“Antonia Pavlovna, what gives you the right to decide who lives in my apartment?” asked the surprised daughter-in-law.

“Not what, but who!” her mother-in-law corrected her lightly. “It’s my younger son, your brother-in-law. He’ll stay with you until he finds a job.”
“What?!” Vera almost screamed. “Antonia Pavlovna, are you out of your mind?”
Vera was jolted awake by a loud door slam. Sunday, the only day she could relax. But for Antonia Pavlovna, it was just another excuse to brighten their lives with her presence.
“Alyoshenka!” came the loud voice from behind the door. “Are you home?”
Vera rubbed her eyes and sighed as she got out of bed. Alexey had left for a business trip yesterday, but that didn’t matter to her mother-in-law. She had shown up, as always, without an invitation.
“Good morning, Antonia Pavlovna,” Vera said politely, putting on her robe and stepping into the hall.
“Ah, daughter-in-law,” her mother-in-law eyed her with clear disapproval. “Sleeping again? Who’s going to make you breakfast?”
“I was just going to have some yogurt…”
“Yogurt?” Antonina Pavlovna snorted, as if that was completely beneath her. “Back in my day, decent wives actually cooked. You don’t even try. And what, you did this just for me?”
Vera clenched her teeth and stayed quiet. Just a year ago, she thought all this was only temporary. But as time passed, her mother-in-law never changed.
“Maybe some tea?” Vera suggested, doing her best to remain polite.
“Tea?” Antonina Pavlovna swept into the kitchen, flinging open the cupboards like she owned the place. “No cutlets? Not even some eggs? How can that be, huh?”
“No,” Vera replied firmly. “I didn’t plan on cooking today.”
“That’s why Alyosha is so skinny!” her mother-in-law shook her head and rolled her eyes. “You really don’t care about your husband at all.”
Vera silently placed the cups on the table. She had learned not to answer. After a year, conversations like these had become part of her daily life. Every time her patience ran thin, but she managed to hold it together.
“By the way,” Antonina Pavlovna sat down at the table, “I need some money.”
Vera froze, teapot in hand:
“Again?”
“What do you mean, ‘again’?” her mother-in-law frowned, as if she was offended. “Don’t I have the right to ask my family for help?”
“Antonina Pavlovna, you asked for money last week, the week before that, and a month ago…”
“So what?” her mother-in-law raised her voice. “I’m a pensioner, for your information! Prices are only going up! What am I supposed to do?”
Vera set the teapot on the table, trying her best to stay calm:
“Aleksey and I aren’t millionaires either. We have a mortgage, a car loan…”
“So I should just live in poverty?” Antonina Pavlovna threw up her hands dramatically. “While you two are living it up!”
“We’re not living it up,” Vera still tried to speak calmly. “We work. We have to budget our money.”
“Ah, budget!” Antonina Pavlovna sneered. “So the husband’s mother doesn’t fit into your plans? I raised Alyosha on my own, you know! And here you sit… You have no idea what it cost me!”
“That’s wonderful,” Vera poured the tea, trying not to show her nerves. “But that doesn’t mean we’re obligated to support you now.”
Antonina Pavlovna pushed her cup away, looking detached:
“So that’s how it is? I’m just a burden to you now?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“No, that’s exactly what you meant!” her mother-in-law stood up from the table, her face turning red with anger. “I accepted you into the family, and you…”
“You didn’t accept me,” Vera couldn’t hold back anymore. “Aleksey chose me.”
“Oh, is that so!” her mother-in-law was livid. “Then listen: I need thirty thousand for a new refrigerator!”
“What?” Vera couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You already have a working refrigerator!”
“It’s old! It’s small!” Antonina Pavlovna stomped her foot. “I want a new, big, modern one! All I need is your help!”
“Antonina Pavlovna,” Vera took a deep breath, “we don’t have that kind of money.”
“You’re lying!” her mother-in-law slammed her hand on the table. “I saw how much is in your account! It’s a fortune!”
Vera froze; it felt as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water over her.
“You went through my things?” her voice trembled, but she managed to stay strong.
Antonina Pavlovna couldn’t meet Vera’s eyes and quickly looked away. “I saw the receipt by accident! Last week, while I was cleaning.” And that was it, the end. She didn’t even believe her own words.
“You came over when we weren’t home?” Vera clenched her fists so tight her knuckles turned white. “How did you even get into our apartment?”
“I have keys!” her mother-in-law said proudly, lifting her chin. “I’m Alyosha’s mother, I have every right!”
Vera touched the wall, trying not to fall apart from the anger boiling inside her. Everything around her seemed to disappear. It was just her, the walls, the fridge, and those damned keys.
“You have no right to barge into our apartment and go through our things,” she forced out.
“I’m not barging in!” Antonina Pavlovna boiled over. “I’m looking out for you! And you… you’re being greedy! You’re saving money for something, something I don’t even want to imagine!”
“What I’m saving for is none of your business,” Vera retorted, feeling a lump rise in her throat. “And give the keys back.”
Antonina Pavlovna clutched her chest as if the pain of the insult might stop her heart right there.
“Oh my! So cold-hearted! So ungrateful! Alyoshka will find out, he’ll know everything!”
“He’ll definitely find out,” Vera replied through gritted teeth. “About the keys and about how you rummaged through our things.”
“Is that so?” her mother-in-law squinted, eyes sharp like a cat about to pounce. “Well, then I’ll tell him something interesting too…”
But before Vera could say anything, the door opened again and a young man with a backpack stumbled into the hallway. One look at his face and it was clear that nothing good or bright was to be expected from him.
“Goshenka!” Antonina Pavlovna beamed. “I’m so glad you came!”
Vera froze, unable to believe her eyes. Gosha, Alexey’s younger brother, was always the one who was ‘waiting,’ ‘hoping,’ and ‘maybe later.’ But he never worked a day in his life.
“What is this?” Vera could barely keep from panicking, nodding at the backpack Gosha had just tossed on the floor.
“Not what, who!” her mother-in-law corrected as if nothing was amiss. “This is my younger son, your brother-in-law. He’ll stay with you until he finds a job.”
“What?!” Vera almost screamed. “Antonina Pavlovna, have you lost your mind?”
“Why would I have?” her mother-in-law lifted her chin as if offended. “Gosha needs help, and you’re family!”
Meanwhile, Gosha had already wandered into the living room and, without the slightest hesitation, plopped himself down on the couch.
“I’ll sleep here. By the way, is your fridge full?”
Vera clenched her teeth, nearly cracking them under the strain.
“No one is going to sleep here! This is our apartment, not a hostel!”
“You’re so mean,” Gosha smirked, focusing on her face. “I’ll tell my brother how you kicked me out.”
“Go ahead,” Vera’s smile twisted. “And be sure to mention how you borrowed money from him a year ago and never gave it back.”
Antonina Pavlovna threw up her hands in despair:
“Goodness, what kind of person are you! You don’t even want to help your husband’s own brother!”
“I don’t,” Vera looked her mother-in-law straight in the eye. “Gosha is twenty-seven. It’s about time he took responsibility for his own life.”
“Do you hear the way she talks about you?” Antonina Pavlovna turned to her son with a look as if she’d just discovered he was a criminal. “She’s just gotten too full of herself! Thinks that just because she works at a bank, she can look down her nose at us!”
Vera stood up, pulled out her phone, her face cold and expressionless.
“I’m calling Alexey right now.”
“Go ahead, call him,” her mother-in-law snorted. “You really think my son would choose you over his own mother?”
Alexey picked up after the third ring. His voice was so calm, it felt as if he’d just come back from a relaxing fishing trip, not from a place engulfed in turmoil.
“Yes, darling?”
“Lyosha, your mom is here with Gosha…” Vera started to say.
“Oh, they’ve already arrived?” Alexey interrupted, as if all of this was just some everyday routine. “Mom called, told me Gosha needs a place to stay. I said, let him stay with us until he gets back on his feet.”
Vera felt like the ground was slipping out from under her. All the confidence, all the silent pride she usually carried around suddenly dissolved like mist. She just couldn’t believe it.
“You… you agreed? Without even asking me?” Her voice trembled, even though she was doing her best to stay composed.
“Well, what’s the big deal?” Alexey sounded genuinely puzzled. He spoke as calmly as if he were discussing the weather. “They’re my family.”
“And me? Am I not family?” Vera flinched, barely believing her own words.
“Veronka, don’t make this a drama. It’s just temporary,” Alexey’s voice carried that reassuring tone she hated—the one he always used when he wanted to avoid facing the real issue.
“Temporary? Like the money he borrowed a year ago?” Vera almost missed the smirk that formed on her lips.
“See!” the mother-in-law couldn’t take it any longer, grabbing the phone out of Alexey’s hands. “Alyosha, listen to what your wife is saying! She’s criticizing your own brother! And now she’s trying to kick me out, too!”
“Mom, give me the phone,” Alexey’s voice was weary, like someone who’d lost faith long ago. “Vera, why are you acting like this? Mom’s right—family is supposed to support each other.”
“Family, yes,” Vera was almost gasping from the tension. “But not when that so-called help turns into mooching.”
“What?!” Her mother-in-law shouted so loudly it was as if someone had dumped dog poo in her plate. “You just called us parasites?!”
“And what else would you call what you’re doing?” Vera couldn’t hold back anymore. All the hidden, pent-up anger inside her finally burst out. “You barge in without asking, go through our stuff, demand money! And now you’ve dragged Gosha in, too!”
“Alyosha!” Her mother-in-law shrieked so high her voice sounded like it was about to snap. “Do you hear this? She hates us! She’s destroying our family!”
“Vera, that’s enough,” Alexey’s strict but tired voice struck like a slap. “Mom, calm down. Gosha’s staying with us, end of discussion.”
“You know what?” Vera said quietly but firmly. “This is up for discussion. Because I live here too. And I don’t want to support a grown, healthy man who refuses to work.”
“If you don’t want to help the family,” Antonina Pavlovna suddenly interjected, “then why did you even marry a man with a big family?”
Those words were the final straw. Vera turned to her mother-in-law with such a fierce look that Antonina Pavlovna actually seemed to take a step back.
“I married Alexey, not your entire family!” Her voice rang out with determination, as blunt as a hammer striking an anvil. “And you know what? I’ve had enough! Enough of your manipulations, your demands, your constant interference in our life!”
“How dare you?” came Alexey’s outraged voice from the phone. “Vera, apologize to my mother right this instant!”
“No, Lyosha,” Vera shook her head, even though he couldn’t see her. “No more apologies. I’m leaving.”
“Where do you think you’re going?” Antonina Pavlovna shouted so loudly that Vera’s ears nearly started to ache.
“She’s not going anywhere,” Gosha chimed in from the sofa as if he was the real master of the house. “This is Lyokha’s apartment.”
“This is our apartment,” Vera snapped, glaring at him with such disdain that he even seemed to shrink back a little. “And you know what? You are all the ones who are leaving. Every one of you.”
Vera moved confidently, almost sensing that everything was about to be decided right here and now. She walked toward the bedroom and opened the wardrobe. Her hands trembled slightly, as if ready to settle everything for good, but she knew—there was no turning back. This was more than just a decision; it was the final line. She began tossing Alexey’s things into a suitcase without an ounce of sentiment.
“Verочка,” Antonina Pavlovna, as always, tried to interfere, stepping way over the line. “What are you doing? Think this through!” Her voice sounded hysterical, as if she still couldn’t believe this was really happening.
“I’ve made up my mind,” Vera continued packing. She neither heard nor saw anyone else. “You’ve turned my life into a nightmare. Constant complaints, demands for money, endless reproaches…” Each word was like a heavy stone falling from her soul.
“Lyosha!” Antonina Pavlovna yelled into the phone, making no attempt to hide her panic. “Come immediately! Your wife has lost her mind!”
“I’m coming,” Alexey replied, his voice steady, like someone who still hoped everything could be fixed. “Vera, don’t you even think about leaving!”
But Vera wasn’t listening anymore. She hadn’t been able to listen to him for days. Once his things were packed, she turned to Gosha, who was lounging on the sofa as if nothing was happening.
“And now you. Grab your backpack and get out,” she said, her voice cold as ice.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Gosha didn’t even budge, sprawling out even more. “My brother said I could stay.”
“Out!” Vera grabbed his backpack and flung it at the door without ceremony. “Or I’ll call the police.”
Two hours later, Alexey burst into the apartment, storming in like a whirlwind through their already shattered world.
“What’s going on here?” His eyes darted around the place, searching for someone to blame.
“Your wife is throwing us out of your home!” Antonina Pavlovna cried, jabbing a finger at Vera. She looked as if the apartment belonged to her and not Vera. “Your own mother and brother!”
“Vera, are you out of your mind?” Alexey approached his wife, confusion written all over his face. “How could you do this to my family?”
“And how could you do this to me?” Vera replied, her voice calm but filled with pain in every word. “Letting your mother go through my things? Letting your brother live here without asking me?”
“This is my family!” Alexey’s voice grew loud with rage. “And I won’t let you…”
“Exactly,” Vera interrupted him. “Your family. And what am I to you?”
Alexey fell silent, lost for words. She had stumped him. Just as he used to stump her before.
“There’s your answer,” Vera said calmly, pointing at the packed suitcases. “Take your things and leave. All of you.”
“But this is my apartment!” Alexey exclaimed, as if her words were the biggest insult.
“Ours,” Vera corrected him without even looking his way. “And I have just as much right to decide who lives here.”
“Ungrateful!” Antonina Pavlovna shrieked, sounding as if her heart was about to break.
“You tried to turn me into an ATM and a maid. But that’s over now.” Vera flung open the front door, as if stepping into a new world where there was no more room for them.
Antonina Pavlovna, Gosha, and Alexey stood in the hallway, frozen in disbelief at what they were seeing. Vera methodically carried out their things—every box, every bag. And with each trip, as she moved their belongings out, Vera could feel herself becoming free.
“Vera, let’s talk,” Alexey tried to reason with her, his voice now quiet and unsure. “You can’t be serious?”
“I am serious,” Vera looked him in the eyes, her gaze holding all the strength—and all the pain—she’d carried for so long. “I can’t and won’t live like this anymore. You made your choice—your family is more important than me. Well, I’ve made my choice too.”
When the door slammed shut, Vera leaned her back against it. Inside, there was emptiness. But this emptiness didn’t frighten her. It brought relief—strange, and at the same time, so desired.
A week passed. Vera had already changed the locks and filed for divorce. Alexey called every day—threatening, begging, promising to come back. Antonina Pavlovna sent angry messages. Gosha told everyone how cruel Vera was, how she refused to give them a second chance.
But Vera felt free. For the first time in ages, she could sleep in on weekends without fearing an unexpected visit from her mother-in-law. She could spend her money however she wanted, without worrying about more demands. She could simply live.
“You know,” Vera told her friend with a light smile, “I only now realize how tired I was of it all. The constant pressure, always having to please everyone.”
“But what about Alexey?” her friend asked, still not quite understanding.
“I did love him,” Vera nodded. “But I love myself more now. And I won’t waste my life on someone who doesn’t respect me.”
A month went by. The divorce was finalized. Vera got the apartment, while Alexey, it seemed, accepted things, took the settlement, and drove off with the car. For the first time in ages, Vera started living the way she truly wanted. She refreshed her apartment’s interior, spent more time on herself, and, most importantly, realized that happiness isn’t about pleasing everyone else. Happiness is about staying true to yourself and your values. No family ties are worth betraying yourself.
The end.