Vadim, with utmost caution, like a professional thief, inserted the key into the lock. The mechanism made a nasty screeching sound, as if deliberately trying to attract the attention of everyone in the house. The man froze in place, listening intently. In response, there was only the deathly silence.
“That was close,” he exhaled with relief.
As he proceeded, he tried to avoid the creaky floorboards, slowly making his way further into the hallway. From the kitchen came the appetizing aroma of fresh borscht and browned cutlets.
“She probably left dinner,” Vadim thought with a warm smile, running his tongue over his dry lips.
Hunger didn’t torment him, but the smells were so enticing that it was impossible to resist. Who else but his wife would greet him with a hot meal, even if he returned at dawn? That’s why he clung to his marriage despite the increasing quarrels.
Stepping over the kitchen threshold, Vadim almost screamed in surprise. All the pleasant anticipation evaporated instantly. His stomach tightened into a knot. In the dim light, like a menacing ghost, sat his mother-in-law, Darya Viktorovna, on the corner sofa. She didn’t move, her cold eyes glinting in the moonlight streaming through the unshuttered window.
“Again, Vadim?” her voice sounded low and piercing, like a winter storm.
The man flinched. His “close call” turned into an inevitable storm. With such a vigilant guard, it would be impossible to avoid questioning, and he desperately wanted to avoid unnecessary explanations.
“Darya Viktorovna, why ‘again’ right away?” he mumbled, feigning naive confusion. It didn’t sound convincing. The smell of alcohol, which he unsuccessfully masked with chewing gum, betrayed him completely. “Not again, but… it just happened. My colleagues gathered, it’s Friday… What’s with the look? Didn’t you ever stay out late when you were young?”
“Friday,” Darya Viktorovna hissed. “And your wife is at home alone, worried—does that not matter? You’ve been drinking away your salary again? Or celebrating your record time spent in the smoking room?” Each of her words was soaked with sharp sarcasm.
Vadim swallowed. Arguing with Darya Viktorovna was pointless—she responded to his one word with ten biting phrases. She was known for her sharp mind and even sharper tongue. With such a woman, jokes were dangerous. Although she usually didn’t interfere in her daughter’s relationships, she wouldn’t stay silent if Zina was hurt. Where his wife might remain quiet, his mother-in-law would certainly speak up.
“We didn’t drink it all away, but… we celebrated. It was a friend’s birthday… that’s why we stayed late. We grilled kebabs… But it smells so good here, I’ll definitely have a bite.”
“Birthday!” Darya Viktorovna snorted. “You rush headlong to someone else’s party, but at home, you don’t care? Zina is already asleep, all worn out. How are you going to look her in the eye, huh? Aren’t you ashamed? How long will you keep treating your wife like this? Is she nothing to you?”
Vadim felt irritation boiling up in his chest. Her lecturing tone had worn him thin, and with every phrase from his mother-in-law, his certainty in his own rightness only grew stronger.
“Darya Viktorovna, listen,” Vadim started, trying to keep his tone even, though his voice clearly betrayed growing annoyance. “We are both adults, independent people. Why the unsolicited advice? I have the right to manage my time! My own mother never told me when I should come home.”
His mother-in-law narrowed her eyes slightly, her piercing gaze growing colder. If this woman had lived with them, Vadim would have long ago filed for divorce. Her presence was stifling. Every visit from her felt like a test—he didn’t want to return to a house like this. This perceptive woman could never be fooled! Vadim knew this all too well. When Darya Viktorovna visited, he played the role of a model husband, but sometimes his masks would slip. And now, he couldn’t help but run off to where no one greeted him with a home-cooked meal, but instead offered something far more tempting… something he couldn’t resist. All he could do now was hope that his mother-in-law wouldn’t see the truth in his eyes, wouldn’t expose him and become the catalyst for the collapse of his family. And if that did happen… maybe it would be for the best?
“Life isn’t just about fun, Vadim. You have a family. Your place is with your wife. What will happen when children come? You won’t be of any help!”
“That’s our personal business! It’s none of your business,” Vadim couldn’t hold back and raised his voice. He realized his words could spark a storm, but her endless moralizing had pushed him to the brink. “I don’t need your advice on how to live. Your constant interference in our family matters irritates me. I’m an independent person and I’m not going to report to you!”
Darya Viktorovna pressed her lips together tightly. Her gaze grew even more severe. She remained silent, but the atmosphere thickened, like before a storm. Vadim abruptly turned and headed toward the bedroom, deciding to ignore this unpleasant conversation and in the morning force his wife to choose—either him or her mother.
To his surprise, Zina was awake. The young woman sat by the window, her tired gaze sliding over her husband, and she sighed heavily.
“I was waiting for you. You didn’t even bother to call, to let me know you’d be late, even though you could have done that.”
“I could have, but I didn’t. Stop trying to control every step I take. I didn’t have time for you. You can be as angry as you want, but what’s done is done.”
Zina silently looked at her husband, as if waiting for him to confess everything. But Vadim stubbornly pretended nothing had happened.
“If I didn’t know where you were, I would have already called all the hospitals and morgues.”
“Did you know? And where, according to you, was I?” Vadim got nervous.
“And you thought it was necessary to show her your attention?” Zina frowned. It was unbearably painful, but she had already cried all her tears. She hadn’t told her mother—she knew she wouldn’t let them even talk properly. And now it was unclear—did she even want to have this conversation? What was she waiting for? Pleas for forgiveness? Pitiful excuses? Everything was already crystal clear… The decision came instantly. Zina had no doubt—such betrayal couldn’t be forgiven.
“Her? It was Yuri’s birthday…”
“But you weren’t with him. Stop lying. Tell me the truth, looking me in the eyes.”
Vadim gritted his teeth, looking at his wife’s face. Could it be that she really knew everything? The truth he had so carefully hidden? His confidence melted with each passing second.
“She sent me your photo. In bed. And don’t you dare talk about Photoshop… There’s even a video. You cheated on me, lied shamelessly, and I went mad with worry. It’s over.”
Vadim flared up. He didn’t expect his brief fling with the girl from the neighboring department to turn into such a loud scandal. Now what? A divorce? Over something so trivial? He hadn’t taken the girl seriously. They’d had fun together, but Vadim never considered living with her—unlike his wife, who always delighted him with her culinary masterpieces.
“Zin, wait! Don’t make hasty decisions! I’m a man! Sometimes I need something fresh. Do you understand? If you wear the same shirt for years, it gets worn out and boring. It’s the same in relationships. I was looking for new experiences, so the spark between us would flare up again. Do you catch my drift?”
From the look on his wife’s face, Vadim immediately knew—she had already made up her mind. She wasn’t going to forgive him or give him a second chance. But where would she go? How could she live without him? She had always been so dependent. She always talked about her love. Once, she had run after him like a devoted puppy. No… she wouldn’t dare to do this. Vadim decided to maintain his confident facade, as if he didn’t feel guilty. And it was true—he genuinely didn’t think his actions were anything terrible. His wife just needed time to cool off.
“You know what…” Apparently, the alcohol he had drunk with his mistress was giving him a false sense of courage. “I’m already sick of your moralizing. You both are always teaching me how to live. Maybe I should teach you? A real wife should sit quietly and not stick her nose into everything, and your mother has no place in our house. Don’t like it? Then get out! Take your mother with you!” At that moment, Vadim felt like a hero. He looked at his crushed wife, feeling like the absolute master of the situation. He wasn’t going to tolerate this anymore. He decided to be the head of the family that everyone should fear and respect.
“But this is my house,” Zina protested, standing up and placing her hands on her hips. “And if anyone should leave, it’s you.”
Vadim’s confidence evaporated instantly. He shook his head, realizing he had crossed the line. The house really belonged to his wife. Now she could easily throw him out, and he had nowhere to go.
“Listen… let’s calm down and talk about everything tomorrow. I’m so tired, I can’t think straight right now.”
“No. We won’t discuss anything. You’re leaving right now. Where? That’s your problem. You can go to her. She didn’t send me that photo for nothing; she probably wants you to move in with her. I won’t forgive you, Vadim. It’s over. Such betrayal is impossible to forget.”
“Do you even understand who you’re talking to?”
Vadim shouted so loudly it seemed he could wake the dead. His ears rang. He raised his hand toward his wife, but just in time, Darya Viktorovna managed to intercept his arm. His mother-in-law threatened to call the police if he didn’t leave immediately. There was no choice. Spitting on the floor, Vadim promised he would never step foot in this house again.
With nowhere else to go, he headed to his mistress’s place, but she refused to take him in, saying she was ending their affair and had sent the photo to his wife on purpose so she would know the truth. In a fury, Vadim stayed with a friend for a few days, hoping his wife would reconsider, but Zina remained adamant and filed for divorce. Since they had no shared property after two and a half years of marriage, and no children had come along, the divorce promised to be swift.
Left alone, Vadim bitterly reflected on his ruined life. He realized what a fatal mistake he had made, but it was too late to fix anything. Would he be lucky again? Could he find a wife as domestic as Zina? That remained uncertain… Maybe, as punishment, he was now destined to live a miserable life in solitude? He used to justify his affairs by claiming his wife restricted his freedom, and his mother-in-law was constantly pressuring him. But deep down, he knew—Darya Viktorovna was a good person and only scolded him for serious misdeeds… He had simply been looking for excuses for his weaknesses, and now he fully realized his wrongs.
Zina, on the other hand, thanked her mother for her constant support. Temporarily staying with her, the woman decided to sell the old house and start a new life elsewhere. All of this would take time, just like healing emotional wounds.
Vadim had to quit his job and move to his parents’ house in the village. He had lost everything he had… He had let go of a loyal bird in hand for the fleeting pleasure of a crane in the sky… And now he had to face the consequences of his choice.