughter-in-law who will make you truly happy. Whatever happened to Olenka? She was so sweet, compliant, and domesticated. Why did you choose this Masha of yours?”
“Let’s not compare them. I love Masha and I’m sure I’ll be happy with her. I hope that, over time, you’ll find common ground.”
“You’re just blind! She doesn’t love you—I can feel it. She only wants our money. Let’s see how long your romantic notions last…”
Olya, mentioned by Lidiya Ivanovna, was the daughter of close family friends. Vitya had been friends with her since childhood, and both families dreamed that this friendship would grow into a serious relationship. Olya did indeed like Vitya, but his heart lay elsewhere. At the age of twenty, he met Masha and knew right away that she was the one he wanted to spend his life with.
After the wedding, Masha’s relationship with her mother-in-law did not improve, although she sincerely tried to win her over. For a while, the newlyweds lived with Lidiya Ivanovna, saving on rent so they could later afford a down payment on a mortgage.
Vitya’s family was financially well-off, but his mother refused to help them monetarily, convinced that Masha had married her son solely for personal gain. Allowing the young couple to live under her roof, she intended to show her son the error of his ways before it was too late. Her plan was to act as soon as Vitya left on a long business trip.
“Lidiya Ivanovna, I’ve made borscht. Would you like to try it?”
“Mashenka, Vitya has already left. There’s no need to continue this charade.”
“What charade? I’m cooking for the two of us.”
“Of course. You’re just so perfect… But I’m not fooled by your type.”
“Honestly, I’m tired of our constant conflicts. What exactly have I done to you?”
“If you don’t like it, no one’s forcing you to stay. Vitya won’t be back for three months. You can find yourself a rental.”
“You know what? You’re right. We can’t live together peacefully.”
Lidiya Ivanovna was thrilled at how easily her plan was starting to unfold. Sending her daughter-in-law off to a rental place turned out to be easier than she had expected.
Now it was time for the second phase:
“Hello, Olenka! It’s Lidiya Ivanovna. When can you drop by? We need to talk.”
Olya hesitated, but the chance to win back the man she loved outweighed her caution:
“Are you sure this will work?”
“Absolutely certain. It’ll be hard for me alone to persuade my son, but the two of us can handle it. The main thing is to follow my instructions.”
“All right, I agree.”
“That’s the kind of decisive, goal-oriented woman who should be by my son’s side.”
The next day, Lidiya Ivanovna called her son and gave him her version of events: she claimed that Masha had left home in a rage, refusing to make peace. That same evening, Masha called him herself, explaining that she had decided to live separately for a while.
“Honey, I spoke with Mom. She’s very upset about your behavior, especially how abruptly you left.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong to her. On the contrary, it was she who suggested I live elsewhere while you’re away.”
“She told me a completely different story.”
“You don’t believe me? I understand she’s your mother, but I have no reason to lie. Maybe it really is better for us to live separately?”
“Why can’t you two get along? You both mean so much to me. Your constant conflicts really worry me.”
“Vitya, I don’t want to upset you, but I don’t feel I’m at fault.”
“Fine, live separately for now. We’ll see how things look when I get back.”
Masha was glad that her husband was understanding about her decision to move out, and she eagerly looked forward to his return. At the same time, she decided to try once more to improve her relationship with her mother-in-law.
A month later, Olga called Viktor to discuss a professional matter—both of them worked as lawyers, so it wasn’t hard to find an excuse to talk. During the conversation, she casually mentioned that she had seen Masha with some man. Viktor was surprised, but didn’t think much of it: perhaps it was a colleague or just a friend. He had no reason to suspect his wife of any wrongdoing.
A few days later, Masha called her husband, and her voice radiated happiness:
“Vitya, I have amazing news!”
“I can tell by your tone! What’s happened?”
“I’m pregnant!”
“I don’t even know what to say… I’m over the moon! How far along are you?”
“Eight weeks.”
“I love you so much!”
“I love you too.”
Masha asked her husband to keep the news a secret until the end of her first trimester. She had read somewhere that announcing a pregnancy too early was bad luck. Though not particularly superstitious, she preferred not to take risks. Viktor agreed to keep quiet, even though he was bursting with excitement at the thought of becoming a father.
Before long, an unforeseen situation arose. Lidiya Ivanovna happened to see her daughter-in-law leaving the maternity clinic. She was waiting for a nurse friend to go to lunch together.
Seeing her mother-in-law, Masha realized there was no hiding her pregnancy now. She had to tell her about the baby, which provoked a highly emotional reaction from Lidiya Ivanovna:
“Oh, really? Your husband’s away on a business trip, and now you’re having a baby? That’s exactly your style.”
“How can you say such a thing? I love your son with all my heart and would never cheat on him. This is his child.”
“I have my doubts…”
Lidiya Ivanovna went on voicing her suspicions, attacking her daughter-in-law. The stress caused Masha to feel dizzy, and she fainted. Fortunately, it happened right at the entrance to the medical facility. After examining her, the doctors determined that she absolutely must avoid stress. They recommended complete rest, a short stay in the hospital, and avoiding any tense situations.
Frightened by her condition, Masha obeyed the doctors. She told her husband what had happened but left out the details that might cause him additional worry. This business trip was very important for his career.
Although Lidiya Ivanovna felt guilty about Masha’s condition, she still firmly believed she was right. She decided to do whatever it would take to end the marriage and again try to pair her son with Olga—someone educated, refined, and “fitting” in every way. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing control over her son.
There were just two weeks left before Viktor’s return, so she had to act fast.
“Hello, son! How’s work going?”
“Mom, it’s so nice to hear your voice! I’m doing great. How are you?”
“I’m fine, but I’m afraid there’s some news you won’t like.”
“Did something happen?”
“It’s about… I ran into your Masha by chance when I was out for lunch with Antonina. She was leaving the clinic.”
“If you mean that she’s pregnant, I already know. We planned to tell everyone in a month.”
“Of course, that’s your business, but she wasn’t alone. You should know this.”
“What do you mean ‘not alone’?”
“When she left the clinic, a young man was waiting for her. Their interaction didn’t look entirely… platonic.”
“That just can’t be…”
“You’re a grown man—think about it. It seems to me your Mashenka isn’t being completely honest. You left, and she found some new company.”
A couple of days before Viktor’s arrival, Masha was about to be discharged from the hospital. When Lidiya Ivanovna found out from her friend, she hurried to meet her daughter-in-law.
“Mashenka, I’m ashamed of what I said before. Let’s close that unpleasant chapter in our history.”
“I’d be happy to forget all the bad things. I’m glad to hear this from you.”
“Then please come back home. Vitya will return soon, and we can welcome him like a real family.”
“All right, Lidiya Ivanovna. I don’t want to be alone now, either.”
“Excellent. I’m so glad we’ve found common ground.”
By evening, Masha had gathered all her belongings and returned to her mother-in-law’s house, hoping that their relationship would truly improve.
Meanwhile, Lidiya Ivanovna was working out the final details of her plan to convince her son that he needed to divorce. Olga, for her part, would be in the right place at the right time to support Vitya in this difficult moment and win his trust. In Lidiya Ivanovna’s mind, everything was lining up perfectly.
“Hello, son?”
“Mom, hi! Masha told me you’ve reconciled and moved back in. I’m so happy the conflict is resolved!”
“If only… Unfortunately, the truth is much worse than you think.”
“What happened now? I can’t understand why you two keep arguing.”
“It’s the same old story. After being discharged, Masha barged in here with her suitcases, saying she was going to live here without even asking for my opinion. She even threatened to keep me from seeing my grandchild if I told you the whole truth. And I’m still not sure the child is even yours. But if it is, I don’t want to lose the chance to see my grandchild.”
“Mom, what are you saying? That can’t be true…”
“Why would I lie to my own son? I only want the best for you, dear.”
“If everything you’re telling me is true, then you were right from the start. I rushed into marriage. Okay, I’ll figure it all out as soon as I’m back.”
Lidiya Ivanovna was overjoyed: her son’s words carried weight. Now she just had to hold on a little longer. Vitya would be home soon, and this unwanted daughter-in-law and her questionable baby would be out of their lives.
On the day Viktor returned, Lidiya Ivanovna decided to stay late at work, giving the couple time to talk alone. By her calculation, Masha should have left the house by evening.
“Vitya! I’ve missed you so much!”
Masha rushed to greet her husband with joy the moment he walked in.
“Masha, we need to have a serious talk.”
“Is something wrong?”
“I’m afraid it is.”
“Then let’s sit in the kitchen. I just made some tea.”
Viktor was never one for drama or overt emotion, and this time he also preferred a calm discussion to clarify everything. In the next few minutes, he laid out in detail everything he had heard from his mother.
Masha listened carefully and said nothing. When he finished, she paused, then gave her version of events:
“I never cheated on you. I’m willing to swear on anything.”
“There are too many coincidences. Why would my mother make all this up?”
“You know how she feels about me.”
“Maybe there’s some basis for her suspicions? My mother isn’t the kind of person to make groundless accusations.”
“I agree she’s not lacking common sense. The problem is she simply never accepted me and still doesn’t want to. I think she genuinely believes her assumptions. She’s convinced I married you for money and got pregnant by someone else while you were away.”
“You see, I’m being forced to choose between the two women I care about most—my mother and my wife. One of you must be lying, yet both of you sound so certain.”
“I don’t like it either, but you need proof. Here’s my suggestion: let’s call your mom on speakerphone so you can hear it all for yourself.”
Masha’s confidence had already begun to restore Viktor’s trust in her, and the idea of finally clearing things up seemed logical to him.
“Lidiya Ivanovna, how could you do this to me?”
“So, has my son decided to kick you out after all?”
“You destroyed our family with your lies. You should be ashamed. You never actually saw me with another man, and neither did your Olga.”
“My dear, you can hide all you want, but you won’t fool me. Besides, I’ll never accept you beside my son. Olya will become a true part of our family, and you’ll soon be just a memory to Vitya.”
During the conversation, Lidiya Ivanovna repeatedly confirmed that she had deliberately misled her son, believing it necessary for his own good. She had no idea she was on speakerphone the whole time.
That evening, Lidiya Ivanovna came home to find suitcases in the hallway and her son and daughter-in-law sitting at the kitchen table.
“I thought you’d have kicked her out by now.”
“Mom, I know the whole truth. We’re leaving together.”
“What did she tell you?”
“Nothing special, Mom. It’s what you said yourself during our last phone call.”
“Son, forgive me… I only wanted you to be happy…”
“No need to explain right now. In three weeks, we’re going for an ultrasound to find out the baby’s gender. If you want to fix your relationship with my wife, we’d be glad to see you. But if you keep up the conflict, let me be clear: any negative word against my wife or any more attempts by Olga to interfere in our lives will lead to a final break. My only family now is with Masha.”
They left, leaving Lidiya Ivanovna in a state of shock. She couldn’t believe that her stubbornness might cost her a relationship with her son. Over the next three weeks, she gradually realized that Vitya had truly grown up and was ready to make decisions for the sake of his own family. On On the appointed day, she met them at the entrance to the maternity clinic, hoping to start fresh.